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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@just4fun No it's not. It was about the hypocrisy of being anti-drug.
@just4fun No it's not. It was about the hypocrisy of being anti-drug.
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.
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.
Go to "Volunteers" for that, the JA is not a one-note band, like your assessment is.
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.
@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.
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.
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.
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.
So BS.
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.
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.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_GreatSociety%28band%29
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_GreatSociety%28band%29
songfacts.com/detail.php
songfacts.com/detail.php
@just4fun it's about both the Vietnam conflict and tripping on acid.
@just4fun 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.
@just4fun No it's not. It was about the hypocrisy of being anti-drug.
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.
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.
Go to "Volunteers" for that, the JA is not a one-note band, like your assessment is.
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.
@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.