Mexico (Jefferson Airplane song)

"Mexico"
Single by Jefferson Airplane
B-side	Have You Seen the Saucers?
Released	May, 1970
Format	7" Vinyl
Recorded	February, 1970 at Pacific High Recording, San Francisco and Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco
Label	RCA
Writer(s)	Grace Slick
Producer	Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane singles chronology
"Volunteers" "Mexico" "Pretty as You Feel"

"Mexico" is a single released in May 1970 by the San Francisco rock band Jefferson Airplane, produced by the band at Pacific High Recording Studios with Phill Sawyer as the recording engineer.^[1] Written and sung by Grace Slick,^[2] it is a rant against then-President Richard Nixon and his anti-drug initiative, Operation Intercept, that he had implemented to curtail the flow of marijuana into the United States from Mexico.

The song received little radio air play, being banned in some states,^[2] but did reach #102 on the Billboard charts, barely missing the Hot 100.^[3]

Five months after the release of "Mexico", President Nixon did request that songs relating to drug abuse not be broadcast.^[4]

Live versions of "Mexico" and its B-Side, "Have You Seen the Saucers" were to be released on the next Airplane album,^[5] but Marty Balin left the band before Bark had finished production forcing a change in some of the planned material.^[3] A live version of "Have You Seen the Saucers" appeared as the opening track of the live album Thirty Seconds Over Winterland,^[6] and the two studio tracks were finally released on an album when the Early Flight compilation^[2] was released.

Personnel

Personnel from original Vinyl credits.^[2]

• Grace Slick – piano, vocals
• Marty Balin – vocals
• Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar
• Jack Casady – bass
• Spencer Dryden – drums, percussion
• Joey Covington – congas and bells on "Have You Seen the Saucers"

References

1. ^ "San Francisco". Precambrianmusic.com. http://precambrianmusic.com/sanfran1.htm. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} (1974) Album notes for Early Flight by Jefferson Airplane [Vinyl gatefold]. New York City: RCA (CYL1-0437).
3. ^ ^{a b} Tamarakin, Jeff (2003). Got a Revolution: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0671034030. 
4. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
5. ^ Kantner, Paul (February 1971) (Magazine). Paul Kantner. Interview with Patricia Kennealy. Jazz & Pop. 
6. ^ (1973) Album notes for Thirty Seconds Over Winterland by Jefferson Airplane [Vinyl back]. New York City: RCA (BFL1-0147).