The Jimi Hendrix Experience.Castles Made of Sand.1967

Rick.Head.s01.e01.The Jimi Hendrix Experience.Castles Made of Sand.1967

"Castles Made of Sand"
Recorded.10.29.1967
Released.12.1.1967

Studio.Olympic
Genre.Psychedelic rock
Songwriter.Jimi Hendrix
Producer. Chas Chandler
Song 9, 2:51

In this vid:
Jimi Hendrix - Sotheby Plus Masters [SBD]
JPIO 005-006 / 13.01.2001 / 2CDR)
(Outtakes 1966-68 plus BBC Sessions, London 1967 / Drake Hotel Demos,
New York City, NY apr.1968) Master or Very Low Gen ?
Soundboards Recording
Disc 1: TRACK 4

Produced by manager Chas Chandler, the song is a biographical story about Hendrix's childhood, and was recorded towards the end of the production cycle for Axis: Bold as Love.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience began and finished work on the recording for "Castles Made of Sand" at London's Olympic Sound Studios on October 29, 1967, the penultimate day of recording for Axis: Bold as Love on which the songs "Up from the Skies", "Bold as Love", "One Rainy Wish" and "EXP" were also completed. As with the rest of the album, "Castles Made of Sand" was produced by Chas Chandler and engineered by Eddie Kramer, and was mixed at Olympic on October 31. Happy Halloween.

Composition and Lyrics
Down the street you can hear her scream "You're a disgrace"
As she slams the door in his drunken face
And now he stands outside
And all the neighbors start to gossip and drool
He cries "Oh girl, you must be mad
What happened to the sweet love you and me had?"
Against the door he leans and starts a scene
And his tears fall and burn the garden green

And so castles made of sand fall in the sea eventually

A little Indian brave who before he was ten
Played war games in the woods with his Indian friends
And he built a dream that when he grew up
He would be a fearless warrior, Indian Chief
Many moons passed, and more the dream grew strong until
Tomorrow he would sing his first war song and fight his first battle
But something went wrong, surprise attack killed him in his sleep that night

And so castles made of sand melts into the sea eventually

There was a young girl whose heart was a frown
Because she was crippled for life
And she couldn't speak a sound
And she wished and prayed she could stop living
So she decided to die
She drew her wheelchair to the edge of the shore
And to her legs she smiled you won't hurt me no more
But then a sight she'd never seen made her jump and say
Look a golden winged ship is passing my way
And it really didn't have to stop, it just kept on going

And so castles made of sand slips into the sea, eventually...

Musically
The track begins with overdubbed backwards guitar creeping in, as Hendrix lays down his signature clean guitar sound", drawing comparison with fellow Axis: Bold as Love track "Little Wing". According to Maginnis, "The backwards-recorded guitar ... [creates] a dreamy atmosphere and [lends] the song its distinctive character", with fellow band members Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding providing a "laid-back groove" with their "mid-tempo drum shuffle" and "concise bass line", respectively. Similarly, Chris Jones of the BBC also notes the "signature backwards guitar" in the song.

Cover Art
Hendrix expressed dismay regarding the album cover art, which depicts him and the Experience as various forms of Vishnu, incorporating a painting of them by Roger Law, from a photo-portrait by Karl Ferris. Hendrix stated that the cover would have been more appropriate had it highlighted his American Indian heritage.

Reception
A live recording by funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers is included as the B-side to 1989 single "Taste the Pain" and later on 1994 compilation Out in L.A.. Tom Maginnis of AllMusic calls it a "largely faithful tribute where guitarist John Frusciante displays a considerable Hendrix influence"
The band also recorded another version, which is included as a bonus track on Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Other artists who recorded the song include:
Tuck & Patti in 1989, electronic musician Four Tet in 2004,
R&B singer-songwriter Chaka Khan in 2007,
and rock guitarist Richard Lloyd in 2009.
Jason Isbell references the song in "Codeine," featured on his 2011 album
Also Cover Provided to YouTube by Believe SAS
Castle Made of Sand (Studio) · Scott Finch
Scott Finch : A Live Tribute to Jimi Hendrix

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