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.
It's Only Music
Grace Slick Lyrics
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You can lose it without a warning
If you grab on too tight
Try to read too much into it
You know it's only music
That song - the one your hear inside late at night
It can set you reeling.
That song, that song is just your own
You hear a voice so clear you can't tell what its saying
Well maybe you now that tune you hear
Might never end
I thought that I heard you singing at night
You know I had the feeling
That I, I have known that song
Way beyond this life without beginning
Who knows the name of that song?
Go broke and come back singing
Since the world appeared
Get write it down
'cause it doesn't spell
It doesn't end.
In the still, the still of the night
When the wind is quiet
Quiet and still
I sit inside, the empty room
Waiting hear the tune that
Comes stealing through the mazes - writ on empty pages
Well I know we'll never get that song quite right
But still we're singing
Well I know ten thousand tunes are captured there
That much I know
Blue sun under the clouds - the smoke of wrack and ruin
Someone waits beneath the roses, playing guitar
Playing for me
Well l don't see beyond those eyes - not too far
Don't look too far you can find it most anywhere
But you can lose it, without a warning
If you grab on too tight or try to read too much into it
You know it's only music - don't try too hard - it will come to
You - yes it will
The lyrics to Grace Slick's song "It's Only Music" convey the idea that music is a powerful force that can be found everywhere, but we shouldn't try to read too much into it or hold on too tightly, lest we lose its essence. Slick's deep understanding of music is evident in the way she goes beyond the surface-level appreciation of it, creating a poetic metaphor for the infinite ways in which we experience music. She believes that the tune that we hear might never come to an end and that we could hear it long after this life has come to an end. The song starts with the idea that we can find music everywhere, and it goes on to talk about how music can be a symphony that we hear within ourselves that can set us reeling.
What makes the song relatable is the way she describes the emotions that music can evoke within us. Through the lyrics, Slick portrays music as an unpredictable force that can either make us feel alive or leave us feeling empty. In essence, the song is a reminder to appreciate music for what it is, without trying too hard to understand it. It is only when we let our guard down and allow the melody to consume us that we can truly appreciate the beauty of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't look too far, you can find it everywhere
The beauty of music is ubiquitous; you don't have to go too far to find it.
You can lose it without a warning If you grab on too tight
Music is not something tangible that one can hold onto tightly. One can lose its essence by trying to control or manipulate it.
Try to read too much into it You know it's only music
If you try to analyze every nuance of music, you may lose its inherent magic. It's important to remember that music is just music.
That song - the one your hear inside late at night It can set you reeling.
Music has the power to evoke intense emotions and can be a profound experience.
That song, that song is just your own Heart beating, but it can sound like a symphony,
The music you hear is a reflection of your own soul and can be as overwhelming and powerful as an entire symphony.
You hear a voice so clear you can't tell what its saying Well maybe you now that tune you hear Might never end
Music can be abstract and transcend language; it can be infinite, timeless, and never-ending.
I thought that I heard you singing at night You know I had the feeling That I, I have known that song Way beyond this life without beginning
Music can connect us beyond this world and time, evoking a sense of familiarity and intimacy.
Who knows the name of that song? Go broke and come back singing Since the world appeared Get write it down 'cause it doesn't spell It doesn't end.
The essence of music can't be captured in words or limited to notation or technical proficiency. It is boundless, infinite, and priceless.
In the still, the still of the night When the wind is quiet Quiet and still I sit inside, the empty room Waiting hear the tune that Comes stealing through the mazes - writ on empty pages
Music can be mysterious and intangible, yet it has the power to entrance the soul and take one on a journey of self-discovery.
Well I know we'll never get that song quite right But still we're singing
Despite our limitations, a never-ending pursuit of mastery in music, and inevitable fallibility, music is still meant to be enjoyed, celebrated, and shared.
Well I know ten thousand tunes are captured there That much I know
The depth and wealth of the world of music are profound, and it is a lifelong pursuit to explore and appreciate it fully.
Blue sun under the clouds - the smoke of wrack and ruin Someone waits beneath the roses, playing guitar Playing for me
Music can be a source of inspiration, resilience, and hope, amidst chaos, destruction, and cruelty.
Well l don't see beyond those eyes - not too far Don't look too far you can find it most anywhere But you can lose it, without a warning If you grab on too tight or try to read too much into it You know it's only music - don't try too hard - it will come to You - yes it will
Music can be discovered and enjoyed through a simple, unassuming perspective. It shouldn't be overthought, overcomplicated, or controlled. The music will come to us if we allow it to.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay Clifford
on Darkly Smiling
i'd like to know what this song means