rix ▁sometimes ▁played ▁early ▁in ▁his ▁career . ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁a ▁st ap le ▁of ▁live ▁shows . ▁Several ▁live ▁record ings ▁were ▁released ▁after ▁Hend rix ' s ▁death . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁lyr ics ▁were ▁inspired ▁by ▁Hend rix ' s ▁high ▁school ▁years ▁( rough ly ▁ 1 9 5 8 - 1 9 6 1 ), ▁when ▁he ▁regularly ▁visited ▁a ▁road house ▁called ▁" The ▁Spanish ▁Castle ". ▁ ▁The ▁club ▁was ▁south ▁of ▁Seattle ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁then ▁un in cor por ated ▁King ▁County ▁( now ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Des ▁Mo ines , ▁Washington ). ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁to ▁avoid ▁Seattle ' s ▁then ▁restrict ive ▁night club ▁laws . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁the ▁club ▁began ▁featuring ▁top ▁local ▁rock ▁groups ▁such ▁as ▁The ▁Fab ul ous ▁W ail ers ▁and ▁occas ional ▁tour ing ▁stars . ▁ ▁Events ▁were ▁hosted ▁by ▁Pat ▁O ' Day , ▁Seattle ' s ▁best ▁known ▁disc ▁j ockey ▁of ▁the ▁era . ▁▁ ▁Hend rix ▁performed ▁at ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Castle ▁on ▁several ▁occasions . ▁ ▁He ▁later ▁described ▁his ▁fr ustration ▁getting ▁to ▁the ▁club : ▁"[ The ▁bass ▁player ] ▁in ▁the ▁band ▁had ▁this ▁beat - up ▁car , ▁and ▁it ▁would ▁break ▁down ▁every ▁other ▁block , ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁there ▁and ▁back ". ▁ ▁This ▁is ▁referenced ▁in ▁the ▁line ▁" T akes ▁' b out ▁a ▁half ▁a ▁day