Episode 18: Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

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In this episode of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez discuss the songs that win their gold, silver and bronze medals from Jimi Hendrix’s Are You Experienced.

Medal Winners

The Wind Cries Mary (Listen Here)

Are You Experienced? (Listen Here)

Fire (Listen Here)

Hey Joe (Listen Here)

Purple Haze (Listen Here)

Bonus Tracks

Incense & Peppermints – Strawberry Alarm Clock (Listen Here)

Ruby Tuesday – Rolling Stones (Listen Here)

The Real Me – Who (Listen Here)

Hey Joe – Tim Rose (Listen Here)

Down By The River – Neil Young (Listen Here)

Oh Woman, Oh Why – Paul McCartney (Listen Here)

Come And Get It – Badfinger (Listen Here)

Little Wing – Derek And The Dominos (Listen Here)

Red House – Jimi (Listen Here)

Remember – Jimi (Listen Here)

51st Anniversary – Jimi (Listen Here)

Are You Experienced VH1 Classic video (Listen Here)

Green Door – Jim Lowe (Listen Here)

Released in the United States in 1967, the album introduced American audiences to The Jimi Hendrix Experience and instantly redefined what a rock music could sound like.  The album showcases Hendrix’s unique blend of blues roots, psychedelic experimentation, and innovative and explosive guitar tones.  Are You Experienced expanded the vocabulary of rock music. Its use of feedback, studio effects, and genre-blending songwriting helped shape psychedelic rock, hard rock, and future guitar-driven music for decades to come.

The U.S. version of the album differs from the original UK release by replacing three album tracks with the band’s breakthrough singles, creating a punchier, hit-driven sequence tailored for the American market.

The album peaked at #5 on the Billboard charts and includes “Purple Haze” – one of Hendrix’s signature recordings that became a defining anthem of psychedelic rock, “Hey Joe” – a reimagined folk standard that helped break Hendrix internationally and “The Wind Cries Mary” – a melodic counterpoint to the album’s heavier tracks, highlighting Hendrix’s lyrical and emotional range.

Besides Jimi, the band included Noel Redding – bass guitar, backing vocals and Mitch Mitchell – drums, backing vocals.  The album was produced by ex-Animal bass player Chas Chandler.

Track Listings (U.S. Version)

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