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Jefferson Airplane Takes Off

Jefferson Airplane Takes Off (1966)
L to R: Marty Balin, Jorma Kaukonen, Signe Toly Anderson, Paul Kantner, Skip Spence, Jack Casady

Released August 15, 1966

The folk-rock explosion of 1965 culminated late in the year with the arrival of The Beatles' Rubber Soul. Its musical sophistication marked a significant leap forward for the album format itself, demonstrating that an LP could serve as a cohesive artistic statement rather than a padded-out vehicle for a few hit singles (although Capitol, as it was wont to do, significantly altered the tracklist of the American release — but I digress). The impact of the Beatles' album on San Francisco's nascent rock scene was such that, for a time in 1966, "You could party hop all night and hear nothing but Rubber Soul," as journalist Charles Perry later recalled. The influence of the Beatles' album is readily discernible when listening to Takes Off, though the Airplane's album is a touch darker and harder-edged.

1: Blues from an Airplane (2:10)
2: Let Me In (3:28)
3: Bringing Me Down (2:22)
4: It's No Secret (2:38)
5: Tobacco Road (3:28)
6: Runnin' 'Round This World (2:23)

7: Come Up the Years (2:31)
8: Run Around (2:32)
9: Let's Get Together (3:34)
10: Don't Slip Away (2:32)
11: Chauffeur Blues (2:26)
12: And I Like It (3:16)

Note: This track listing is for the original 1966 pressing of the album. Fearing controversy over suggestive lyrics, RCA forced the band to revise the album shortly after its initial release: "Runnin' 'Round This World" was deleted from the tracklist entirely (leaving "Tobacco Road" as the closing track of side one), and the lyrics of "Let Me In" and "Run Around" were altered. Most re-releases of Takes Off in the years since have been of the censored second version. Some later CD issues of the album include "Runnin' Round This World" and the uncensored versions of "Let Me In" and "Run Around" as bonus tracks. The censored tracks also differ in length from the uncensored versions: "Let Me In" runs 2:56, while "Run Around" is 2:37.

Recording Dates:
Title Date Master No.
Runnin' 'Round This WorldDecember 16, 1965SPA3-7651
It's No SecretDecember 18, 1965SPA3-7652
And I Like ItFebruary 19, 1966TPA3-0161
Bringing Me DownFebruary 21, 1966TPA3-0162
Chauffeur BluesFebruary 25, 1966TPA3-0163
Tobacco RoadFebruary 25, 1966TPA3-0164
Let's Get TogetherFebruary 26, 1966TPA3-0165
Let Me InFebruary 26, 1966 (uncensored),
March 16, 1966 (censored)
TPA3-0168
Run AroundFebruary 26, 1966 (uncensored),
March 21, 1966 (censored)
TPA3-0478
Don't Slip AwayFebruary 28, 1966TPA3-0166
Come Up the YearsMarch 15, 1966TPA3-0167
Blues from an AirplaneMarch 18, 1966TPA3-0201

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