Am I happy or in misery?
Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me

At first Jimi’s “Purple Haze” appears to be about a guy who becomes infatuated with a girl. His brain gets a bit foggy because she is all he can think about. Infatuation can be a powerful drug. She has put a spell on him. But then the song takes a darker turn. He says: “I’m talkin’ about the hard stuff…so far out of my mind/ Something’s happening” This is clearly a drug reference.

The sound is very psychedelic and trippy. Is it the most famous psychedelic rock song? Perhaps. Listen to the guitar work—it is iconic. It establishes the mood. It sounds like our reality is being distorted by Jimi’s guitar.

A lot is made of Jimi’s guitar work. Rightfully so. His voice is equally powerful, but it is underrated. It is smooth and masculine. He never over-emotes. We never feel like Jimi is delivering a performance; we feel like the emotion and music is spontaneously emitting from him. It feels genuine.

Purple Haze Lyrics

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things don’t seem the same
Actin’ funny, but I don’t know why
‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky

Purple haze all around
Don’t know if I’m comin’ up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me

Help me
Help me
Oh, no, no

Hammerin’
Talkin’ ’bout heart ‘n’ s-soul
I’m talkin’ about hard stuff
If everybody’s still around, fluff and ease, if
So far out my mind
Something’s happening, something’s happening

Ooo, ahhh
Ooo, ahhh
Ooo, ahhh
Ooo, ahhh, yeah!

Purple haze all in my eyes, uhh
Don’t know if it’s day or night
You got me blowin’, blowin’ my mind
Is it tomorrow or just the end of time?

Ooh
Help me
Ahh, yea-yeah, purple haze, yeah
Oh, no, oh
Oh, help me
Tell me, baby, tell me
I can’t go on like this
You’re makin’ me blow my mind, mama
N-no, nooo
No, it’s painful, baby
written by Jimi Hendrix