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"51st Anniversary" is a song originally recorded
by Jimi
Hendrix. It apears as a bonus track on the US and UK
re-releases of the 1967 album Are You Experienced. The
song is about a young couple arguing about the merits of getting
married. Both use examples of other people's marriages to make
their case. The female perspective is described by the singer
first. It includes positive images of couples married for many
decades and are still happy and enjoying their time together. Next
the male perspective counter points with images of recently married
couples already at each others throats, estranged, drunk husbands,
and housewives overloaded with children. The male then tells the
female she is only 17 years old and much to young to give up her
freedom. The male also doesn't want to be "tied down".
"51st Anniversary", despite its drug free subject matter, contains
some of Hendrix's most obvious drug imagery. The singer takes very
strong, diliberate puffs off of something (presumably cannibis, which requires more time
spent in the lungs than tobacco to achieve its desired effect) and
then continues singing or speaking while trying to hold his breath.
The two inhalations that end the song bookend the spoken words "So
if you've finished talking let me get back in my groove".