Significant in Quicksilver's development was the almost immediate arrest and imprisonment of Valenti for a drugs offence. He did not rejoin the band until late 1969. In 1965, the line-up was strengthened by the arrival of guitarist Gary Duncan and, replacing Sonoban, Greg Elmore.
They debuted at the end of '65 and played around the Bay Area and then the West Coast for the next two years, building up a large following, but resisting offers to record that had been taken up by such San Francisco acid-rock colleagues as Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead.
Quicksilver finally signed to Capitol toward the end of 1967 and recorded their self-titled debut album in 1968. Jim Murray departed soon after their well-received appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
The quartet of Cipollina, Duncan, Elmore and Freiberg recorded the first two albums; both were important in the development of San Francisco rock music, as the twin lead guitars of Cipollina and Duncan made them almost unique. The second collection, "Happy Trails", is now regarded as a classic. George Hunter and his Globe Propaganda company were responsible for some of the finest album covers of the 60s and Happy Trails is probably their greatest work. The live music within showed a spontaneity that the band were never able to recapture on subsequent recordings. The side-long suite of Bo Diddley's 'Who Do You Love' has some incredible dynamics and extraordinary interplay between the twin guitarists.
Duncan departed soon afterwards and was replaced by UK session pianist and ex- Steve Miller Band and Jeff Beck Group member, Nicky Hopkins. His contributions breathed some life into the disappointing "Shady Grove", notably with the frantic 'Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder'.
"Just For Love" showed a further decline, with Valenti, now back with the band, becoming overpowering and self-indulgent. "Fresh Air" gave them a Top 50 U.S. hit in 1970. Cipollina and Hopkins departed, as did Freiberg following his arrest in 1971 for drug possession (he found a lucrative career later with Jefferson Starship). The remaining trio of Valenti, Duncan, and Elmore hired replacements and cut another couple of albums before disbanding by 1979.
Various incarnations have appeared over the years with little or no success. As recently as 1987, Gary Duncan recorded an album carrying the Quicksilver name, that also featured Freiberg on background vocals, but by then old fans were more content to purchase copies of the first two albums on compact disc.
Gary Duncan has a side project as Crawfish of Love.
Not many of Quicksilver's members are left. John Cipollina passed away, May 29, 1989, and the great Nicky Hopkins left us in September 1994, and Dino Valenti died November 16, 1994.
In 2006, Gary Duncan and David Freiberg launched a 40th-anniversary Quicksilver celebration tour as Quicksilver Messenger Service. They are still performing.
Throughout 2014 David Freiberg is touring with Jefferson Starship (40th anniversary tour) joined by Paul Kantner (original member of Jefferson Starship and Jefferson Airplane)
Fool
Quicksilver Messenger Service Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turning in, turning out, spirals high, never down,
Wonder, wonder wanders, loving, loving lovers,
Freefall, tumbling walls, one world, one one truth,
If if it's above life is low, life is slow,
Love is life, it's love, love.
The opening lines "And you hear it in the morning... Says the Golden Sun" suggest a new day has just begun and the sun is rising. The idea of Life's song moving ever onward suggests that everything and everyone is part of a larger flowing rhythm that is continuously moving forward. The next lines, "Turning in, turning out, spirals high, never down," suggest that the flow of life is cyclical and goes in a circular motion, always rising and never going down. The lyrics then mention the power of love, suggesting that it is the ultimate truth and a heavenly force.
The repetition of "one" in the lyrics ("from and to the sound of One," "spirals high, never down," "One world... One... one truth") adds to the idea that everything is connected and part of a larger oneness. The phrase "Wonder, wonder wanders loving, loving lovers" further emphasizes the beauty and wonder of love. The lyrics then conclude with the simple yet powerful statement "Life is love. Love is life. It's love... Love."
Overall, the song seems to be a celebration of the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of love in our lives. It encourages listeners to embrace the cyclical flow of life and to recognize the power of love as the ultimate truth.
Line by Line Meaning
And you hear it in the morning... Says the Golden Sun,
The song of life can be heard in the morning and it is sung by the sun
Life's song is moving ever onward, from and to the sound of One,
The melody of life is constantly progressing and it is all connected to a single sound
Turning in, turning out, spirals high, never down.
Life goes through cycles, always rising and never falling
Wonder, wonder wanders loving, loving lovers.
The journey of life is full of love and wonder, and it is enjoyed by those who love
Freefall, tumblin' walls...
Life can be chaotic, with walls tumbling down and people falling freely
One world...
We all share one world
One... one truth, Heaven's above, Life is Love.
There is one ultimate truth above us, and it is that life is all about love
Life is love. Love is life.
Life and love are intertwined and inseparable
It's love... Love.
Ultimately, everything is about love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Montgomery Denzer
on Fresh Air
Cool man