I seized upon 5 different songs tonight, found I had played them all within the past year … wouldn’t you think I could remember what I’ve played for a year or so? Methinks my memory is going … going … Anyway, being tired and having much left to do before I can go to bed tonight, I decided to redux this one because … I like it. No other reason.
I frequently make reference to being “down in the rabbit hole”, meaning my mood, mind and psyche are in a dark place, usually from the topics I write about, sometimes for more personal reasons. But this song, written by Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane, is about another sort of rabbit hole altogether.
Slick got the idea for this song after taking LSD and spending hours listening to the Miles Davis album Sketches Of Spain, especially the opening track, “Concierto de Aranjuez.”
Slick based the lyrics on Lewis Carroll’s book Alice In Wonderland. Like many young musicians in San Francisco, Slick did a lot of drugs, and she saw a surfeit of drug references in Carroll’s book, including the pills, the smoking caterpillar, the mushroom, and lots of other images that are pretty trippy. She noticed that many children’s stories involve a substance of some kind that alters reality, and felt it was time to write a song about it.
This is not necessarily one of my favourite songs of the 60s, but it is one of those songs that can get stuck in your head and just won’t leave. And I do love the Spanish beat and the guitar sequence at the beginning. Anyway, it got stuck in my head today as I was cleaning the bathroom, and as of this writing, at 11:00 p.m., it is still stuck there. So, I thought it best to transfer it to your heads! No thanks are necessary 😏
White Rabbit
Jefferson Airplane
One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you, don’t do anything at all
Go ask Alice, when she’s ten feet tall
And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you’re going to fall
Tell ’em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call
And call Alice, when she was just small
When the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go
And you’ve just had some kind of mushroom, and your mind is moving low
Go ask Alice, I think she’ll know
When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead
And the white knight is talking backwards
And the red queen’s off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head, feed your head
Songwriters: Grace Wing Slick
White Rabbit lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
One more version…I love this song and Pink does a good job
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I’m not a huge fan of Pink, but that was good.
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Reblogged this on 1EarthUnited and commented:
One of the best songs ever written, and a personal favorite of mine. The movie American Hustle featured an Arabic version sung by Mayssa Karaa. Hypnotic, otherworldly, surreal, sacred.
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Very plleasant .thanks
Hugs
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Thank you for the re-blog!!!
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Jill, the line I remember the most is “the ones that mother gives you, don’t do anything at all.” That shows the impact of the LSD era. Grace was a talented singer, but the band had rocky relationships throughout, as many do. I think she left the band, it was renamed “Starship” and then she returned later. It may have been as much to do with drug problems. The person I am surprised is still alive is Eric Clapton. His biographies lay out a huge heroin addiction problem. Yet, too many stars did not make it out of that era – Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Mama Cass, etc. Keith
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I’ve often wondered what it is about ‘fame & fortune’ that seems to lead so many down the path of either serious alcoholism or drugs, or a combination of both. It seems they have it all and should be on top of the world, but … for some reason that so often isn’t the case. Yes, now that you mention it, the fact that Clapton is still alive is rather amazing.
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How about KeithRichards of The Rolling Stones
Now that is amazing!
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So true!!!
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Grace Slick was a very pretty girl.but unlike some others she actually had a voice……..and obviously a very weird mind. Any way, must go now have to ask Alice.
Cwtch
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I’m curious as to just what you’re going to ask Alice! Let me know the answer!
Cwtch
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Why, which pill to take next of course.
Cwtch
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Hah! Even Alice would turn tail and run if she saw your array of pills!!!
Cwtch
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Good pick my friend, could be my theme song, I am always in a “hole” LOL!!
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Me and you both, sweet Carolyn!!!
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😊😊
Just to let you know I posted more of Jason’s story about Betsy on Monday. Its called Betsy’s Escape. The conclusion of it will be posted tomorrow. More smiles for you!
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I will make a concerted effort to get over there today … PROMISE!!!!
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Don’t pressure yourself please! But I know you could use a smile! ❤
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Oh YES, I surely could use a smile. Soon … I’ve had a dumpy day and am running far behind. Sigh. ❤
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Sorry about your day! 😦
Love and Hugs!
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🤗
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This song is new to me. Not all singers and song albums made it to our corner of the world in the Caribbean Region.
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Ahhhh … I suppose not, and this one was a song of the 60s drug culture, so I can see why it might not have made it there.
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Such a short song, even for those days, and one without a chorus, unheard of.
Timothy Leary said it even quicker: “Tune in. Turn on. Drop out!” Then someone suggested we should “Find ourself.” So we did. Well, some of us did. Some lost themselves even more than they already were. Nothing’s ever perfect.
Good memories, Jill.
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A different era … almost seems like a different world some days. No, nothings ever perfect, but we aren’t getting any closer, either. Sigh.
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I was not enamored with the drug-fueled music of that time but did enjoy a few. This was one that I thought was okay. I guess I liked Grace.
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Nor was I, but this one had something that just drew me in. Yeah, most of the guys liked Grace 😉
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Well I was enamored by it. I thought it was the very best music every produced during those years…late 60s early 70s
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Far out, man! My favorite Jefferson Airplane tune.
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I’m glad you liked it!!!
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