Hey Joe
Hey Joe Lyrics
Makes me feel so
Makes me feel so
Masochistic
The way you go down low deep into the neck
And I would do anything
And I would do anything
And Patty Hearst
You standing there in front of the
Symbionese Liberation army flag with your legs spread
I was wondering were you gettin' it every night
From a black revolutionary man
And his women
Or were you really dead
And now that you're on the run what goes on in your mind
Your sisters they sit by the window
And all your mama does is sit and cry
And your daddy
Well you know what your daddy said Patty
You know what your daddy said Patty?
He said, he said, he said
Well, sixty days ago she was such a lovely child
Now here she is with a gun in her hand...
Hey Joe, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand?
I'm gonna go shoot my ol' lady
You know I found her messin' around town with another man
And you know that ain't cool, watch me
Hey Joe, I heard you shot your woman down
You shot her down to the ground, you shot her
Yes I did, yes I did
Yes I did, I shot her, I shot her
I caught her messin' round with some other man
So I got my gun, I gave her the gun and I shot her, I shot her, shoot her one more time for me
Hey Joe, where you gonna, where you gonna run to?
Where you gonna run to, Joe
Where you gonna run to ?
Got a cover, I'm gonna go down south
I'm gonna go down south to Mexico
I'm going down, down, down to Mexico
Where a man can be free
No one's gonna put a noose around my neck
No one is gonna give me life, no
I'm goin' down to Mexico, I'm going down
You're not going to hear 'em stand there
And look at the stars as big as holes in the arms
And the sky is like a back drop, like a flag
And I was standin' there in front of that flag
With a car bomb Between my legs
You know, I felt so free of death beyond me
I felt so free, the F.B.I. is looking for me baby
But they'll never gonna find me, no
They can hunt me down like a dog
And I will stay on the run
And they can speculate what I'm feelin'
But daddy, daddy, you'll never know just what I was feelin'
But I'll tell you
I am no little pretty little rich girl
I am nobody's million dollar baby
I am nobody's patsy anymore
I'm nobody's million dollar baby
I'm nobody's patsy anymore
And I feel so free...
About
Limited release single from 1974.
Originally written by Billy Roberts in 1962 but made famous by The Jimi Hendrix Experience on their iconic 1967 debut Are You Experienced, ‘Hey Joe’ is sung from the perspective of a man who has just murdered his unfaithful lover and is now attempting to escape into Mexico.
Smith’s version inverts the patriarchal violence of the original as it is dedicated to Patty Hearst. In 1974, 19-year old Hearst was kidnapped by the left-wing terrorist group the Symbionese Liberation Army but ultimately became a sympathiser and then an activist for the cause. Hearst is depicted as liberating herself by killing not her lover but rather oppressive societal expectations. This is made clear in Smith’s opening monologue that references revolution and sexual fulfilment.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
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