By 1973, after the breakup of Jefferson Airplane, with Kaukonen and Casady now devoting their full attention to Hot Tuna, several of the musicians who worked on Kantner, Slick, and Freiberg's album "Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun" formed the core of a new lineup that was formally reborn as "Jefferson Starship" in 1974. Kantner, Slick, and Freiberg were charter members. The line-up also included late-Airplane holdovers drummer John Barbata, Marty Balin,and fiddler Papa John Creach (who also played with Hot Tuna), along with Pete Sears (who, like Freiberg, played bass and keyboards) and twenty-year-old guitarist Craig Chaquico.
Eventually, Slick's alcoholism became a problem, which led to two nights of disastrous concerts in Germany in 1978. The first night, fans ransacked the stage when Slick failed to appear. The following night, Slick, in a drunken stupor, shocked the audience by using profanity and sexual references throughout most of her songs. She also reminded the audience that their country had lost during World War II , repeatedly asking "Who won the war?", and implied that all residents of Germany were responsible for the wartime atrocities. After the debacle, she left the band.
The band soon cribbed vocalist Mickey Thomas from the popular Elvin Bishop Group. After the 1979 release of 'Freedom at Point Zero' (which spawned the hit single "Jane"), Slick returned to the band. She joined in time to contribute one song, "Stranger", on the group's next album, Modern Times (1981). Modern Times also included the notorious "Stairway to Cleveland," in which the band defended the numerous changes it had undergone in its musical style, personnel, and even name. One noted personnel change in the group was when Dunbar left and was replaced by Donny Baldwin (also of the Elvin Bishop Group). Slick remained in the band for Jefferson Starship's final two albums, Winds Of Change (1982) and Nuclear Furniture (1984).
Around this time, the band began enthusiastically embracing rock's video age. Grace Slick would appear frequently on MTV and such music-oriented television shows as Solid Gold, giving the band a high visibility in the MTV era. However, the Jefferson Starship albums of this era were only modestly successful, yet the band remained a gold-selling (and thus commercially credible) act, and a popular concert draw.
In 1984, Kantner (the last remaining founding member of Jefferson Airplane) left the group, but not before taking legal action over the Jefferson name against his former bandmates, who wanted to continue as Jefferson Starship. Kantner settled out of court and signed an agreement that neither party would use the names "Jefferson" or "Airplane" unless all members of Jefferson Airplane, Inc. (Bill Thompson, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady) agreed. The band used the titles "Starship Jefferson" and "Jefferson Starship" during the proceedings, but ultimately settled on the shortening 'Starship'.
In 1992, Kantner restarted Jefferson Starship as Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation before returning simply to Jefferson Starship after a couple of years. This incarnation of the band continues to perform and record to this day.
Come To Life
Jefferson Starship Lyrics
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I have no doubts but the ice got thin
What came too soon was so hard to keep
So full a harvest it was hard to reap
There were times seemed just like the walls would crumble
Shoot from the hip and pray for trouble
Stone-cold sober and a-seeing double
Taking mansions and leaving shambles
Remember other times and places
Last night's dance, the glowing faces
All the lights, the shadows in the hall
Seeking higher peaks from which to fall
Remember, we were telling you
That time would stop and nations fall
Now we find the lies come true
Can you tell me, tell me, tell me
What are we to do?
Because the good old days
Those good old days are all dead and gone
Good-bye and bless them all, every one
What was true has passed the test
Just as well forget the rest
Half of what you saw was not yours to know
Let it go.
Everything has come to life again
This first verse of the song "Come to Life" by Jefferson Starship, painted a picture of renewal. Although the ice got thin and what came too soon was hard to keep, everything has come to life again. The lyrics recount the lessons learned from previous experiences, both good and bad. The mention of the harvest that was hard to reap suggests a time of struggle, which was eventually overcome. The lines; "Stone-cold sober and a-seeing double, How that midnight band could ramble, Taking mansions and leaving shambles," shows the recklessness and abandon of youth.
The second verse encourages the listener to remember other times and places, to recall glowing faces, shadows in the hall and seeking higher peaks from which to fall. The next lines confess to a warning that was once given (regarding time and nations falling) coming true. The repetition of "tell me" conveys a sense of desperation, a cry for help. The chorus affirms that the good old days are gone, and they should be blessed, and what was true has passed the test, so it's time to forget the rest because half of what was seen was not theirs to know. Finally, they declared that everything has come to life again, completing the circle of hope, struggle, culmination, and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything, everything has come to life again
All aspects of life have revived and are active again.
I have no doubts but the ice got thin
Although completely confident, the situation became precarious.
What came too soon was so hard to keep
Something that arrived too quickly was difficult to maintain.
So full a harvest it was hard to reap
The profusion of success was overwhelming and difficult to collect.
There were times seemed just like the walls would crumble
There were moments of extreme uncertainty and instability.
Shoot from the hip and pray for trouble
Act recklessly and anticipate adversity.
Stone-cold sober and a-seeing double
Being sober but perceiving a firm vision of reality.
How that midnight band could ramble
The band that used to perform during the night, how it could keep going.
Taking mansions and leaving shambles
The band causing destruction on their way out of rich people's places.
Remember other times and places
Recalling events from different instances and locations.
Last night's dance, the glowing faces
Reflecting on the party from the previous night and the contented expressions on their faces.
All the lights, the shadows in the hall
The illumination and the darkness that complemented each other in the room.
Seeking higher peaks from which to fall
Looking for possibilities to enhance one's predicament, which might lead to failure.
Remember, we were telling you
Previously advising others.
That time would stop and nations fall
The idea that eventually, everything will come to an end.
Now we find the lies come true
Discovering that deceptions have become a reality.
Can you tell me, tell me, tell me
Requesting an explanation and emphasizing it.
What are we to do?
Asking for suggestions for the next course of action.
Because the good old days
Referring to the past when everything was relatively better.
Those good old days are all dead and gone
Realizing that the good times have concluded and the ways of the past cannot be revived.
Good-bye and bless them all, every one
Saying farewell and hoping the circumstances, relationships or anything else would work for everyone.
What was true has passed the test
Anything that was genuine has been approved.
Just as well forget the rest
It's better to let go of everything else that isn't genuine and move on.
Half of what you saw was not yours to know
You were not supposed to know half of what you witnessed.
Let it go.
Release all the distressing experiences and memories.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID FREIBERG, ROBERT C. HUNTER, STEPHEN SCHUSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind