--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish they'd had electric guitars in…" description: "\"I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.\" — Jimi Hendrix" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/jimi-hendrix-1491_cotton-fields_i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-co_82092.jpg" --- # I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back… ![“I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.” quote by Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/jimi-hendrix-1491_cotton-fields_i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-co_82092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/jimi-hendrix-1491_cotton-fields_i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-co_82092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/jimi-hendrix-1491_cotton-fields_i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-co_82092.jpg) > “I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.” [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nostalgic lament that modern technology could have improved past hardships, implying that progress would have alleviated suffering. **In simple terms:** Nostalgia for technological fixes Key Takeaway Progress can retroactively ease past struggles Themes nostalgia technology progress social critique Mood reflective melancholic Type social commentary historical reflection When to use this quote - reflecting on past hardships - imagining alternative histories - discussing tech impact Key Concepts historical context cultural change Practical Applications - historical analysis - cultural commentary Questions to Reflect On - How does technology reshape our view of history? - What are the limits of nostalgic idealization? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cotton fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cotton-fields/) [Good old days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-old-days/) [Guitars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitars/) [Old days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-days/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Rock & roll is not so much a question of electric guitars as it is striped pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee-roth/rock-roll-is-not-so-much-a-question-of-electric-guitars-as-it-is/) [David Lee Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee-roth/) > [Strats are my favorite electric guitars, and I've got quite a collection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/strats-are-my-favorite-electric-guitars-and-i-ve-got-quite-a/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [Every once in a while there's a day or two when I say, 'Gee, electric guitars, what an ugly sound.' But I'm a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/every-once-in-a-while-there-s-a-day-or-two-when-i-say-gee-electric/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I like loud electric guitars because I like how you can just lose your entire being in the sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gira/i-like-loud-electric-guitars-because-i-like-how-you-can-just-lose-2/) [Michael Gira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gira/) > [Gibson has been making the finest electric guitars the world has ever witnessed for over 70 years. They are as American as God, guns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/gibson-has-been-making-the-finest-electric-guitars-the-world-has-ever/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [My father played one of the first electric guitars in England. He built his own in 1940, because you couldn't buy them in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/my-father-played-one-of-the-first-electric-guitars-in-england-he/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [Technology was something I avoided when I started out - I didn't even have electric guitars. Only played acoustic. But after a while, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/technology-was-something-i-avoided-when-i-started-out-i-didn-t-even-2/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [To me, the sax is rock n' roll, even though electric guitars kind of pushed it aside for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-clemons/to-me-the-sax-is-rock-n-roll-even-though-electric-guitars-kind-of/) [Clarence Clemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-clemons/) > [My dad was vehemently opposed to electric guitars. He did not look on that kind of music as legitimate in any way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/my-dad-was-vehemently-opposed-to-electric-guitars-he-did-not-look-on/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [I don't touch electric guitars. It's just not my thing - I stick with acoustic guitars only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-don-t-touch-electric-guitars-it-s-just-not-my-thing-i-stick-with/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [Technology was something I avoided when I started out - I didn't even have electric guitars. Only played acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/technology-was-something-i-avoided-when-i-started-out-i-didn-t-even/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [I do have electric guitars, because I've always believed, especially when I'm working in the studio with other bands as producer, that there should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-mason/i-do-have-electric-guitars-because-i-ve-always-believed-especially/) [Nick Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-mason/) > [Forget about what you used to do. Don't make those same mistakes again. Everybody says, "Oh the good old days" - the good old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/forget-about-what-you-used-to-do-don-t-make-those-same-mistakes-again/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A federal grand jury is investigating allegations that David Copperfield raped, assaulted and threatened a woman he took to his private island in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/a-federal-grand-jury-is-investigating-allegations-that-david/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) ## More by Jimi Hendrix > [Don't let your imagination take you by surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/don-t-let-your-imagination-take-you-by-surprise/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [You've got to know what goes between the notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/you-ve-got-to-know-what-goes-between-the-notes/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Well, obviously religion must come from inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/well-obviously-religion-must-come-from-inside/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [If there's a new idea, a new invention, or a new gas, or a new whatever you know, It should be brought at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/if-there-s-a-new-idea-a-new-invention-or-a-new-gas-or-a-new-whatever/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [We take our last look at the killing noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/we-take-our-last-look-at-the-killing-noise/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Purple haze all in my eyes, don't know if it's day or night. You got me blowin', blowin' my mind. Is it tomorrow or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/purple-haze-all-in-my-eyes-don-t-know-if-it-s-day-or-night-you-got-me/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [So you want to be married, oh baby, trying to put me on a chain, ain't that some shame? You must be losing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/so-you-want-to-be-married-oh-baby-trying-to-put-me-on-a-chain-ain-t/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [We have time, there's no big rush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/we-have-time-there-s-no-big-rush/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Of course war is horrible, but at present it's still the only guarantee of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present-it-s-still-the-only/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [I dig Strauss and Wagner. Those cats are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-dig-strauss-and-wagner-those-cats-are-good/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/knowledge-speaks-but-wisdom-listens/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [All I'm writing is just what I feel, that's all. I just keep it almost naked. And probably the words are so bland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/all-i-m-writing-is-just-what-i-feel-that-s-all-i-just-keep-it-almost/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [This morning came on to me, silver wings silhouetted against the child's sunrise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/this-morning-came-on-to-me-silver-wings-silhouetted-against-the-child/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [I guess it would be if I wanted to, just lay back and predominantly write songs when I can't go on a stage anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-guess-it-would-be-if-i-wanted-to-just-lay-back-and-predominantly/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [As you well know, you just can't believe everything you see and hear, can you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/as-you-well-know-you-just-can-t-believe-everything-you-see-and-hear/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) [Explore all 236 Jimi Hendrix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) ## More Cotton fields quotes > [I was influenced a lot by those around me - there was a lot of singing that went on in the cotton fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-was-influenced-a-lot-by-those-around-me-there-was-a-lot-of-singing/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [My mother told me to keep on singing, and that kept me working through the cotton fields. She said God has his hand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/my-mother-told-me-to-keep-on-singing-and-that-kept-me-working-through/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [African Americans were responsible for creating a lot of this beautiful and elaborate ironwork; we weren't just working in the cotton fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-freelon/african-americans-were-responsible-for-creating-a-lot-of-this/) [Philip Freelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-freelon/) > [Sam Phillips always encouraged me to do it my way, to use whatever other influences I wanted, but never to copy...if there hadn't been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/sam-phillips-always-encouraged-me-to-do-it-my-way-to-use-whatever/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [It was down in Louisiana. Just a mile from. Texarkana In them old cotton fields back home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lead-belly/it-was-down-in-louisiana-just-a-mile-from-texarkana-in-them-old/) [Lead Belly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lead-belly/) > [I like myself better when I'm writing regularly. ... I was influenced a lot by those around me-there was a lot of singing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-like-myself-better-when-i-m-writing-regularly-i-was-influenced-a/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [The white American man makes the white American woman maybe not superfluous but just a little kind of decoration. Not really important to turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-white-american-man-makes-the-white-american-woman-maybe-not/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [My childhood home backed onto wheat and cotton fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-laughlin/my-childhood-home-backed-onto-wheat-and-cotton-fields/) [Robert B. Laughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-laughlin/) > [Gone are the days when my heart was young and gay, Gone are my friends from the cotton fields away, Gone from the earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-foster/gone-are-the-days-when-my-heart-was-young-and-gay-gone-are-my-friends/) [Stephen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-foster/) > [I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madam-c-j-walker/i-am-a-woman-who-came-from-the-cotton-fields-of-the-south-from-there-2/) [Madam C. J. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madam-c-j-walker/) > [I used to work in the cotton fields a lot when I was young. There were a lot of African Americans working out there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-used-to-work-in-the-cotton-fields-a-lot-when-i-was-young-there-were/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [When I think about the auto-industry and how it was one of the industries that brought all of these black men from the South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-i-think-about-the-auto-industry-and-how-it-was-one-of-the/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It may sound a little funny but you didn't make very much money. In them old cotton fields back home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lead-belly/it-may-sound-a-little-funny-but-you-didn-t-make-very-much-money-in/) [Lead Belly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lead-belly/) > [Geoff Muldaur was and is one of my musical heroes. When I listen to him sing and play, I can hear the coal mine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/geoff-muldaur-was-and-is-one-of-my-musical-heroes-when-i-listen-to/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) [Browse all 15 Cotton fields quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cotton-fields/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimi Hendrix" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-cotton-fields-back-in-the-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cotton fields" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-cotton-fields-back-in-the-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/jimi-hendrix-1491_cotton-fields_i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-co_82092.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/jimi-hendrix-1491_cotton-fields_i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-co_82092.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/jimi-hendrix-1491_cotton-fields_i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-co_82092.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things…” — Jimi Hendrix", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jimi Hendrix", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wish they'd had electric guitars...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-cotton-fields-back-in-the-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-cotton-fields-back-in-the-good/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```