"Castles Made of Sand" is a song written by

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

and recorded by

the Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

for their 1967 second album, '' Axis: Bold as Love''. Produced by manager

Chas Chandler Bryan James "Chas" Chandler (18 December 1938 – 17 July 1996) was an English musician, record producer and manager, best known as the original bassist in The Animals, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He ...

, 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''.

Recording and production

The Jimi Hendrix Experience began and finished work on the recording for "Castles Made of Sand" at London's

Olympic Sound Studios Olympic Studios was a renowned British independent commercial recording studio based in Barnes, London, Barnes, London. It is best known for its recordings of many artists throughout the late 1960s to the first decade of the 21st century, inclu ...

on October 29, 1967, the penultimate day of recording for ''Axis: Bold as Love'' on which the songs "

Up from the Skies "Up from the Skies" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix. Recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967, it was released on their second album '' Axis: Bold as Love''. The lyrics reflect Hendrix's interest in science fiction and relate an extrater ...

", " 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

and engineered by

Eddie Kramer Edwin H. Kramer (born 19 April 1942) is a British recording producer and engineer. He has collaborated with several artists now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppel ...

, and was mixed at Olympic on October 31.

Composition and lyrics

Writing the Hendrix biography ''Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy'', commentators Harry Shapiro and Caesar Glebbeek summarise "Castles Made of Sand" as "a sharply observed reflection on life's bitter ironies". Addressing the lyrics of the song, Shapiro and Glebbeek go on to discuss the significance of sand within the track as a metaphor "for the temporary nature of existence, of time slipping away, how nothing can be taken for grantedlove, loyalty, family bonds, ndfriendship". It is claimed that "Castles Made of Sand" is one of Hendrix's more obviously biographical songs, said to be written about his uncertain and transitional childhood involving "different homes, different schools, different careers and a mother who was here one minute and gone the next". Hendrix's brother, Leon Hendrix, has commented that the lyrics allude to their father's alcoholism, Leon being taken away so suddenly by Child Protective Services without announcement, and the abusive relationship between their parents (or from stories told by their grandmother). Writer Tom Maginn for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

outlines the lyrical delivery of the song: 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 "Little Wing" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967. It is a slower tempo, rhythm and blues-inspired ballad featuring Hendrix's vocal and guitar with recording studio effects accompanied by bass, d ...

". According to Maginnis, "The backwards-recorded guitar... reatesa dreamy atmosphere and

ends End, END, Ending, or variation, may refer to: End *In mathematics: **End (category theory) ** End (topology) **End (graph theory) ** End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) **End (endomorphism) *In sports and games ** End (gridiron footbal ...

the song its distinctive character", with fellow band members

Mitch Mitchell John Graham "Mitch" Mitchell (9 July 194612 November 2008)In his book about the Experience, Mitchell states he celebrated his 21st birthday while on tour on 9 July 1967, which makes his birth year 1946.Mitchell's obituaries in ''Billboard' ''T ...

and

Noel Redding David Noel Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress. Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 a ...

providing a "laid-back groove" with their "mid-tempo drum shuffle" and "concise bass line", respectively. Similarly, Chris Jones of the

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...

Recording and production

Composition and lyrics

Reception

Legacy

Personnel

Notes

References