Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1967
May This Be Love
Buy May This Be Love now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
"'May This Be Love'" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix for the Jimi Hendrix Experience debut album 'Are You Experienced' (1967). It is a soft ballad that demonstrates Hendrix's ability to write thoughtful lyrics and subtle melodies.
Background and recording
'Are You Experienced' and its preceding singles were recorded over a five-month period from late October 1966 through early April 1967. The album was completed in sixteen recording sessions at three London locations, including De Lane Lea Studios, CBS, and Olympic. The group's manager Chas Chandler booked many of the sessions at Olympic because the facility was acoustically superior and equipped with most of the latest technology, though it was still using four-track recorders, whereas American studios were using eight-track.
On April 3, 1967, the Experience returned to Olympic, adding overdubs and completing final mixes on several unfinished masters. During the eight-hour session, the band recorded three new songs, including "Highway Chile", "May This Be Love", and "Are You Experienced?".
Composition and lyrics
"May This Be Love" is a soft ballad that demonstrates Hendrix's ability to write thoughtful lyrics and subtle melodies. Author and musicologist Keith Shadwick wrote: "This is a melodic, romantic composition that borders on the sentimental". Author David Stubbs described the song as "far and away the prettiest track on" the album, and an example of Hendrix's versatility as a guitarist. According to musicologist Dave Whitehill, the song is characteristic of Hendrix's "gentler side", utilizing the E and A major pentatonic scales to create a "pastorale setting befitting the lyrical content". Whitehill described the guitar solo as "one of Jimi's most lyrical and lovely".
Releases and critical reception
"May This Be Love" was first released on both the UK and US editions of 'Are You Experienced' (May 12, and August 23, 1967, respectively). An alternate version was recorded during the same session in which Hendrix doubled his vocal and the guitars were mixed differently.
In 2010, it was included on the 'West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology' box set.
In a song review for AllMusic, Thomas Ward called the original recording "one of the most musically sophisticated tracks on 'Are You Experienced?'".
He praises Hendrix's vocal, lyrics, and guitar work and concludes "'May This Be Love' is essentially a beautiful love song, one of the finest love songs in Hendrixs canon. The guitar solo at the songs conclusion is outstanding."
Notes
'Citations'
'References'
*
*
*
*
*
*
'Documentaries'
*
*
*
Category:The Jimi Hendrix Experience songs
Category:Songs written by Jimi Hendrix
Category:1967 songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Chas Chandler
Buy May This Be Love now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1967