Jimi Lifts His “Little Wing” Over Cafe Au Go Go In ’68, And It’s Breathtaking

Riding The Wind

On March 17, 1968 Jimi Hendrix played Cafe Au Go Go in New York City and blew the intimate crowd away with a lyric-less version of hit “Little Wing.”

“Fly on, little wing.”

Inspired by his experiences at the Monterey Pop Festival, studying the behavior of the fellow rockstars around him like the great Janis Joplin, The Byrds, and The Who, Jimi felt compelled to document these memories and share them through song.

Interesting Fact: Jimi ran his guitar through a Leslie speaker to create an unusual sound. The Leslie speaker was designed for organs and contains a rotating paddle that distorts the sound.

Musicians have tried and tried again to channel the feeling and emotion that Jimi had to have reached in order to play such a life-changing song, but have failed time and time again.

No one could do it like Jimi did, no one ever will.

+ Little Wing Lyrics +

Well she’s walking through the clouds
With a circus mind
That’s running wild
Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams
And fairly tales

That’s all she ever thinks about

Riding the wind

When I’m sad she comes to me
With a thousand smiles
She gives to me free

It’s alright, she says
It’s alright
Take anything you want from me
Anything

Fly on, little wing