Spanish Castle Magic

Infobox Song
Name = Spanish Castle Magic
Artist = The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Album =
Released = December 1, 1967
track_no = 3
Recorded = October 27 and 28, 1967 at Olympic Studios in London, England
Genre = Rock, psychedelic rock, acid rock, blues-rock, funk rock
Length = 3:00
Writer = Jimi Hendrix
Label = Track
Producer = Chas Chandler
Tracks = Side 1
#"EXP"
#"Up From the Skies"
#"Spanish Castle Magic"
#"Wait Until Tomorrow"
#"Ain't No Telling"
#"Little Wing"
#"if 6 Was 9"Side 2
#

"You Got Me Floatin'"
#"Castles Made of Sand"
#"She's So Fine"
#"One Rainy Wish"
#"Little Miss Lover"
#"Bold as Love""Spanish Castle Magic" is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Written by Jimi Hendrix and produced by Chas Chandler, it is the third track from their second studio album "".

Lyrics

The song's title was inspired by Jimi's high school days (roughly 1957-1961), when he sometimes visited a dance hall called "The Spanish Castle". The club was south of Seattle in what was then unincorporated King County (now Des Moines, Washington). "The Spanish Castle" was built in the 1930's outside the city to avoid restrictions with Seattle liquor laws. By the 1950's some of the club's early glamor had faded, but it still featured top local rock groups, such as The Wailers and occasional touring stars. Jimi had the opportunity to jam with other rock musicians at the club on several occasions.

He would later describe his frustration getting to the club, saying, "(The bass player) in the band had this beater car, and it would break down every other block, on the way there and back..." hence the line, "Takes 'bout a half a day to get there..." In the days when Jimi visited the club there was no freeway between Seattle and Des Moines, so the drive was much longer than today. It was not until the mid 1960's that Interstate 5 linked the two towns. "The Spanish Castle" was demolished in April 1968.

Rock critic Dave Marsh said about the song “Once you know the legend of the Wailers at the Castle and the facts of Jimi’s attendance there, the lyrics of his ‘Spanish Castle Magic’ seem haunted by homesick nostalgia. ‘It’s very far away, it takes about half a day/to get there/if we travel by...dragonfly,’ he sings, in the voice of a kid stranded a couple continents from home.”

Music

The music alternates between aggressive, thickly textured guitar lines during the intro, choruses, and solos, and a riff played in rhythmic lock step by guitar, drum and bass during the verses.

The song has recently found a new following among gamers, as a version without the vocals is featured in the PlayStation 2 video game "Guitar Hero". The reason why this version of the song lacks the vocals is because the Hendrix Estate did not want Jimi Hendrix to be impersonated. A version of the song with lyrics is available for listening at the "Guitar Hero" website.

Cover versions

The song has a considerable following otherwise, being covered by various artists of several styles including a cover by Latino Rock guitarist Santana and the Finnish band Hay and Stone, as well as guitar virtuoso Yngwie J. Malmsteen who performed the song live on his album titled "".

MDC recorded a cover of Spanish Castle Magic on their album, "Millions of Dead Cops/More Dead Cops"

Spin Doctors also covered the tune on the album .

External links

* [http://pnwbands.com/spanishcastle.html Information about "The Spanish Castle" in Des Moines, Washington, a legendary Seattle area dance hall where Jimi Hendrix gave some of his earliest performances]
* [http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3826 More information about The Spanish Castle and Jimi Hendrix's early days]