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
Rejoyce
Jefferson Airplane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've shattered the warning amber light
Make me warm
Let me see you moving everything over
Smiling in my room
You know you'll be inside of my mind soon.
There are so many of you.
White shirt and tie, wedding ring, wedding ring.
Mulligan stew for Bloom,
The only Jew in the room
Saxon's sick on the holy dregs
And their constant getting throw up on his leg.
Molly's gone to blazes,
Bolan's crotch amazes
Any woman whose husband sleeps with his head
All buried down at the foot of his bed.
I've got his arm
I've got his arm
I've had it for weeks
I've got his arm
Steven won't give his arm
To no gold star mother's farm;
War's good business so give your son
And I'd rather have my country die for me.
Sell your mother for a Hershey bar
Grow up looking like a car
There are;
All you want to do is live,
All you want to do is give but
Some how it all falls apart!
The lyrics in Jefferson Airplane's "Rejoyce" paint a dark and chaotic picture of society, where chemical changes and shattered warning lights bring warmth to a room. The first stanza embodies the feeling of being overtaken by someone, where they've moved everything over and will soon be inside of one's mind. The second stanza features multiple characters, including Molly and Bolan, who are both caught up in their own personal crises. The mention of the only Jew in the room, along with Saxon's sickness and constant vomiting, suggests a feeling of isolation and illness. The repetition of "white shirt and tie" and "wedding ring" gives the impression of conformity and societal expectations. The final stanza features a striking statement about war, where Steven won't give his arm to a gold star mother's farm because wars are good business. This stark reality is juxtaposed with the earlier line, "sell your mother for a Hershey bar", which shows the contrast between moral decay and consumerist desire.
Overall, "Rejoyce" is a song that comments on the state of society, depicting a world filled with chaos, corruption, and conformity. The lyrics reflect the countercultural movement of the late 1960s, where societal norms were often questioned and challenged. The reference to James Joyce's Ulysses in the title and lyrics also shows the influence of literature on the music of the time. The song features a haunting melody and Grace Slick's distinctive vocal style, which adds to the ominous feel of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Chemical change like a laser beam
The effect you have on me is powerful and transformative, like a sudden and bright burst of light.
You've shattered the warning amber light
You've broken through the barriers that used to hold me back and made me feel vulnerable in your presence.
Make me warm
Your touch and presence create an emotional and physical warmth inside of me that I crave and feel comforted by.
Let me see you moving everything over
I want to see you move and change everything around me, to shake up my world and make me feel alive.
Smiling in my room
You bring joy and happiness into my life, even when you're not physically present, and I can't help but smile at the thought of you.
You know you'll be inside of my mind soon.
I can't stop thinking about you and I know you'll soon occupy my thoughts and imagination completely.
There are so many of you.
There is an overwhelming number of people in the world who all seem the same, lacking individuality or uniqueness.
White shirt and tie, white shirt and tie, White shirt and tie, wedding ring, wedding ring.
People conform to societal norms and expectations, dressing for success and marrying to fulfill expectations, rather than living for themselves.
Mulligan stew for Bloom, The only Jew in the room Saxon's sick on the holy dregs And their constant getting throw up on his leg.
People of minority groups or unique identities are treated poorly by mainstream society, often to the point of sickness and nausea.
Molly's gone to blazes, Bolan's crotch amazes Any woman whose husband sleeps with his head All buried down at the foot of his bed.
People are drawn to and fascinated by scandal and taboo topics, even when it involves infidelity and death.
I've got his arm I've got his arm I've had it for weeks I've got his arm Steven won't give his arm To no gold star mother's farm; War's good business so give your son And I'd rather have my country die for me.
War and patriotism are used to convince young men to sacrifice themselves for the sake of business and profit, while the realities and tragedies of war are felt by the families left behind.
Sell your mother for a Hershey bar Grow up looking like a car There are; All you want to do is live, All you want to do is give but Some how it all falls apart!
Society places value on material possessions and fitting in, leading people to compromise their values and desires for the sake of acceptance, only to find that everything eventually falls apart.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GRACE WING SLICK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rodrigojair4087
Lyrics 👌🎶
Chemical change like a laser beam
You've shattered the warning amber light
Make me warm
Let me see you moving everything over
Smiling in my room
You know you'll be inside of my mind soon.
There are so many of you.
White shirt and tie, white shirt and tie,
White shirt and tie, wedding ring, wedding ring.
Mulligan stew for Bloom,
The only Jew in the room
Saxon's sick on the holy dregs
And their constant getting throw up on his leg.
Molly's gone to blazes,
Bolan's crotch amazes
Any woman whose husband sleeps with his head
All buried down at the foot of his bed.
I've got his arm
I've got his arm
I've had it for weeks
I've got his arm
Steven won't give his arm
To no gold star mother's farm;
War's good business so give your son
And I'd rather have my country die for me.
Sell your mother for a Hershey bar
Grow up looking like a car
There are;
All you want to do is live,
All you want to do is give but
Some how it all falls apart!
@estherhazydreamsbatiktiedy4834
I've got his arm
I've got his arm
I've had it for weeks
I've got his arm
Steven won't give his arm
to no gold star mother's farm;
War's good business so give your son
and I'd rather have my country die for me.
yes a very great lyric! it is sad ~~~~~ war for Greed
@michaelcunningham449
I'm 76, long a Jefferson fan. I was recently asked to join an over-50s singing group. When I protested that my singing was not always well regarded, a lady (of, I think, Polynesian background asked me to sing my favourite song as a test. She was a bit taken aback by "Rejoyce."
@nancyfriedberg9516
Who ever thought we would live so long?
@robertspencer2647
This song changed my life at 17. It taught me to think for myself and not be a follower.
@cjay2
Same for me, at 18.
@andyramsey4165
Something like that, yeah.
@maureenashton8498
Robert
I have known this song since I found it by accident when I purchased 2400 Fulton Street album probably 30 years ago A Classic nothing else like nice to see someone else thinks the same
Maureen
@joeyoconnor3039
Fuckin drugged out masterpiece
@mobyboy
Grace Slick has the one of the most mysterious voices i Have ever heard. Dark and wonderful !
@jowashburn4292
I think this is brilliant!
@boblang1058
I've had this tune in my brain for months. Brilliant.The whole album is just fantastic, I thought that in 1968 and I feel that way now. Timeless beauty.