Song for Day 54 - "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane

Day 54 - "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane

Jefferson Airplane, circa 1967.

      Jefferson Airplane was formed in 1965 but it wasn't until later that year that they met Grace Barnett Wing, aka Grace Slick,  playing with their opening act, The Great Society.  Not until October of 1966 did Grace sing with the group, replacing new mother Signe Anderson.  Later that year the group bought out Grace's contract with The Great Society--not a bad investment, in retrospect!--and she finally became a full fledged member of the group.

     The band peaked in 1967, thanks to the Slicks:  "White Rabbit" was written by Grace, "Somebody to Love"  by her brother in law,  Darby Slick, who had recorded it with The Great Society.  The latter had been produced by Sylvester Stewart (soon to become famous as Sly Stone).

Grace Slick.

      The group had the distinction of being the only one to play at all three iconic rock events:  Altamont, Monterey Pop, and Woodstock.

     Grace Slick's contralto voice drove the band, appearing with Jefferson Starship later on "We Built This City" (1985 ), the lyrics to which were written by Elton John partner, Bernie Taupin, and Jefferson Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (1986).

      "White Rabbit" is, of course, “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland”, and its sequel “Through the Looking-Glass”, included here for those who believe they see similarities between the two dystopias:  Lewis Carroll's and Donald J. Trump's.  We can only hope that in 2020 we will not see a sequel.

Lyrics:

One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all

Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall

And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call

And call Alice, when she was just small

When the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom, and your mind is moving low

Go ask Alice, I think she'll know

When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead
And the white knight is talking backwards
And the red queen's off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head, feed your head