FollowingJimi Hendrix's death at age 27 in 1970, his first posthumous album introduced fans to "Angel," a poignant ballad he had begun writing years earlier. Released in 1971, the song went on to become one of Hendrix's most beloved recordings, earning acclaim as a standout in his catalog and a lasting classic.

"Angel" was released on the posthumous album The Cry For Love, and was one of the ten selected by drummer Mitch Mitchell and Eddie Kramer. That same month, it was released as a single in the U.K., and as the B-side to "Freedom" in the U.S. While having not enter the charts independently, "Angel" did land at No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a B-side track.

The ballad was originally worked on by Hendrix years before it was released with Mitchell in 1967, while also working on the track "Little Wing." Hendrix would finish penning the lyrics a year later, but wouldn't fully finish the track for two years and shelved it. It wasn't until 1970, when Hendrix, Mitchell, and bassist Billy Cox were working on his fourth studio album, that they reintroduced "Angel."

Hendrix has always been known as a "dreamer," taking inspiration from the real world and from his own dreams. The title of "Angel" was inspired by a dream he had as a child about his mother, Lucille. Sadly, she passed away when Hendrix was in his teen years, and only fueled the emotion behind the ballad.

“My mother was bein’ carried away on this camel. And there was a big caravan, she’s sayin’, ‘Well, I’m gonna see you now,’ and she’s goin’ under these trees, you could see the shade, you know, the leaf patterns across her face when she was goin’ under … She’s sayin’, ‘Well, I won’t be seein’ you too much anymore, you know. I’ll see you,'" recalled Hendrix about the dream in an interview with Meatball Fulton in 1967.

"And then about two years after that, she dies, you know. And I said, ‘Yeah, but where are you goin’?’ and all that, you know. I remember that. I will always remember that. I never did forget … there are some dreams you never forget."

The track became one of Hendrix's standout creations that gained further significance after his death. "Angel" has since been included in many compilation albums of Hendrix's biggest hits and covered by other artists. Rod Stewartcovered the track on his 1972 album Never a Dull Moment, with Jeff Healey having recorded his own version in 1995.