Sunfighter

Last updated
Sunfighter
Sunfighter.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1971
Recorded1971 at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco
Genre Rock
Psychedelic rock
Length41:48
Label Grunt/RCA Records
Producer Paul Kantner
Grace Slick
Paul Kantner chronology
Blows Against the Empire
(1970)
Sunfighter
(1971)
Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun
(1973)
Grace Slick chronology
Sunfighter
(1971)
Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide C [2]

Sunfighter is a 1971 album created by Paul Kantner and Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane. The album was released shortly after the Airplane album Bark was released, and is the second record released on the Airplane's own Grunt vanity label, distributed by RCA Records. The album features a picture of their baby daughter, China Wing Kantner, on the cover. Many Bay Area musicians perform on the album, including all of the then current lineup of Jefferson Airplane, members of the Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and the horn group, Tower of Power. This album is also the first time a 17-year old Craig Chaquico recorded with Paul Kantner and Grace Slick. He would go on to become the lead guitarist for Jefferson Starship.

Contents

Dedications

The song "Sunfighter" is dedicated to Marty Balin, who had formed Jefferson Airplane with Kantner. [3]

Inspirations

Part 1 of the song "Diana" was written in response to the story of Diana Oughton and the Weathermen. [4] Part 2 is a response to the Ohio National Guard mass shooting of students at Kent State University.

The song "Silver Spoon" concerns cannibalism. According to the liner notes, Grace Slick, now a vegan, [5] conceived of the song out of frustration with pressure from vegetarian neighbors in Bolinas, California, where she and Kantner had recently moved.

The song "China" is about their new daughter, China Kantner. Her picture is used on the cover of the album.

Track listing

Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Silver Spoon" Grace Slick 5:40
2."Diana" Paul Kantner, Slick0:52
3."Sunfighter"Kantner3:50
4."Titanic"Phill Sawyer2:25
5."Look at the Wood"Slick, Kantner2:08
6."When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves"Kantner, Slick4:59
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Million"Kantner4:02
2."China"Slick3:17
3."Earth Mother"Jack Traylor3:16
4."Diana 2"Kantner, Slick1:01
5."Universal Copernican Mumbles"Pat Gleeson, John Vierra, Kantner2:03
6."Holding Together"Slick, Kantner7:40

Charts

Chart (1972)Peak
position
Billboard Pop Albums89
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] 45

Personnel

Production

Notes

  1. Ruhlmann, William (2011). "Sunfighter - Paul Kantner | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Original LP liner notes / Sunfighter Grunt Records / RCA FTR-1002
  4. Tamarakin, Jeff (2003). Got a Revolution: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   0-671-03403-0.
  5. "Grace Slick rocks the world of meat". USA Today. 2001-09-26. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 164. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.

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