Jefferson Airplane – ‘Volunteers’

Jefferson Airplane’s Revolution

What began as inspiration gleaned from noisy trashcans outside of Jefferson Airplane vocalist Marty Balin’s home, ‘Volunteers’ later became a song in protest of the war in Vietnam once placed in the hands of guitarist Paul Kantner. It’s a rowdy, blues-infused thrasher of a tune, meant to convey the collective anger of a generation sucked into a war it didn’t believe in and dying for a cause that didn’t make any sense to them.

Jefferson Airplane released ‘Volunteers’ as part of their 1970 album <emVolunteers, and while it never actually charted, it’s become a must-listen for classic rock fans everywhere!

Volunteers was the last album the band recorded before massive personnel changes altered their original sound, which was psychedelic rock.

I love ‘Volunteers’ because of the song’s ambiguity. It may seem pretty clear, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be about raging against your government’s machine; it could also be about making a conscious choice to be happy in a world that is increasingly becoming dark, too!

Regardless of the song’s connotation, it’s a great piece of a great psychedelic band and it’s one of the last true psychedelic songs we’d ever hear from Jefferson Airplane. As far as send offs go, I’d say this is a pretty good one!

+ Volunteers lyrics +

Look what’s happening out in the streets
Got a revolution
Got to revolution
Hey I’m dancing down the streets
Got a revolution
Got to revolution
Ain’t it amazing all the people I meet
Got a revolution
Got to revolution
One generation got old
One generation got soul
This generation got no destination to hold
Pick up the cry
Hey now it’s time for you and me
Got a revolution
Got to revolution
Come on now we’re marching to the sea
Got a revolution
Got to revolution
Who will take it from you
We will and who are we
We are volunteers of America