Slick is considered to be one of the most important musicians in bringing the 1960s psychedelic rock to mainstream appeal. She is known for her witty, influential, thought provoking lyrics. Former lover and bandmate Paul Kantner once half-jokingly compared Slick to Oscar Wilde in her impact on music and modern culture.
Slick's longevity in the music business helped her earn a rather unusual distinction: the oldest female vocalist on a Billboard Hot 100 chart topping single. "We Built This City" reached #1 on November 16, 1985, shortly after her 46th birthday. The previous record was age 44 for Tina Turner, with 1984's #1 smash, "What's Love Got To Do With It". Turner (who is, coincidentally, within a month of Slick's age) turned 45 two months after the song topped the charts. Slick broke her own record in April 1987 at age 47 when "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" topped the U.S. charts. Her record stood for 12 years but was ultimately broken by Cher, who was 53 in 1999 when "Believe" hit #1.
Slick did vocals for a piece known as Jazzy Spies, a series of animated shorts about the numbers 2 through 10 (a #1 short was never made), which aired on Sesame Street. The segment for the number two appeared in the first episode of the first season of Sesame Street, November 10, 1969.
She was nominated for a Grammy award in 1980 as Best Rock Female Vocalist for her solo album Dreams.
She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 (as a member of Jefferson Airplane).
She was ranked #20 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.
Aside from singing, she also sometimes played piano, keyboards, oboe, and recorder for the bands.
Do It the Hard Way
Grace Slick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's been living to high trying to get through to heaven at night
They all knew she was bound to go down 'way before she fell
They all know how it feels to try and hold on to the light
They know the darkness of the night sky so well
But there?s just no way to tell her
She's gonna break right through the sign that says
This is the end of the ride
She'll do it the hard way
She's gonna shake the hands of time and try to
Turn back the tide
She'll do it the hard way
She's gonna take whatever she can find until there's
No one by her side
And there's no place left to hide
Se sad I'm gonna get more out of living every day
She said I know how to get more out of life if I just had more time
If I can just keep on taking when someone else is giving it away
That way the sweet life - That'll be all mine in no time
But there's just no more time for her
Chorus
She said I've got to make 'en all think I'm winning so I'll just tell 'em lies
That way I can make sure no one ever knows just exactly what I mean
Then I can beat the drums and yell it to the skies
I'm the queen of the nut house I'm the queen
And I can justify myself - say I been cheated
I'm the only one in this game who knows how to play
And if it weren't for time - I'd never be defeated
But people, places and thongs - they get in my way
And I don't like what they say
She's gonna keep on doing it till she proves that they're all wrong
She's got to let 'em know she's the exception to the rule
She's got no friends 'cause she thinks she's so damn strong
But she's the only one who doesn't know that she's the fool
So now I'm asking you What will you do?
If you become the fool
The song "Do It the Hard Way" by Grace Slick is a song about a woman who is determined to live life her own way, even if it means doing it the hard way. The opening lines describe her struggle to attain spiritual enlightenment, as she tries to get through to heaven at night. Her associates all knew that she was going about it the wrong way and that she would fall eventually. They understand what it is like to try to hold on to the light in the darkness of the night and are familiar with the darkness of the night sky.
The song's chorus, which is repeated multiple times, is a defiant declaration of the woman's decision to take on the challenges of life on her own terms. She is determined to break through any barriers and overcome any obstacles she meets along the way. She is going to take whatever she can find until there is no one by her side and no place left to hide. The singer points out that the woman feels she has been cheated, although the only one cheating her is herself.
The song concludes with the singer asking the listener what they would do if they found themselves in the same position as the woman. Using her as an example, the listener is urged to take ownership of their own destiny, whether it means doing it the hard way or not. The song serves as a warning against ignoring the warnings of family and friends, ignoring reality, and living life in denial.
Line by Line Meaning
She's been living to high trying to get through to heaven at night
She's been living extravagantly, dreaming of reaching heaven at night time
They all knew she was bound to go down 'way before she fell
Everyone could see that she was going to fail before she actually did
They all know how it feels to try and hold on to the light
Everyone understands what it's like to try to stay optimistic and hopeful
They know the darkness of the night sky so well
They have experienced and understand the feeling of despair
But there's just no way to tell her
However, no one can convince her otherwise
She'll do it the hard way'
She will always choose the difficult way
She's gonna break right through the sign that says This is the end of the ride
She will defy the boundaries and break past the limitations
She'll do it the hard way She's gonna shake the hands of time and try to Turn back the tide
She will stubbornly push against time and try to alter the course of events
She'll do it the hard way She's gonna take whatever she can find until there's No one by her side
She will relentlessly pursue her goals at any cost, pushing away those who try to support her
And there's no place left to hide
Eventually, she will have to face the consequences of her actions
She said I've got to make 'em all think I'm winning so I'll just tell 'em lies
She believes that she must lie to others to appear successful
That way I can make sure no one ever knows just exactly what I mean
By lying, she can ensure that no one understands her true intentions
Then I can beat the drums and yell it to the skies
She can then boast about her imaginary accomplishments
I'm the queen of the nut house I'm the queen
She takes pride in being the leader of a group of people who are viewed as crazy
And I can justify myself - say I been cheated
She can rationalize her own mistakes and failures by blaming them on others
I'm the only one in this game who knows how to play
She believes that she has the upper hand and understands the situation better than anyone else
And if it weren't for time - I'd never be defeated
She thinks that if she had more time, she would ultimately accomplish her goals
But people, places and thongs - they get in my way
However, other factors negatively affect her progress
And I don't like what they say
She doesn't want to hear the opinions of others
She's gonna keep on doing it till she proves that they're all wrong
She will persist until she disproves everyone who disagrees with her
She's got to let 'em know she's the exception to the rule
She feels the need to make it known that she is unique and special
She's got no friends 'cause she thinks she's so damn strong
She isolates herself because she believes that she doesn't need the help or support of others
But she's the only one who doesn't know that she's the fool
Ironically, she is the only one unaware of the negative effects of her behavior
So now I'm asking you What will you do?
The song turns to the listener, questioning what they will do in similar situations
If you become the fool
If the listener were to fall victim to similar tendencies and beliefs
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: GRACE WING SLICK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay Clifford
on Darkly Smiling
i'd like to know what this song means