Well, the first time that I saw you
I could not speak a word
My tongue was tied in giant knots
And I felt so disturbed

At the feeling rushing through me
The heat inside my veins
At the way my nerve ends tingle
Every time you call my name

I've got a lust ignited fever
And I can't put out the flame

Next time that I saw you
I felt so at ease
You had a languid disposition
I had an willingness to please

And your candy apple red lips
Full of violets and sex
Had me harder than a coal train
Had my collar wringing wet

Now I'm gonna crash and burn
But I'm not finished yet

My heart is pounding like a big bass drum
Excited at the thought I might get me some
Lick it off my fingers
Taste it on my tongue
Love you little baby like a machine gun

You're a symphony of elegance
A masterpiece of grace
And animated work of art
Who's acquired a taste

For the flesh of weaker lovers
Lie down on their backs
To be ridden at your leisure
And be taken off like hats

I'm not here for you to walk on
And I'm not your welcome mat

My heart is pounding like a big bass drum
Excited at the thought I might get me some
Lick it off my fingers
Taste it on my tongue
Love you little baby like a machine gun

A machine gun, yeah

The first time that I saw you
I could not speak a word
My tongue was tied in giant knots
And I felt so disturbed

At the feeling rushing through me
The heat inside my veins
At the way my nerve ends tingle
Every time you call my name

I've got a lust ignited fever
And I can't put out the flame

My heart is pounding like a big bass drum
Excited at the thought I might get me some
Lick it off my fingers
Taste it on my tongue
Love you little baby like a machine gun

Ma-ma-ma-machine gun

Machine...



Lyrics submitted by

Track duration: 11:22

"Machine Gun" as written by John / Oswald

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

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Machine Gun song meanings
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27 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Jimi's solo - which begins with that awesome sustained note at 3:57 and continues all the way to about 7:30 - is everything you could ever want in a guitar solo. No one else can play electric guitar like that.
    Flag Rickveeon February 20, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:There's some things to clarify here.

    Whether Hendrix used a fake "gay" story, or broke his ankle, or faked an injury is irrelevant. He wanted out of the Army. Billy Cox goes on record several times stating this (Billy Cox served with Hendrix in the Army). Hendrix was NOT pro-war as clearly seen by songs like 1983 and Bold as Love.

    On to Machine Gun. There is alot of Hendrix history wrapped up in this one little (huge) song. It was the crossroads of many of the problems he faced as a musician, an ambassador, and a human being. At the very end it is the loss of soul, and most importantly, his own soul.

    Hendrix was a tireless performer. His goal at first may have been to be famous and have the ladies fancy him, but as he grew in music, he began to realize his importance and his "influence" bothered him greatly. After The Experience took off and his popularity grew, he increasingly faced scrutiny from minority groups like the Black Panthers. They said he wasn't responsible to his culture, which he was greatly saddened and horrified by. Throughout the first shows of Band of Gypsies his white fans were booing him and constantly shouting "Purple Haze" and "Little Wing".

    On top of that there was a contract issue, which was resolved by Hendrix agreeing to do a live disc for Ed Chalpin of Capitol Records (Chalpin took Hendrix to court over a contract he had signed in 1964 which Chalpin paid him 1 (one) U.S. dollar for). There was also his deteriorating relationship with Michael Jeffries, who was the major profiteer from the Experience. The icing on the proverbial cake was most likely the day he was robbed at gunpoint by people claiming to be his fans.

    The December 31st recording of Machine Gun is his Magnum Opus. The frustration of having to record something that would make a hapless, greedy, unconscionable man rich was met with "well f*** it, I'm gonna go out there and make the best record anyone has ever heard." If you watch the video, during the entire show, he barely moves around, much like he would do in the studio, intensely concentrated on making the sounds. Buddy Miles said that Hendrix was like a man on a mission, and he said there were a few times he thought he saw tears coming down his face. There is no doubt, listening to the song, that he put every last drop of his soul into it.


    On January 28th at a show in Madison Square Garden his frustration finally surfaced and he made a crude joke at a woman in the audience after some other woman yelled out "Foxy Lady!"

    What you are hearing in Machine Gun is not the death of Vietnamese, or Black Panthers, or white soldiers, or culture, or flowers. It is Hendrix's soul escaping. It is the final, most brilliant moment of the shooting star.


    Flag motorbreath23on February 03, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The sound Hendrix produced in this song along with his rendition of the star spangeld banner will forever be entwined with the vietnam war and the riots going on in the USA at that time. 99% of the time you see images of those things you'll be hearing Hendrix or some dude playing guitar like him. Like in that Vietnam pc game vietcong.
    Flag Lampenson August 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song demonstrates some of the non-technical skill that few but Jimi possessed. The song blends with the lyrics in a way that's absolutely fascinating and incredible! not to mention the immense technical skill present as well as the amount of soul put into this presentation. It's also hypnotic, and relaxing. I can listen to this song several times in a row without getting tired of it. that's pretty sweet for 12 minutes.
    Flag xJotunxon May 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Machine Gun
    Tearing my body all apart................is actually:
    "tearing my Buddies all apart."

    Hendrix isn't one of anything. Jimi is ClEaRlY the greatest guitarist that has ever walked on this earth.

    Not close.
    This song is grace and beauty.
    If you want speed, listen to Johnny B Goode from Atlanta......or the opening track from Montery.
    Flag pton November 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is absolutely devastating. Especially when Buddy Miles (drummer) sings 'ooooh' around 7:43. It's so chaotic. I just love how he blends Soul, Funk, Blues, and Rock. All my favorites. This is song is awesome and so is Jimi.
    Flag F33bson August 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:he joined beacuse he had to but he did not say he was gay he broke his ankle one day he was a parashooter and was disptached beacuse he broke his ankle i read about it at the EMP in seattle washington they have a whole exibit on jimi hendrix
    Flag captainInsanityon July 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song and how he sings it its got alot of truth and in a way hes telling the people that our goverment dont care about us they are useing us to fight a war and for what cause all we lost the veiatnam war and communisum dint take over the world that shows that our goverment dosent always know what its doin or knows the whole story and often sticks its nose into bussness for no reason so we killed meany people lost meany lives for no reason FUCK THE GOVERMENT!!!!
    Flag captainInsanityon July 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song and how he sings it its got alot of truth and in a way hes telling the people that our goverment dont care about us they are useing us to fight a war and for what cause all we lost the veiatnam war and communisum dint take over the world that shows that our goverment dosent always know what its doin or knows the whole story and often sticks its nose into bussness for no reason so we killed meany people lost meany lives for no reason FICK THE GOVERMENT!!!!
    Flag captainInsanityon July 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hendrix indeed did claim he was gay to get out of the Army. He joined because he had no education, and other than guitar, no real talents (and also to stay out of jail as was previously mentioned). Another reason for his joining was he had a lifelong fascination with the military that didn't wane even when he became somewhat anti-war. He wanted to join the 101st Airborne and after becoming a supply clerk he constantly begged for Airborne training as he was desperate to belong to something, and the Airborne would give him something very macho to belong too. Vietnam hadn't escalated at the time he was in the service so he never left the States. The war didn't change him, music did. He started playing in a couple of small time bands with army buddy Billy Cox (who later played bass with Hendrix's Band of Gypsies) and decided that he didn't want to be in the Army because he wanted all of his time to himself to be a musician. So he visited the base psychiatrist daily with complaints of homosexual thoughts toward his bunkmates, compulsive masturbation, etc. He finally allowed himself to be caught masturbating in the squadbay and the psychiatrist finally marked him unfit and told him to go. And the lyric is "fight like a farmer" not bomber.
    Flag 56stratplayeron June 02, 2006   Link

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