The Sounds of America: 'Surrealistic Pillow'

Every year, 25 audio recordings are added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. The registry contains recordings of all types, from music and radio broadcasts to dramatic performances and speeches.

All have had some significant impact on American culture or history. Our “Sounds of America” series takes a closer look at some of these selections. 

This year, a psychedelic rock album was added to the registry. It helped expose the rest of the nation to San Francisco’s music scene in the ’60s,“Surrealistic Pillow” by Jefferson Airplane. 

Released in early 1967, this album is the first to feature singer Grace Slick. Slick joined after her first band, the Great Society, had just dissolved.Jefferson Airplane was looking for another singer after one of their founding members, Signe Anderson, left the group to start a family. Slick brought two songs with her from her Great Society days. They would become two of the band’s biggest hits: “Somebody to Love,” and “White Rabbit.” 

The album’s title,“Surrealistic Pillow,”was inspired by another San Francisco music icon: Jerry Garcia.The album’s liner notes list Garcia as “spiritual advisor.” But it’s rumored he also helped with arrangements and played guitar on a few of the tracks. When Garcia remarked that the music sounded “as surrealistic as a pillow is soft,” the title of the album was born. 

We hear from the original members of Jefferson Airplane. 

Want to add a recording you think should be added to the National Recording Registry? Your nomination must meet three conditions; there needs to be an existing physical copy of the recording, it has to be at least ten years old, and it has to have had some significant impact on American culture. Just send the library an email recregistry@loc.gov.

The Sounds of America is produced by Jennie Cataldo for Accompany Studios.

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