Learn To Play Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe
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Hey Joe - The Genius of Jimi Hendrix
I have taught many people how to play Jimi Hendrix songs. Would you like to learn to play Hendrix songs? Hey Joe is a classic song from Jimi Hendrix but how do you play Hey Joe? Jimi Hendrix burst onto the scene when I was a beginner on the guitar. Hey Joe was the debut single for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but it was written by Scottish folksingers in 1956!
Jimi Hendrix was overwhelming to a kid learning guitar long before TABs but we all knew he was special. Sadly Hendrix's blaze of glory was far too short and he left the world too young... Hey Joe is one of Jimi Hendrix's best loved songs, and here I show you some beginner chords and licks to "busk" Hey Joe for yourselves and some resources for the more skilled players among you! Have fun....
Hendrix performing Hey Joe
Jimi Hendrix on French TV
Hendrix was probably the most influential guitarist of all time! Here we see Hendrix chat backstage with band members before playing a standard version of Hey Joe for French TV. He is using a Flying Vee - a different guitar from his usual stratocaster - in this extract.
Guitar Chords for Hey Joe
Play Hey Joe Guitar Chords
The graphic I have made for you shows you the simplest way to play the chords of Hey Joe. Jimi Hendrix played with several versions of each chord of course and never played it the same way twice, so remember this is a version for beginners and buskers and don't come after me with a gun in your hand ;)
Jimi Hendrix and his influence on Music
Books about Jimi Hendrix
More about Hey Joe
Plus some great beginner guitar pages
Hey Joe is thought to have been written in 1956 by Billy Roberts and Scottish folk singer Len Partridge when they were performing on the Edinburgh folk circuit It was registered for copyright in 1962 by Billy Roberts well before before Hendrix recorded it. Hundreds of musicians have recorded Hey Joe, the earliest known commercial recording was by The Leaves in 1965 and following this The Jimi Hendrix Experience had a very successful cover version in 1966. It was Jimi Hendrix debut single! The story tells the song of a man who shoots his wife in a fit of jealousy and runs away to Mexico...
You can read more here....
Who wrote Hey Joe?
As a professional guitar tutor I have taught people to play all of these songs and many more. I recommend the transcribed version for sale if you want to play seriously, but for beginners I do hope you have found this page useful and will perhaps visit some of my other pages here and elsewhere.
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Jazz Influences on Hey Joe
Hey Joe and the Cycle of Fifths
The chords for this song very cleverly use the Cycle of Fifths. In a world used to 12 Bar Blues and Pop Turnarounds, this blew our minds away. Jazz uses this type of chord progression all the time and the chords were probably drawn from that jazz influence!
The Cycle of Fifths is called that, because each chord is five notes away from the last!
C d e f G
G a b c D
D e f g A
A b c d E
This gives the song a relentless feeling of tension as it moves further and further away from the starting key....
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Chromatic Runs for Hey Joe
Hendrix Style Run for Hey Joe
Again, Hendrix played this song differently every time he graced the stage, this is a series of runs that works really well as a left hand warm up. You play each run in position using all four fret hand fingers for best effect. It works really well with the song!
You can click on the picture below to preview more great Hendrix tunes on iTunes:
Hey Joe Lyrics
These lyrics are provided for educational purposes only
Hey Joe, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand
I'm goin' down to shoot my ol' lady
You know, I've caught her messin' 'round with another man
I'm goin' down to shoot my ol' lady
You know, I've caught her messin' 'round with another man
Huh! And that ain't too cool
Hey Joe, I've heard you shot your woman down,
shot her down, now
Hey Joe, I've heard you shot your old lady down,
You shot her down to the ground
Yeah!
Yes I did, I shot her
You know, I caught her messin' round, messin' round town
Uh, yes I did, I shot her
You know, I caught my old lady messin' 'round town
And I gave her the gun
I SHOT HER!
Alright
Shoot her one more time, baby
Yeah! Oh Dig it
Oh alright
Hey Joe,
Where you gonna run to now?
Where you gonna run to?
Hey Joe, where you gonna run to now?
Where you, where you gonna go?
Well, dig it
I'm goin' way down south,
Way down to Mexico way
Alright!
I'm goin' way down south,
Way down where I can be free
Ain't no one gonna find me
Ain't no hangman gonna,
He ain't gonna put a rope around me
You better believe it right now
I gotta go now
Hey Joe, you better run on down
Good bye, everybody
Hey Joe, uhh
Run on down
Purchase digital sheet music for Hey Joe
Buy Hendrix Hey Joe Guitar Guru for Bass and Guitar
Hey Joe - Billy Roberts - Guitar Guru file of Hendrix Hey Joe for bass guitar
Bass Tab for Hey Joe
Hendrix Hey Joe Guitar TAB and Vocal
Piano, vocal arrangement of Hey Joe with guitar diagrams
Do you have a favourite Hendrix song?
Can you play Hey Joe?
Please let us know about it here. Thanks for calling in! :)
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Edutopia
Jan 30, 2012 @ 9:31 pm | delete
- Another classic for every guitarist to keep in their repertoire. Great lens.
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Cumberland
Feb 21, 2011 @ 7:18 am | delete
- Love Jimi"s music. I'm sorry he couldn't be with us longer.
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reasonablerobinson
Sep 15, 2010 @ 2:50 pm | delete
- Awesome, I have this as double 'b' side with All Along The Watchtower on Voodoo Child 45 vinyl priced in UK 'old' money at Two Shillings and Sixpence. My favourite a tie between VC, Little Wing, and Purple Haze.
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kimmanleyort
Jul 5, 2010 @ 7:18 am | delete
- Very niche! I love lenses on a single song. They seem to do well, plus there are probably all kinds of budding guitar players out there that would want some tips on playing this song. Added to Nail that Niche challenge for July.
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callinsky
Jun 26, 2010 @ 3:34 pm | delete
- This is a great lens. I will save it as a favorite so my son can check it out. He plays guitar all the time. I can't get him to do much else. (O;
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Accurate note for note transcriptions for 12 of the best loved Hendrix songs. Buy note for note versions of Hey Joe plus All Along the Watchtower Can You See Me? Crosstown Traffic Fire Foxey Lady Manic Depression Purple Haze Red House Remember Stone Free and The Wind Cries Mary.
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