Artists

David LaFlamme – violin, vocals
Linda LaFlamme – organ, piano, electric piano, celeste, harpsichord
Hal Wagenet – guitar
Mitchell Holman – bass
Val Fuentes – drums
Pattie Santos – vocals, tambourine, bells

Written by Vince Wallace & David LaFlamme. Produced by David LaFlamme, engineered by Brian Ross-Myring, recorded 1968–69, CBS Studios, Los Angeles.

An instrumental showcase for David LaFlamme‘s violin, “Bombay Calling” is best known today as the acknowledged inspiration for Deep Purple’s “Child in Time.” Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan has said the organ riff was based directly on this track, and according to one account, keyboardist Jon Lord first played the song for the rest of the band after someone recalled it, leading them to slow it down and build their own song around the idea — a story also connected to Lord’s personal relationship with It’s a Beautiful Day’s vocalist, Pattie Santos, at the time. In an ironic twist, It’s a Beautiful Day later borrowed right back, reworking Deep Purple’s “Wring That Neck” into their own song “Don and Dewey” on their second album, Marrying Maiden (1970).

It’s A Beautiful Day – Bombay Calling Lyrics

The song “Bombay Calling” by It’s a Beautiful Day is an instrumental track and does not have official lyrics.

To listen to other songs from the the Teleskop 20 program click here.

Artists

David LaFlamme – lead vocals, violin
Pattie Santos – vocals, tambourine, bells, block, gourd
Linda LaFlamme – organ, piano, electric piano, celeste, harpsichord
Hal Wagenet – guitar
Mitchell Holman – bass
Val Fuentes – drums

Written by David LaFlamme & Linda LaFlamme. Produced by David LaFlamme, engineered by Brian Ross-Myring, recorded 1968–69, CBS Studios, Los Angeles.

The band’s signature song, “White Bird,” was written in December 1967 while David and Linda LaFlamme were living in Seattle, inspired by the view from a small attic window during a dreary winter. Despite missing the main singles chart, the song became a favorite among FM radio DJs, and a nearly ten-minute live version later appeared on the 1972 album It’s a Beautiful Day at Carnegie Hall. It’s also featured in the 1972 concert documentary Fillmore. David LaFlamme later recorded a solo remake in 1976 that did reach the Hot 100, at No. 89, and the song has since been covered by artists including Judy Collins, who released her own version in 2021.

It’s A Beautiful Day – White Bird Lyrics

White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter’s day
In the rain

White bird
In a golden cage
Alone

The leaves blow
Across the long, black road
To the darkened skies
In it’s rage

But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Unknown

White bird must fly
Or she will die

White bird
Dreams of the aspen trees
With their dying leaves
Turning gold

But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old

White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die

The sunsets come
The sunsets go
The clouds roll by
And the earth turns old
And the young bird’s eyes
Do always glow

She must fly
She must fly
She must fly

White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter’s day
In the rain

White bird
In a golden cage
Alone

White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die

To listen to other songs from the the Teleskop 20 program click here.

Artists

David LaFlamme – lead vocals, violin
Linda LaFlamme – organ, piano, electric piano, celeste, harpsichord
Hal Wagenet – guitar
Mitchell Holman – bass
Val Fuentes – drums
Pattie Santos – vocals, tambourine, bells, block, gourd

Written by David LaFlamme & Linda LaFlamme. Produced by David LaFlamme, engineered by Brian Ross-Myring, recorded 1968–69, CBS Studios, Los Angeles.

“Girl With No Eyes” was one of three songs on the band’s debut album co-written by Linda LaFlamme, who shared songwriting credit with her husband David LaFlamme. In a later interview, she recalled the song coming to her lyrically and musically first, before David took her initial idea and expanded on it. The song had already been cut as a demo at San Francisco’s Avalon Ballroom on April 9, 1968, alongside “Bulgaria” and “Wasted Union Blues,” before all three were re-recorded for the full album.

It’s A Beautiful Day – Girl With No Eyes Lyrics

There’s a girl in my room and her face on the wall with no eyes
There’s a girl in my room and her face on the wall with no eyes
Girl with no eyes, who can she be?
Girl with no eyes, she’s looking at me
There’s a girl in my room and her face on the wall with no eyes

If I make a sound she’ll know that I’m stirring inside
If I make a sound she’ll know that I’m trying to hide
Girl with no eyes, who can she be?
Girl with no eyes, she’s looking at me
Beautiful girl, who does she see?
Beautiful girl, she seems to be staring

Doesn’t eveybody know (everybody know)
Everybody know love takes a lifetime?
And doesn’t everbody know (everybody know)
Everybody know love is the eyesight?
It’s the eyesight of a lifetime

She’s just a reflection of all of the time that’s gone by
She’s just a reflection of all of the time I’ve been high
Girl with no eyes, who can she be?
Girl with no eyes, she’s looking at me
Beautiful girl, who does she see?
Beautiful girl, she seems to be staring

Doesn’t eveybody know (everybody know)
Everybody know love takes a lifetime?
And doesn’t everbody know (everybody know)
Everybody know love is the eyesight?
It’s the eyesight of a lifetime

To listen to other songs from the the Teleskop 20 program click here.

Artists

David LaFlamme – lead vocals, violin
Linda LaFlamme – keyboards
Hal Wagenet – guitar
Mitchell Holman – bass
Val Fuentes – drums
Bruce Steinberg – harmonica

Written by David LaFlamme & Linda LaFlamme. Produced by David LaFlamme, engineered by Brian Ross-Myring, recorded 1968–69, Los Angeles.

“Hot Summer Day” appears on the band’s self-titled debut album alongside their best-known song, “White Bird,” and is frequently cited alongside “Girl With No Eyes” and “Time Is” as one of the record’s standout tracks. The album was recorded by the San Francisco group under difficult circumstances — their manager, Matthew Katz, had kept them from performing live in San Francisco for about a year while the band awaited the chance to record, reportedly telling them they weren’t ready yet. Despite modest chart performance (the album reached No. 47 in the US), It’s a Beautiful Day is now regarded as a key document of the late-1960s San Francisco psychedelic scene, distinguished by David LaFlamme‘s prominent lead violin.

It’s A Beautiful Day – A Hot Summer Day Lyrics

Hot summer day (Hot summer day)
Carry me along
Oh, hot summer day (Hot summer day)
Please carry me along

[Chorus]
Hot summer day
Carry me along
To its end
Where I begin

[Verse 2]
Long summer dream (Long summer dream)
Slidin’ ’round my mind
Those long summer dreams (Long summer dream)
Are leavin’ me behind

[Chorus]
Hot summer day
Carry me along
To its end
Where I begin

[Bridge]
Circlin’ like a river
Over brightly colored stones
Breakin’ up my soul
And takin’ part of me home
Leavin’ the other half
To tumble all alone
Love, love, where did you go?

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]
Hot summer day (Hot summer day)
Carry me along
To its end
Where I begin

[Verse 3]
Those long summer dreams (Long summer dream)
Still spinnin’ ’round my mind
And they end
Where they begin

[Bridge]
And I want to grab that river
And stop the love that’s dyin’
Because I know that somewhere
Deep inside my soul you’re still lyin’
Waitin’ to awaken
And shake that river’s flow
Love, love, where did you go?

[Interlude]

[Bridge]
They told me that the sun turned green
I said I didn’t know
And they told me that the moon turned blue
I said it didn’t show
And they told me that I looked a fool
And I said I’d let that go
But when they told me that our love was dead
I had to turn and go

[Refrain]
Oh, love
Love
Love
Love
Love
Where did you go?

[Chorus]
Hot summer day (Hot summer day)
Carry me along
To its end
Where I begin

[Verse 2]
Long summer dreams (Long summer dream)
Slidin’ ’round my mind
And they end
Where they begin

[Bridge]
Circlin’ like a river
Over brightly colored stones
Breakin’ up my soul
And takin’ part of me home
Leavin’ the other half
To tumble all alone
Love, love, where did you go?

To listen to other songs from the the Teleskop 20 program click here.

Artists

Musicians featured in this piece are:

Eric Clapton – lead vocals, guitar
Jack Bruce – bass guitar
Ginger Baker – drums

Written by Eric Clapton, Felix Pappalardi & Gail Collins. Produced by Felix Pappalardi, engineered by Tom Dowd, recorded at Atlantic Studios, New York City, April–May 1967.

“Strange Brew” grew out of a blues the band had cut called “Lawdy Mama.” Producer Felix Pappalardi took the tape, and with new lyrics from his wife Gail Collins, had Eric Clapton overdub a fresh lead vocal and guitar lines in the style of Albert King, turning it into a pop-flavoured single without losing the original groove. It’s unusual for Cream in that Clapton, rather than Jack Bruce, sings the lead. Clapton has said he wrote the music while listening to The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City.”

Cream – Strange Brew Lyrics

She’s a witch of trouble in electric blue
In her own mad mind she’s in love with you
With you
Now what you gonna do?
Strange brew – killing what’s inside of you

She’s some kind of demon messing in the glue
If you don’t watch out it’ll stick to you
To you
What kind of fool are you?
Strange brew – killing what’s inside of you

On a boat in the middle of a raging sea
She would make a scene for it all to be
Ignored
And wouldn’t you be bored?

Strange brew
Killing what’s inside of you

Strange brew
Strange brew
Strange brew
Strange brew

Strange brew
Killing what’s inside of you

To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 16 program and the full program, click here.

Artists

Musicians featured in this piece are:

Grace Slick – lead vocals, piano
Pete Sears – bass
David Freiberg – ARP synthesizer
John Barbata – drums, percussion
Craig Chaquico – lead guitar
Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Papa John Creach – violin

Written by Grace Slick. Produced by Jefferson Starship and Larry Cox, recorded at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, 1975. Released on Red Octopus (Grunt Records, June 1975); later issued as the B-side to the “Miracles” single.

“Ai Garimasu” — Japanese for “there is love” — is one of Grace Slick‘s two lead-vocal contributions to Red Octopus, alongside “Fast Buck Freddie” and “Play On Love,” and is often singled out by reviewers as one of the album’s more distinctive tracks, standing apart from Marty Balin’s soft-rock ballads elsewhere on the record.

Jefferson Starship – Ai Garimasu (There Is Love) Lyrics

Al child you are timeless and I love you
Child that I see
And I see you
Tryin to lean towards kindness
Now thats what I like to see
Thats what I like to see
I want to see your love
And I want to feel
I wanna feel your love
Al Garimasu sometimes loving in the rain
Some feel like steel some taste like, candy
Al Garimasu the same in any language
The same in any name
Call it what you feel
Call it whatevers handy
We don’t, have to know the name, no
We don’t, have to have the same name, oh
We don’t, have to have any name at all
All cause you gave me your love
And now I know, just exactly who to call

Oh, thats what I
I like to see
I like to see your love
And I wanna feel
I wanna feel your love
We don’t, have to know the name, oh no
We don’t, have to have the same name, oh
We don’t, have to have any name at all
Cause you gave me your love
And now I know, just exactly who to call

To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 10 program and the full program, click here.

Artists

Musicians featured in this piece are:

Grace Slick – lead vocals
Marty Balin – vocals
Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals
Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar
Jack Casady – bass guitar
Spencer Dryden – drums

The song was written by Darby Slick. Produced by Rick Jarrard, recorded at RCA Studios, Los Angeles, 1967.

“Somebody to Love” is one of the leaner, more guitar-driven tracks on Surrealistic Pillow — notably it does not feature Jerry Garcia, who was credited as the album’s “musical and spiritual advisor” and played guitar on several other tracks (“Today,” “Comin’ Back to Me,” “Plastic Fantastic Lover,” among others), making it a showcase for the Airplane’s own core lineup, built around Kaukonen’s closing guitar solo and Slick’s lead vocal.

Jefferson Airplane – Somebody to Love Lyrics

When the truth is found
To be lies
And all the joy
Within you dies

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love
Love

When the garden flowers
Baby, are dead, yes
And your mind, your mind
Is so full of red

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love

Your eyes, I say your eyes
May look like his
Yeah, but in your head, baby
I’m afraid you don’t know where it is

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love

Tears are running
They’re all running down your breast
And your friends, baby
They treat you like a guest

Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love

To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 10 program and the full program, click here.

Artists

Musicians featured in this piece are:

Grace Slick – lead vocals
Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar (Guild Thunderbird through Standel Super Imperial amplifier)
Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar
Jack Casady – bass guitar
Spencer Dryden – drums

The song was written by Grace Slick, originally composed and performed while she was with her previous band The Great Society. Produced by Rick Jarrard, recorded at RCA Studios, Hollywood, November 1966.

Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit Lyrics

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don’t do anything at all
Go ask Alice
When she’s ten feet tall

And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall
Tell ’em a hookah-smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Call Alice
When she was just small

When the men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you’ve just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving low
Go ask Alice
I think she’ll know

When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen’s off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head
Feed your head

To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 9 program and the full program, click here.

Artists

Musicians featured in this piece are:

Grace Slick – lead vocals
Neil Jason – electric bass
Allan Schwartzberg – drums
Ron Frangipane – Oberheim synthesizer, conductor and orchestral arrangements
Geoff Farr – Oberheim synthesizer programmer

The song was written by Sean Delaney. Produced and arranged by Ron Frangipane, recorded at The Hit Factory and RCA Studios, New York City, 1979.

“Dreams” is one of the most orchestrally dense tracks on the album — notably it does not feature the rhythm guitars of Scott Zito, Sal DiTroia or George Wadenius, which appear on most other tracks, making it a showcase for Grace Slick’s vocals set against Frangipane’s sweeping string and synthesizer arrangements.

Grace Slick – Dreams Lyrics

Oh I, I believe in magic and I believe in dreams
Until I heard the thunder rumble
I saw the mountains crumble –
Then came the circus so I followed it’s parade

With all the fancy lion tamers, high-wire fiery flamers
Ravers of every kind
I saw those high-stepping sexy witches
Sons of satin, sons of bitches – all were there in my dreams
all in my dreams
Sodom and Gomorrah
I see you’re back in town.
And though you build a wall around you
The multitude still found you
Just like a circus to start with a parade
Oh but a parade of the

Fancy lion tamers, high-wire fiery flamers
Ravers of every kind
I saw those high-stepping sexy witches
Sons of satin, sons of bitches – all were there in my dreams
all in my dreams
Now I can see the whole world is just a circus
And I can tell that the circus why it’s just hell
And then I heard a drummer rolling
I found my seat’s been stolen
Then a spotlight hit me going wild in center ring for all you

Fancy lion tamers, high-wire fiery flamers
Ravers of every kind
I saw those high-stepping sexy witches
Sons of satin, sons of bitches – all were there in my dreams
all in my dreams

My dreams my dreams
Well I, I believe in magic and I believe in dreams
I said I, I believe in magic and I, I believe in dreams
I believe in dreams
I said I, I believe in magic, I believe in dreams
I believe in dreams, magic, magical dreams
I wanted to sing that I believe in dreams
Magical dreams, oh I believe in dreams
I said I, I believe in magic, I still believe in dreams

To listen to other songs from the Teleskop 9 program and the full program, click here.