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 Wheel
Jefferson Airplane Lyrics
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In the jungles of the mountain young nora loves the mountain
And the mountain feeds the people and the wheel keeps on turnin' revolution!
And the wheel keeps on rollin' firmly toward tomorrow
And the mountain speaks clearly to the people in the streets
And they sit and watch the motion watch it rollin' by
Some climb aboard and roll into the future evolution!
And the wheel keeps on turnin'
The wheel is life and children and it
Goes on forever and it's roll roll roll
We will be one country we will be one world
We can be one world
I dreamt I was in love again with the lady of the mountain
The lighthouse keeper's daughter the seer of visions and I
Smiled at the pain of our innocent past
Of love on the wheel in the circle at the heart of devotion!
And the wind from the mountain blew across our love affair
And awakened the heart to the roll of the wheel
And the night grew still and no wind was blowin'
I know this was the hour liberation!
And the wheel keeps on turnin'
It won't go away
It will not be denied and it
Goes on forever and it's
Roll roll roll the circle is unbroken
We will be one world we can be one world
We will see one world
Dreams don't die they don't wave goodbye
Unless you let them go and watch them die in fury
"freedom is like wheat it must be planted softly
And watered everyday and it must be protected till it
Multiplies and fills the mouth of the wind
And the hunger of all becomes invincible"
Ringing from the mountain fire from the mountain
In the heart of the volcano the future is born
We will be one world
And it goes on forever
Rolling toward tomorrow in the
Streets of forever and it's
Roll roll roll the future is unspoken
And the wheel keeps on rolling to one world
We will be one world
We can see one world we will be one world
The lyrics of Jefferson Airplane's "The Wheel" present a vision of unity and revolution. They speak of a world in which all people are one, coming together to fight for freedom and equality. The mountain serves as a kind of symbol of this struggle, providing sustenance to the people and speaking clearly to them about the need for change. The wheel, too, is symbolic, rolling ever forward toward a bright, unspoken future.
The singer then describes a dream in which they are in love with the lady of the mountain, the seer of visions. The wind blows across their love affair, awakening their hearts to the roll of the wheel. The night becomes still, and the singer feels that this is the hour of liberation. The lyrics then end with a call to action, urging listeners to plant freedom softly, to water it every day, and to protect it until it multiplies and fills the mouth of the wind.
Overall, "The Wheel" presents a highly idealistic vision of social change, one in which people come together to create a better world for themselves and for future generations. The mountain, wheel, and dream imagery all work together to create a sense of unity and shared purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
We can be one world we will be one world
The song expresses the sentiment of unity and the belief that the world can be united as one.
In the jungles of the mountain young nora loves the mountain
Nora is in love with the mountains and their natural beauty.
And the mountain feeds the people and the wheel keeps on turnin' revolution!
The mountain provides for the people and inspires the spark of revolution that keeps progress moving forward.
And the wheel keeps on rollin' firmly toward tomorrow
The wheel represents the idea of progress that moves forward towards a better future.
And the mountain speaks clearly to the people in the streets
The mountain is a symbol of nature that inspires and communicates with people on the streets.
And they sit and watch the motion watch it rollin' by
People observe and experience the movement of progress as it passes them by.
Some climb aboard and roll into the future evolution!
Some people embrace progress and move forward with it towards the future.
And the wheel keeps on turnin'
The wheel represents progress that keeps moving forward towards a better future.
It turns and rolls forever
Progress is a perpetual movement towards a better future and is represented by the wheel that never stops turning or rolling.
The wheel is life and children and it
The wheel represents the essence of life and the promise of a better future for children.
Goes on forever and it's roll roll roll
Progress is perpetual and moves forward with relentless energy and momentum.
We will be one country we will be one world
The song expresses the hope that the future will bring unity and harmony not just within countries but throughout the world.
I dreamt I was in love again with the lady of the mountain
The singer dreams of being in love with the spirit of the mountain and the connection to nature it represents.
The lighthouse keeper's daughter the seer of visions and I
The singer is joined by a seer who has the ability to see the future and a lighthouse keeper's daughter who represents guidance and direction in life.
Smiled at the pain of our innocent past
The singers smile at the memories of their past and appreciate the innocence and purity of their previous experiences.
Of love on the wheel in the circle at the heart of devotion!
The artist reflects on the past and the memories of love on the wheel that represent a special connection and devotion.
And the wind from the mountain blew across our love affair
The wind from the mountain represents the power of nature that rekindles the artist's love affair with the spirit of the mountains.
And awakened the heart to the roll of the wheel
The power of nature awakens the singer to the movement of progress and the roll of the wheel that represents it.
And the night grew still and no wind was blowin'
After the wind from the mountain, the night grew still and calm, representing a moment of peace and clarity.
I know this was the hour liberation!
The artist experiences a moment of self-realization and feels liberated from the past and ready to move towards the future.
It won't go away
The idea of progress and the promise of a better future represented by the wheel will not fade away or disappear.
It will not be denied and it
Progress and the promise of a better future cannot be denied and will remain a driving force for humanity.
Roll roll roll the circle is unbroken
Progress moves forward and is represented by the endlessly turning wheel, which symbolizes the unbroken circle of life.
Dreams don't die they don't wave goodbye
Despite setbacks and failures, hopes and dreams persist and never truly fade away.
Unless you let them go and watch them die in fury
If we give up on our dreams and let them die, we risk feeling a sense of anger and regret for letting them go.
"freedom is like wheat it must be planted softly
Freedom is a delicate thing that needs to be nurtured and protected, like the growth of wheat.
And watered everyday and it must be protected till it
Freedom requires ongoing care and protection, just like the growth of wheat, until it is strong enough to sustain itself.
Multiplies and fills the mouth of the wind
When freedom is allowed to grow and flourish, it has the potential to reach and impact everyone.
And the hunger of all becomes invincible"
As freedom spreads and reaches everyone, it satisfies the hunger for liberation and inspires a sense of invincibility.
Ringing from the mountain fire from the mountain
The mountain is a source of inspiration and fire, representing the passion and drive for a better future.
In the heart of the volcano the future is born
The volcano represents the power and energy of transformation, where the future is born and progress takes shape.
Rolling toward tomorrow in the
Progress continues its perpetual movement forward towards a bright and hopeful future.
Streets of forever and it's
Progress moves forward and impacts everyone, as represented by the streets that extend forever.
Roll roll roll the future is unspoken
The future is filled with endless possibilities and potential, and progress moves forward with unrelenting momentum.
And the wheel keeps on rolling to one world
The wheel of progress moves forward towards the vision of a unified and harmonious world.
We will be one world
The song expresses the hope and belief that one day we will all become united as one world.
We can see one world we will be one world
The song expresses the optimism that we have the potential to envision and bring about a better future where we are united as one world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL KANTNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind