Ezy Ryder

"Ezy Ryder"
Song by Jimi Hendrix from the album The Cry of Love
Released March 5, 1971
Recorded Record Plant and Electric Lady Studios, New York City, various dates December 1969 – August 1970
Genre Funk rock[1]
Length 4:09
Label Reprise
Writer(s) Jimi Hendrix
Producer(s) Heaven Research
The Cry of Love track listing

"Drifting"
(2)		 "Ezy Ryder"
(3)		 "Night Bird Flying"
(4)

"Ezy Ryder" (sometimes written as "Easy Ryder" and "Ezee Ryeder";[2] also known as "Slow"[3] and "Lullaby for the Summer"[4]) is a song by American rock musician Jimi Hendrix, featured on his 1971 first posthumous studio album The Cry of Love. Written and produced by vocalist and guitarist Hendrix, the song's lyrics are said to be inspired by the 1969 film of the same name;[5] the Jimi Hendrix Experience had previously contributed "If 6 Was 9" to the film's soundtrack.[6]

History

Early performances

An early version of "Ezy Ryder" was first recorded, under the name "Slow", on February 16, 1969 at Olympic Studios, in a session which also featured the debuts of "Room Full of Mirrors", "In from the Storm" (under the name "Crying Blue Rain") and "Here He Comes (Lover Man)", an extended version of "Lover Man".[3] The basic track for the song was not recorded until December 18, 1969 (at New York's Record Plant Studios),[7][8] on the same day as the rehearsal at Baggy's Studios for the upcoming performances at the Fillmore East (from which the live album Band of Gypsys was produced).[9] "Ezy Ryder" was also performed at aforementioned rehearsal session at Baggy's.[9]

Progression and completion

Hendrix debuted "Ezy Ryder" at the Fillmore East during the first show on December 31, 1969.[10] Later that night, the group played the song during the second show, but they did not perform it during either of the January 1, 1970, shows.[11] Back in the studio, "Ezy Ryder" was rehearsed, recorded and mixed a number of times during early 1970, at Olympic, Olmstead and Record Plant Studios.[12] Hendrix added the song to the set list for The Cry of Love Tour between April and June (and subsequently between July and September).[12] The first recording session at newly built Electric Lady Studios on June 15 was focused on advancing the studio version of "Easy Ryder or Ezee Ryeder".[2] This work-in-progress, for which backing vocals by Traffic musicians Steve Winwood and Chris Wood were recorded during said session, was released on the compilation box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience in 2000.[2] Another recording session three days later was also dedicated to "Ezy Ryder",[13] "additional overdubs and mix attempts" were completed on July 2,[14] and final mixes were produced over three days on August 22, 23 and 26, along with the majority of the songs intended for Hendrix's next album.[15][16] "Ezy Ryder" was subsequently performed at most of the final concerts at which Hendrix played, including the final date at the Open Air Love & Peace Festival in Fehmarn, Germany on September 6.[12]

Posthumous releases

The completed song was originally released on the 1971 album The Cry of Love – the first posthumous album of original material compiled by the Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell and engineer Eddie Kramer.[8] This version appears on several Hendrix compilations as well at later attempts to present a more complete album of his last recordings, such as Voodoo Soup (1995) and First Rays of the New Rising Sun (1997).[17] Several posthumous live albums include the song: Band of Gypsys 2 (1986, recorded May 30, 1970, with Mitchell and Billy Cox at the Berkeley Community Theatre), Blue Wild Angel: Live at the Isle of Wight (2002), Live at the Isle of Fehmarn (2005), and Machine Gun: The Fillmore East First Show (2016).

Personnel

Band members
Guest musicians
Additional personnel

Notes

Citations

References

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