Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” Rare Live Footage From 1967

March 18, 1967

While there generally isn’t much live footage of Jimi Hendrix in existence, the ones we do come across are always intensely special. There’s something about seeing Jimi alive and in bright color that somehow makes him seem more real, and not just legend that guitar geeks and classic rock fans everywhere speak of with reverence. This footage is from a performance on March 18, 1967 and is of Jimi and his band performing ‘Hey Joe’, one of our absolute favorites!

Fun Fact: 6,346 guitarists played “Hey Joe” simultaneously in the town of Wroclaw, Poland in 2009, breaking a world record for most guitarists playing a single song.

Jimi is absolutely unstoppable; I can’t believe that he was only 24 in this footage and yet, was already lightyears ahead of his competition and peers in terms of his skill level, innovation, and passion. We knew he was a virtuoso, but to actually see him casually put his guitar to his lips and start picking out ‘Hey Joe’s melody with his teeth is something else completely!

+ Hey Joe lyrics +

Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that gun in your hand?
Hey Joe, I said where you goin’ with that gun in your hand?
Alright. I’m goin down to shoot my old lady,
you know I caught her messin’ ’round with another man.
Yeah, ! I’m goin’ down to shoot my old lady,
you know I caught her messin’ ’round with another man.
Huh! And that ain’t too cool.

Uh, hey Joe, I heard you shot your woman down,
you shot her down.
Uh, hey Joe, I heard you shot you old lady down,
you shot her down to the ground. Yeah!

Yes, I did, I shot her,
you know I caught her messin’ ’round,
messin’ ’round town.
Uh, yes I did, I shot her
you know I caught my old lady messin’ ’round town.
And I gave her the gun and I shot her!

Alright
(Ah! Hey Joe)
Shoot her one more time again, baby!
(Oo)
Yeah.
(Hey Joe!)
Ah, dig it!
(Hey)
Ah! Ah!
(Joe where you gonna go?)
Oh, alright.

Hey Joe, said now,
(Hey)
uh, where you gonna run to now, where you gonna run to?
Yeah.
(where you gonna go?)
Hey Joe, I said,
(Hey)
where you goin’ to run
to now, where you, where you gonna go?
(Joe!)
Well, dig it!
I’m goin’ way down south, way down south,
(Hey)
way down south to Mexico way! Alright!
(Joe)
I’m goin’ way down south,
(Hey, Joe)
way down where I can be free!
(where you gonna…)
Ain’t no one gonna find me babe!
(…go?)
Ain’t no hangman gonna,
(Hey, Joe)
he ain’t gonna put a rope around me!
(Joe where you gonna..)
You better believe it right now!
(…go?)
I gotta go now!
Hey, hey, hey Joe,
(Hey Joe)
you better run on down!
(where you gonna…)
Goodbye everybody. Ow!
(…go?)
Hey, hey Joe, what’d I say