Claim: Purple Haze is a work of music.

`` Purple Haze '' is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and released as the second record single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on March 17 , 1967 . As a record chart hit in several countries and the opening number on the Experience 's debut American album , it was many people 's first exposure to Hendrix 's psychedelic rock sound .   The song features his inventive guitar playing , which uses the signature Hendrix chord and a mix of blues and Eastern modalities , shaped by novel sound processing techniques . Because of ambiguities in the lyrics , listeners often interpret the song as referring to a psychedelic experience , although Hendrix described it as a love song .   `` Purple Haze '' is one of Hendrix 's best-known songs and appears on many Hendrix compilation albums . The song featured regularly in concerts and each of Hendrix 's group configurations issued live recordings . It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and is included on lists of the greatest guitar songs , including at number two by Rolling Stone and number one by Q magazine .