Everything about Volunteers Jefferson Airplane Album totally explained
» For the term "volunteer", see Volunteer. For other uses, see Volunteer (disambiguation).
Volunteers is a 1969 album by
American psychedelic rock band,
Jefferson Airplane. It was controversial at the time because of anti-war messages in the songs. The original title of the album was supposed to be
Volunteers of Amerika, but pressure from
RCA led to this name being dropped.
This was the sixth album recorded by the group and the first to be wholly recorded in San Francisco, at Wally Heider's then state-of-the-art
16-track studio. Guests included
Jerry Garcia on pedal steel guitar, veteran session pianist
Nicky Hopkins, future Airplane drummer Joey Covington on percussion,
David Crosby, and
Stephen Stills. It was one of the earliest 16-track recordings. The back cover of the album shows a picture of the MM-1000 professional 16-track tape recorder built by
Ampex Corporation which was used to record the album.
The album has been seen as stereotypical of the
hippie philosophy of the time with its anti-war and pro-
anarchism songs. The theme of nature, communities and ecology was also explored with the songs "The Farm" and "Eskimo Blue Day". The title track was actually inspired by a "Volunteers of America" garbage truck that awoke singer
Marty Balin one morning. The album provoked even more controversy with lyrics such as "Up against the wall, motherfucker" (from the song "
We Can Be Together") which appeared on the opening track and "shit" which is said several times on "Eskimo Blue Day". Musically, the album is characterized by lead guitarist
Jorma Kaukonen's razor-sharp guitar work (the duelling solos on "Hey Fredrick", plus "Good Shepherd" and "Wooden Ships") and the distinctive piano playing of
Nicky Hopkins.
This was to be both Jefferson Airplane's founder Marty Balin and drummer
Spencer Dryden's last album with the group, (although they did both appear on the "
Mexico" single released in 1970 on the song "Have You Seen the Saucers?") signifying the end of the best-remembered "classic" lineup. It was to be the last all-new LP for two years;
Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen would now devote more of their energy to their embryonic blues group "
Hot Tuna", while
Paul Kantner and
Grace Slick celebrated the birth of their daughter "China" in 1971.
Even though the album was released in late 1969, the cover photo dates back to 1967, and features the band wearing disguises, and was taken during the filming of a promotional film made for their single "Martha."
A specially re-mixed
Quadraphonic (4 channel) version of the album was also released in 1973. The Quad version was available on
LP Record, and
Reel to reel, and
8-track cartridge tape. The Quad mixes are noticeably different than the usual (2 channel) stereo mixes. A few tracks from the Quad version were included on the 3 CD box set
Jefferson Airplane Loves You, however on the box set the 4 channel recordings have been reduced to 2 channels.
The 2004 CD re-release features 5 additional bonus tracks from the group's annual Thanksgiving concert at the Fillmore East, New York in 1969.
Track listing
Side One
"We Can Be Together" (Paul Kantner) – 5:48
"Good Shepherd" (Traditional / Arranged by Jorma Kaukonen) – 4:21
"The Farm" (Paul Kantner / Gary Blackman) – 3:15
- Pedal Steel Guitar: Jerry Garcia
- Vocals: Ace of Cups
"Hey Fredrick" (Grace Slick) – 8:26
- Piano: Nicky Hopkins, Grace Slick
Side Two
"Turn My Life Down" (Jorma Kaukonen) – 2:54
- Hammond Organ: Stephen Stills
- Congas: Joey Covington
- Vocals: Ace of Cups
"Wooden Ships" (David Crosby / Paul Kantner / Stephen Stills) – 6:24
"Eskimo Blue Day" (Grace Slick / Paul Kantner) – 6:31
- Chair: Joey Covington
- Piano / Recorder: Grace Slick
"A Song for All Seasons" (Spencer Dryden) – 3:28
- Piano: Nicky Hopkins
- Vocals: Bill Laudner
"Meadowlands" (Traditional / Arranged by Grace Slick / Paul Kantner) – 1:04
"Volunteers" (Marty Balin / Paul Kantner) – 2:08
- Piano: Nicky Hopkins, Grace Slick
2004 CD reissue Bonus Tracks
"Good Shepherd" [Live] (Traditional / Arranged by Jorma Kaukonen) - 7:20
"Somebody To Love" [Live] (Grace Slick) - 4:10
"Plastic Fantastic Lover" [Live] (Marty Balin) - 3:21
"Wooden Ships" [Live] (David Crosby / Paul Kantner / Stephen Stills) - 7:00
"Volunteers" [Live] (Marty Balin / Paul Kantner) - 3:26
Personnel
Grace Slick - Piano / Organ / Recorder / Vocals
Paul Kantner - Rhythm Guitar / Vocals
Marty Balin - Guitar / Tambourine / Vocals
Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar / Vocals
Jack Casady - Bass
Spencer Dryden - Drums / Percussion
Additional Personnel
Nicky Hopkins - Piano
Stephen Stills - Hammond Organ
Jerry Garcia - Pedal Steel Guitar
Joey Covington - Percussion / Chair
David Crosby - Music / Sailboat
Ace of Cups - Vocals
Bill Laudner - Vocals
Production
Producer: Al Schmitt
Engineer: Rich Schmitt
At the 16-Track: Maurice, Pat Ieraci Mauriceman
Produced at Wally Heider Recording Studio, San Francisco
Album design: Gut, Milton Burke, Airplane
Cover photo: Jim Marshall
Back photo: Jim Smircich, photo alchemist
PB & J photo: Little Herbie Greene
PB & J: Eaten by Gut
Charts
Album
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1969 |
Billboard Pop Albums |
13 |
Single
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1969 |
"Volunteers" |
Billboard Pop Singles |
65 |
Further Information
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