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.
It's Not Over
Jefferson Starship Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We don't call the shots here
We don't make the rules
We take what we get, get what we can
And it's learning the hard way
Here on the streets
You can't build a dream, without a plan
(Play for keeps) They play to win, we play for keeps
[Chorus]
It's not over 'til it's over
It's not over 'til we get it right
The odds are against us
They say we don't stand a chance
But there's no giving up, no giving in
When push comes to shove
You got to fight for what you love
You do what you must, do what you can
(Passion speaks) Let them hear you speak
(Play for keeps) They play to win, we play for keeps
It's not over 'til it's over (It's not over)
It's not over 'til we get it right
It's not over 'til it's over (Don't go giving in)
It's not over 'til we get it right
The odds are against us
But you know we still stand a chance
But there's no giving up, no giving in
It's not over
It's not over 'til it's over
It's not over 'til we, 'til we, 'til we get it right
It's not over 'til it's over
It's not over 'til we, 'til we, 'til we get it right
It's not over 'til it's over
Don't go giving in now
The song "It's Not Over" by Jefferson Airplane is an encouraging anthem that speaks of resilience and perseverance when facing difficulties. The chorus repeats the phrase "It's not over 'til it's over," emphasizing that success is attainable with persistence and determination. The opening lines suggest that life is unpredictable and often unfair, and that one must learn to adapt and work with the circumstances presented. The line "You can't build a dream without a plan" implies that success requires effort and strategy, and that it cannot be achieved through luck or chance alone.
The song seems to be a call to action, urging the listener to speak up and fight for what they believe in. The lines "Let them hear you speak" and "They play to win, we play for keeps" suggest that it's not enough to simply play the game; one must be willing to take risks and assert themselves in order to achieve victory. The chorus repeats the idea that giving up is not an option, and that success is possible even when the odds seem stacked against us.
Overall, "It's Not Over" is a powerful message of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. Its uplifting lyrics and catchy melody make it an inspiring song that can motivate listeners to keep pushing forward in their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen
Pay attention to what I'm about to say
We don't call the shots here
We don't have control over what happens
We don't make the rules
We are subject to the rules others have made
We take what we get, get what we can
We accept what comes our way and try to make the best of it
And it's learning the hard way here on the streets
We have had to learn through difficult experiences
You can't build a dream, without a plan
It is impossible to achieve your goals without a strategy
Let them hear you speak
Make your voice heard and your opinions known
They play to win, we play for keeps
We are more committed to this than they are
It's not over 'til it's over
We still have a chance to succeed
It's not over 'til we get it right
We will keep going until we achieve our goals
The odds are against us
We are unlikely to succeed
They say we don't stand a chance
Our opponents believe we are doomed to fail
But there's no giving up, no giving in
We refuse to quit, no matter how tough it gets
When push comes to shove
When it's crunch time and the pressure's on
You got to fight for what you love
You must be willing to go to battle to protect what's important to you
You do what you must, do what you can
We will do everything within our power to succeed
Don't go giving in now
Don't give up just yet, we still have a chance
Lyrics © SODRAC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GALDSTON, NEVIL, VAN TONGEREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gcHK47
The 80s always has the best guitar solos.
@27clubband74
best music era ever
@bigmaxy07
I was an 80's teenager and 1987 was probably the best year of all of them. You had Starship, Toto, Foreigner, Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Huey Lewis, Cheap Trick all completely killing it and at their peak, to name a few. And then on the metal side it was equally as wild with Bon Jovi , Whitesnake, Priest, Cinderella, Guns n Roses. All this I was 16 and right in the middle of this musical hurricane.
@shippermd
Add Simple Minds to that...🥰
@livehealthyberich3160
Absolutely brother…Billy Idol, VanHalen, Bryan Adams, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Scorpions, Genesis….and like you say…between so many good bands
@Morganasnotarobot0
And so MANY GREAT Artists! phenomenal!
@Morganasnotarobot0
@@livehealthyberich3160 🥰🎼😭As they say Legends Never❤️Die🎼Rockn! SweetCheers!
@wilhelmklieschnikov7185
I was into Slayer, D.R.I, Misfits, Dead Kennedys, Septic Death, Dr.Know, ill Repute, etc. And also still liked "radio/ Mtv" music. 1987 Freshman year! Miss it.
@michaelnicholson1295
No one can forget Grace Slick. One of the best female rock voices of all time !
@Navops1067
Except that’s Mickey Thomas singing the lead on this song.