Takes Off [Original recording remastered, Import]

Jefferson Airplane | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 6, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered, Import
• Label: Bmg Japan
• ASIN: B000007VPX
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,415,185 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Blues from an Airplane

2. Let Me In

3. Bringing Me Down

4. It's No Secret

5. Tobacco Road

6. Runnin' 'Round This World

7. Come Up the Years

8. Run Around

9. Let's Get Together

10. Don't Slip Away

11. Chauffeur Blues

12. And I Like It

13. Blues from an Airplane

14. Let Me In

15. Bringing Me Down

16. It's No Secret

17. Tobacco Road

18. Runnin' 'Round This World

19. Come Up the Years

20. Run Around

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A very accomplished debut even without Grace, July 5, 2002

By 

Phil Rogers (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Takes Off (Audio CD)

This is Jefferson Airplane before Grace Slick was persuaded to leave her former group (the Great Society). Signe Anderson was the 'girl' singer. In my opinion, she was a kind of weak folksinger. [For a terrific female folksinger working in the context of rock, check out the lead vocalist for Ill Wind, from the same era. She really wails!]

Side 1 (tracks 1-5) is quite the gem really. Here, they really have the electric San Francisco ballroom band sound down to a 'T'. Kind of like early Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and the Charlatans, but really a bit better.

The singles and b-sides were "Come Up the Years", "Blues from an Airplane", "Bringing Me down", and "It's No Secret". They're all pretty terrific.

"Come Up the Years" is probably the best here. Oddly enough it sounds more like Jefferson Starship ten or so years later. "Run Around" sounds like late Airplane, around 1970. So there are a lot of seeds sprouting here, so to speak.

I was surprised that "Tobacco Road", even though so very different, is as good as the hit version done by the Nashville Teens (actually a British band). "Let's Get Together" is the same song made famous later by the Youngbloods; it's a passable version; with different folks trading off as lead singer, and a lot of excellent three- and four-part harmony vocals.

It's interesting that, although they come off solidly as rock (and all electric, at that), when several of the group members are singing harmony together, which happens frequently, they sound like a folk group, though much more gutsy than, say, Peter, Paul and Mary [etc.].

Tracks 9-11 are throwaways, which is why I rated this at only 3 stars.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Takes off, August 8, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Takes Off (Audio CD)

This album is the first of many good Jefferson airplane albums. The band has Signe Toly Anderson not Grace Slick. Overall, this album is rated three stars cuz most of the songs are just average. The best song on the album is probably Blues From An Airplane. This album is not bad, but I'd reccommend getting a collection of Jefferson Airplane first.

5.0 out of 5 stars "It's No Secret" this is a must own but look for a very specific verison, July 8, 2007

By 

Craig Fenton "Craig The Airplane Man" (Airplaneville, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Takes Off (Audio CD)

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

There has never been a more appropriate day to review the debut Jefferson Airplane effort. The female vocalist at the time Signe Anderson is now battling cancer and monetary issues. Before we get to the music, please help her. If you go to the Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship message boards, you will see information on making donations directly to Signe. If you need further information, please contact me directly and put Signe Anderson in the subject line.

As often happens in the world of rock and roll even passionate fans of a band will miss the actual birth. Deep Purple for example is often associated with the start of their musical journey when Ian Gillian took over the vocals, but they had three studio albums under their belt. The progressive band "Yes" had two records released, yet many people think the third album is their first.

The Jefferson Airplane did have a flight before the classic line-up took hold. The fantastic first record is before Grace Slick and Spencer Dryden (Drums) would be part of the crew.

The perfect opening track for the recording is Marty Balin's "Blues From An Airplane." After the first verse, any ear can decipher the brilliance and passion in his voice.

"It's No Secret" (Another Balin composition) would become a staple of the band's early stage repertoire. Balin changes gears and shows his musical diversity with the upbeat rocker.

"Tobacco Road" is indeed the often-covered tune written by John Loudermilk. The majority of folks may think of the Nashville Teens hit version, but the Airplane rendition is as good as any.

"Let's Get Together" (Written by Dino Valente) yeas later would become an anthem for the Youngbloods under the name of "Get Together." Before the well-deserved accolades were handed to them, the Airplane had done a superlative arrangement.

Signe Anderson's voice can be heard miles away on the brilliant "Chauffeur Blues." She relayed a great story to me for the book that during a studio session of the song a mixing board ended up exploding because the engineers had her levels too high.

If you don't already know how tight the reigns were on suggestive lyrics back then the bonus tracks will introduce you to the songs that were originally censored and how ridiculous the reasons were! Even from day one, Paul Kantner was pushing the musical envelope.

The remarkable achievement of the initial J.A. recording is the consistency. While they took some blues from Jorma, folk from Paul, and Marty's love for rhythm and blues, they also initiated a sound for the ages. As great as they would become, even if this line-up remained and the style didn't take the more esoteric approach, they could have had their place in history as a tremendous rock and roll band.

You will notice the nice folks at Amazon give you numerous ways to purchase the CD. One version of the gives you the mono and stereo mixes (Excellent for the fanatic). It is not the optimum choice if you are purchasing only one copy. The remastered CD with the eight additional tracks is the version to procure. You'll be rewarded with the uncensored versions of "Let Me In" and "Run Around." Play it once and it won't ever be too far from your hands.

Enjoy the music and be well,

Craig Fenton

Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"