We Built This City
Starship
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We built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll, oh Say you don't know me, or recognize my face Say you don't care who goes to that kind of place Knee-deep in the hoopla, sinking in your fight We got too many runaways eating up the night Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember? We built this city, we built this city on rock and roll We built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll Someone's always playing corporation games Who cares, they're always changing corporation names We just want to dance here, someone stole the stage They call us irresponsible, write us off the page Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember? We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll We built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll It's just another Sunday in a tired old street Well, if you got the toco, oh, then we just lost the beat Who counts the money underneath the bar? And who writes the wrecking ball in two wild guitars? Don't tell us you need us, 'cause we're just simple fools Looking for America, coming through your schools Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don't you remember? We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll We built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll, built this city We built this city on rock and roll, oh
Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!
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Written by: Martin George Page, Bernard J. P. Taupin, Dennis Lambert, Peter F. Wolf
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CTM Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Release Details"We Built This City" was released on August 1, 1985, as the lead single from Starship's first album, "Knee Deep in the Hoopla."
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Chart PerformanceThe song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and reached number 12 in the UK Singles Chart.
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Band TransitionThis song marked a transitional period for the band. Originally named Jefferson Airplane, they evolved into Jefferson Starship and, by the time of this song's release, had shortened their name to Starship.
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Songwriters"We Built This City" was written by Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf. Taupin is best known for his long-time partnership with Elton John.
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LyricsThe song's lyrics are noted for their criticism of the music industry, symbolized by the line, "Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio."
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VocalistsThe song features dual lead vocals by Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas.
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Album SalesFollowing the success of "We Built This City," the "Knee Deep in the Hoopla" album achieved Double Platinum status in the US.
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Music VideoThe music video for "We Built This City" was notable for its use of stop-motion animation and CGI, both cutting-edge at the time of its release.
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Grammy NominationDespite mixed reviews from critics, "We Built This City" was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
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Critics' ResponseIn recent years, the song has often been cited as one of the worst songs of all time, a claim that band members have defended against. For instance, in 2011, Rolling Stone readers voted "We Built This City" as the worst song of the '80s.
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Cultural ImpactDespite critical reviews, the song has become a staple of '80s pop culture. It has been featured in several movies and is frequently used in TV shows and commercials.
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Band's ReactionStarship members have expressed mixed feelings about the song. While some appreciate its success, others regret its departure from their earlier, more experimental rock sound.
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Influence on Other ArtistsNumerous artists have covered, sampled, or parodied "We Built This City", testifying to its lasting impact on pop culture.
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"We Built This City Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/1061447/Starship/We+Built+This+City>.
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