Jimi Hendrix’s original music was otherworldly, but the man also knew his way around a cover or two. This list of the best Jimi Hendrix covers isn’t exhaustive by any means. Hendrix covered so many songs and made them uniquely his own; we’re just fans of these four particular tunes.
1. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band” by The Beatles
Few musicians could cover The Beatles quite like their 1960s contemporaries. Paul McCartney fondly recalled the first time he had seen Hendrix perform, and the guitar master decided to whip out a cover of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band” when he learned McCartney was in the crowd.
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“I remember him [Hendrix] opening at the Saville on a Sunday night, June 4th 1967,” said McCartney. “Jimi opened, the curtains flew back and he came walking forward, playing ‘Sgt. Pepper’, and it had only been released on the Thursday so that was like the ultimate compliment.”
2. “Hey Joe” by Billy Roberts
This has to be one of Jimi Hendrix’s most underrated covers from his heyday. This tune was originally penned by folk artist Billy Roberts; and Hendrix had a talent for putting an electric rock spin on folk songs. “Hey Joe” had been out for a while before Hendrix covered it, and his version became a huge hit.
3. “Wild Thing” by The Troggs
In a way, “Wild Thing” by The Troggs has become more synonymous with Hendrix than the band that actually debuted it. It was the song that Hendrix lit aflame and burned, along with his guitar, during his famous Monterey Pop Festival set in 1967.
The original song was written by Chip Taylor and popularized by the English group The Troggs in 1966. It’s an influential song that Hendrix found particularly exciting and empowering.
4. “House Of The Rising Sun” by The Animals
You can’t beat the original guitar riff and storytelling aspect of “House Of The Rising Sun” by The Animals. It’s a massively influential song; Bob Dylan even decided to start playing the electric guitar because of it. Likewise, Hendrix was inspired by the song and decided to put a psychedelic rock spin on the song. The performance is dense with Hendrix’s unique charisma and captivating stage presence.
Photo by David Redfern
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