I recently found a link via Twitter to a live video of Jefferson Airplane doing White Rabbit in the 60s. It came from my fellow Fast Forward blogger and Twitter friend, Rob Paterson. As often happens with YouTube music videos, Rob’s link inspired me to look for more Jefferson Airplane live performances on YouTube. Like the Chambers Brothers, there were a not that many live versions from the early days. The best are presented below. Let me know if you have found others. There were also a lot of covers and a number of videos that showed still pictures with a sound track. There were also many live versions of White Rabbit. Rob’s link remained one of the best. Here is their official Jefferson Airplane Website and link to their best album "Surrealistic Pillow."
somebody to love-
jefferson airplane – another live video that flips back and forth to some street scenes from San Francisco summer of 1967 at the Panhandle. I was there for a number of weeks that summer and helped with the free lunch project on the Panhandle. Later, I was surprised to find a photo in a Look magazine article on Haight Ashbury where I was included along with some others standing around a soup pot.
Jefferson Airplane with Signe Anderson recorded at the Fillmore in 1966. I have their first album, Jefferson Airplane 'Takes Off, with Signe who got replaced with Grace Slick. Signe was gone by the time I saw the Airplane in San Francisco in 67 at the free concerts at Golden Gate Park.
Jefferson Airplane - Today (Live At Montereypop 1967) – This is one of my favorite JA songs and I think it is in my top ten list of ballads by anyone. I got to San Francisco just after Monterey Pop but it was still a strong topic of discussion in the Haight. I have watched the Monterey Pop video many times.
Jefferson Airplane Live at Monterey Pop 1967 doing an intense version of high flying bird.
Coming Back To Me - Jefferson Airplane - 1967 This is an audio only with great stills - starts with a poster I had in my room in 1970-71 in NYC (see start of this post). I rank this second to Today as their best ballads.
Jefferson Airplane - Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil (Live 1970) - Live performance from "A Night at the Family Dog" (1970). Not one of their best songs but it captures some of the chaos as 67 moved to 70.
Wooden Ships (1970) - Jefferson Airplane live studio version with breaking surf - Wooden Ships, written by David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Paul Kantner, originally recorded for the JA Volunteers LP. This is a "live" studio performance filmed April 2, 1970 with breaking surf in the background. My friend Don Lesser said that Crosby Stills and Nash did the sailboat version of Wooden Ships and the Jefferson Airplane did the motorboat version.
Wooden Ships - Crosby, Stills & Nash – Here is the sail boat version for contrast. It was recorded live in 1977 in Houston.
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