White Rabbit

Zoo Freaks, get ready to dive down the rabbit hole with Jefferson Airplane's psychedelic masterpiece "White Rabbit" from their iconic 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. Written by Grace Slick, the song draws heavily on Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, weaving a trippy narrative about curiosity and mind-altering experiences. Slick penned the track in late 1965 or early 1966 while with her previous band, The Great Society, and brought it to Jefferson Airplane when she joined in 1966. She composed it on a red upright piano with missing keys, bought for just $50, which she said was fine since she could "hear the notes that weren't there" in her head. The song's hypnotic bolero rhythm was inspired by Maurice Ravel's Bolero and Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain, which Slick listened to for 24 hours straight during an acid trip. Jack Casady, the band's bassist, noted they almost left "White Rabbit" off the album, fearing censorship due to its drug references, but it became a defining anthem of the Summer of Love, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.

Another wild tidbit comes from Slick herself, who revealed the song was a jab at the older generation's hypocrisy. In her memoir Somebody to Love, she pointed out that parents read kids stories like Alice in Wonderland, where characters consume substances to change size, yet criticized the 1960s youth for experimenting with psychedelics. The line "feed your head" was Slick's call to expand the mind through both reading and, yes, psychedelics, as she saw the White Rabbit as a symbol of curiosity. The song's recording was a quick affair, with Slick saying it took about two days, the music crafted in half an hour. Its enigmatic lyrics slipped past radio censors, making it one of the first tracks to sneak drug references into mainstream airplay. Marty Balin, Jefferson Airplane's co-founder, called it a "masterpiece," and its cultural impact is undeniable, landing at number 455 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2021 and earning a spot in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.

Jefferson Airplane formed in San Francisco in 1965, emerging from the city's vibrant folk and blues scene. Marty Balin, a folk singer, teamed up with guitarist Paul Kantner, blues guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, vocalist Signe Toly Anderson, drummer Jerry Peloquin, and bassist Bob Harvey. Inspired by bands like The Beatles and The Byrds, they aimed to blend folk with electric energy. Their name, as Kaukonen later explained, came from a nickname he got in college, "Blind Thomas Jefferson Airplane," a playful riff on blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson. Peloquin left early, replaced by Skip Spence, and Jack Casady soon took over on bass. Their first gig was August 13, 1965, at The Matrix club, and their debut album, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, dropped in 1966. When Anderson left to focus on motherhood, Grace Slick joined, bringing her powerful voice and songs like "White Rabbit," propelling the band to international fame with Surrealistic Pillow.

Zoo Crew, you can keep up with Jefferson Airplane's legacy at their official website, jeffersonairplane.com. Check out their Facebook for updates and fan chatter, and follow them on Instagram for throwback photos and news. Their X account shares band history and music snippets. Fans can connect at sites like jeffersonairplane.net, a dedicated fan hub with discographies and forums. On Facebook, groups like Jefferson Airplane Fans bring Zoo Freaks together to share stories, rare photos, and love for the band's psychedelic sound. Spin that vinyl and feed your head!