Psychedelic Rock Music
The song “Somebody to Love” was written by Darby Slick and first recorded by the folk rock band The Great Society. Darby Slick was their guitarist, and Grace Slick, his sister-in-law (at the time), was their lead vocalist on that record. Grace Slick then left The Great Society and joined Jefferson Airplane. In 1967, the Sixties psychedelic rock group Jefferson Airplane released their version of the song as a single backed with “She Has Funny Cars.” “Somebody to Love” was also on their 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. Their version rose to #5 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box chart. Besides Grace on lead vocals, there are Marty Balin (tambourine, backing vocals), Jorma Kaukonen (lead guitar), Paul Kantner (rhythm guitar), Jack Casady (bass), and Spencer Dryden (drums). The version by Jefferson Airplane is on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
The song has been featured in a number of films, including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, A Home at the End of the World, St. Vincent, The Cable Guy, Four Brothers, A Serious Man, and American Pop.