Jamie Cullum: The Wind Cries Mary

We’ll see how today’s post goes, as the last time I featured a Jamie Cullum song, I was threatened with a lawsuit. To this day, I can’t figure out what was considered a copyright infringement, as I linked to videos and audio hosted on other sites with apparently no problems. With that said, I’ll try again with a Jamie Cullum cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary” and see how long I get to keep this post.

Cullum’s piano is a breath of fresh air to this song that has been covered by numerous guitarists and some who did it quite well. In addition to the piano, the song has a definite jazz feel. I would expect no less from Cullum who has stepped on the crack that separates jazz and pop. The cut is from Cullum’s “Twentysomething” CD.

Jimi Hendrix’s Original

While the tune was released as single in the UK and did quite well, in the US it was the flip to Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.” The song was inspired by an argument between Hendrix and his girlfriend Kathy Etchingham. Mary was her middle name and her stormy attitude that influenced the lyrical content where the wind whispered, cried, and screamed – Mary.