Volunteers (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Volunteers


Caption =
Artist = Jefferson Airplane
from Album = Volunteers
A-side =
B-side = We Can Be Together
Released = September, 1969
Format = Vinyl record (7") 45 RPM
Recorded = 1969
Genre = Psychedelic rock, Acid Rock
Length = A-Side: 2:03 B-Side: 5:50
Label = RCA
Writer = Marty Balin / Paul Kantner
Producer = Al Schmitt
Certification =
Chart position = 65
Last single = "The Other Side of This Life"
This single = "We Can Be Together"
Next single = "Mexico"

A-Side "Volunteers"

"Volunteers" is a Jefferson Airplane single that was released to promote the album "Volunteers" two months before its release. It was written by Marty Balin and Paul Kantner together. Marty was woken up by a truck one morning, which happened to be a truck with Volunteers of America painted on the side.cite book |last=Tamarakin |first=Jeff |year=2003 |title=Got a Revolution: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=0671034030] Marty started writing lyrics down and then asked Paul to help him with the music.

B-Side "We Can Be Together"

"We Can Be Together" is the B-side of the "Volunteers" 45 and the first track on "Volunteers". The song's music and lyrics were written by Paul Kantner. Kantner was inspired by the Black Panther Party's use of the phrase "Up against the wall, motherfucker" and included it in the chorus. The Airplane performed "We Can Be Together" uncensored on "The Dick Cavett Show" on August 19, 1969, and this performance is purported to be the first time the word "fuck" was ever uttered on network television.Fact|date=January 2008

Personnel

*Grace Slick - Piano / Vocals
*Paul Kantner - Rhythm Guitar / Vocals
*Marty Balin - Guitar / Vocals
*Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar
*Jack Casady - Bass
*Spencer Dryden - Drums / Percussion

Additional Personnel

*Nicky Hopkins - Piano

Notes