Jimi Hendrix - 1990 "Lifelines" [4 CD Box]

Lifelines: The Jimi Hendrix Story is a posthumous box set by Jimi Hendrix. The four compact disc set was released by Reprise Records on November 27, 1990, and produced by Bruce Gary. The first three discs comprise Live & Unreleased: The Radio Show, a narrated radio presentation of Hendrix's career. The fourth, titled The L. A. Forum Concert, contains live recordings from the Jimi Hendrix Experience's performance at the Forum in Los Angeles on April 26, 1969. The complete Forum performance was released in 2022 as Los Angeles Forum: April 26, 1969.

Lifelines is another debacle foisted on the public by Alan Douglas, redeemed only by the inclusion of a 1969 performance at the L.A. Forum. The other three discs are nothing but a radio show featuring interviews and commentary. Sure, among well-known performances there are some surprising and revelatory alternates and rarities, but these are either incomplete performances, faded in or out poorly, or worse yet, they serve as background while some talks over them. A frustrating and annoying listen for fans, and much too esoteric for casual listeners, the out of print Lifelines can only be recommended for absolute completists, and only marginally at that.

A very interesting combination of known songs, rarities and unknown takes mixed with alternates, interviews and commentaries. All in all, a very cool combination. Not just for completists but for everyone interested in Hendrix' work.

Track listing:

All songs were written by Jimi Hendrix, except where noted.

Disc one

    "Introduction"
    "Testify" (Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley)
        Performed by The Isley Brothers; Hendrix on guitar
    "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" (Lloyd Price)
        Performed by Little Richard; Hendrix had no involvement with this track
    "I'm a Man" (Ellas McDaniel a.k.a. Bo Diddley)
        Performed by Curtis Knight and the Squires; Hendrix on guitar and lead vocals
    "Like a Rolling Stone" (Bob Dylan)
    "Red House"
    "Hey Joe" (Billy Roberts)
    "Hoocie Koochie Man" (Willie Dixon)
    "Purple Haze"
    "The Wind Cries Mary"
    "Foxey Lady"

Disc two

    "Third Stone from the Sun"
    "Rock Me Baby" (B.B. King)
    "Look Over Yonder/Mister Bad Luck"
    "Burning of the Midnight Lamp"
    "Spanish Castle Magic"
    "Bold as Love"
    "One Rainy Wish"
    "Little Wing"
    "Drivin' South"
    "The Things I Used to Do" (Eddie Jones a.k.a. Guitar Slim)
        Jam with Johnny Winter, Stephen Stills, and Dallas Taylor
    "All Along the Watchtower" (Dylan)
    "Drifter's Escape" (Dylan)
    "Cherokee Mist"
    "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"
    "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)"

Disc three

    "Voodoo Chile"
    "Come On (Part 1)" (Earl King)
    "Manic Depression"
    "Machine Gun"
    "Room Full of Mirrors"
    "Angel"
    "Rainy Day Shuffle"
    "Valleys of Neptune"
    "Send My Love to Linda"
    "South Saturn Delta"
    "Dolly Dagger"
    "Night Bird Flying"

Disc four

    The L. A. Forum Concert

    "Tax Free" (Bo Hansson, Janne Carlsson) – 13:57[a]
    "Red House" – 11:07
    "Spanish Castle Magic" – 11:43
    "Star Spangled Banner" (Francis Scott Key, adapted by Hendrix) – 2:30
    "Purple Haze" – 6:57
    "I Don't Live Today" – 7:06
    "Voodoo Chile / Sunshine of Your Love" (Hendrix / Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton) – 17:15

Note

"Foxey Lady" was played in between "Tax Free" and "Red House" and can be found as a CD bonus track on The Jimi Hendrix Concerts.