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Grace

The seven-minute closer, written for Grace Slick and dressed in chimes, bells and slowing echo.
Country Joe & The Fish, from Electric Music for the Mind and Body (1967)

Written by
Country Joe McDonald
Released
1967
Album
Electric Music for the Mind and Body

McDonald wrote Grace as an ode to Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. He had met her when she sang with an earlier band, the Great Society, and wanted to give her better material to sing. It was taped on 3 February 1967 and closes the album at 7:03. The song is influenced by Japanese music, and the band added bells, chimes, water sound effects and an echo delay that grows slower as the piece goes on.

Uncut called it an enchanting work of no small mystery and noted that the band, for once, chose some studio trickery. Craft Recordings pointed out that in the stereo mix McDonald's vocal switches between the speakers. Observer's John Kruth described it as the band's sonic valentine to Slick, with clanging wind chimes, distorted guitar harmonics and a mournful recorder.

More songs by Country Joe & The Fish

Section 43, Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine, Superbird, I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag

Sources

  1. Electric Music for the Mind and Body, Wikipedia
  2. Country Joe & The Fish: Electric Music for the Mind and Body, Uncut (2013-05-13)
  3. Country Joe & The Fish: Electric Music for the Mind and Body, Craft Recordings
  4. The Strange Story of Country Joe & the Fish and the Summer of Love, Observer (2017-05-12)