Grace Slick was Jefferson Airplane’s vocalist, providing her signature vocals for many of the band’s most iconic songs. Her commanding stage presence defined the psychedelic rock genre, with classics like “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” etched into history.
As the band name changed to Jefferson Starship and finally simply Starship, Slick remained a vital component of the band, yet her mindset regarding their music started to shift. During the 1980s, she still lent vocals to Starship’s projects, yet there was a single song that she honestly despised.
Grace Slick hated ‘We Built This City’
Slick did not hesitate to speak her mind regarding what she was thinking, and “We Built This City” was no exception. She considered the lyrics to be complete nonsense, admitting that the song, which spoke of a city built on rock and roll, made no sense to her. She had once stated that even Taupin, being British, should have known better than to utter those words.
Even though she personally hated the song, their producer thought that it had potential and was adamant that it was a hit. In the end, the producer was right — the song soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, where it became the band’s third hit.
Why did Grace Slick sing a song she hated?
Slick had her own reasons for singing the song despite her distaste. By the ’80s, she had gone through a phase of self-destructive behavior fueled by alcohol, and this had strained her relationships within the band. Wracked with guilt over her past actions, she was ready to make amends.
During an interview with the Guardian, she admitted that she spent the decade trying to be more responsible, staying sober while being dedicated to her work with the band. In her own words, the recording of “We Built This City” and other similarly-minded songs was part of her effort to be a good girl after years of chaos.