Jefferson Airplane Takes Off

• Artist: Jefferson Airplane
• Rating:
• Release Date: August 15, 1966
• Total Time: 67:18
• Genre: Rock

Review

The debut Jefferson Airplane album was dominated by singer Marty Balin, who wrote or co-wrote all the original material and sang most of the lead vocals in his heartbreaking tenor with Paul Kantner and Signe Anderson providing harmonies and backup. (Anderson's lead vocal on "Chauffeur Blues" indicated she was at least the equal of her successor, Grace Slick, as a belter.) The music consisted mostly of folk-rock love songs, the most memorable of which were "It's No Secret" and "Come up the Years." (There was also a striking version of Dino Valente's "Get Together" recorded years before the Youngbloods' hit version.) Jorma Kaukonen already displayed a talent for mixing country, folk, and blues riffs in a rock context, and Jack Casady already had a distinctive bass sound. But the Airplane of Balin-Kantner-Kaukonen-Anderson-Casady-Spence is to be distinguished from the Balin-Kantner-Kaukonen-Casady-Slick-Dryden version of the band that would emerge on record five months later chiefly by Balin's dominance. Later, Grace Slick would become the group's vocal and visual focal point. On Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, the Airplane was Balin's group. (Jefferson Airplane Takes Off was released as RCA 3584 on August 15, 1966. It was reissued as RCA 66797 on January 30, 1996, as a CD that contained both the stereo and mono versions, and that added back the track "Runnin' 'Round This World," which had been deleted from all but initial copies due to the sexual and perceived drug references of the line "The nights I've spent with you have been fantastic trips." But the included version still eliminated the word "trips.") ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Blues from an Airplane	Skip Spence, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:13)
Let Me In	Marty Balin, Paul Kantner	Jefferson Airplane	(3:00)
Bringing Me Down	Paul Kantner, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:25)
It's No Secret	Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:40)
Tobacco Road (Lyrics)	John D. Loudermilk	Jefferson Airplane	(3:30)
Runnin' 'Round This World	Marty Balin, Paul Kantner	Jefferson Airplane	(2:40)
Come Up the Years	Paul Kantner, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:33)
Run Around	Marty Balin, Paul Kantner	Jefferson Airplane	(2:40)
Let's Get Together (Lyrics)	Chester Powers, Chick Webb, Maurice Dollison	Jefferson Airplane	(3:35)
Don't Slip Away	Marty Balin, Skip Spence	Jefferson Airplane	(2:34)
Chauffeur Blues (Lyrics)	Lester Melrose	Jefferson Airplane	(2:28)
And I Like It	Jorma Kaukonen, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(3:26)
Blues from an Airplane	Skip Spence, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:13)
Let Me In	Marty Balin, Paul Kantner	Jefferson Airplane	(2:59)
Bringing Me Down	Paul Kantner, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:25)
It's No Secret	Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:40)
Tobacco Road (Lyrics)	John D. Loudermilk	Jefferson Airplane	(3:30)
Runnin' 'Round This World	Paul Kantner, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:39)
Come Up the Years	Marty Balin, Paul Kantner	Jefferson Airplane	(2:35)
Run Around	Marty Balin, Paul Kantner	Jefferson Airplane	(2:39)
Let's Get Together (Lyrics)	Maurice Dollison, Chester Powers, Chick Webb	Jefferson Airplane	(3:36)
Don't Slip Away	Skip Spence, Marty Balin	Jefferson Airplane	(2:33)
Chauffeur Blues (Lyrics)	Lester Melrose	Jefferson Airplane	(2:28)
And I Like It	Marty Balin, Jorma Kaukonen	Jefferson Airplane	(3:17)

Credits

Paul Kantner (Vocals), Marty Balin (Guitar), Jorma Kaukonen (Vocals), Jack Casady (Bass), Jeff Tamarkin (Liner Notes), Eddie Eddings (Vault Research), Ralph J. Gleason (Liner Notes), Marty Balin (Leader), Signe Anderson (Vocals), Frankie Pezzella (Project Manager), Marty Balin (Vocals), Jorma Kaukonen (Guitar), Paul Williams (Tape Research), Paul Williams (Reissue Coordination), David Hassinger (Engineer), Matthew Katz (Producer), Tommy Oliver (Producer), Mike Hartry (Digital Transfers), Bill Lacey (Audio Restoration), Paul Kantner (Guitar (Rhythm)), Paul Kantner (Guitar), Skip Spence (Drums)

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