It is difficult to think of an artist from the 1960s who wasn’t fascinated by Jimi Hendrix. His arrival in the UK changed the musical landscape forever. Word of his extraordinary talent spread quickly, and before long, musicians and audiences alike were captivated by his electrifying performances, magnetic stage presence and seemingly limitless guitar-playing abilities.
Hendrix wasn’t simply another talented guitarist. He was something entirely different. The way he handled his instrument, combining raw energy, emotion and experimentation, made him stand out from everyone else. Even some of Britain’s most respected musicians found themselves overwhelmed by what they witnessed.
One of them was Jeff Beck, widely regarded as one of the finest guitarists in Britain at the time. Known for his extraordinary ability to communicate emotion through six strings, Beck had already established himself as a remarkable musician. Yet seeing Hendrix perform for the first time left him questioning his own approach to the guitar.
“I was embarrassed because I thought, ‘God, that should be me up there’,” Beck admitted when recalling the experience. “I just hadn’t had the guts to come out and do it so flamboyantly, really. He just looked like an animal, played like an animal, and everybody went crazy.”
That reaction perfectly captures the impact Hendrix had on his fellow musicians. He wasn’t just admired by audiences; he inspired some of the greatest artists of his generation.
Among those who held him in particularly high regard was Patti Smith.
Patti Smith’s admiration for Jimi Hendrix
Smith first encountered Hendrix early in her career, when she was still discovering her artistic identity and finding her place in the music industry. For her, Hendrix represented everything a rock star could be, not only because of his extraordinary musical abilities but also because of his personality, intelligence and appreciation for art.
“He was everything you would want in your rock and roll star. He was beautiful, intelligent, hungry,” Smith once recalled.
Her admiration for Hendrix never faded. In fact, as she developed as an artist herself, her appreciation for his work became even deeper.
“When I was younger, I just loved him, I loved his songs, I’d daydream about him. But at this time in my life, as an artist, I appreciate him ever more deeply […] I never get tired; I’ve never outgrown him.”
It is particularly interesting that Smith’s admiration extended beyond Hendrix’s extraordinary guitar playing. She was equally fascinated by his songwriting and his ability to express complicated ideas through poetic lyrics.
Although Hendrix is primarily remembered as one of the greatest guitarists in rock history, he also wanted to be recognised as a songwriter and poet. His lyrics often explored imagination, love, freedom, war and the human condition. Unfortunately, his remarkable guitar playing sometimes overshadowed the literary qualities of his music.
Smith, herself celebrated for combining poetry with rock music, recognised this often-overlooked side of Hendrix.
“I got to talk to him once about 50 years ago. And for a young girl, he was everything you would want in your rock and roll star,” she explained. “[He] loved poetry. He often spoke not in the most favourable way about his poetry. He didn’t think he was the greatest writer. He really admired Bob Dylan, but he was a wonderful poet.”
The Jimi Hendrix songs Patti Smith loved most
Smith’s appreciation for Hendrix’s songwriting can be heard in her admiration for several songs, particularly two tracks from his extraordinary 1968 album Electric Ladyland.
The songs were ‘Moon, Turn the Tides… Gently Gently Away’ and ‘1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)’.
Both compositions demonstrate Hendrix’s extraordinary imagination as a songwriter. Rather than following conventional rock structures, he created expansive musical landscapes filled with surreal imagery, poetic expression and experimental sounds.
Speaking about the album, Smith explained:
“Any of his lyrics on that album,” she said, “They have such universal appeal. You have a sense of a mirror of our world at the time, but also expanding into the future.”
It is easy to understand why these songs appealed to Smith. Their poetic qualities go beyond traditional rock songwriting, offering listeners an imaginative reflection of the world around them while exploring possibilities beyond their own time.
Although Smith never officially confirmed which of the two songs was her absolute favourite, there is an interesting connection between Hendrix’s ‘1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)’ and one of her own compositions.
How Jimi Hendrix influenced Patti Smith’s music
Smith’s admiration for Hendrix wasn’t limited to words. She also carried his influence into her own songwriting.
In her song ‘Elegie’, she borrowed a line from ‘1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)’, creating a subtle tribute to the musician whose artistry had meant so much to her.
Discussing the connection, Smith explained:
“The last lines,” she said when discussing her song ‘Elegie’, “‘I think it’s sad, just too bad, that all our friends can’t be with us today’ – are borrowed from ‘1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)’. I didn’t think Jimi would mind!”
It is a beautiful example of how Hendrix’s work continued to inspire musicians long after his music first appeared. For Smith, he was much more than a legendary guitarist. He was an artist whose imagination, poetry and individuality left a lasting impression on her own creative journey.
Hendrix may have been celebrated for revolutionising the electric guitar, but his influence reached far beyond the instrument itself. Patti Smith understood that there was a poet behind the extraordinary performances, someone whose words deserved just as much appreciation as his music.