Machine Gun

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Machine Gun
Tearing my body all apart

Machine Gun, yeah
Tearing my body all apart

Evil man make me kill ya
Evil man make you kill me
Evil man make me kill you
Even though we’re only families apart

Well I pick up my axe and fight like a bomber
(You know what I mean)
Hey! And your bullets keep knocking me down

Hey, I pick up my axe and fight like a bomber now
Yeah, but you still blast me down to the ground

The same way you shoot me down, baby
You’ll be going just the same
Three times the pain,
and your own self to blame
Hey, Machine Gun

I ain’t afraid of your mess no more, babe
I ain’t afraid no more
After a while, your, your cheap talk don’t even cause me pain,
so let your bullets fly like rain

’Cause I know all the time you’re wrong baby
And you’ll be going just the same
Yeah, Machine Gun
Tearing my family apart
Yeah, yeah, alright
Tearing my family apart

(Don’t you shoot him down)
(He’s ’bout to leave here)
(Don’t you shoot him down)
(He’s got to stay here)
(He ain’t going nowhere)
(He’s been shot down to the ground)
(Oh where he can’t survive, no, no)

Yeah, that’s what we don’t wanna hear anymore, alright?
(No bullets)
At least here, huh huh
(No guns, no bombs)
Huh huh
(No nothin’, just let’s all live and live)
(You know, instead of killin’)

May this be
Love or just
Confusion Born out of
frustration wracked
feelings - of not
being able to
make true physical
love to the
Universal gypsy Queen
True, free expressed music
Darling guitar please
rest. Amen


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Machine Gun song meanings
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27 Comments

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  • 0
    General CommentIt is talking about the war with Vietnam
    Kristy6885on May 11, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentMachine gun is awesome. There is a band here in my town that does a cover of machine gun. I must say they do a great job of it.
    ReneaAlbyon August 29, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentMachine Gun blew my mind when I first heard it. The best guitar solo ever, IMO. His hypnotic use of feedback and powerful vocals are amazing. I think this song best displays Hendrix's phenominal musical talent.This song is so much different than his stuff with The Experience.
    JD9903on June 08, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe lyric is, "I pick up my axe and fight like a farmer." Not, "...like a bomber."
    DAS JETSon March 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentOn the Band of Gypsys album, the following lyrics preceed the song:

    "I'd like to dedicate this song to all the soldiers fighting in Chicago, and Miwaukee, and New York. Oh yes, and all the soldiers fighting in Vietnam."

    He mentions Vietnam almost as an afterthought, which I believe is intentional because of his views on the US fighting in that war. It's a humorous statement because one would expect that Jimi would mention Vietnam immediately rather than an afterthought.
    DAS JETSon March 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYEah the guitar is amazing, there is a webpage explaining Jimi's techiniques and arrangement for the song. Bass really supports the track, and drums sound great too....the parts where he slams the drums to make it sound like machine gunfire...awesome. This song got me into Hendrix...just blew me away.
    blenderon May 21, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis sing is awesome. Jimi Hendix was actually pro war. He joined the 101st airborne to avoid being put in jail. He was a fully certified sharpshooter. But the war was getting to him so he told the doctor he had gay tendencys, and they kicked him out. Hendrix is in my mind the best artist of all time, in every perspective.
    stonedouton August 22, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commentby the way hendrix got kicked out cause he broke his leg in a parachooting accident. and das jets im pretty sure its bomber but i like what u said about the vietnam thing
    gage1on August 27, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentSTONEDOUT is actually correct.
    It was always lead to believe that Hendrix got into an accident and he broke his ankle and he was dischared. It was discovered earlier this year that Hendrix wanted out and said he had gay tendencys and he was masturbating a lot. So naturally, they kicked him out. lolz
    Surfwaxamerica06on December 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis really is such an amazing sound !
    One thing though, I have Band of Gypsys album and I don't hear the last part of the posted lyrics from "May this be . . . -> Amen". ???Help?
    -Comrade-on December 31, 2005   Link

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