FCS Daily Music Video – ‘Somebody to Love’ Jefferson Airplane (1967)

Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to achieve international commercial success.

The October 1966 to February 1970 lineup of Jefferson Airplane, consisting of Marty Balin (vocals), Paul Kantner (guitar, vocals), Grace Slick (vocals), Jorma Kaukonen (lead guitar, vocals), Jack Casady (bass), and Spencer Dryden (drums), was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Marty Balin left the band in 1971. After 1972, Jefferson Airplane effectively split into two groups. Kaukonen and Casady moved on full-time to their own band, Hot Tuna. Slick, Kantner, and the remaining members of Jefferson Airplane recruited new members and regrouped as Jefferson Starship in 1974, with Marty Balin eventually joining them. Jefferson Airplane was presented with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

Jefferson Airplane morphed into Jefferson Starship then morphed into Starship, Grace Slick being the only constant member.

The song means, if you’re feeling down and out, and life is handing you a bunch of shit for whatever reason, find somebody to love… To Love in the human sense, not the sexual or romantic sense. To give love, rather than bemoaning not receiving love.

Lyrics below

“Somebody To Love”
(originally by The Great Society)

When the truth is found
To be lies
And all the joy
Within you dies

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love
Love

When the garden flowers
Baby, are dead, yes
And your mind, your mind
Is so full of red

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love

Your eyes, I say your eyes
May look like his
Yeah, but in your head, baby
I’m afraid you don’t know where it is

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love

Tears are running
They’re all running down your breast
And your friends, baby
They treat you like a guest

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love

Don Matthews
July 2022