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.
Devil's Den
Jefferson Starship Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he is softer than the Queen
Confusion reigns, sometimes it reigns.
Now a colored sky never makes anybody cry
But a grey cloud always makes it rain, sometimes it rains.
He only has the moves of a knight
Too bad the only money he's got is coming in
Colored American green.
You know it's worthless paper you can spend or save
Go ahead and count that by yourself but look out
Somebody's looking
You're supposed to do that by yourself - count it
He says he's not doing anything wrong he thinks
He's just another part of the royal story
But does it always have to start that way
Always ending someday
With no man's warning.
Don't talk back, some ruler says, or everything
You need will go away
Every answer you think you've ever said is just a guess
And the King of clocks just slowly locks up every day.
Clocks strikes damn near perfect at night
But it moves so slow in the morning light
King says a crown doesn't make the man
But we all know, yes we all know, he thinks he's born to glory.
Until he dies by the divine right of Kings
No one down here wants to give that man any golden wings
And man must fly, man must fly
Is that grey man sane
No color, no name.
The opening lines of Jefferson Starship's song "Devil's Den" offer a contrasting picture of the King and the Queen. While the Queen is soft, the King is without color. Confusion rules over the kingdom, sometimes. The next verse speaks of the colored sky which never makes anybody cry, but the grey cloud always brings rain. The King, in this verse, is seen as someone who wants to have the freedom of the Queen but has only the moves of the knight. The King has only worthless colored paper money that he can either save or spend.
In the next part of the song, the King is portrayed as a ruler who demands unquestioned obedience. He warns his critics that everything they need will go away if they talk back to him. He believes that he has been born to glory, but in reality, he is just another part of the royal story. The song ends by proclaiming the fallacy of the divine right of kings. The King is denied any golden wings, and the man must fly, man must fly. Is the grey man who has no color, no name and who is locked in by the King's clock, really sane?
Line by Line Meaning
There is no color in the King
The King lacks personality and individuality
And he is softer than the Queen
The King is weaker than the Queen
Confusion reigns, sometimes it reigns.
There is chaos and disorder, sometimes more than other times
Now a colored sky never makes anybody cry
Bright and vibrant things bring happiness
But a grey cloud always makes it rain, sometimes it rains.
Sadness and difficulty can come unexpectedly
He only has the moves of a knight
The King lacks agency and power
But he wants the absolute freedom of a Queen
The King desires more freedom than his station allows
Too bad the only money he's got is coming in Colored American green.
The only resources available to the King come from exploiting people of color
You know it's worthless paper you can spend or save
Money has no inherent value
Go ahead and count that by yourself but look out Somebody's looking
Be wary of those who are always watching and judging
He says he's not doing anything wrong he thinks
The King believes he is not at fault
He's just another part of the royal story
The King sees himself as another in a long line of monarchs
But does it always have to start that way Always ending someday With no man's warning.
The cycle of power often ends abruptly and without warning
Don't talk back, some ruler says, or everything You need will go away
Speaking out against authority can result in severe consequences
Every answer you think you've ever said is just a guess
We can never truly know anything for certain
And the King of clocks just slowly locks up every day.
The King is unable to prevent the slow decay of time and power
Clocks strikes damn near perfect at night
Things may seem better at certain times
But it moves so slow in the morning light
Progress can be slow and difficult
King says a crown doesn't make the man
Wearing the crown does not automatically make one a good ruler
But we all know, yes we all know, he thinks he's born to glory.
Despite his shortcomings, the King still believes himself to be destined for greatness
Until he dies by the divine right of Kings
The King will remain in power until his death, according to the belief in divine right
No one down here wants to give that man any golden wings
No one on Earth wants to give the King any more power or influence
And man must fly, man must fly
Humans must strive for progress and improvement
Is that grey man sane No color, no name.
The colorless and nameless King may be losing his grip on sanity
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Grace Slick, John Henry Creach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind