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)
Shady Grove
Quicksilver Messenger Service Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I wander far and wide
And I never found my happiness
Until I moved to the country-side
Now follow me for a quiet day
Out riding on the trails
Waitin' Smog, Traffic Bomb
Where all the pigs and tales
I'm in shady grove
Shady Grove my Honey
Shady grove my true love
I'm bound for Shady Grove
If you've been watching the city streets
Can't seem to get much greener
Then I know where we're going to
Our heads will feel much cleaner
It's Shady Grove my true love
Shady Gove my Honey
Shady Grove my true love
I'm bound for Shady Grove
The lyrics of Quicksilver Messenger Service's song Shady Grove talks about the singer's experience of finding happiness in the countryside after a life of wandering and searching in the city. The lyrics suggest that cities are crowded with smog, traffic bombs, pigs, and tales, which makes life difficult to find happiness. Therefore, the singer suggests that the best place to find happiness is Shady Grove, a place of quietness, love, and tranquility.
The lyrics also imply that living in the city can be very hectic, and the singer's decision to move to the countryside was a deliberate attempt to find peace and happiness. "Shady Grove" is referred to as a place of calmness, where the streets are not chaotic, and the weather is green. It symbolizes a serene and idyllic environment, which the singer has found to be the perfect place to be.
In conclusion, the lyrics of Shady Grove emphasize the importance of finding peace and happiness in our lives, and the need to sometimes escape from the chaos of the city in order to do so. The Shady Grove represents a place of warmth, love, and quietness, which is the ultimate destination of the singer's journey.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to walk on the city streets
I used to live in a hustle-bustle city where I had no time for myself.
Now I wander far and wide
Then, I realized that I need to wander around and find peace in a calm place.
And I never found my happiness
When I was in the city, I could never find true happiness.
Until I moved to the country-side
It was until I moved to a countryside that I found true happiness.
Now follow me for a quiet day
Come with me on a peaceful journey.
Out riding on the trails
Let's ride through the nature trails.
Waitin' Smog, Traffic Bomb
Let's leave behind the pollution and traffic of the city.
Where all the pigs and tales
Let's go where there are only natural creatures and stories.
I'm in shady grove
I am in a place called Shady Grove.
Shady Grove my Honey
It's a place where I have found my love and happiness.
Shady grove my true love
It is my true love and my home.
I'm bound for Shady Grove
I will always come back to Shady Grove.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: P.O. WANDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paul McGrath
Probably the greatest keyboard intro of any rock song and the bridge to the song is perfect. Nicky, you were a mad man and greatly missed.
Alexander Troup
It's the rag time of great piano entry is so true.
Randy '"Jimmie James" Bowles
Well, I'll take Ray Manzarek's intro to Light My Fire...
Stefan Schleps
@Randy '"Jimmie James" Bowles
I'll take "für Elise". Beethoven.
Michael Leary
It was a joy to be one of the recording engineers on that wonderfull album. Great bunch of people!
Keith Keller
Knew John quite well during the Terry & The Pirates days......agreed!
Kevin Blake
wow so cool, song made me move to the country. where all the pigs have tails
Fred Sherwood
Nice gig, Michael!
Michael Kenna
I’m exceptionally proud of your hard work evident within this terrific album. Well done 👍
James Forrester
Incredible accomplishment Michael. What a great mix of Nicky Hopkins and the band. Words can't say how much I love this album !