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
The Last Wall Of The Castle
Jefferson Airplane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down fallen years go by
No place in learning how to cry
I went astray
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try, so please
Don't give up so soon
Sorry that I hurt her, I went astray
Hurt her mind and broke her heart
But there's no stopping once you start
She went away
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try, so please
Don't give up so soon
I never knew you the way you are
The blinded bird is not sincere
His flying's done from only fear
He's lost his star
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try, so please
Don't give up so soon
The Last Wall Of The Castle by Jefferson Airplane is a melancholic and introspective piece about a person who has hurt someone they love and is now regretting their actions. The lyrics are filled with sorrow and longing for forgiveness. The opening lines, "Gone swirling tears came, she went today" sets the tone of the song and it's clear that the singer has been left alone after their loved one has departed. The line "No place in learning how to cry" suggests that the singer has never learned how to express their emotions in a healthy way and is now struggling with their feelings of sadness and guilt.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by" which is a reflection of the singer's desperation to be understood and forgiven. They plead with their loved one not to give up on them and to teach them how to love properly. The second verse continues to acknowledge the singer's mistakes and the pain they have caused. The line "The blinded bird is not sincere" is a metaphor for the singer's lack of awareness of their actions and how they have hurt their loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Gone swirling tears came, she went today
The author's loved one left them and they were heartbroken.
Down fallen years go by
Time has passed since the loved one left.
No place in learning how to cry
The author has difficulty expressing their emotions and dealing with the pain of losing their loved one.
I went astray
The author recognizes that they made mistakes in the relationship which led to the loved one leaving.
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
The author acknowledges that it is difficult to truly understand others, their emotions, and their motivations.
You can teach me how to love
The author is open to learning from others and improving themselves.
If you'll only try, so please
The author is asking for help and support from others to learn how to love better.
Don't give up so soon
The author is pleading with their loved one to not give up on them or the relationship prematurely.
Sorry that I hurt her, I went astray
The author apologizes for their mistakes and acknowledges that their actions caused pain to their loved one.
Hurt her mind and broke her heart
The author caused emotional harm to their loved one which resulted in the ending of the relationship.
But there's no stopping once you start
The author recognizes that once the damage has been done, it cannot be undone and the relationship cannot be saved.
She went away
The author's loved one left them and they are now alone.
I never knew you the way you are
The author realizes that they did not truly understand their loved one or their needs in the relationship.
The blinded bird is not sincere
The author is comparing themselves to a bird that is blind and unable to see the truth, leading them to act insincerely.
His flying's done from only fear
The author's actions were motivated by fear and uncertainty rather than love and commitment.
He's lost his star
The author has lost their loved one, who was a guiding light and source of inspiration in their life.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jorma Kaukonen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@korax67
Gone swirling tears came she went today;
Down Fallen years go by
No place in learning how to cry; I went astray;
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try; So please!
Don't give up so soon
Sorry that I hurt her I went astray;
Hurt her mind and broke her heart
But there's no stopping once you start; she went away;
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try; So please!
Don't give up so soon
I never knew you the way you are;
The Blinded bird is not sincere
His flying's done from only fear, he's lost his star;
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try; So please!
Don't give up so soon
@jeffcory1056
Probably tripped to this album more than to any other back in '67.
@HeavyMetalRuinedMyLife1971a
You lucky boy 😎
@Bioniking
almost 23 years old here, living in the Bay. Airplane today is such an underrated band and it took me a while, but this is their greatest album. This song should've been released as a single
@bradfordrossi7539
Never once played this live, oddly...
@mordecaicarroll
Jorma was a monster on the electric. The solo during the outro/fadeout kicks ass
@jeffcory1056
I love the way that "I never knew you" comes out of one headphone speaker, and the repetition "knew you" comes out of the other one. These guys knew how to play with your head when you were tripping, ha ha
@korax67
Gone swirling tears came she went today;
Down Fallen years go by
No place in learning how to cry; I went astray;
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try; So please!
Don't give up so soon
Sorry that I hurt her I went astray;
Hurt her mind and broke her heart
But there's no stopping once you start; she went away;
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try; So please!
Don't give up so soon
I never knew you the way you are;
The Blinded bird is not sincere
His flying's done from only fear, he's lost his star;
Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by
You can teach me how to love
If you'll only try; So please!
Don't give up so soon
@HeavyMetalRuinedMyLife1971a
Thank you 😎
@Zobin211
I'd never seen the lyrics before. This was great. Much appreciated.
@CatPatrol19D60
I thought it was: "..the blinded bird is not sincere, HER FLIGHT results from only fear..."