Jefferson Airplane -White Rabbit | Singer Bassist Musician Reacts 

Helen of Troy was called "The Face that Launched a Thousand Ships". Grace Slick was called "The Voice that Launched a Thousand Trips". So true!

From the first few sentences after the music started: "This is trippy." Exactly. Exactly. Literally exactly. :)

one of the greatest bands from the 60's. Notice how the song increases is speed all the way through. they had so many great songs in the 60's. Gracie had a wonderful voice and style. saw them in concert several times and will never forget.

This is acid rock. Great song, great band.

I cut school one day to see them and The Grateful Dead at a free concert in Golden Gate Park. It was 1969 and a weekday afternoon. The Hari Krishnas were there with a giant cauldron like incense burner. The hippie scene was winding down in the nearby Haight Ashbury district but was on full display in the park that afternoon.

Grace Slick. A 60s icon.

The "White Rabbit" is your curiosity. In the 60s, drugs were a large part of mind expansion and social experimentation. White Rabbit was one of the first songs to sneak references to certain substances past censors on the radio.

She talked right through the "some kind of mushroom 🍄" part

The lyrics is about Alice in Wonderland and the crazyness. It´s typical psychadelical song from 1967.

Grace Slick - the voice that launched a thousand trips!!!

The voice that launched a thousand trips. One of my all-time favorite songs and favorite female singers. The Great society the group she was in before did an even trippier version of this song.

The ultimate psychedelic rock song, in my opinion.❤️

Such an amazing, varied taste MIllie has, plus total cutie... this channel is pure joy.

When I was a kid growing up in the SF bay area in the music business through family and casually meeting and chatting with many of these musicians I had no idea that I was talking to future icons of rock. Grace is one of those approachable down to earth people that is unassuming but on stage she is so powerful. Talent like this we took for granted at the time, and now we idolize them because there will never be anything like them, it represents a simpler time of true talent and skill for the love of creating unique music to share with others.

We called this Head Music when I was young. Love, love, love you Millie.

There is a longer version .... but it was edited for TV consumption. White Rabbit is old timey code for H E R O I N. ;)

The Song was about "Alice in Wonderland", but it was also about "dropping acid (an LSD Trip)". The Beatles did this with "Lucy in the Sky" (two different meanings, one of them being Drugs (LSD)).

In the 1960's, producing a song to run about two minutes was guaranteed to get a lot of air time on AM Top 40 radio. The more common timing was around three minutes. When you DJ'd a station, you liked to have some odd times to fill exactly the right slots. For instance, a common thing was to carefully time the music to end at the stroke of the hour, U.S. Naval Observatory time. You were pulling and cuing up 45 rpm vinyl records, and every record was prominently marked with the exact time and sometime additional notes, like the length of the lead in and fade out, so you knew how long you could talk over the intro and outro. Some formats required you to leave no break between songs and to talk into and out over the instrumental beginning and ending. On a lot of stations, there was a tone exactly on the hour that was built in and which was synced to a signal from the time source that snapped the minute hand of the studio clock to the 12 o'clock position. An announcer could not change it. Often, that tone triggered a short newscast or a commercial, sometimes a network news break, and those were completely locked onto the hour. You were judged on your ability to stay tight and hit that mark just as the last note of the song faded. Jocks prided themselves on their ability to make things happen exactly as that minute hand snapped to the top. You could easily get stuck with less than three minutes. Too much to fill with talk in a format where there was little talk. Too much to fill with commercials. But with a little talk, a two-minute cut would hit the mark and make you look good. And since you were playing from a limited list put together by your program director, there weren't many tow-minute choices. (Similarly, very long cuts were appreciated, especially late at night, when the announcer had lengthh bathroom business or even wanted to dash down the street to pick up food. You took great care of those records, hoping to not be stuck away from the board if it started skipping. I once had a program director who kept a transistor radio beside his bed at home. If he had to go pee in the middle of the night, he'd carry it with him. Let a long cut run out before you got back to the board, and he'd catch you every time.)

In the 60's and 70's, to get air play, songs needed to be between 2 and 3 min long. One of the big selling points for the "new" FM stations was that they played longer songs. Early on, around KC we called them "album stations" because they would play whole album sides.

The biggest hit by Jefferson Airplane was Somebody To Love from the Surrealistic Pillow album. What an album! For a couple of soft songs from that album listen to Today and Comin' Back To Me where Marty Balin sings lead.

Bass figured prominently in Jefferson Airplane songs and arrangements, particularly on the album Crown of Creation, as well as Volunteers and Bark. Try Hey Frederick for an 8:36 song with Grace vocals and an extended jam for the last half of the song. To hear very prominent bass on a shorter song, Crown of Creation. Jefferson Airplanes lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady formed a bluesy band Hot Tuna in the early 70's that put out albums and still is playing together. They have three main vocalists, Grace Slick, Marty Balin, and Paul Kantner, who sing separate verses on Wooden Ships, as well as harmony later in song.

This is 1967, in San Francisco.... the height of the Haight-Ashbury scene. The San Francisco bands of that era were spectacular, The Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, The Sons of Champlin. These bands never made it on the national scene, but they produced iconic numbers, like White Rabbit, and ruled the music scene in the California Bay Area for a decade.

Check out the reformation of Jefferson Airplane called Jefferson Starship. Big hits were "Jane" and "Find Your Way Back." Grace Slick was still a great member and contributor to that band as well. She's a legend and she opens up her crazy life to public interviews and is as honest your grandma. She tells about the time she almost had a chance to slip President Nixon a hit of acid or LSD. That would have been a sight to see!

Jack Casady on bass. He can still be heard, along with Jorma Kaukonen, the guitarist, as Hot Tuna, more blues and folk than Rock. Grace has retired. She wrote this song for her previous group, The Great Society. Of course, Lewis Carol inspired the lyrics. I hear Ravel and Miles Davis (Sketches of Spain) influences.

Two years before Woodstock. I remember watching this show/episode when it first aired. I loved this one then and I still love it.

My wife was a "Flower Child" of the 60's in Marin County, Calif.. She hung out with Janice Joplin, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quick Silver Messenger Service and the Grateful Dead etc.,etc. Grace Slick lived on the same street as my wife parents in Mill Valley, Calif.., That was before they changed the bands name to Jefferson Starship. Crazy Times!! Later in1993 Graces house burned down. El Mirage, Arizona USA

Still one of my favorite songs ever

Grace's singing is fabulous -- her ability to hold a note is fabulous.

AM Radio in the 50's & 60's did not want songs 3:00 long.

The star of this video is Millie's hair !! Your hair style looks terrific. ❤

I’ve loved Jormas playing since the 60’s. I have seen him perform many times, most often with Jack in Hot Tuna. I am going to see him in Minneapolis in a couple of weeks and likely it will be the last time as Jorma is in his 80’s now.

Great to see a fellow lefty muso! Great reaction!

Grace Slick has a unique voice. You can't forget it.

In the intro: "Okay, this is trippy." Bingo! You nailed it! :)

The most creative and intellectual Band out of the 60's San Francisco Psychedelic Scene.

Grace is such an icon of the 60's and early 70's mostly but was still going strong into the 80's with Jefferson Airplane, then Jefferson Starship, but can't remember if she was still with them when they became Starship. The "Alice" stories have always been my favorite since childhood, so I really appreciated this song. And yes, it is referencing the drug use in the stories.

Grace Slick. One of the most beautiful and talented ladies of Rock and Roll. Her solo album Dreams (1980) is still one of my favorites.

Jefferson Airplane did this song at Woodstock (8/17/69) and it's on RU-vid (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R_raXzIRgsA.html). They also did it on American Bandstand in 1967 along with Somebody to Love (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tKtJ0XTwgTE.html). Still too short in both instances, but Grace is superb.

There is a 6 minute live version of this by Grace's first band, "The Great Society"... Also a live version of "Somebody to Love"

Meant to see her lead Jefferson Starship at Knebworth in the 1970s, but she went on a bender in Berlin and never made it

Jefferson Airplane is just fantastic. You should check out the version of this tune from Woodstock. There's also a seriously cool video of them performing "The House at Pooneil Corners" from a rooftop in New York City, kind of a guerilla-gig. EDIT: Also, yes, Jack Casady is a top-notch bassist.

they played this at woodstock in 1969 the album "worst of jefferson airplane is one of the best albums ever.

Another possible reference for this song, besides acid and Lewis Caroll, is Alice B.Toklas, the life partner of Gertrude Stein, who wrote a book including a recipe for hash brownies, and in 1968, a year following her death, was the subject of a Peter Sellers film called "I love you Alice B. Toklas". My theory is that the term "tokeing" springs from her name, anybody know?

I understood this back in the day when it first came out ..... "good drugs" ... lol This brings back memories .....

Grace Slick was insane with her voice. This song is pure drugs. No need to take any.

This is one of the best examples of how great was the psychedelic rock in the 60's.

Color television debuted around 1955 in the US. However, it wasn’t truly common until 1970 in the average US home.

White Rabbit it's a psychedelic masterpiece

Songs were usually 2:30 mins to play commercials on AM radio.To me Grace Slick was one of the greatest singers ever. Somebody to Love was their biggest hit Loved the physedelic sound late 60s. She was a successful singer went to Jefferson Starship later, i dug the group and the music

You will love "too much to dream last night" by the Electric Prunes. 1967.

Alice in Wonderland is a metaphor for an acid trip. Awesome voice bass guitar and drums. Great song.

Millie..to truly appreciate Jefferson Airplane, drop acid and wait about an hour before turning it on. Then give us your reaction. hehe..same with The Dead.

Yeah, id love a 15 minute version of White Rabbit

The song was released in 1967, at the height of L.S.D. consumption in the United States. "White Rabbit" was a tongue-in-cheek song about what happens when you take L.S.D.

If you like White Rabbit you'll like, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" By Iron Butterfly.

Back in the late 60's the AM radio stations wouldn't play anything that was longer than 2 and a half minutes, So if bands wanted their song to be on the radio they had to be short.

Ok that remembers me my very late teens years with a lot of mushrooms and good trips ... The Flower Power ... I was in love with Grace Slick ^^ ... Is it a problem if I am french and old ? First time I write here, but I liked a lot of your react. !

Love,peace and flowers🤘

Grace Slick did eventually write a book, "Somebody to Love? -- A Rock and Role Memoir". The only person, in my view, who knew more top rock performers on a personal level than Grace Slick, was Mick Jagger. Remember Jefferson Airplane were at THREE of the top early rock concerts: Woodstock, Altamont, AND Monterey Pop! 😘 🫠

If you like this vibe and want to to hear their best search for bassist Jack Casaday "Spayre Change" and vocalist Grace Slick "Bear Melt", both much longer jams.

Somebody to Love by them is a great one.

Been listening to this song for decades.

Jack Casady (bass) and Jorma Kaukonen (lead guitar) also formed a band Hot Tuna. They still play to this day.

Inspired by Sketches of Spain from Miles Davis. And a memorable scene in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Look if you are a bass player you should be studying Jack Casady the Jefferson Airplane bass player. Get the album Volunteers, he absolutely crushes on that, his tone was decades ahead of his time

If you want some 15 minute trippy songs you could watch "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly (1968) or "Get Ready" by Rare Earth (1970) "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is my personal favourite and I lost many a night, high as a kite & listening to this song.

Millie, You mentioned loving a great bass holding down the bottom. Try listening to Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan - “In Session 2010 1983.flv” two of the very best Bluesmen.

Grace Slick the San Franco foghorn. Best female voice in rock music Period !!!!

Did you find the Woodstock live version? That's probably a little longer ...... & you know the reference is to the classic story of "Alice in Wonderland" -- right?

Oh I think that would be a lot of fun for you to learn it on bass. Great reaction is always and yeah, it was such a new thing at the time even though I was just a little kid. But as someone who spent time in a recording situation, you can probably appreciate this, but I really really really really really wish you a disabled that compression effect on your voice or dial it way down, because if you're commenting on it while it's happening, which is completely fine with me because it's just your passion and your emotion coming out, it's great, but every time you do it the compression causes the music to just disappear almost entirely and then come swelling back and so it's constantly pulsating and sometimes you can't really even hear the very thing that you are so impressed about. Something to think about anyway. But I love the stuff you're covering, and I've always loved your intro and whatever that recording and video is, it's really catchy and fun.

You ought to check out Liliac's(Lilly-Ack) cover of Jefferson Airplane's Somebody To Love! Darby Slick, the composer even gave it high praises.

Somebody To Love is great as well and the album Surrealistic Pillow check it out ..

Hello Millie, as far as Jefferson Airplane goes I shall recommend a favorite from the " Crown of Creation " album " The House at Pooneil Corners ". If you do first listen to the album version then view the RU-vid version that was " Live " from a rooftop in New York City " Both are excellent. " Hey! "

This song was the title track for a movie Go Ask Alice based on the diary of a girl who was addicted to drugs and eventually over dosed

Now you need to watch Alice in Wonderland to get a little more context. The whole movie is trippy.

i used to love "chasing Rabbits" when i was young :) cannot take it now .. but damn back then it was soo fun...

Now listen to Somebody to Love (studio version).

you should do one on The Interrupters performing She Got Arrested

Grace had an amazing voice and as you say, that bass line just is incredible.

I must say I think you would have fit right in to the late 60's and 70's era I am still hoping to see a reaction to PLAYER Baby Come Back the live version You're going to like it

There was actually a book and then movie made around this song called "Go Ask Alice".

Grace was unique to say the least- her voice is very distinguishable, and as Millie noted here, 'mysterious'. Grace looks the part here in her long medieval gown.

The bass player is Jack Casady. He and Jorma Kaukonen, the lead guitarist, are still performing together as Hot Tuna, primarily a blues band, which they started while they still were in Jefferson Airplane. Jack also played bass on "Voodoo Chile" on Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland album.

Love Grace Slick! She was awsome. Great Voice.

Thanks Milli, I love the Airplane.

Wish I could find a version with Sif (Anderson?), who being pregnant didn't want to tour, so Grace was brought in.

This was shown on the Smothers Brothers show. They used Alice in Wonderland to hide that this was about drugs - very much the psychedelic 60s, sex drugs and rock and roll

You want to listen to Minnie Ripertons, Loving You. I think you will find it Truly Amazing. What a voice.

Lot if cool, psychadelic posters got printed and sold during this era. I happened to grab theirs.... of a gigantic wooden airplane with all kinds of stuff hanging on it. Jefferson Airplane. One of the bright shining stars of the late 60s!

she wasn't called the "acid queen " for nothing.

4:10 For a longer version, see their White Rabbit performance at Winterland in 1975.

Another great song from the same album that you should try out is "Somebody to Love". Grace Slick wrote White Rabbit, and the way it repeats the same staccato melody and builds in a continuous crescendo was reportedly inspired by Ravel's Bolero. I don't believe there is a 15-minute version of White Rabbit, but Ravel's Bolero is right about 15 minutes long. If you have never heard it before, you ought to give it a listen to see where some of Grace Slick's inspiration originated. It is a very cool piece of music.

Every time I listen to Jefferson Airplane, I remember the scene of Jim Carrey in the movie "Cable Guy" singing "Somebody to Love" on Karaoke. This scene is priceless.

Great reaction to this classic song. Grace was a fantastic singer. Definitely had her own style. Thanks for sharing. 😊🎉❤

It is Psychedelic! They basically invented Psychedelic!

That was Jack Casady on bass. Casady and lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen were also the core members of Hot Tuna. Grace Slick wrote this song while she was still with the group The Great Society. She brought the song over to the Jefferson Airplane when their previous singer Signe Anderson left the group to raise her new born baby.

Jack Cassidy my favorite bassman. Jim

As others have commented, the 15 minute version is called Ravel's Bolero.

I've always agreed with you that the song is too short! Good review.

You know the guy who watches Marty's band ,and denys him a chance to play was Huey Lewis... that's right Og Huey Lewis and the News.... iconic 80s band......