It is based on the Muddy Waters blues song "Rollin' Stone", but with original lyrics and music.
"Voodoo Chile" evolved from "Catfish Blues", a song that Hendrix performed regularly during 1967 and early 1968.
[5][b] In April 1968, Hendrix recorded a number of solo demos in a New York hotel, including an early "Voodoo Chile",[c] which he had been developing for some time.
[10] Hendrix's song opens with: Well the night I was born, Lord I swear the moon turned a fire red (2×) Well, my poor mother cried out, 'Lord, the gypsy was right', an' I see'd her fell down right dead "Hoochie Coochie Man", the Muddy Waters/Willie Dixon blues classic, opens: The gypsy woman told my mother, before I was born 'You got a boy child comin', goin' be a son of a gun' In later verses, Hendrix, a fan of science fiction, adds references to "the outskirts of infinity" and "Jupiter's sulfur mines".
[11] Music writer John Perry said of the concept behind the song that it "blends two of Jimi's great loves, Chicago blues and science fiction—interstellar hootchie kootchie.
[1] Organist Steve Winwood from Traffic, bassist Jack Casady from Jefferson Airplane, and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell were among those present.
Although Coryell was invited to play, he declined and Hendrix proceeded to record "Voodoo Chile" with Mitchell, Winwood, and Casady.
[16] Hendrix played through a Fender Bassman top, providing a "very warm" amp sound[2] with his guitar tuned down a whole tone.
[2] However, Perry calls it a "modal, raga-like phrase", which Hendrix responds to by "improvising a mixed blues/eastern scale".
Hendrix wanted to create the atmosphere of an informal club jam, but the recording did not capture sufficient background noise.
[2] The day after recording "Voodoo Chile", Hendrix with Mitchell and Noel Redding returned to the studio for the filming of a short documentary.
[25] In 1970, the "(Slight Return)" song was released as a single in the UK and it was simply titled "Voodoo Chile", without the further designation.