On which album of the American rock band Jefferson Airplane does the song White Rabbit appear?

White Rabbit is a song by the American psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane, featured on their famous 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. The song quickly became an icon of the 1960s counterculture, thanks to its references to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and its themes inspired by the psychedelic experimentation and free-thinking that marked the era.

The Surrealistic Pillow album marked a turning point for Jefferson Airplane, not only in terms of its commercial success, but also in terms of its place in rock history. It was the album that introduced the band to the world music scene and consolidated its influence in the San Francisco movement. Grace Slick, who joined the band shortly before recording this album, wrote White Rabbit and Somebody to Love, two of Jefferson Airplane’s biggest hits.

White Rabbit is distinguished by its allusive lyrics, in which Slick uses characters like Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts to evoke the idea of escaping reality and exploring consciousness. She also speaks of “pills” that change size, alluding to the effects of psychedelic drugs, while conveying a message of searching for meaning in an often rigid society. Its musical structure is equally striking: it is inspired by Ravel’s bolero, offering a rhythmic build-up that culminates in a hypnotic finale.

The impact of Surrealistic Pillow and White Rabbit was not limited to the 1960s. The song became an anthem for many generations, who saw in its lyrics and mood an invitation to push back the boundaries of conventional thinking. It is regularly used in the media to illustrate the spirit of rebellion and discovery of the 60s. The song has been repeated and quoted in numerous films, series and works, reinforcing its presence in popular culture.

The success of this album helped make Jefferson Airplane one of the leading bands of the 1967 Summer of Love, and propelled them onto the stages of iconic festivals such as Monterey and Woodstock. Today, White Rabbit and Surrealistic Pillow remain rock classics, marking the heyday of psychedelic rock and alternative culture.

White Rabbit, through Surrealistic Pillow, symbolizes the liberating spirit of an entire generation and embodies psychedelic music at its peak, blending poetry, rebellion and the quest for new horizons, while inscribing Jefferson Airplane in the history of American rock.

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