Jimi Hendrix – ‘Killing Floor’ live at Monterey!

Jimi kills it on the killing floor!

Only Jimi Hendrix could take a blues tune like ‘Killing Floor’ and play it so well that even Eric Clapton was too afraid to attempt it! If that isn’t musical prowess, I don’t know what is.

Jimi Hendrix covered this classic blues tune in 1966, playing it live for the first time when he sat in with Cream. He shredded his way through ‘Killing Floor’ at such a frenetic pace that Eric Clapton had to set his guitar down and head backstage for a cigarette, asking, “He’s really that good?”

‘Killing Floor’ was written and recorded in 1964 by Howlin’ Wolf, a blues influence of Jimi’s.

Later, we’d get to see Jimi perform ‘Killing Floor’ live at the Monterey International Pop Festival, and even record it for his album Live At Monterey.

He’d play it differently each time, changing either the bass line or altering the song’s tempo, but never once losing the intensity he’d become so famous for.

While he loved ‘Killing Floor’, Eric Clapton originally wrote the song off as being ‘too difficult’. After seeing Jimi perform it, he wrote it off as being purely impossible.

I love this song! This live video of 24 year old Jimi performing ‘Killing Floor’ in Monterey 1967 will absolutely blow you away.

Yes, Eric – he really was that good!

+ Killing Floor lyrics +

I shoulda quit you, a long time ago,
I shoulda quit you, baby, a long time ago,
I shoulda quit you pretty baby, and went on to Mexico.

If I had’a followed, my right mind,
If I had’a followed, my right mind,
I’da been on the border, my second time.

If I had’a went on, when my best friend come at me,
If I had’a went on, when my best friend come at me,
Lord, I wouldn’t be here tonight, down on the killin’ floor.

If I had’a went on, when my friend come at me,
If I had’a went on, when my best friend come at me,
I wouldn’t be here tonight, down on the killin’ floor.

God knows, I shoulda went on,
God knows, I shoulda went on,
And I wouldn’t be here tonight, down on the killin’ floor.