Mexico (Jefferson Airplane song)
Encyclopedia
"Mexico" is a single released in May 1970 by the San Francisco
rock band Jefferson Airplane
, produced by the band at Pacific High Recording Studios with Phill Sawyer as the recording engineer
. Written and sung by Grace Slick
, it is a rant against then-President Richard Nixon
and his anti-drug initiative, Operation Intercept
, that he had implemented to curtail the flow of marijuana
into the United States from Mexico
.
The song received little radio air play, being banned in some states, but did reach #102 on the Billboard
charts, barely missing the Hot 100.
Five months after the release of "Mexico", President Nixon did request that songs relating to drug abuse not be broadcast.
Live versions of "Mexico" and its B-Side, "Have You Seen the Saucers" were to be released on the next Airplane album, but Marty Balin
left the band before Bark
had finished production forcing a change in some of the planned material. A live version of "Have You Seen the Saucers" appeared as the opening track of the live album Thirty Seconds Over Winterland
, and the two studio tracks were finally released on an album when the Early Flight
compilation was released.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
rock band Jefferson Airplane
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....
, produced by the band at Pacific High Recording Studios with Phill Sawyer as the recording engineer
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
. Written and sung by 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...
, it is a rant against then-President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and his anti-drug initiative, Operation Intercept
Operation Intercept
Operation Intercept was an anti-drug measure announced by President Nixon on at 2:30pm on Sunday, September 21, 1969, resulting in a near shutdown of border crossings between the Mexico and the United States...
, that he had implemented to curtail the flow of marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
into the United States from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
The song received little radio air play, being banned in some states, but did reach #102 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts, barely missing the Hot 100.
Five months after the release of "Mexico", President Nixon did request that songs relating to drug abuse not be broadcast.
Live versions of "Mexico" and its B-Side, "Have You Seen the Saucers" were to be released on the next Airplane album, but Marty Balin
Marty Balin
Marty Balin is an American musician. He is best known as the founder and one of the lead singers of the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane.-Early life:Martyn Buchwald was born in Cincinnati, Ohio...
left the band before Bark
Bark (album)
-Personnel:* Jack Casady – bass* Joey Covington – percussion, drums, vocals* Paul Kantner – guitar, vocals* Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, vocals* Grace Slick – piano, vocals- Additional personnel :...
had finished production forcing a change in some of the planned material. A live version of "Have You Seen the Saucers" appeared as the opening track of the live album Thirty Seconds Over Winterland
Thirty Seconds Over Winterland
-Personnel:Personnel credits from original Vinyl release.*Jack Casady – bass*Paul Kantner – vocals, rhythm guitar*Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, vocals*Grace Slick – vocals*Papa John Creach – electric violin*John Barbata – drums, percussion...
, and the two studio tracks were finally released on an album when the Early Flight
Early Flight
-Personnel:*Marty Balin – guitar, vocals*Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals*Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, vocals*Jack Casady – bass*Grace Slick – vocals on "J. P. P. McStep B. Blues", "Go to Her", "Mexico", and "Have You Seen the Saucers", piano on "Mexico" and "Have You Seen the Saucers"*Spencer...
compilation was released.
Personnel
Personnel from original Vinyl credits.- Grace SlickGrace SlickGrace 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...
– piano, vocals - Marty BalinMarty BalinMarty Balin is an American musician. He is best known as the founder and one of the lead singers of the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane.-Early life:Martyn Buchwald was born in Cincinnati, Ohio...
– vocals - Paul KantnerPaul KantnerPaul Lorin Kantner is an American rock musician, known for co-founding the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane and its spin-off band Jefferson Starship.- Overview :...
– rhythm guitar, vocals - Jorma KaukonenJorma KaukonenJorma Ludwik Kaukonen Jr. is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist, best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.-Biography:...
– lead guitar - Jack CasadyJack CasadyJack 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...
– bass - Spencer DrydenSpencer DrydenSpencer 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:...
– drums, percussion - Joey CovingtonJoey CovingtonJoseph "Joey" Edward Covington is a US drummer, best known for his involvements with Hot Tuna and Jefferson Airplane.-Brief biography:...
– congas and bells on "Have You Seen the Saucers"