Manic Depression (song)
| "Manic Depression" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience from the album Are You Experienced | |
| Released | May 12, 1967 |
| Recorded | March 29, 1967 |
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, blues rock, acid rock[1] |
| Length | 3:30 |
| Label | Track Records (UK) MCA (reissues) |
| Writer | Jimi Hendrix |
| Producer | Chas Chandler |
| Are You Experienced track listing | |
|
(UK) Side 1
(UK) Side 2
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"Manic Depression" is a song written and recorded by Jimi Hendrix and first released in 1967 on the Are You Experienced album.
[edit] Overview
The song's name is an old name for bipolar disorder, a mental health disorder. There is no evidence that Hendrix ever suffered from (or did not suffer from) bipolar disorder himself,[citation needed] but when he was doing a press conference in London his manager at the time, Chas Chandler, told him that he sounded like a manic depressive.[citation needed] So the next day Hendrix wrote this tune.[citation needed] One interesting aspect to the song is that it is in 3/4 time signature.
At Winterland in 1968, Jimi explains to the crowd: "I'd like to do a frustrating type of song for you, it's called Manic Depression, a story about a cat wishing he could make love to music, instead of the same old everyday woman."
[edit] Covers
"Manic Depression" has been covered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers; Styx; Blood, Sweat & Tears; Tanya Donelly; Carnivore; Nomeansno; David Ryan Harris; Jeff Beck and Seal; Clawfinger; Jan Hammer; Katharina Franck; King's X; Stevie Ray Vaughan; Yngwie J. Malmsteen; Type O Negative; et al. The Hungarian Gypsy band Besh O Drom have a track called "Mániás Depresszió" on their album Gyi! which uses Hendrix's tune. Rozz Williams and Gitane Demone released a very different version of "Manic Depression" on their album Dream Home Heartache. Singer/comedian Sandra Bernhard combined the song with the song "Everything's Alright" from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar to create the song "Manic Superstar" on her album Excuses For Bad Behavior (Part One). In 2006, jazz fusion guitarist Larry Coryell covered the song on his album Traffic.[2][3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Acid rock". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/explore/style/acid-rock-d2690/songs. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
- ^ "Traffic overview". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r856937.
- ^ "Traffic by Larry Coryell, Victor Bailey, Lenny White". Chesky Records. http://www.chesky.com/core/details.cfm?PRODUCTCODE=SACD322&productcategoryid=3.
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