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.
Out Of Control
Jefferson Starship Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of control the flames are getting higher
Here comes Mary here comes Sue
I tried to warn you I tried to warn you
Out of control
Out of control
Out of control
I like to be outside everything happens outside
All the girls are outside all the fun is outside
I have no mental problems didn't anybody tell you?
Out of control
Out of control
Out of control
Out of control
Darkness darkness "I'm a specialist in darkness darkness
And it's dark and it's cold and it's not
like they told me it was gonna be
And the only light is from the fire of the burning books"
He said "You better get with it"
She said "With what?"
He said "I'm not a Communist"
She said "You better get with it"
He said "I am not out of control"
I tried to warn you I tried to warn you
He said "I am not Jesus I am not radiation I am
Not a commando this is not Romper
Room I am not responsible
I'm going to Hollywood"
"Shut up!"
The world's on fire toys on fire
Everybody everywhere looking for desire
There goes Mary there goes Sue
I tried to warn you I tried to warn you
Jefferson Starship's song "Out of Control" is an exploration of youthful recklessness and the dangers that come with it. The lyrics describe a scene where girls and boys are "on fire" and things are getting "higher," an allusion to the flames of passion that are consuming everyone involved. The singer warns of the danger of this behavior, but his or her words go unheeded as the people around him/her revel in their excitement. The darkness and coldness symbolize the emptiness that can come from the lack of rationality, leaving only the "fire of the burning books" to light the way. The song also involves a conversation between two people where one expresses their concern about communism, while the other is solely focused on themselves and their own goals. In the end, the singer watches as the world is consumed by the flames of desire, with no hope of stopping it.
Line by Line Meaning
Girls on fire boys on fire
Both girls and boys are extremely excited and energized
Out of control the flames are getting higher
The excitement and energy levels are rising without any sign of control
Here comes Mary here comes Sue
Two individuals, Mary and Sue, are approaching the scene
I tried to warn you I tried to warn you
The artist attempted to offer caution or advice beforehand
Out of control
The situation is spiraling out of hand
I like to be outside everything happens outside
The singer prefers to be a part of events that occur in the open and not indoors
All the girls are outside all the fun is outside
According to the singer, all the enjoyable activities and girls are present outside
I have no mental problems didn't anybody tell you?
The artist claims not to suffer from any form of mental illness
Darkness darkness "I'm a specialist in darkness darkness
The artist proclaims to be an expert in the dark side of things
And it's dark and it's cold and it's not like they told me it was gonna be
The artist is in a situation that is far from what he or she expected it to be
And the only light is from the fire of the burning books"
The only source of illumination comes from burning books
He said "You better get with it"
Someone told the listener to catch up with the situation at hand
She said "With what?"
The listener is confused and wants to know what he or she needs to catch up on
He said "I'm not a Communist"
The singer clarifies that he or she is not a member of the Communist party
She said "You better get with it"
The listener is being urged once again to catch up
He said "I am not out of control" I tried to warn you I tried to warn you
The artist denies being out of control and reminds someone that he or she had been warned
He said "I am not Jesus I am not radiation I am Not a commando this is not Romper Room
The artist is making it clear that he or she is neither Jesus, radioactivity, nor a commando in a children's TV show
I am not responsible I'm going to Hollywood"
The singer claims not to be accountable and announces plans to move to Hollywood
"Shut up!"
Someone orders another individual to stop talking
The world's on fire toys on fire
Both the world and the people in the scene are burning with excitement
Everybody everywhere looking for desire
Everyone seems to be in search of something, perhaps a passion or a yearning
There goes Mary there goes Sue
Mary and Sue are now moving away from the artist and the scene
I tried to warn you I tried to warn you
The same caution or advice is repeated, but it seems to have gone unheeded
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: China Wing Kantner, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Grace Wing Slick, Paul L Kantner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
moonlitemile2000
I love the LYRICS the ending
This is not romper room ECT...
SHE WROTE THIS WITH DAUGHTER, CHINA, when China
Was youngster
Which makes it special.
Otherwise not a top ten, fo sho
Peace-love- Dove,
Moon✨🌙💫
Skaterbun
They really weren't afraid to try all the musical genres! Graces' voice is always amazing.
jmaguilarr
mor punk in that time
Konstantin Kondakov
the bass lines here are totally awesome. Way to go, Pete! As good as Jack Cassidy!
Георги Христов
One of my favourite their songs.
zen babaloo
This shit's tight! Put it on repeat and rage all night!
don Moor4e
My favorite album of Jefferson Starship was Winds of change .They only play Jane ,Jane,, Jane Jane, Jane, over and over . I saw them at the Woodlands with John Cougar in 1983 with Grace Slick. There is no replacement for her. I liked a bunch of songs on that album that they didn't play on the radio. Mickey was great with her. When I was young I loved the Airplane.
Motorcityman Man
I think "Freedom at Point Zero " is their Best work and that's with Micky Thomas, I don't think they missed Grace at all
Lee Freed
Happy 82nd grace. Most iconic female vocalist ever.
Aracely Moran
+ Lee Freed Be careful, Stevie Nicks trolls will be haunting and ragging on you if they read this! But seriously, as great Buckingham-Nicks were in FM, and surpassed JS in the mega hits, they got nothin on Mickey and Slick. Unique duo.
Sukhbir Sekhon
This song makes more sense now than it did then.