In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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
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
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
Oh yeah, and for those doubting this song is about war listen to the opening drum beat. It's a military marching beat.
You are absolutely right. Grace Slick even mentioned this. People during that time thought it was a psychedelic song about hallucinogenics and what have you, but it was a metaphor for the war and how Jefferson Airplane were anti war.
So BS.<br /> <br /> Slick wrote and performed this when she was in a band called The Great Society. She brought it with her, along with "Somebody To Love," when she joined Jefferson Airplane in 1966.<br /> <br /> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_GreatSociety%28band%29<br /> <br /> songfacts.com/detail.php
@just4fun <br /> it's about both the Vietnam conflict and tripping on acid.
@just4fun No it's not. It was about the hypocrisy of being anti-drug. <br /> <br /> I heard an interview on a radio show in the 80's: The Jefferson Airplane were addressing the fact that a Lewis Carroll fantasy, evoking high-powered drugs that come from hookahs and surreal landscapes, is fine for school reading, but not fine for unsanctioned hallucinogens. <br /> <br /> Go to "Volunteers" for that, the JA is not a one-note band, like your assessment is.
@just4fun I agree with your interpretation. I think that the Prime Minister (Wilson) or the UK was the Dormouse. He convinced UK not to enter the war. The UK sent very few troops to assist. Therefore, the Dormouse said the war was a bad idea. And feed your head by listening to the Dormouse.
Raspberry has obviously never experienced hugs ON drugs. It's the best feeling in the world :)
LOL, I said "no" to drugs but they didn't listen!!
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 :)
this song is clearly about an acid trip mixed with other hallucinogens
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.
newsflash: "alice's adventures in wonderland" was written about a hallucinogenic experience caused by opium carroll had on a boat with an underage girl named alice who it is believed he had sexual relations with. so yeah, the books are definately drug related as well.
okay through the looking glass was made in the 1800's when they still used opium to cure headaches. Lewis Carroll was on a trip from the opium and Through the looking glass was his daydream. He was a math professor and Alice is supposidly a girl in his class that he was having a relationship with. This song has absolutely nothing to do with go ask alice,if you've read the book you would know that. The book was obviously named after this song which was made after Lewis Carrolls books. Jefferson Airplane made this song around 1965 and the song has everything to do with tripping, either acid or shrooms i dont know but thats the main point of the song.
of course this song is about drugs and alice in wonderland. it's pretty simple "go ask alice when she's ten feet tall" in the movie she eats or drinks something that makes her big, and then something that makes her small. you just had some kind of mushroom, the red queen, etc. it's crystal clear.<br /> <br /> PS. mushrooms made me realize a lot of stuff i just couldn't comprehend, somehow, being in that weird state made a click in my head that made me realize what is important and what is not.
@Fransuit<br /> "In the movie"<br /> Dear god. Read a book. Alice in Wonderland was a book first! JFC.
I have a sneaking suspicion that this song is about drugs.
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.
The book "Go Ask Alice" is actually fiction. The editors eventually admited to writing it.
For some reason, I feel a little bit high just by listening to this song.