"Lather", a song by

Grace Slick Grace Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing; October 30, 1939) is an American painter and retired musician whose musical career spanned four decades. She was a prominent figure in San Francisco's psychedelic music scene during the mid-1960s to the earl ...

, performed by US rock band

Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...

, is the opening track on the 1968 album ''

Crown of Creation ''Crown of Creation'' is the fourth studio album by the San Francisco psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane, released by RCA Victor in August 1968. The album saw the band continuing their development of psychedelic music, emphasizing acid roc ...

'' and was the B-side for the single of the same name. Slick says she wrote the song for the drummer of the group

Spencer Dryden Spencer Charles Dryden (April 7, 1938 – January 11, 2005) was an American musician best known as the drummer for Jefferson Airplane and New Riders of the Purple Sage. He also played with Dinosaurs, and the Ashes (later known as the Peanut Butt ...

, who was at the time twenty-nine years old and her boyfriend. The lyrics tell of a boy who stays as young as possible until one day when he is shattered by having finally to grow up. ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' critic Michael Gallucci rated it Jefferson Airplane's 10th best song, calling it "Grace Slick's gentle poke at people who reach the ripe old age of 30." Gallucci described the music as "a blend of medieval and psychedelic styles, with acoustic instruments brushing up against freak-out sound effects. The band performed the song during their 1968 appearance on ''

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'' is an American television comedy, comedy and variety show television series hosted by the Smothers Brothers and initially airing on CBS from 1967 to 1969. The series was a major success, especially consid ...

''. Upon Dryden's death in 2005, Slick and other band members wrote tributes to Dryden that appeared on the group's website. Slick's ends with the first lines of the song: "Lather was 30 years old today, they took away all of his toys."

Cover versions

Tom Constanten Tom Constanten (born March 19, 1944) is an American keyboardist, best known for playing with the Grateful Dead from 1968 to 1970, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Biography Early career Born in Long Branc ...

performs a solo piano instrumental cover of this song on his album ''Morning Dew''. * Small Potatoes performed as part of a medley "Lather Danish Misfortune Mad Mouth" on their album ''Waltz of the Wallflowers (A Dysfunctional Duet)''.

References

1968 songs Jefferson Airplane songs Songs written by Grace Slick Song recordings produced by Al Schmitt {{1960s-song-stub