Album: Volunteers by Jefferson Airplane 1969

We perform three songs from this classic album:

Eskimo blue day

Snow cuts loose from the frozen
Until it joins with the African sea
In moving it changes its cold and its name
The reason I come and go is the same

Animal game for me
You call it rain
But the human name
Doesn't mean shit to a tree

If you don't mind heat in your river and
Fork tongue talking from me
Swim like an eel fantastic snake
Take my love when it's free

Electric feel with me
You call it loud
But the human crowd
Doesn't mean shit to a tree

Change the strings and notes slide
Change the bridge and string shift down
Shift the notes and bride sings

Fire eating people
Rising toys of the sun
Energy dies without body warm
Icicles ruin your gun

Water my roots the natural thing
Natural spring to the sea
Sulphur springs make my body float
Like a ship made of logs from a tree

Redwoods talk to me
Say it plainly
The human name
Doesn't mean shit to a tree

Snow called water going violent
Damn the end of the stream
Too much cold in one place breaks
That's why you might know what I mean

Consider how small you are
Compared to your scream
The human dream
Doesn't mean shit to a tree

Describing the life of Eskimos, this song make tipps about the respect of nature. The vulgar phrase “Doesn't mean shit to a tree” that had provoked the conservative ethics of its time is a call for the human activities to be gentle with nature and protect her.

You can hear this song in youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUno1WVXEwI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaW6r5lMe4I

The Farm

Bought myself a farm way out in the country
Took to growin lettuce milkin cows and honey
Bought myself a farm (way out in the country)
Bought myself a farm way out in the country

Spent time in the hayloft with the mice and the bunnies
Spent time in the country
Yes it's good livin on the farm
Ah so good livin on the farm
Yes it's good livin on the farm

Here comes my next door neighbour comin down the road
He always looks so regal ridin on his toad named Lightnin
The toad's name is Lightnin he's ten hands at the shoulder
And if you give him sugar you know he'll whinny like a boulder
Yes he will
Well I gotta get back to work now and clear away some logs
Ah the sun is shinin westwards yeah I think I'll saddle up my frog and
Get outta here


This song is a vision of returning to a natural and idyllic way of life in egalitarian ecological communities, in a farm in the country, a very common theme by hippie culture and music.


Wooden ships

Black sails knifing through the pitchblende night
Away from the radioactive landmass madness
From the silver-suited people searching out
Uncontaminated food and shelter on the shores
No glowing metal on our ship of wood only
Free happy crazy people naked in the universe
WE SPEAK EARTH TALK
GO RIDE THE MUSIC

We performed this song 2 weeks ago by CSN. We put here only the introduction by Jefferson Airplane. You can hear the Jefferson Airplane version in youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC0zpuCqo_w


From Wikipedia:

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". Ironically, 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" which appeared on the opening track and "shit" which is said several times on "Eskimo Blue Day".