Lather (song)
Encyclopedia
Lather is a song by the American rock band Jefferson Airplane
. It is the opening track on the 1968 album Crown of Creation
and was the B-Side for the single of the same name.
's 30th birthday. However, the lines
"But Lather still finds it a nice thing to do,
To lie about nude in the sand,
Drawing pictures of mountains that look like bumps,
And thrashing the air with his hands."
actually refer to the occasion when bassist Jack Casady
was arrested nude on a beach in Santa Cruz, California
, while on drugs.
The composer, Grace Slick
, was actually poking fun at Dryden, her lover at the time, because he was the first person in the band to reach the milestone age of thirty. Thirty years old was considered to be a "boring" age by contemporaries, as a person had grown up and could no longer have fun. The song is also notable for its very distinct arrangement.
The band performed the song in their 1968 appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
. It is seen as a music video for the song as it features psychedelic effects.
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
. It is the opening track on the 1968 album Crown of Creation
Crown of Creation
-Personnel:*Marty Balin – vocals, rhythm guitar*Grace Slick – vocals, piano, organ*Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals*Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, electric chicken, vocals*Spencer Dryden – drums, piano, organ, steel balls, vocals...
and was the B-Side for the single of the same name.
Meaning
The song's lyrics tell of a man named Lather, who has just turned 30 years old and is coming to the realization that the world expects him to grow up. The song was written for Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer DrydenSpencer Dryden
Spencer Dryden was an American musician best known as the longest-serving drummer for Jefferson Airplane. He also played with New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Dinosaurs, and The Peanut Butter Conspiracy.-Early life:...
's 30th birthday. However, the lines
"But Lather still finds it a nice thing to do,
To lie about nude in the sand,
Drawing pictures of mountains that look like bumps,
And thrashing the air with his hands."
actually refer to the occasion when bassist Jack Casady
Jack Casady
Jack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
was arrested nude on a beach in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
, while on drugs.
The composer, Grace Slick
Grace Slick
Grace Slick is an American singer and songwriter, who was one of the lead singers of the rock groups The Great Society, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship, and was a solo artist, for nearly three decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s...
, was actually poking fun at Dryden, her lover at the time, because he was the first person in the band to reach the milestone age of thirty. Thirty years old was considered to be a "boring" age by contemporaries, as a person had grown up and could no longer have fun. The song is also notable for its very distinct arrangement.
The band performed the song in their 1968 appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour is an American comedy and variety show hosted by the Smothers Brothers and initially airing on CBS from 1967 to 1969.-History:...
. It is seen as a music video for the song as it features psychedelic effects.
Cover versions
- Tom ConstantenTom ConstantenTom Constanten is an American keyboardist, best known for playing with the Grateful Dead from 1968 to 1970.-Biography:...
performs a solo piano instrumental cover of this song on his album 'Morning Dew'.