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.
SUNRISE
Jefferson Starship Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Surprise
Civilized Man
You were keeper to me
Now your animal is free
And you're free to die
Die
You're old and your hands are gray
We've all heard you dirty stories
Two thousand years
Two thousand years
Two thousand years
Of your
God damn
Glory
The lyrics of Jefferson Starship's song Sunrise seem to be about the deterioration of society over time due to the freedom of the "animal" within people. The opening lines express surprise at this sunrise and this civilization and then turn to address "civilized man," who was once a keeper but now is free to be wild and will ultimately die. The singer then turns to the old, gray hands of this person and tells them to go home, addressing their dirty stories and the two thousand years of their god damn glory. These lyrics seem to suggest that civilization has been slowly unraveling since its beginning, with the primal nature of humanity eventually overcoming all attempts at control.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunrise
The beginning of a new day
Surprise
Something unexpected or shocking
Civilized Man
A person who has been domesticated and lives in a society
You were keeper to me
You were responsible for taking care of me
Now your animal is free
Now your primal instincts have taken over and you act without restraint
And you're free to die
You have nothing left to live for and can die without regret
Die
A demand for someone to pass away
You're old and your hands are gray
You are elderly and your physical abilities are declining
Your old go home and
Your age has caught up to you, it's time to retire
We've all heard your dirty stories
We are familiar with your scandalous past
Two thousand years
A very long time
Of your
Referring to something belonging to you
God damn
A curse used to express frustration or anger
Glory
Fame, honor, or praise given to someone or something impressive
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES HAROLD BERNSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bunnyman09
This music along with David Crosby's solo album is some of the best music ever written. SO many wonderful memories of the 60s and 70s. If you weren't there you have no idea how magical that time was.
@davidsterenchock1899
I know your post was 10 years ago. However, I need to reply. "Blows Against The Empire" and Crosby's, "If I Could Only Remember My Name" were mostly the same musicians. They were probably recorded around the same time. There are videos out there, audio only, of the PERRO sessions. This amalgamation of musicians were fond of jamming. It's many of the participants from those two albums.
@thomasmazur6916
I would add PERRO to that list.
@davidsterenchock1899
@@thomasmazur6916 I did mention PERRO in a comment. I guess you didn't see that.
@christiandavis2916
This album really does remind me of "If I Only Remembered my name", which is a wondrous album
@davidcook482
After all the years since this album was released, and considering all of the great music that has been released by musicians world wide, Blows Against the Empire remains my all-time favorite album.
Part of my love for the album is, of course, the music itself. Brilliantly composed, I feel the band was at it’s peak vocally, artistically, and instrumentally.
Emotionally, the transition from Jefferson Airplane to Jefferson Starship was like a ‘coming of age’ event, much like what I was experiencing at that time. It just coincided with changes in my life and I’m reminded of those times each time I hear the music. It puts me in a deeply melancholy mood (but in a good way).
There’s really no words to describe how much I love this album.
@jeffparker7449
You have done a man's work, sir.
Bladerunner
@mikethebike7372
No words. My very favorite album of all time. Oh my we used to trip to this one. It takes me to a fantastic place every time. I have a high end system and listening to this is a spiritual experience of a lifetime.
@FoolishPrankster
This piece of work has been over looked, RIP Paul Kantner (period)
@jeffryphillipsburns
By far the best track on the album.