1) an American pop/rock ba… Read Full Bio ↴Starship is the name of more than one artist:
1) an American pop/rock band
2) trance act
3) UK powerpop
4) tech house group
5) 70s rock band with Micky Dolenz
1) Starship is an American pop/rock band best known for their hits "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" and "We Built This City" that operated from 1985 to 1989, reforming in 1992 although featuring just vocalist Mickey Thomas. In 1984, singer-songwriter Paul Kantner left the San Francisco, California group Jefferson Starship. His former bandmates wanted to continue with that name, but Kantner, as the last founding member of Jefferson Airplane, took legal action over the "Jefferson" name. 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. (made up of Bill Thompson, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady) agreed. The band then took the name "Starship". Keyboard player David Freiberg, who had been increasingly marginalized, left as well.
In contrast to Paul Kantner's more experimental and progressive rock direction, Starship moved towards a sleek arena rock direction reminiscent of contemporaries Foreigner and Journey. In 1985, the band, based primarily around dual vocalists Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick, released 'Knee Deep in the Hoopla' and immediately scored two #1 hits. The first was "We Built This City", written by the team of Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf (producer), which was inspired by Bay Area rock n roll station KSAN-FM.
That song was trashed at the time by Kantner and later criticized by co-singer Grace Slick, and it was later declared to be the "worst song of all time" by Blender magazine. VH1 also named it the number-one "Most Awesomely Bad Song" on a top-50 countdown co-sponsored with Blender. However, it became something like a 'signature song' for Starship and has continued to receive major airplay. The band's second #1 was "Sara"; no previous incarnation of Jefferson Airplane/Starship had had a #1 hit. 'Knee Deep in the Hoopla' itself reached #7, went platinum, and spawned two more singles: "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (#26), and "Before I Go" (#68).
In 1987, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was featured in the film 'Mannequin' and hit #1, although only Slick and Thomas (plus Craig Chaquico's guitar solo) appeared on it. This song made Slick the oldest female vocalist to sing on a number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit, at the age of 47 (a record that she held until Cher broke it at age 53 in 1999 with "Believe".) The following year, with the new members Mark Morgan (keyboard) and Brett Bloomfield (bass) added. the band's song "Wild Again" (which reached #78 on the Billboard singles chart) was used in the movie 'Cocktail'.
By the time 'No Protection' was released, bassist Pete Sears had left. The album went gold and featured the hits "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (#1), "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)" (#9), and "Beat Patrol" (#46). In addition, the last song on the album, "Set the Night to Music", would later become a huge hit when re-recorded as a duet between Roberta Flack and Maxi Priest.
Grace Slick left Starship in 1988, having become disillusioned with the band's drift towards a strongly commercial pop image and swearing never to perform with them again. The revamped Starship lineup, featuring Mark Morgan (keyboards) and Brett Bloomfield (bass), released 'Love Among the Cannibals' in 1989. Finding their commercial prospects waning, the group finally disbanded the following year.
In 1992, vocalist Mickey Thomas revived the band, originally using the name "Mickey Thomas' Starship". Gaining some praise for his live performances, he changed the name to "Starship featuring Mickey Thomas". Lately, the band often refers to itself simply as "Starship", though with Thomas being its only consistent member. In September 2013, the group released their first new studio material in over two decades, putting out the tune "It's Not the Same as Love".
Their official website can be found at www.starshipcontrol.com.
Babylon
Starship Lyrics
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Whenever they speak your name they'll say it's you who broke the golden rule
But here's what I really want to know
Did you see the writing on the wall
Babylon
How long can this foolish magic carry on
Babylon
Babylon is it true that your streets were paved with gold
And did you play beneath the stars
Babylon did you know it would all come down to
How you played the dealer's cards
Remember how you loved the laughter
A kingdom on the rise
Crys in the night would turn you to song
And when they call ooh you sang along
Here's what I really want to know
Did you see the writing on the wall
Babylon
How long will this foolish magic carry on
Babylon
Who will love you when the fantasy of youth is gone
Babylon is it true that your streets were paved with gold
And did you play beneath the stars
Babylon did you know it would all come down to
How you played the dealer's cards
It's over you rate two pages in some book
Your legacy
Lost in the night and still you sing your song
For those who will take heed
Here's what I really want to know
Did you see the writing on the wall
Babylon
How long will this foolish magic carry on
Babylon
Who will love you when the fantasy of youth is gone
Babylon is it true that your streets were paved with gold
And did you play beneath the stars
Babylon did you know it would all come down to
How you played the dealer's cards
The lyrics of Starship’s “Babylon” seem to reflect a sentiment of lament for a lost kingdom that failed to heed the warning signs of its own demise. The language employed paints a picture of a once-majestic Babylon, whose streets were paved with gold, and whose kingdom was on the rise. But this all came crashing down as Babylon failed to see the writing on the wall and fell prey to foolish magic.
The song seems to describe a fallen leader or the personification of a fallen kingdom, whose legacy has been forgotten by history. The lyrics question whether the people of Babylon saw the signs of their downfall and whether they played their cards right. The song also touches on the fleeting nature of youth and fantasy, with the question of who will love Babylon when the fantasy and youth have disappeared.
The chorus of “Babylon” repeats the questions about the city’s golden streets and the nature of its demise, while the verses touch on the happier times of the kingdom and the night’s cries that were turned into song. Ultimately, the song leaves the audience with a sense of melancholy, wondering what could have been had Babylon not fallen to its own hubris.
Line by Line Meaning
Forever, you'll be remembered as the one who played it cool
Your legacy will always be that of a person who maintained their composure.
Whenever they speak your name they'll say it's you who broke the golden rule
People will associate you with breaking an important guideline.
But here's what I really want to know
The singer is shifting focus to ask a pressing question.
Did you see the writing on the wall
Were you able to recognize the signs that indicated what was going to happen?
Babylon
The song's title and a metaphor for a place of excess and indulgence.
How long can this foolish magic carry on
How much longer can we continue with this unsustainable way of life?
Who will love you when the fantasy of youth is gone
Who will care for you when you are no longer young and carefree?
Babylon is it true that your streets were paved with gold
Is it true that you had everything you could ever want, and more?
And did you play beneath the stars
Did you enjoy the luxuries of your wealth and prestige?
Babylon did you know it would all come down to
Did you realize that the consequences of your actions would be severe?
How you played the dealer's cards
Your fate was determined by the choices you made when given a certain hand.
Remember how you loved the laughter
Recall how you enjoyed having a good time with your companions.
A kingdom on the rise
You were once a great power, increasing in strength and influence.
Crys in the night would turn you to song
Even in periods of grief or distress, you would continue to sing and make music.
And when they call ooh you sang along
Whenever someone beckoned you to join in, you were happy to participate.
It's over you rate two pages in some book
Your story has come to an end and only spans two pages in a historical record of events.
Your legacy
The remnants of your influence on the world.
Lost in the night and still you sing your song
Your contributions may have been forgotten, but you are still passionate about your art.
For those who will take heed
Your actions may serve as a warning to future generations.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Cloud9
Written by: GRACE SLICK, LARRY WILLIAMS, THOMAS D. FUNDERBURK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind