Hear Jimi Hendrix’s previously unheard live cover of ‘Sgt. Pepper’
A new version of the Jimi Hendrix Experience performing The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ has been released.
As a part of Hendrix’s new archival live album Jimi Hendrix Experience: Hollywood Bowl August 18, 1967, the previously unheard version of ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ was the first song played by the band during their concert.
Hendrix famously first played ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ during his appearance at the Saville Theatre in London on May 29th, 1967. It was just three days after the song had been released on the accompanying album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Beatles members Paul McCartney and George Harrison were in the crowd to watch Hendrix perform the song.
Hendrix continued to play ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ during his 1967 concerts, including his performance at the Isle of Wight Festival that year. The song was held over for his 1968 shows, although it rarely appeared in subsequent live albums.
The track was largely dropped from his repertoire in late 1968 and didn’t appear throughout the rest of Hendrix’s live concerts. Hendrix also briefly played covers of ‘I Feel Fine’ and ‘Day Tripper’ during his performing career.
All told, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ 37 times between 1967 and 1968, according to setlist.com. His final performance of the song was at the Rhode Island Auditorium on November 27th, 1968.
Check out Hendrix’s previously unreleased version of ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ down below.
