3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
Jefferson Airplane Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Do away with people blowin' my mind
Do away with people wastin' my precious time
Take me to a simple place
Where I can easily see my face
Maybe baby, I'll see that you were kind
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Do away with people laughin' at my hair
Do away with people frownin' on my precious cares
Take me to a circus tent
Where I can easily pay my rent
And all the other freaks will share my cares
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Know I love you baby, yes I do

Do away with things that come on obscene
Like hot rods, pre-cleaned real fine nicotine
Sometimes the price is sixty-five dollars
Prices like that make a grown man holler
'Specially when it's sold by a kid who's only fifteen

Know I love you baby, yes I do
Know I love you baby, yes I do

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jefferson Airplane's song "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds" express a desire for simplicity and freedom from societal pressures. In the first verse, the singer longs for a world without people who "blow [their] mind[s]" and "waste [their] precious time." They seek a "simple place" where they can see their own reflection and hopefully find kindness in others. The chorus reiterates a declaration of love to the unknown person the singer is addressing, with the repetition emphasizing the sincerity of the emotion.


The second verse continues with a similar yearning for acceptance and understanding, as the singer bemoans others' judgmental attitudes. They want to retreat to a "circus tent," which symbolizes the freedom to live outside societal norms and express oneself fully. This place can bring together "freaks" who share in each other's struggles and joys. The final verse veers into a critique of consumer culture, condemning "things that come on obscene" and exorbitant prices sold by young vendors. Once again, the chorus serves as a reminder of love and connection amidst these challenges.


Line by Line Meaning

Do away with people blowin' my mind
Eliminate individuals who are causing confusion and chaos in my life.


Do away with people wastin' my precious time
Get rid of those who are wasting my invaluable time.


Take me to a simple place
Bring me to somewhere with less complexity.


Where I can easily see my face
A place where self-reflection and understanding are easily accessible.


Maybe baby, I'll see that you were kind
Perhaps, I'll finally realize your good intentions and virtues.


Know I love you baby, yes I do
I am absolutely certain of my love for you.


Do away with people laughin' at my hair
Eliminate those who mock my appearance.


Do away with people frownin' on my precious cares
Get rid of those who oppose and criticize my interests.


Take me to a circus tent
Bring me to a place of amusement and escape.


Where I can easily pay my rent
Somewhere I can afford without financial stress.


And all the other freaks will share my cares
Others who are similarly different will understand my problems and worries.


Do away with things that come on obscene
Get rid of anything distasteful and indecent.


Like hot rods, pre-cleaned real fine nicotine
Examples of items that are both expensive and unhealthy.


Sometimes the price is sixty-five dollars
The cost can be shockingly high.


Prices like that make a grown man holler
The cost can cause an adult to shout in outrage.


'Specially when it's sold by a kid who's only fifteen
Especially when such overpriced goods are sold by a young, inexperienced teenager.


Know I love you baby, yes I do
Reiterating the previous point about my certain love for someone.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MARTY BALIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@paulacoronelvillacres6262

Do away with people blowin' my mind
Do away with people wastin' my precious time
Take me to a simple place
Where I can easily see my face
Maybe baby, I'll see that you were kind
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Do away with people laughin' at my hair
Do away with people frownin' on my precious cares
Take me to a circus tent
Where I can easily pay my rent
And all the other freaks will share my cares
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Do away with things that come on obscene
Like hot rods, pre-cleaned real fine nicotine
Sometimes the price is sixty-five dollars
Prices like that make a grown man holler
'Specially when it's sold by a kid who's only fifteen
Know I love you baby, yes I do
Know I love you baby, yes I do



All comments from YouTube:

@OrchestrationOnline

"Take me to a pizza place, where I can easily stuff my face" we used to sing along as kids back in the late 60s. All kidding aside, great song.

@jeffreyaudrey

1967 what a magical year

@el_chief_dannyboy

Outta sight

@PsychedelicDan

The greatest year in the history of music.

@sh230968

Pure psychedelic, pure magic.

@mavjimbo

My favorite JA song

@sh230968

@@mavjimbo One of my favorite JA tunes too.

@SLB4523

My favourite tripping song. 3.00 am, coming down, beyond compare. That lilting line, scatter my love like leaves in-the wind… wow.

@williamhiles7404

Too funny. It's 3:20 AM and I'm listening to this great tune. Now if I only had some Laughing Sam's Dice or Anhalonium Lewinii. 😊
LedHed Pb 207.20 🎶 🎸 🎹

@A_Pa-Plainjane

​@@williamhiles7404- i have this album on vinyl. I was surprised on re listening , that it is so melodic. I remembered it as being raucous and extreme, but actually it is very tuneful and completely original.

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