Grace Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing, October 30, 1939) is a rock music ico… Read Full Bio ↴Grace Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing, October 30, 1939) is a rock music icon, serving as the lead singer of the rock groups Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship for nearly two decades, from the 60s through the 80s. She also has had a notable solo career.

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.

Nature Boy
Grace Slick Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day

A magic day he came my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day
A magic day he came my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Grace Slick's "Nature Boy" tell the story of a wise and mystical boy who wanders far and wide, but is ultimately focused on the importance of love. The boy is described as both shy and sad in his eyes, yet very wise in his soul.

The singer recounts the day when the enchanted boy crossed her path and shared some of his wisdom. As they spoke about a range of topics, he imparted the great lesson that "the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."

Line by Line Meaning

There was a boy
There existed a boy

A very strange enchanted boy
He was strange and seemed to have magical powers

They say he wandered very far, very far
It is said that he journeyed a great distance

Over land and sea
Across both land and water

A little shy and sad of eye
He was somewhat reserved and appeared to be sorrowful

But very wise was he
However, he possessed a great deal of knowledge

And then one day
On a particular day

A magic day he came my way
He arrived in my vicinity on a seemingly enchanted day

And while we spoke of many things
As we conversed about various topics

Fools and kings
Discussed subjects like foolishness and royalty

This he said to me
He said these words to me