"Hey Joe" is a song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and has been performed in many musical styles by hundreds of different artists.

The lyrics are from the point of view of a man on the run and planning to escape to Mexico after shooting his unfaithful wife.

[3] Scottish folk singer Len Partridge has claimed that he helped write the song with Roberts when they both performed in clubs in Edinburgh in 1956.

[3] Roberts may have drawn inspiration for "Hey Joe" from three earlier works: the song "Baby, Please Don’t Go to Town" written by his girlfriend Niela Horn (later Miller), which uses a similar chord progression based on the circle of fifths; Carl Smith's 1953 US country hit "Hey Joe!"

(written by Boudleaux Bryant), which shared the title and the "questioning" format; and the early 20th century traditional ballad "Little Sadie", which tells of a man on the run after he has shot his wife.

Seeger offered to testify on her behalf so she could claim part of the credit for "Hey Joe", but this was not pursued.

No documentary evidence has been forthcoming to support an assertion that "Hey Joe" is a wholly traditional work.

[10] In 1998, Rose told writer Spencer Leigh that he had learned the song in 1960 from folk singer Vince Martin.

[14] The other approach to the lyrics has been to read the "woman-done-me-wrong" song as "ugly and misogynist, with Joe's air of unapologetic defiance" being unjustifiable according to writer David Stubbs.

[4] Both Valenti and the Byrds' David Crosby have been reported as helping to popularize the song before it was recorded by the Leaves in December 1965.

[26] The Chicago-based Shadows Of Knight included a rave-up version of Hey Joe on their second LP, Back Door Men, in 1966.

The Byrds included a recording of the song, titled "Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go)", on their 1966 album, Fifth Dimension.

[15] By the time of the recording sessions for Fifth Dimension, several other bands had enjoyed success with covers of "Hey Joe", leaving Crosby angered by his bandmates' lack of faith in the song.

Byrds' guitarist and band leader Roger McGuinn recalled in an interview that "The reason Crosby did lead (vocal) on 'Hey Joe' was because it was his song.

[28] When Jimi Hendrix was exploring a more rock-oriented sound in New York City in 1966 with his group Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, "Hey Joe" was one of the first songs he performed regularly.

[30] His arrangement used a slower tempo reminiscent of Tim Rose's recent single version, which he had heard on a juke box.

[31] Released in December 1966, Hendrix's version became a hit in the United Kingdom, entering the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart in January 1967 and peaking at No.

An AllMusic review noted that her version "makes for some fun" but was "not so spectacular" and "clearly the wrong material for this great singer.

[42] Frank Zappa recorded a parody of the song, titled "Flower Punk", on the Mothers of Invention album We're Only in It for the Money in 1968.

Patti Smith released a cover of "Hey Joe" as the A-side of her first single, backed with "Piss Factory", in 1974.

Her version is unique in that she includes a brief and salacious monologue about fugitive heiress Patty Hearst and her kidnapping and participation with the Symbionese Liberation Army.

[48] In 1983, English synth-pop duo Soft Cell released "Hendrix Medley", combining Hey Joe, Purple Haze and Voodoo Chile, as a 12-inch EP bundled with initial copies of their second studio LP, The Art of Falling Apart.