The night before Jimi Hendrix died he wrote these last words in a song called "The Story of Life":.
"The story of life is quicker than the wink of an eye.
The story of love is hello and goodbye.
Until we meet again.".
It was no secret that Jimi Hendrix was a great musician. It was also no secret that Jimi Hendrix was a very troubled individual. Throughout much of his life Jimi was a victim of depression. Jimi Hendrix used music as a way to relax and channel his negative energy; this is evident in his lyrics. One song that stands out is "Manic Depression." By comparing and contrasting Sigmund Freud's and Carl Rogers's theories of personality and applying it to the song "Manic Depression", one could explain why Jimi Hendrix was experiencing depression in his song.
Jimi Hendrix was born Johnny Allen Hendrix at 10:15 in the morning on November 27th, 1945 in Seattle, Washington. Jimi grew up listening to his father's record collection. It wasn't difficult for his father to see that Jimi was obsessed with his records and on his16th birthday, Jimi's father bought him his first guitar. Jimi's most famous band, "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" was formed in 1966 and they soon came out with their first album: "Are you Experienced?" The eighth song on that record was the song "Manic Depression." .
The first verse of the song reads:.
"Manic depression is touching my soul. .
I know what I want but I just don't know.
How to, go about gettin" it.
Feeling sweet feeling,.
Drops from my fingers, fingers.
Manic Depression is catchin" my soul"Jimi obviously knew something was wrong. According to these lyrics he was suffering symptoms of depression. Jimi is unsure of himself and is unable to "feel." He talks about "manic depression" taking over his soul. Carl Rogers would attribute his depression based on a disruption of his "actualizing tendency." Jimi knows what he wants but he doesn't know how to get it. Rogers would say that "it is in our nature as living things to do the very best we can"(Boeree 2), so by not knowing how to achieve something he cannot develop into the best person that he can be.
