Thursday, June 22, 2006

Miracles...the other kind


In 1975, Marty Balin of Jefferson Starship wrote the song Miracles. I still remember the day, about ten years later, when I actually caught the lyrics to the long version of the song. Radio stations had been prohibited from playing the longer version because of suggestive lyrics and quite suggestive they are. I don’t know if the disc jockey played it by accident that day or on purpose, but I like to envision him getting a frantic call from the station manager and chaos ensuing in the control room.

It’s a sexy song anyway what with Grace Slick seductively echoing Marty’s words as he sings about love and what-not and her moaning and carrying on in the background but then I heard, or thought I heard, “…when I went down on you girl.”

“WHAT? What? What the hell was that?”

Marty went on to sing, “…when I start dancin’ inside ya…”

“Holy, crap.”

This was pre-internet, pre-Google, pre-All Music.com so there was no easy way to find out the story behind this erotic turn of events. When I got to work, I started asking people if they knew about this version of Miracles and nobody knew what I was talking about. I didn’t work with a very hip crowd at the time. It was also pre-Amazon.com and pre-Best Buy so I couldn’t just go out and find a Jefferson Starship cassette (yes, cassette) with the entire song on it. Life was certainly more complicated in the olden days.


But from that very first look in your eyes I knew you and I had but one heart.
Only our bodies were apart. That was so easy, so easy.
I had a taste of the real world when I went down on you, girl.

I can hear windmills and rainbows whenever you're talkin' to me.
I feel like swirling and dancin' whenever you're walking with me.
You ripple like a river when I touch you, when I pluck your body like a string.
When I start dancin' inside ya, oh baby, you make me wanna sing.

Baby, we're sure doin' it tonight.
Every time you come by, let me try.
Pretty, please sugar on it.
That's how I like it.

9 comments:

neil said...

Aaaah, the old days. Weren't they just sooo good.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

"...dancin inside ya..." So what kind of parasite is this? Tape worm?

Laurie said...

Tanked Up Taco - They had their moments.

Old Horsetail - It's more like a snake.

Lorna said...

Man, that kind of lyrics calls for a cigarette.

Miss Cellania said...

24 years in radio; I've played this song so many times, with ALL the lyrics, and nobody ever cared. Mostly they didn't listen that closely.

Anonymous said...

I first heard that song with those lyrics in 9th grade when my friend and I dragged an old phonograph out of the music classroom closet and into what was to become the student lounge.

Red Octopus was the only album in the phonograph cabinet so we blasted it! No one seemed to mind the lyrics just the volume. I wasn't aware that there were different versions until now.

At the time, I understood most of the words and concepts, but not all, but my friend explained the going down part in graphic detail. I remember thinking it sounded awfully good to me!

The strange thing about this is that I went to a private all girls school. Sex was rarely discussed, except in sex ed where they mainly taught us how to avoid being pressured by boys "from THAT school" into having it.

I love this song, I think it is the ultimate love song in many ways. It is not just about sex but about love, lust, and being completely connected with another person. The lyrics aren't suggestive they are down right specific!

I find this to be the most powerful part:

"I might have to move heaven and earth to prove
It to you, baby
So were makin love and you feel the power
And I feel the power
Then theres really nothing that we cant do
If we wanted to, baby
We could exist on the stars
Itd be so easy
All we gotta do
Is get a little faith in you
Oh, Ive been so many places
Ive seen some things
I know, love is the answer
Keeps holding this world together

Aint nothing better
Aint nothing better
And all the answers to our prayers
Hell , its the same everywhere, baby
Nothing ever breaks up the heart
Only tears give you away
Then youre right where I found ya
With my arms around ya
Oh baby, baby, baby, love is a magic word, yeah
Few ever find in a lifetime"

I actually remember that time as being a lot less complicated than now.

Laurie said...

Lorna - ...or two.

Miss Cellania - No kidding?! Wow.

Susan - Ah, sweet memories. One time, at band camp...

Anonymous said...

I thought you said it was better to wait ;-)

Laurie said...

Susan - Ah, yes. There are few things more intense (and pleasurable) than deferred gratification.