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
He called 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


Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by ILoveMyCat

White Rabbit Lyrics as written by Grace Wing Slick

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing

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White Rabbit song meanings
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222 Comments

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  • +12
    General Comment

    Although this song refers to Drugs many many times, it is not, for the most part about drugs. This song is about the Vietnam War/protest.

    One pill makes you larger....... This set of lyrics refers to the choice between protesting (making you a big person) versus joining the war (making you a small, ie insignificant person), and adding that your parents can do nothing to help you make the choice. "Go ask alice when she's ten feet tall" refers to not fitting in and being disruptive as alice does when she grows large in the book.

    If you go chasing rabbits........... this set of lyrics refers to getting drafted "a hookah-smoking caterpiller refers to a tank. The caterpiller, ie tank has given you THE call not a call, and at the time THE call most definitely refers to getting drafted. Go ask alice when she was just small refers to the small pill choice and how much danger alice was in when she was small.

    When the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go... this set of lyrics refers to when the military (chess pieces, ie knights, pawns etc. are military pieces) tells you to go to vietnam (where to go at the time) and your mind is moving low refers to not knowing what to do.

    Call Alice I think she'll know: When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead... this set of lyrics is specifically about the vietnam war. refering to the large amount of men killed in the war (sloppy swamp setting) the white knight talking backwards (he doesn't talk backwards in the book) refers the United states army stating that it's coming to the rescue not making sense, ie talking backwards, and the red queen refers to the communist who are killing all our men (off there heads)

    This next line is a little confusing until you read the "who stole the tarts chapter" the line IS remember what the dormouse said. This is confusing because it is referencing the Mad Hatter. The Mad Hatter is on the witness stand and faces execution if he can't "remember what the dormouse said" As a result he runs away before the queen of Hearts, ie the red queen has a chance to chop of his head.

    Feed your head is not what the dormouse said. It's telling you to educate yourself. You feed your head by learning. Said twice for emphasis. The last line is pleading with the listener to LEARN!LEARN!!

    This song had to be written with symbolism, as it was telling people to dodge the draft.

    just4funon November 26, 2011   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    Raspberry has obviously never experienced hugs ON drugs. It's the best feeling in the world :)

    FearAndLoathingon June 03, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    LOL, I said "no" to drugs but they didn't listen!!

    Starfish_182on May 06, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Clearly the song is about drug use in correlation with the Alice in Wonderland story, but no has mentioned a deeper meaning that goes along with the song as well...This song is also an anti-war song, (Vietnam). As were many songs during this era. They don't explicitly say this, but you can definitely draw parallels:

    "And if you go chasing rabbits And you know you're going to fall," (War)

    "Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar Has given you the call." (President/draft)

    "When the men on the chessboard Get up and tell you where to go" (Government)

    "When logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead," (Lost cause, failure of Vietnam)

    Clearly yes, it is a hallucination about drug use and a commentary on such, but I do think there is a deeper meaning in these lyrics...Jefferson Airplane were very anti-war so I can see this song as being a metaphor for the war as well...The white knight, and the red queen, perhaps countries...hmm interesting trippy song this classic is :)

    kidmaxxxxon October 03, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    this song is clearly about an acid trip mixed with other hallucinogens

    demonica713on April 30, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    ok ok i want to set you all straight. i actually listen to jefferson airplane and actually know about this song. she was tripping when she wrote it so it is about an acid trip but most of the ideas were taking from the book "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through The Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll which was written back in 1910 or something and had nothing to do with drugs but was a story written for a little girl that Lewis Carroll was obsessed with. The book Go Ask Alice was published after the song was released and they took the name of the book from the song. so hahaha. i know what i am talking about and jefferson airplane kicks ass. now lets see what other songs you people have ruined with you stupid meanings.

    thisisgayon April 13, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I have a sneaking suspicion that this song is about drugs.

    Atralison December 07, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    dude this song is about alice in wonderland not about go ask alice, they just pretty much names the book it after the song, this is deffinetly about alice in wonderland.

    avoidteddybearson June 07, 2003   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    The book "Go Ask Alice" is actually fiction. The editors eventually admited to writing it.

    brian_won June 21, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    For some reason, I feel a little bit high just by listening to this song.

    washingtonative91on September 24, 2005   Link

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