What does Purple Haze mean?

Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze Meaning

Album cover for Purple Haze album cover

Song Released: 1967


Purple Haze Lyrics

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things just dont seem the same
Actin funny, but I dont know why
scuse me while I kiss the sky
Purple haze all around
Dont know if Im comin up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
What ever it is, that girl...

  1. anonymous
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    Dec 20th 2011 !⃝

    What no one has mentioned here is the fact that Purple Haze was actually written by Prince. It was one of four songs released on the Purple EP in 1979.

    Prince later went on to have a hit with one of the other "purple" songs, Purple Rain. In a 1987 interview he explained that given the proper weather conditions, condensed Purple Haze could lead to Purple Rain.

    The other two songs were, "Power to the Purple", and "Purple Love".

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  2. nitty
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    Aug 27th 2011 !⃝

    This song is about being high ...high...highhhhhh...!!! and the woman is no one but maryjane.

  3. anonymous
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    Aug 26th 2011 !⃝

    I don't think jimi was even positive about the original inspiration. Many happy returns..

  4. anonymous
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    Aug 4th 2011 !⃝

    I always thought it was about the drug, but then heard about a girl he like,
    "whatever it is that girl put a spell on me"
    "am i happy or in misery"

    those lyrics could be about a girl, but if it was about a drug why would he say
    " You got me blowin, blowin my mind"

    and at the end of the song

    "i cant go on like this"
    "youre makin me blow my mind mama"

  5. Littletree
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    Jul 4th 2011 !⃝

    I love some of these crazy interpretations.The song was called "Purple Haze,Jesus Saves" but Chas Chandler vetoed that one.Apparantly the "Purple Haze" bit is a direct quote from a Sci-Fi Book jimi had been reading.The song also had about ten verses and was very long(like a lot of Jimi`s songs)but Chas Chandler used to edit all of Hendrix`s work and that`s partly why they parted company during Electric LadyLand.And the songs on that album that Chas Chandler produced are short and concise(CrossTown Traffic and Have You Ever Been...?)as opposed to the tracks Hendrix produced himself(1983,Voodoo Child etc).Both the Skunk and the LSD named"Purple Haze"are both named in homage to the Song.It was 1966 when the song was written and i think Hendrix picked up on the ethos of the time and wrote something "Psychedelic"intentionally(if you get my meaning).

  6. anonymous
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    Apr 18th 2011 !⃝

    The song is about love, Jimi had dreams and tried to make songs about them. In this dream, he is enticed by a beautiful woman. It has nothing to do with drugs.

  7. scroll
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    Nov 4th 2010 !⃝

    Well I will have to say your all wrong. Jimmy's Father was obsessed with the Washington State Husky Football team.He says he was their biggest fan. The song Purple Haze is about his dads love for the Huskies and Jimmy's dislike for them.. Saw it on an interview with Jimmy years ago...

  8. m320753
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    Nov 2nd 2010 !⃝

    this is truly a great song and what makes it great is that he was high when he wrote it and he was high when he sang it. the defining moment was when his head peaked he stopped for a split second saying cuse me while i kiss the sky referring to how high he really was. who knows what affect he and janis could have had on music if they both lived

  9. anonymous
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    Oct 31st 2010 !⃝

    yea it it doesnt mean that, that jimi took drugs mean that all he sings about is drugs, most artists do not sing about drugs. they sing about some experience wether its a dream or reality. so sorry to break it to you..from my point of view..it aint drugs, its def about some girl.

  10. anonymous
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    Oct 18th 2010 !⃝

    Y'all listen to Jammy, he will feed yer head. Love is, was and will be always what the LSD culture came to be for, And the Dancing Bear's (A. Stanley Owsley) good, good stuff, it's mental effects, how it enhanced love beyond metaphysical bounds, is definitely what Jimi was on about. Outta respect to his old Daddy, much recanting was done, but the truth is out there - far out. The Jimi Hendrix cover version of the Beatles song "Day Tripper", from a 1967 BBC session first released on CD in 1987, features Jimi Hendrix clearly shouting out, "Oh Owsley, can you hear me now?" during the climactic guitar solo. Hell, acid wasn't illegal in Cal until '66, when the Bear tripped off to Denver, I think. All you persona non-electric please retain your piece. Peace!

  11. anonymous
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    Sep 9th 2010 !⃝

    "excuse me while I kiss the sky"...blowing smoke into the sky...theres other parts of the song that suggest WEED.For fuck sakes,the song is called PURPLE HAZE.

  12. anonymous
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    Jun 2nd 2010 !⃝

    Anyone here who thinks "purple haze" was a song not about drugs is completely gullible. If you have done acid, you understand the meaning of these lyrics and what it's like to be 'tripping'. Hendrix most likely denied it was about acid because of the rep. I mean, what about his song "Cocaine"? He wasn't ashamed to put a drug out there. Purple haze is about acid. 'Nuff said.

  13. anonymous
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    Jun 1st 2010 !⃝

    okay well here is what i think... i think that it doesn't really matter what the song is truly about but if i would have to go with any of you guys it would be the ones talking about love and the one talking about the bible.... at least they have a hope and optimism in the great musician that was jimi hendrix
    p.s. he may have done drugs but don't let that effect how you interpret his art work... come on now potheads

  14. anonymous
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    Jun 1st 2010 !⃝

    Um its a type of weed look it up

  15. MCHDW1987
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    May 2nd 2010 !⃝

    Jimi was very sarcastic about drugs if you watch his interviews. Back in those days you couldn't be open about it like you can now, you had to be subtle and say BULLSHIT like you wrote that song about a dream or a girl or some SHIT. Purple Haze is about being really really FUCKED UP. Can I get a HELL YEA?!?!




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