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"House Burning Down," from Electric Ladyland, was Jimi Hendrix's song detailing his reaction to Martin Luther King, Jr's death, and the riots that followed. Hendrix was under pressure from friends who were associated with the Black Panthers to make a militant statement on the subject of King's murder. Although he donated money to the Panthers, Hendrix remained an advocate of non-violence:
Look at the sky turn a hell-fire red Somebody's house is burning down down down down
Well I asked my friend "Where is that black smoke coming from?" He just coughed and changed the subject and said, "Uh, it might snow some." So I left him sipping his tea and I jumped in my chariot and rode off to see Just why and who could it be this time.
Sisters and brothers, daddies, mothers standing around crying When I reached the scene the flames were making a ghostly whine so I stood on my horse's back and I screamed without a crack I said, "Oh, baby why did you burn your brother's house down?"
Well someone stepped from the crowd He was nineteen miles high He shouts, "We're tired and disgusted So we painted red through the sky." I said, "The truth is straight ahead so don't burn yourself instead Try learning, instead of burning Hear what I say."
So I finally rode away But I'll never forget that day 'Cause when I reached the valley I looked down across the way a giant boat from space landed with eerie grace And came and taken all the dead away.
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