THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

983-Jimi Hendrix Experience-Crosstown Traffic.

1968-Number 37 single.

Best Bit-At 1.14. The guitar part just before the chorus impressed a young David Bowie so much, that he pinched it for ‘Starman.’

Jimi Hendrix (see also best songs 492) was born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27th, 1942, in Seattle, Washington, United States, he died on September 18th, 1970, from asphyxia, while intoxicated with barbiturates, at the age of 27. In 1946 his parents changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix, after his father James, and his father’s late brother Leon Marshall. Hendrix is held in the highest regard by both music journalists, and fellow artists alike, with many publications citing him as the greatest guitarist of all time. It was probably his experimentation with ‘amplifier feedback,’ making the guitar sound like it had never sounded before, that sets him apart. His influence has led the way in the development of ‘Hard Rock,’ Heavy Metal,’ and ‘Grunge’ music.

Jimi Hendrix had been fascinated with the guitar from an early age, and this developed further during his time in the Army between 1961-1962, where he, and fellow recruit Billy Cox, who played bass guitar, would regularly jam together. Hendrix first appeared on record in March 1964, playing the guitar parts on ‘The Isley Brothers’ (see also best songs 823-508-382 and 176) single ‘Testify,’ which failed to chart, the American music critic Richie Unterberger described the song as ‘One of the best examples of his (Hendrix) pre-‘Experience’ recordings.’

It was Chas Chandler, (1938-1996) (see also best songs 851-649 and 492) the former bass player in ‘The Animals,’ and future manager of ‘Slade,’ who took Hendrix under his wing in 1966, when forming the band the ‘Jimi Hendrix Experience,’ with two other musicians that Chandler had also hand picked to work alongside him, the English guitarist Noel Redding, (1945-2003) and the English drummer Mitch Mitchell (1946-2008.) Together they would record and release three studio Albums between 1967-1968 as the ‘Jimi Hendrix Experience,’ for a fuller discography of Jimi Hendrix, see best songs 492.

‘Crosstown Traffic’ was written and produced by Jimi Hendrix, and was the second of the two singles released from the double Album ‘Electric Ladyland,’ from October 1968, which was the third and final Album issued by the ‘Jimi Hendrix Experience.’ The first single which was a cover of the Bob Dylan song ‘All Along the Watchtower’ had made Number 20 on Billboard in America, and Number 5 in the UK, while ‘Crosstown Traffic’ would only reach Number 52 in the States, and Number 37 in the UK. Chas Chandler had been the producer of both the first two ‘Jimi Hendrix Experience’ studio Albums, and he had also produced the original demo of ‘Crosstown Traffic,’ but he was finding it increasingly more and more difficult to work with Hendrix, due to Hendrix being a perfectionist, who insisted on several takes of each track, which eventually forced Chandler to leave during the recording of ‘Electric Ladyland.’ The musicians who played on ‘Crosstown Traffic’ were Hendrix, Redding, and Mitchell, with Dave Mason, who was a member of the English Rock band ‘Traffic,’ guesting on the twelve-string guitar, and also providing backing vocals alongside Hendrix.

‘Crosstown Traffic’ is the perfect example of the way Jimi Hendrix experimented with the electric guitar, mixing ‘Blues’ music with ‘Psychedelic Rock.’ The songs lyrics are similar to many ‘Blues’ songs in that they are filled with sexual innuendo,’Crosstown Traffic’ is about a girl who is hard to get rid of. The narrator has spent time with her, but now he wants to move on. Getting his intentions through to her that she is not wanted anymore, is as difficult as getting through crosstown traffic.

‘I’m not the only soul who’s accused of hit and run, tyre tracks all across your back, I can, I can see you had your fun. But, darlin’ can’t you see my signals turn from green to red, and with you I can see a traffic jam straight up ahead.’