The "classic" lineup of Jefferson Airplane, from October 1966 to February 1970, was Marty Balin (vocals), Paul Kantner (guitar, vocals), Grace Slick (vocals), Jorma Kaukonen (lead guitar, vocals), Jack Casady (bass), and Spencer Dryden (drums). Marty Balin left the band in 1971. After 1972, Jefferson Airplane effectively split into two groups. Kaukonen and Casady moved on full time to their own band, Hot Tuna. Slick, Kantner, and the remaining members of Jefferson Airplane recruited new members and regrouped as Jefferson Starship in 1974, with Marty Balin eventually joining them. Jefferson Airplane was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and was presented with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Spencer Dryden died on January 11, 2005.
Both Signe Anderson and Paul Kantner died on January 28, 2016.
Marty Balin died on September 27, 2018
Mexico
Jefferson Airplane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come to the Poet's Room
Talking about the problems of the leaf
And yes, it'll be back soon
There used to be tons of gold and green
Comin' up here from Mexico
A donde esta la planta, mi amigo, del sol?
But Mexico is under the thumb
Of a man we call Richard
And he's come to call himself king
But he's a small-headed man
And he doesn't know a thing
About how to deal for you
How to deal for you
There are millions of you now
I mean it's not as if you were alone
There are brothers everywhere
Just waiting for a toke on that gold
And God knows how far it can go
But thanks Uncle Charlie
For your Mexican smoke
You're a legend Owsley
For your righteous dope
There were a half a million people on the lawn
And we sang to the faces in the dawn
How long must that damn race
Wait for the jailer's time to end?
How long must the Panther race
Wait for the iron bars to bend?
No no no no no nobody waits
The first stanza of the song starts with Owsley and Charlie, who were renowned for their expertise in the drug trade. The duo has come to the Poet's Room, most likely a popular hangout spot for poets and artists, and are discussing the problems of the "leaf," which is a reference to the marijuana plant. The lyrics suggest that despite any legal problems, the drug will continue to be available. The second half of the stanza references the large amount of marijuana that used to come from Mexico, with the lyrics “There used to be tons of gold and green, Comin' up here from Mexico.” The last line of the stanza, “A donde esta la planta, mi amigo, del sol?” translates from Spanish to "Where is the plant, my friend, of the sun?" It is a reference to the search for marijuana, which is often grown in sunny regions.
In the second stanza, the song takes a more political turn. The lyrics suggest that Mexico is under the control of a man called Richard, who has declared himself king. The line "But he's a small-headed man" is an insult characterizing the ruler as foolish and lacking in wisdom. The stanza suggests that Richard doesn't know how to deal with the people and implies that his reign is not legitimate. The chorus then kicks in, stating that there are millions of people wanting to use the drug, and they are not alone. The third stanza thanks Uncle Charlie - an unknown person - for their supply of marijuana and concludes with a reference to Owsley's production of LSD. It suggests that the pair are revered for their contributions to the drug trade.
Line by Line Meaning
Owsley and Charlie, twins of the trade
Owsley and Charlie are people who make drugs, and they both do it together, hence twins of the trade.
Come to the Poet's Room
The Poet's Room is a place where musicians come to compose songs.
Talking about the problems of the leaf
They are discussing issues related to Marijuana
And yes, it'll be back soon
Marijuana is illegal, but its duration of being illegal is temporary. Hence it'll be back soon.
There used to be tons of gold and green
Mexico used to export a lot of Marijuana in good quality and in large quantities.
Comin' up here from Mexico
Marijuana is smuggled from Mexico into the USA.
A donde esta la planta, mi amigo, del sol?
Where is the plant, my friend, of the sun?
But Mexico is under the thumb
Mexico is under the control of someone else's rule.
Of a man we call Richard
The 'small-headed man' is being referred to as Richard.
And he's come to call himself king
Richard considers himself as the ruler of everything.
But he's a small-headed man
He may be physically small, but he is trying to control things that are not in his control.
And he doesn't know a thing
He doesn't know what he is doing, and he is clueless.
About how to deal for you
He doesn't know how to do a drug deal, which is what the song is mainly about.
There are millions of you now
There are a lot of people in America who smoke weed.
I mean it's not as if you were alone
You are not the only person who does it or the minority.
There are brothers everywhere
Brothers = people (of all races and ethnicities). There are people who smoke weed everywhere, and they trust each other.
Just waiting for a toke on that gold
They just want to have a puff of the expensive, high-quality weed.
And God knows how far it can go
This line refers to the potential for the drug trade to reach great heights and that the consequences of the same are unknown.
But thanks Uncle Charlie
Thank you for bringing good quality weed, Uncle Charlie.
For your Mexican smoke
Mexican smoke refers to Mexican marijuana.
You're a legend Owsley
Owsley is famous for creating the purest form of LSD, and hence he is a legend.
For your righteous dope
Righteous dope indicates high-quality drugs.
There were a half a million people on the lawn
The song refers to a gathering of half a million people on a lawn/field.
And we sang to the faces in the dawn
They sang to the rising Sun and the people out there.
How long must that damn race
Refers to the African American race who had to struggle and fight for their rights.
Wait for the jailer's time to end?
How long will they have to wait in jail, serving sentences which are disproportionately large?
How long must the Panther race
Refers to the black panther organization that fought for the rights of the Black people.
Wait for the iron bars to bend?
How long will they have to wait until the systemic racism they are fighting against is eliminated?
No no no no no nobody waits
They are saying that they will not wait anymore, and the need of the hour is a change.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Grace Slick
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rodrigo Jair
Mexico by Jefferson Airplane
Owsley and Charlie, twins of the trade
Come to the Poet's Room
Talking about the problems of the leaf
And yes, it'll be back soon,
There used to be tons of gold and green
Comin' up here from Mexico
A donde esta la planta, mi amigo, del sol?
But Mexico is under the thumb
Of a man we call Richard
And he's come to call himself king
But he's a small-headed man
And he doesn't know a thing
About how to deal for you
How to deal for you
There are millions of you now
I mean it's not as if you were alone
There are brothers everywhere
Just waiting for a toke on that gold
And God knows how far it can go,
But thanks Uncle Charlie
For your Mexican smoke
You're a legend Owsley
For your righteous dope,
There were a half a million people on the lawn
And we sang to the faces in the dawn
How long must that damn race
Wait for the jailer's time to end?
How long must the Panther race
Wait for the iron bars to bend?
No no no no no nobody waits
Stefan Schleps
One of their best songs. Always inspiring. Those were the daze of road trips and worldwide travel in search of all thats good. Adventures abound, those were the days. How we wish they'd never end.
RIP Uncle Charlie
230968
What a great vocal performance. What a great composition. True gem.
IMSWM
Jack Cassidy spends two minutes and change demonstrating why he was arguably the best American rock bassist of his era.
PhilandLeesa Danner
Casidy
IMSWM
Actually, it's CASADY! We both goofed. : )
blackmore4
Totally agree. And, thankfully, Kaukonen doesn't get in everyone else's way too much.
IMSWM
Didn't notice it much back in the day, and maybe it's the way the CDs are mixed, but, yes, through modern ears, Jorma does seem to have a penchant for noodling excessively. I know that was a "Frisco thing," but that doesn't change the fact.
J G
@blackmore4 shows how little you know. This version is a rather tame mix compared to the original single where Jorma snarls over the roar of Jack's bass. Magical and much superior. Anyone who knew the airplane and didn't just rely on their own hubris knows Kaukonen was content as part of the whole and had no ego inhibiting mixes
TheBestBroster
This song's biggest issue is that it isnt long enough! Damn I love this
Tom Kiefaber
Bingo! A stirring Anthem to Legalization with the best lyrics evah.