It was named after Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca,[3] and was recorded simultaneously with Blue Afternoon (1969), though notably different in style.

The lyrics of Lorca also represent a departure from his previous traditional pop-music writing, instead Buckley uses a more abstract descriptive style, avoiding direct narratives and standard song themes.

This is a reflection of the poetry, such as the works of poet Federico García Lorca, that Buckley and guitarist Lee Underwood were reading at the time.

According to Larry Beckett, his songwriting partner from Tim Buckley and Goodbye and Hello, he was purposely trying to alienate fans at this point.

"[citation needed] Buckley describes the second track as a "real advance," and that "It deals with a ballad in a totally personal, physical presentation...