The WORDS of this song seem misogynistic. He shoots his lady, gets no condemnation from Jimi, and he even says "shoot her one more time"!
BUT
Thhe music and the back-up singers tell the real story. Listen to the slow pace, the low rumbles, and then the fantastic solo after "I gave her the gun, I shot her". The music tells us about the gravity, the tragedy of the situation. The regret and guilt.
Notice the back up singers in the first verse sing "Ooo ooo", and in the second verse and onwards, repeatedly sing "Hey Joe". That's his conscience, and his girlfriend: he's remembering his girlfriend: he's haunted by her and what he did to her.
Then comes "Hey Joe, where you going to run to now?" There's the kicker: he can run from the law, but he can't run from his conscience, her ghost.
Listen to also to the building drums throughout the song. They also tell of the tragedy, building towards his frenzied, but ultimately fruitless escape.
Listen also to the way the lyrics are sung: hesitatingly, then with false machismo, then there's little wordless vocalisations during the solo after he shoots her that in effect says "OMG, what have I done?!".
Song interpretation involves more than just the lyrics.
yup it does, and to each there own. thats the beauty of songs, what it means to one person (like yourself), could mean something completely different to someone else (like me)
yup it does, and to each there own. thats the beauty of songs, what it means to one person (like yourself), could mean something completely different to someone else (like me)
The WORDS of this song seem misogynistic. He shoots his lady, gets no condemnation from Jimi, and he even says "shoot her one more time"!
BUT
Thhe music and the back-up singers tell the real story. Listen to the slow pace, the low rumbles, and then the fantastic solo after "I gave her the gun, I shot her". The music tells us about the gravity, the tragedy of the situation. The regret and guilt.
Notice the back up singers in the first verse sing "Ooo ooo", and in the second verse and onwards, repeatedly sing "Hey Joe". That's his conscience, and his girlfriend: he's remembering his girlfriend: he's haunted by her and what he did to her.
Then comes "Hey Joe, where you going to run to now?" There's the kicker: he can run from the law, but he can't run from his conscience, her ghost.
Listen to also to the building drums throughout the song. They also tell of the tragedy, building towards his frenzied, but ultimately fruitless escape.
Listen also to the way the lyrics are sung: hesitatingly, then with false machismo, then there's little wordless vocalisations during the solo after he shoots her that in effect says "OMG, what have I done?!".
Song interpretation involves more than just the lyrics.
yup it does, and to each there own. thats the beauty of songs, what it means to one person (like yourself), could mean something completely different to someone else (like me)
yup it does, and to each there own. thats the beauty of songs, what it means to one person (like yourself), could mean something completely different to someone else (like me)