Essential Jefferson Airplane [Original recording remastered]

Jefferson Airplane | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 26, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B0007YP17G
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,323 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Filling the double-disc void left by the excellent but sonically inferior and out-of-print 2400 Fulton Street: An Anthology, The Essential Jefferson Airplane digs deeper into the San Francisco band’s catalog than the many single disc collections available. Less expansive, but with better sound than the three disc box set, Jefferson Airplane Loves You, this 32 track compilation covers the band’s seven albums and two live offerings, giving nearly equal time to all. Not held in as high esteem as their Bay Area compatriots the Grateful Dead, the Airplane successfully combined Marty Balin’s expressive voice on such lovely folk-tinged love songs as "Comin' Back to Me," the apocalyptic visions of "Wooden Ships" (co-written by the Airplane’s Paul Kantner with David Crosby and Stephen Stills), the edgy, psychedelia of "The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil" and the politically charged rallying cry of "Volunteers." Singer Grace Slick provided a photogenic focal point and dynamic interplay that meshed perfectly with the band’s three male vocalists.

Disc one clocks in at a relatively anemic 50 minutes, leaving nearly an unused half hour that could have included such influential album tracks as the band’s version of Donovan’s "The Fat Angel," "Won’t You Try/Saturday Afternoon," "Triad," and "Wild Thyme." Regardless, this is a well-chosen selection (with first-rate liner notes from J.A. historian Jeff Tamarkin) that highlights the Airplane’s diverse influences as it echoed and exemplified the turbulent end of the '60s/beginning of the '70s. --Hal Horowitz

Recommended Jefferson Airplane Discography

Surrealistic Pillow	After Bathing at Baxter's	Crown of Creation
Volunteers	Live at the Fillmore East	Jefferson Airplane Takes Off

Product Description

CD 1

1. Blues From An Airplane
2. It's No Secret
3. Come Up The Years
4. She Has Funny Cars
5. Somebody To Love
6. Comin' Back To Me
7. Embryonic Journey
8. White Rabbit
9. Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil
10. Martha
11. Last Wall Of The Castle
12. Watch Her Ride
13. Lather
14. Crown Of Creation
15. Greasy Heart
16. Share A Little Joke

CD 2

1. 3/5 Of A Mile In Ten Seconds (Live)
2. Plastic Fantastic Lover (Live)
3. We Can Be Together
4. Good Shepherd
5. Wooden Ships
6. Eskimo Blue Day
7. Volunteers
8. Have You Seen The Saucers?
9. Mexico
10. When The Earth Moves Again
11. Pretty As You Feel
12. Third Week In The Chelsea
13. Long John Silver
14. Twilight Double Leader
15. Feel So Good (Live)
16. Milk Train (Live)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some non-album tracks, November 23, 2005

By 

Laurence Upton (Wilts, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential Jefferson Airplane (Audio CD)

This may be the most inexpensive way to acquire their non-album single Have You Seen The Saucers?/Mexico, released during a transitional period between Volunteers and Bark. The mono single mixes of Martha and Share A Little Joke are also included, though these are also to be found as bonus tracks on their parent albums, After Bathing At Baxter's and Crown Of Creation. Unfortunately for collectors the opportunity to include the mono single version of The Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil has again been passed over.
The rest of the two discs is taken up with a fairly sensibly chosen selection from their albums Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing At Baxter's, Crown Of Creation, Bless It's Pointed Little Head, Volunteers, Bark, Long John Silver, and finally two live tracks from 1972 that appeared on 30 Seconds Over Winterland, including the eleven minute Jorma Kaukonen epic Feel So Good. Tracks that were also A-sides or B-sides have been favoured and We Can Be Together, from Volunteers, is the edited B-side version.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How come "Today" is not included?, July 20, 2008

By 

Alejandro "new_fad" (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Essential Jefferson Airplane (Audio CD)

This would be the definite compilation if tracks so vital like "Today" (from Surrealistic Pillow) or "Won't you try / Saturday afternoon" (from After Bathing at Baxter's) were included. In general, it contains the milestones of the JA career plus a few hard to find songs, the sound quality is very good, and for new Airplane fans is maybe the best budget package available.

5.0 out of 5 stars ??????????, May 30, 2011

By 

JUDAS TREES - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Essential Jefferson Airplane (Audio CD)

Wasnt to familiar with the sounds of Jefferson Airplane.This 2 cd set was a great place to start.Priced right and all the hits.