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.
the light
Jefferson Starship Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to go to the stars
I want to go for the morning star
She woke from a start from a dream of stars
Let's talk about metaphysics she sighed in her bvd's
She didn't need comfort just some verbal intercourse
A dance around the intelligence tree
Where was the light before it came here?
Who held the power to begin the spin?
What is in store? what am I here for?
Is it love? is it war? is there more?
There she stands at my mind again
The age of poetry had begun
Wasn't that a time for love?
Wasn't that a time for imagination?
Wasn't that a time for the light?
Go out and stuff the universe into your eyes
Out together on the streets
At the barricades or in the sheets
What a scintillating bitch with her eyes on the light
"let's go to hell together" in her eyes
Why do we remember the past and not the future?
What's inside a black hole? what is the nature of the universe?
How does it work? which way is west in space?
Is there sex in heaven? is it the best?
Connect me with my intellect, she lied
You can't hide the sexual drive
Friction makes sparks, sparks make fire
Fire makes heat and the heat will endure 'til the
Animal comes with a ferocity not unlike
You and me in the throes of poetry
A lover's eye can stare an eagle blind
A lover's ear can hear the lowest sound
A lover's lip taste like the dream
I know you like it on top don't stop
Wasn't that a time for the light?
Wasn't that a time for bright ideas?
Wasn't that a time for love and danger?
Go out and stuff the universe into your eyes
The only answer that I have found
Above the sky or below the ground
Is that there are no answers
There never were any answers
There will never be any answers
And as Gertrude Stein said, "that's the answer"
I'm not afraid of the future
I'm not afraid of ideas
I'm not afraid to shake the foundation
Of the wonder years
These are visions of tomorrow
These are visions of the strength of ideas
Like matter and energy, ideas shape the sky
Of the future years
In my world, there are no hungry children
In my world, love is true
In my world, teachers get paid more than baseball players
In my world, there is you, but
In the real world, people get hungry
In the real world, people need love
In the real world, people need food and light and ideas and hope and love and a soothing human touch
Just like they're
Standing in the presence of god
Standing in the halls of imagination
Every boy a lion, every girl a tiger
It just takes a moment to step through the fire
Adventure beckons from above
The age of poetry begins again with love
Isn't this a time for the light?
Isn't this a time for imagination?
Isn't this a time for great new ideas?
Go out and stuff the universe into your eyes
Isn't this a time for love?
Isn't this a time to shake the foundations?
I know you like it on top, don't stop
Isn't this a time for the light
I am not afraid of the futr'
The lyrics of Jefferson Starship's song “The Light” speak of an eagerness to explore the mysteries and wonders of the universe. The singer expresses a deep desire to reach the stars and questions the nature of existence, wondering about the origin of light and the purpose of life. The song talks about a woman who is interested in metaphysics and engages in intellectual conversations. The singer muses on the age of poetry, a time when poetry and imagination flourished. They ask profound questions about the universe and express a fearlessness towards the future, urging listeners to embrace adventure and love.
The song urges listeners to seek out knowledge and ideas that can shape the future. It speaks of a world that is free of hunger and where love is true. The singer acknowledges the problems that exist in the real world such as poverty, hunger, and a lack of love. However, they urge listeners not to give up hope and to continue striving towards a brighter future.
Overall, the song is about the human desire to explore and understand the unknown, to seek adventure and knowledge, and to find love and hope in the midst of darkness. The lyrics are filled with insightful questions that challenge listeners to think deeply and embrace the beauty of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to go to the stars
The desire to explore beyond the confines of Earth.
She woke from a start from a dream of stars
A dreamer who longs to escape into the metaphysical realm.
Where was the light before it came here?
A philosophical inquiry into the origin of light.
What is in store? what am I here for?
Contemplation of one's purpose in life.
Wasn't that a time for love?
Reverie of a bygone era of affection.
Go out and stuff the universe into your eyes
Encouragement to embrace the vastness of existence.
What's inside a black hole? what is the nature of the universe?
Inquisitive pondering of the mystifying cosmos.
Friction makes sparks, sparks make fire
The notion of passion igniting to create something powerful.
A lover's eye can stare an eagle blind
The overwhelming effect of love on one's perception.
There never were any answers
Realization that some questions may be unanswerable.
These are visions of tomorrow
Hopeful musings about the future.
In my world, there are no hungry children
Imagine a world without suffering and want.
Standing in the presence of god
The feeling of being moved by something greater than oneself.
Adventure beckons from above
The excitement of exploration and discovery.
Isn't this a time for the light?
Calling attention to the present moment and all its possibilities.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: JOE BROOKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
red beer bike
Fun Fact : this is the first version of the song, mixed by a German record studio. When the band heard it, they were appalled but had to release it under the terms of their contract. They took the master tapes home, gave them to BMG (I think) and re-released the album a year later with a much better, cleaner, less muddier mix as well as re-jigging the tracks, adding a couple and taking some away.
Interestingly the album which preceded this in the JA/JS oevere, the simply titled "Jefferson Airplane", sounds a lot like this despite there being 6 years between the two releases.
Christopher Heinig
Genius,thank you Paul Kantner !!! Thank you for sharing !!!
Christopher Heinig
Marvellous Masterpiece
Rebel Railroad Productions
In my humblest opinion, this was basically Jefferson Starship's version of Planes from their sister-group Jefferson Airplane. Not that that's a bad thing. Planes was a great song. I consider this piece just as inspiring.