Down the rabbit hole

Holy crap, it's a TRIPLE DOSE thursday

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

Video

I have a suspicion that this song has some references to narcotics within its lyrics. I'm not sure why, but it's quite a strong suspicion. It may have something to do with the fact that, if she possibly could, Grace Slick would be holding you down and pouring liquid LSD down your throat while this song plays. And, let's face it, Slick is one of rock and roll's least celebrated nutters. The criteria that need to be met to be considered a recognised rock and roll nutter are, obviously, as follows:
(1) Must have done enough drugs to kill a regiment of dutch soldiers (see variously Keith Richards, Gibby Haynes, GG Allin etc. Not a short list)
(2) Must have been to prison more times than the neck tattoo fairy (GG Allin, check! Johnny Cash doesn't count.)
(3) Must be reknowned for wild and destructive behavior (i.e. Ramones, Sex Pistols, Rick James. GG Allin, check!)
(4) Should have a proper pseudonym (i.e. Flavour Flav. GG Allin, check!)
(5) Should have a suitably weird history (i.e. Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz. GG Allin, check!)

Suprisingly, Slick checks all these boxes. She's practically synonymous with irresponsible LSD use (beware: this can lead to the wearing of flares and paisley), has been arrested numerous times, tried to dose Richard Nixon with LSD, pointed a gun at a police office and, I'm sure, Slick may not be her real surname. Plus she's older than Jesus and pre-dates the Haight-Ashbury scene which means she probably grew up somewhere staid like Milwaukee. And that's a lot weirded than being a child of a child of the 60s.

my point is that the Rock Nutter Scale (tm) will be used as input into the general ranking of songs from now on (basically because I just make it up). Which means that White Rabbit is pretty good. And it is, allusory references to drugs and over references to Through the Looking Glass aside. It's based on a Bolero-like figure of repetition and rising tension that builds up to the point where you throw the radio into the tub and electrocute a Samoan attorney played by a rather fat Benicio Del Toro.

If that doesn't make the song cool, I don't know what does.

Verdict: Slicker than a greased-up penguin.

Tomorrow: Rick James - Super Freak.