| "Fresh Air" | |
|---|---|
 German single picture sleeve | |
| Song by Quicksilver Messenger Service | |
| from the album Just for Love | |
| B-side | "Freeway Flyer" |
| Released | August 1970 |
| Recorded | May–June 1970 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 5:22 |
| Songwriter(s) | Jesse Oris Farrow (Dino Valenti) |
"Fresh Air" is a 1970 song written by Gary Duncan with lyrics by Jesse Oris Farrow, the pen name of Chester William "Chet" Powers, Jr., who also used the stage name of Dino Valenti/Valente (it is only credited to Powers/Valenti, however). It was first recorded by the San Francisco-based band Quicksilver Messenger Service, which Valenti had recently rejoined at the start of 1970. "Fresh Air" was the only single released from the album Just for Love . The single peaked at No. 49 on November 7, 1970 during a nine-week stay on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the band's most successful single. [1] In Canada it reached No. 73. [2]
The song was recorded as part of the sessions for the Just for Love album between May and June, 1970. Both this and the follow-up album What About Me were recorded during the band's relocation to Hawaii. Matthew Gruenwald of Allmusic opined that the song featured some of John Cipollina's best guitar work. [3] In concert, the song was often used to open the set where it was usually extended to ten minutes in length in order to feature the group's trademark Duncan/Cipollina guitar dueling, as heard on archival releases like At the Kabuki Theatre . [4]