Mexico
Jefferson Airplane
Struggling with Mexico? Become a better singer in 30 days with these videos!
Owsley and Charlie, twins of the trade Come to the Poet's Room Talking about the problems of the leaf And yes, it'll be back soon There used to be tons of gold and green Comin' up here from Mexico A donde esta la planta, mi amigo, del sol? But Mexico is under the thumb Of a man we call Richard And he's come to call himself king But he's a small-headed man And he doesn't know a thing About how to deal for you How to deal for you There are millions of you now I mean it's not as if you were alone There are brothers everywhere Just waiting for a toke on that gold And God knows how far it can go But thanks Uncle Charlie For your Mexican smoke You're a legend Owsley For your righteous dope There were a half a million people on the lawn And we sang to the faces in the dawn How long must that damn race Wait for the jailer's time to end? How long must the Panther race Wait for the iron bars to bend? No no no no no nobody waits
Struggling with Mexico? Become a better singer in 30 days with these videos!
13 facts about this song
Band Background"Mexico" was a single released by American psychedelic rock band, Jefferson Airplane.
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Release DateThe song was released on May 24, 1971.
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Song's ThemeThe song is about Mexico as a haven for illegal drugs at a time when it was faced with a crackdown in the United States.
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Role in Social Commentary"Mexico" served as Grace Slick's protest against then-President Richard Nixon's Operation Intercept, which was aimed at reducing the illegal drug trade through Mexico into the United States.
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Connection to Current EventsThe track directly pulls references from then-recent events, like the arrests of Mexican-American community leaders.
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Unique instrumentationThe song features a prominent piano and bass line, a departure from Jefferson Airplane's usual guitar-focused sound.
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Songwriting"Mexico" was written by the band's only female member, Grace Slick.
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Banned from Radio"Mexico" was banned from several radio stations due to its controversial theme surrounding drug use and politics.
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Limited RunThe song was only printed in a run of about 100 copies, making it a rare find for record collectors.
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Non-album SingleInterestingly, despite the song's notoriety, “Mexico” never appeared on any of Jefferson Airplane's studio albums. It was only included on the later compilation, Early Flight, in 1974.
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Impact on Band’s Reputation“Mexico” further cemented Jefferson Airplane's reputation for counterculture and activism-themed music.
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Cover ArtThe single's cover art was significantly censored, as well, due to its potentially controversial nature.
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Split Personality"Mexico" shows a distinct change in the band's music direction, as it was released during the transition from Jefferson Airplane to Jefferson Starship.
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Citation
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"Mexico Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/876784/Jefferson+Airplane/Mexico>.
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