Somebody To Love

by

Jefferson Airplane

Album: Surrealistic Pillow      Released: 1967

US Chart: 5     

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This was written by Grace Slick's brother-in-law, Darby Slick. Grace was in the band The Great Society when she started performing the song. She brought this and "White Rabbit" to Jefferson Airplane when she joined in 1966.

This was one of the first big hit to come out of the US West-Coast counterculture scene. Jefferson Airplane was from San Francisco and a big part of the protest movement that was big in that area.

Queen had a hit with a song of the same title in 1977.

A comic version was performed by Jim Carrey in his movie The Cable Guy. It was released as a single, but flopped.

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Comments:

I remember the year 1967 when i was a kid listening to Somebody To Love on the radio and thinking "these musicians and the lady singing (Grace) are unbeleivable". The Airplane were like these unreal cool hippies playing and singing and just walking around the stage looking at eachother all in their own world yet all-as-one which is the fantastic paradox of the Airplane it was so cool to see them and every one in the band is super good-looking,too.
- Belinda, Cresskill New Jresey, NJ

As MusicMama says, how did they go from doing to "We built this city"? It's like Deborah Harry going from Atomic to French Kissing in the USA. What a slide. BTW I loved Jim Carrey's version in Cable Guy. It actually made me do a karaoke party.
- Dean, Sydney, Australia

This was the theme song on the TV mini-series The 60s starring a young Julia Stiles.
- Linc, Beaumont, TX

Janis doesn't or didn't sings this - or maybe she did, but she didn't record it because Grace and Airplane probably would have sued her...but yeah -Janis and Grace have similar vocal ranges and Airplane and Big Brother are about as close.
- Linc, Beaumont, TX

This was the theme song on the TV mini-series The 60s starring a young Julia Stiles.
- Linc, Beaumont, TX

Darby Slick, Grace's brother-in-law after writing this song quit music to go to India. While there he learned it was a big hit and he was then set for life, financially speaking.
- Adam, Portland, OR

Marvelous job by Slick on vocals along the the Airplane...great stuff!
- steve dotstar, los angeles, CA

Love this song! Grace Slick is awesome!
- Maggie, Philadelphia, PA

MusicMama, the answer is quite simple: "Somebody to Love" was one of the cornerstones of 1960s rock music, while, on the other hand, "We Built This City" was a product of the '80s, which doesn't really have the reputation of being a period of excellent music.
- Mark B. Stoned, Desperate Hot Springs, CA

everything about this song makes me vote this to be the national anthem for us who LOVED and still LOVE the sixties. this song has the power,energy and magic of the days we lived as wild youth...and nothing can hold a candle to those wonderfull years.........unreal...thx JA.
- chuck, LA, CA

LOL, it was indeed a far plunge MusicMama.
- Charles, Glenside, PA

One thing I just love about this song is that it has a "trippy" quality, especially with the guitar at the end, yet it has a brisk pace to it. In other words, you don't have to be stoned to enjoy this one, although being stoned doesn't hurt. And it's a fine piece of songwriting: There are some standout lines (like "your freinds, baby, they treat you like a guest that, rather than being a distraction, actually work with the rest of the song to build its emotional impact.

Now tell me: How did they go from doing this to doing "We Built This City?"
- MusicMama, New York, NY

This was JA's breakout (ie, 1st big) hit, catapulting them to stardom. But several months earlier, I remember hearing a single of theirs that hooked me, 'cause it was so sweet and so different. It was 'You're My Best Friend.' I wasn't keen on detecting influences then, but thinking back, I wonder whether that song (Friend) was influenced by the Lovin' Spoonful? In my head, I can imagine LS doing that song, sounding like they completely own it. Maybe somebody out there can contribute lyrics to it here??
- Fred, Laurel, MD

This is the most kick-butt song this band EVER did. The line, "and your friends baby, TREAT YOU LIKE A GUEST" rings so true fourty years later.
- michael, carlsbad, NM

Grace Slick was so talented. I love jefferson airplane and she is simply a brilliant musician. and kieran what is wrong with Janis Joplin shes a great musician also...
- Justin, Albany, NY

I didn't know Janis sang this one.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

Everybody seems to confuse Grace Slicks voice with Janis's. Yes Janis Joplin did a cover of this song, but it isn't nearly as popular as the original.
- Deserea, Swain, NY

Originally released in 1966 on the Northbeach label as "Someone To Love" by "The Great !! Society !!", with a slower tempo "garage" arrangement.
- Rick, San Juan, United States

Does anyone know how the band got the trippy sound guitar at the end? thanks -Scott
- Scott, NYC, NY

This is #274 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs.
- Ross, Independence, MO

Grace Slick does some of her best vocals, if not her best, in this song!
- Stefanie magura, Rock Hill, SC

Which was also the title of Jefferson Airplane's last album under that name. The journalist's name (also writer of the book on which the movie wa based) was Hunter Thompson. He just shot himself this week (its 2-23-2005 as I write this.)
- Martijn, Helmond, Netherlands

This song appears in the movie "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas" directed by Terry Gilliam (of Monty Python and The Holy Grail). It's a movie based on the drug scene in the 70's and revolves around a journalist played by Johnny Depp. In this scene, he reflects back to his days in San Francisco and this song plays in a club he's in. He ends up in the bathroom with Acid spilled on his arm and a hippie, long-haired Flea (of The Red Hot Chili Peppers) licking it off.
- Abby, Columbus, OH

Jefferson Airplane dedicated their record Surrealistic Pillow to Jerry Garcia "for creative guidance." Also, the Christian punk band Reliant K released a song named Jefferson Airplane, with the chorus reading "I guess I'll go, I guess I'll throw on some Jefferson Airplane, I am trapped and I am enclosed."
- Annabeth, Kutztown, PA

I love this song, Grace's voice does sound really wicked in this song...just awesome
- Shana, Pembroke, Canada

Is it true that Janis Joplin did a cover of this. It is really annoying me!
- Kieran, Harlow, United States

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