▁to ▁get ▁there ". ▁The ▁Spanish ▁Castle ▁was ▁demol ished ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁rock ▁critic ▁Dave ▁Marsh , ▁" Once ▁you ▁know ▁the ▁legend ▁of ▁the ▁W ail ers ▁at ▁the ▁Castle ▁and ▁the ▁facts ▁of ▁Jim i ’ s ▁attend ance ▁there , ▁the ▁lyr ics ▁of ▁his ▁' Span ish ▁Castle ▁Magic ' ▁seem ▁ha unted ▁by ▁homes ick ▁nost alg ia : ▁' It ’ s ▁very ▁far ▁away , ▁it ▁takes ▁about ▁half ▁a ▁day ▁to ▁get ▁there ▁if ▁we ▁travel ▁by ▁my ... uh ... drag on fly ,' ▁he ▁s ings , ▁in ▁the ▁voice ▁of ▁a ▁kid ▁str and ed ▁a ▁couple ▁contin ents ▁from ▁home ". ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁song ▁features ▁No el ▁Red ding ▁playing ▁an ▁eight - string ▁H ag st rom ▁bass ▁rout ed ▁through ▁an ▁Oct avia ▁effects ▁unit , ▁which ▁Hend rix ▁later ▁over d ub bed ▁using ▁the ▁same ▁bass . ▁ ▁Hend rix ▁also ▁over d ub bed ▁some ▁jazz ▁ch ords ▁on ▁piano , ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁heard ▁sound ▁engineer ▁Edd ie ▁K ram er ▁playing . ▁ ▁Hend rix ▁bi ograph er ▁Harry ▁Sh api ro ▁commented ▁on ▁the ▁song ' s ▁instrument ation : ▁"[ The ] ▁guitar ▁and ▁bass ▁in ▁un ison ▁has ▁the ▁immediate ▁effect ▁of ▁lock ing ▁up ▁a ▁song ▁in ▁a ▁strong ▁rh yth mic ▁voice   ... ▁ ▁[ H end rix ▁uses ] ▁some ▁unusual ▁ch ord ▁progress ions ▁and ▁a ▁large