Hey Joe

"Hey Joe" is a song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and been performed in many musical styles by hundreds of different artists. The lyrics are a back and forth conversation between "Joe", a man on the run and planning to escape to Mexico after shooting his unfaithful wife, and an apparent friend who is questioning him. In 1962, Billy Roberts registered "Hey Joe" for copyright in the United States. In late 1965, Los Angeles–based garage band The Leaves recorded the earliest known commercial version of "Hey Joe", which was released as a single and titled "Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go". They re-recorded the song and released it in 1966 as a single, which became a hit in the US, reaching #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In October 1966, Jimi Hendrix recorded "Hey Joe" for his first single with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.