So why is Jimi Hendrix’ Radio One on this best 1,000 albums ever thing?
RRadio One was one of the first CDs that I ever owned. I can’t recall if I ordered it via some Columbia House subscription “deal” or if I bought it at Mr. Cheapo in Commack, New York, but I remember that I was delighted that it captures a huge swath of Jimi Hendrix’s best material – along with some rarities – and most importantly it shows off Jimi’s stellar skills by way of dazzling live sessions for BBC Radio circa 1967.
“Fire” is one of my favorite Hendrix tracks, and the Radio One live cut is by far my preferred version. I never fail to get a kick out of the BBC announcer with a super posh accent talking over the scorching intro with:
The Jimi Hendrix Experience sounding off again now with one of Jimi’s own, called “Fire.”
The sound mix on “Fire” and throughout Radio One is great – Jimi’s voice, his iconic guitar work, and Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on bass all sound incredible. And “let me stand next to your fire” is right up there with The Doors’ “come on baby, light my fire” for elemental fire-related 1960s song lyrics!
“Stone Free” is a hard rocking blues and hippie jam, and the looseness of the performance provides this version with an immense amount of energy and fun.
“Hey Joe” is yet another Jimi Hendrix all timer, and the Radio One version is well worth your time for the guitar work alone.
I talk a lot about my personal experience playing “Hey Joe” in the Binghamton University dorms with my man Adam and a bunch of others back in the day in the best 1,000 albums ever piece on Deep Purple’s Shades of Deep Purple (#384).
There are a number of fabulous cover songs sprinkled about Radio One. Jimi Hendrix and crew’s take on Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” is super fun and high spirited (dig the guys barking during the solo and Jimi ad libbing, “Go get daddy’s slippers!”). And The Beatles’ “Day Tripper” shouldn’t be missed.
A track I return to over and over is the band cutting an impromptu radio spot for BBC One appropriately called, “Radio One.” It’s a minute and a half of pure fun and explosive creative guitar work from Jimi. The hook is crushing and wonderful, and Jimi sounds like he’s having the time of his life coming up with lines like, “Radio One, you stole my gal, but I love you just the same.”
Quick final note that Radio One was released in 1988. Ten years later, it was reissued as BBC Sessions, which added additional material from The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s live sessions with the BBC over the course of 1967. Only the latter is available online today, so that’s why the Spotify links you see here reflect the BBC Sessions branding.
Some stats & info about Jimi Hendrix – Radio One
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? Rock Music, Hard Rock, British Bands, Blues Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock, Live Albums
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – not ranked!
- All Music’s rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars
- When was Radio One released? 1988
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #309 out of 1,000
Jimi Hendrix’ BBC Sessions on Spotify
A lyrical snippet from Jimi Hendrix’ Radio One that’s evocative of the album in some way, maybe
Just turn that dial, make your music worthwhile.
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective review of what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.