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)
It's Been Too Long
Quicksilver Messenger Service Lyrics
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I'll stay a while, but I won't stay long.
No I won't, it's been too long since I've been next to my lover,
I sure had fun, but now I'm thinking you're here,
'Cause I recall in the letter I read,
It's been too long since I've been next to my lover, hey hey hey hey,
Evening driving wheel will come to rest some time.
Evening driving wheel will come to rest some time.
It's been too long since I've been next to my lover, o woh woh woh yeah,
It's been too long
The lyrics to Quicksilver Messenger Service's "It's Been Too Long" express the mixed emotions of a person who has been away from their lover for a long time. The singer acknowledges that they will stay for a while, but ultimately won't stay long because they long to be with their lover who they haven't seen in a while. The repetition of "it's been too long" emphasizes the singer's longing and the fact that they feel like they've been away for too much time. The mention of a letter being read suggests that there may have been communication with the lover, but it hasn't been enough to fulfill the desire to be physically close to them.
The second stanza uses imagery of an "evening driving wheel," or perhaps a steering wheel, coming to rest to suggest that the singer's restless state will eventually subside. However, the longing for their lover persists, as expressed in the repeated refrain of "it's been too long." The use of "o woh woh woh yeah" adds a sense of desperation and urgency to the singer's desire to be reunited with their lover.
Overall, the lyrics of "It's Been Too Long" capture the desire and restlessness that comes with being away from a loved one for an extended period of time, while also acknowledging that the singer's absence may have been necessary for some reason.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll stay a while, but I won't stay long.
I'll be here for a bit, but I'm not sticking around for too long.
No I won't, it's been too long since I've been next to my lover,
I can't stay, it's been too long since I've seen my significant other and I miss them too much.
I sure had fun, but now I'm thinking you're here,
I enjoyed my time with you, but now I'm realizing that it's not the same as being with my lover.
'Cause I recall in the letter I read,
Something in a letter I received reminded me of how much I miss my lover.
Evening driving wheel will come to rest some time.
Everything has an end, even this evening drive that I'm on right now.
It's been too long since I've been next to my lover, hey hey hey hey,
I can't stress this enough - it's been way too long since I've seen my lover.
It's been too long since I've been next to my lover, o woh woh woh yeah,
Again, I can't emphasize this enough - I miss my lover so much and it's been too long.
It's been too long
This line is repeated multiple times to highlight the main theme of the song - the longing for a loved one who is far away.
Contributed by Kylie J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Montgomery Denzer
on Fresh Air
Cool man