51st Anniversary
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"51st Anniversary" is a song originally recorded by Jimi Hendrix. It appears 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 cannabis, 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".
