Wait Until Tomorrow

Last updated
"Wait Until Tomorrow"
Song by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
from the album Axis: Bold as Love
ReleasedDecember 1, 1967 (1967-12-01)
RecordedOctober 26, 1967
Studio Olympic Sound, London
Genre Rhythm and blues [1]
Length3:00
Label Track
Songwriter(s) Jimi Hendrix
Producer(s) Chas Chandler

"Wait Until Tomorrow" is a song by the Jimi Hendrix Experience from their 1967 second album Axis: Bold as Love . Written by Jimi Hendrix, the song details the scenario of a male protagonist addressing his female love with whom he plans to leave home, only to be shot dead by her father. Despite not being released as a single, "Wait Until Tomorrow" has been recognized as one of the strongest songs on the album. [2] [3]

Contents

Background and style

"Wait Until Tomorrow" was one of the first "situation song[s]" written by Hendrix and is said to be influenced by soul artists such as the Isley Brothers (with whom Hendrix performed before forming the Experience) [2] and stylistically similar to guitarist Steve Cropper. [4] A "head-on boy–girl song", [4] "Wait Until Tomorrow" was one of the final songs recorded for the album on October 26, 1967, before the album was completed with the recording of title track "Bold as Love" three days later. [4] In an AllMusic review, Matthew Greenwald described the progression and style of the song:

A great bass and guitar duet is the core riff, and, as usual, Hendrix builds up to gentle and entertaining crescendos from there. Lyrically, the song finds Hendrix writing a situation song, creating characters in the first person. This was one of his first attempts at this, and it's fun listening to him stretch his songwriting abilities. [2]

Reception

Reviews of Axis: Bold as Love have generally mentioned "Wait Until Tomorrow" in a positive light. Matthew Greenwald of allmusic identifies the "playful song" as "one of the low-key highlights" of the album, [2] while Parke Puterbaugh of Rolling Stone describes it as a "taut, funky, could've-been-hit." [3] In reviewing the album for the BBC, Chris Jones summarised "Wait Until Tomorrow" as "a wry, funky little tale", [5] while Sputnikmusic reviewer "Broken Arrow" comments:

The intro is light and quick, [with a] guitar part and a real heavy bass [line] that only consists of one note but really adds to the intro. As Jimi [Hendrix]'s vocals and Mitch [Mitchell]'s drums come in the band goes into more of a groove. After a nice guitar fill that resembles the intro the extremely catchy chorus comes with some nice background vocals. The intro theme gets repeated a few times in the song before every verse. Mitch plays some very nice fills in this song and keeps a solid beat throughout [it]. 4/5 [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Redding</span> English musician (1945–2003)

David Noel Redding was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress.

<i>Axis: Bold as Love</i> 1967 studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience

Axis: Bold as Love is the second studio album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was first released by Track Records in the United Kingdom on December 1, 1967, only seven months after the release of the group's highly successful debut album, Are You Experienced. In the United States, Reprise Records delayed the release until the following month. The album reached the top ten in the album charts in both countries.

"Little Wing" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967. It is a slower tempo, rhythm and blues-inspired ballad featuring Hendrix's vocal and guitar with recording studio effects accompanied by bass, drums, and glockenspiel. Lyrically, it is one of several of his songs that reference an idealized feminine or guardian angel-like figure. At about two and a half minutes in length, it is one of his most concise and melodically focused pieces.

"Red House" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and one of the first songs recorded in 1966 by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It has the musical form of a conventional twelve-bar blues and features Hendrix's guitar playing. He developed the song prior to forming the Experience and was inspired by earlier blues songs.

<i>The Ultimate Experience</i> 1992 compilation album by Jimi Hendrix

The Ultimate Experience is a 1992 compilation album of songs by American musician Jimi Hendrix. It includes 20 tracks spanning his career. The album was among the last to be supervised by interim producer Alan Douglas, before the Hendrix family regained control of his recording legacy. It has gone out-of-print and, in 1997, was replaced by the 20 track compilation Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix.

"Spanish Castle Magic" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and performed by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Produced by Chas Chandler, it is the third track from the album Axis: Bold as Love. The lyrics refer to a club near Seattle, where Hendrix sometimes played early in his career. The song was a staple of live shows and several live recordings were released after Hendrix's death.

"Castles Made of Sand" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience for their 1967 second album, Axis: Bold as Love. Produced by manager Chas Chandler, the song is a biographical story about Hendrix's childhood, and was recorded towards the end of the production cycle for Axis: Bold as Love.

"Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)" is a song by English-American rock band the Jimi Hendrix Experience, featured on their 1968 third album Electric Ladyland. Written and produced by frontman Jimi Hendrix, the song acts as the title track of the album, as well as essentially the opening track following the short instrumental intro "...And the Gods Made Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burning of the Midnight Lamp</span> 1967 single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience

"Burning of the Midnight Lamp" is a song recorded by English-American rock trio the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Written by frontman Jimi Hendrix and produced by band manager Chas Chandler, it features R&B group Sweet Inspirations on backing vocals.

<i>Historic Performances Recorded at the Monterey International Pop Festival</i> 1970 live album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (side one) and Otis Redding (side two)

Historic Performances Recorded at the Monterey International Pop Festival is a live album recorded at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967. A split artist release, it includes some of the performances by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on side one and Otis Redding on side two. It has been supplanted by later more comprehensive releases, Live at Monterey and Captured Live at the Monterey International Pop Festival .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Up from the Skies</span> 1968 single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience

"Up from the Skies" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix. Recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967, it was released on their second album Axis: Bold as Love. The lyrics reflect Hendrix's interest in science fiction and relate an extraterrestrial visitor's curiosity about life on Earth. Musically, it incorporates elements of jazz, particularly in drummer Mitch Mitchell's use of brushes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freedom (Jimi Hendrix song)</span> 1971 single by Jimi Hendrix

"Freedom" is a rock song by Jimi Hendrix that is often regarded as one of the most fully realized pieces he wrote and recorded in the months before his death. It incorporates several musical styles and the lyrics reflect various situations facing Hendrix at the time.

<i>Voodoo Soup</i> 1995 compilation album by Jimi Hendrix

Voodoo Soup is a posthumous compilation album by American rock musician Jimi Hendrix, released in the United States on April 11, 1995, by MCA Records. It was one of the last Hendrix albums produced by Alan Douglas, who was also responsible for the posthumous Hendrix releases Midnight Lightning and Crash Landing in 1975.

"Bold as Love" is the title track of Axis: Bold as Love, the second album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song, which closes the album, was written by Jimi Hendrix and produced by band manager Chas Chandler.

<i>Live at Clark University</i> 1999 live album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Live at Clark University is a posthumous live album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, released on July 6, 1999, by Dagger Records. The album documents the band's performance at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts on March 15, 1968. "Fire", "Red House" and "Foxey Lady", as well as the two interviews with Jimi Hendrix, were featured on the companion CD to the book Jimi Hendrix: An Illustrated Experience (2007). The album was re-released - minus the interviews - on vinyl in 2010 as part of Record Store Day.

<i>Radio One</i> (album) 1988 live album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Radio One is a live album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was released posthumously in November 1988 by Rykodisc and compiles tracks recorded between February and December 1967 for broadcasts by BBC Radio. The album peaked at number 30 on the UK Albums Chart, while in the United States, it charted at number 119 on the Billboard 200. After Hendrix's family gained control of his legacy, Radio One was supplanted by the more comprehensive BBC Sessions in 1998.

"Ezy Ryder" is a song written and recorded by American musician Jimi Hendrix. It is one of the few studio recordings to include both Buddy Miles on drums and Billy Cox on bass, with whom Hendrix recorded the live Band of Gypsys album (1970).

"One Rainy Wish" is a song by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, featured on their 1967 second album Axis: Bold as Love. The song was written by Jimi Hendrix based on a dream that he had in which "the sky was filled with a thousand stars ... and eleven moons played across the rainbows," according to the song's lyrics. Shortly after the release of Axis: Bold as Love, "One Rainy Wish" was featured as the B-side to "Up from the Skies", released in February 1968.

"Night Bird Flying" is a rock song written by Jimi Hendrix. It is a complex piece with multiple guitar parts and reflects a variety of styles. Lyrically, Hendrix continues to explore an idealized feminine figure, as in his 1967 song "Little Wing".

"Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" or simply "Hey Baby" is a song written and recorded by American musician Jimi Hendrix, from his second posthumous album Rainbow Bridge (1971). The song is a slower and more melodic piece, which features the prominent use of chorus- and tremolo-effects on guitar. Hendrix uses an idealized feminine figure that recurs in several of his lyrics. Commentators have seen the song as representative of his post-Band of Gypsys musical direction.

References

  1. Shadwick, Keith (2003). Jimi Hendrix: Musician. Backbeat Books. p. 129. ISBN   0-87930-764-1.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Greenwald, Matthew. "Jimi Hendrix/The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Castles Made of Sand – Song Review". AllMusic . Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Puterbaugh, Parke (May 20, 2003). "Axis: Bold As Love". Music Reviews. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 Shapiro, Harry; Glebbeek, Caesar (August 15, 1995) [September 17, 1990]. "Chapter Eight: No More Surf Music" . Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy. St. Martin's Griffin. pp.  223, 224, 528. ISBN   0-312-13062-7.
  5. Jones, Chris (April 24, 2007). "Review of The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis Bold As Love". Music. BBC . Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  6. Broken Arrow (October 15, 2005). "Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold As Love Review". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved May 16, 2009.