‘Somebody to Love’ (originally titled "Someone to Love") is a rock song that was written by Darby Slick. It was originally recorded by The Great Society, and later by Jefferson Airplane. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Jefferson Airplane's version No. 274 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Written by the Great Society guitarist Darby Slick after realizing his girlfriend had left him, and first performed by that band, which included his then-sister-in-law Grace Slick on vocals, the song made little impact outside of the club circuit in the Bay Area. San Francisco in the mid-1960s was the center of free love, but Darby Slick saw a downside to this ethos, as it could lead to jealousy and disconnect. The song champions loyalty and monogamy, as the singer implores the listener to find that one true love that will nurture them and get them through the tough times. However, the lyrics do not treat love as something that randomly happens to a person, but rather as an action that a person may choose to take. This subtle but profound difference in philosophy places this song in opposition to songs that speak of "falling in love" as if love is something that happens to a person outside of their conscious intention.
When Grace Slick departed to join Jefferson Airplane, she took this song with her, bringing it to the Surrealistic Pillow sessions, along with her own composition ‘White Rabbit’. Subsequently, the Airplane's more ferocious rock-and-roll version became the band's first and biggest success, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group's first hit song, ‘Somebody to Love’ was also one of the first big hits from the San Francisco Bay area and West Coast counterculture scene, to which numerous artists and musicians would be drawn in following years.
Billboard described the song as a "wild dance number loaded with vocal excitement," calling it a "hard driver, featuring powerful female vocal in the lead [which] never stops from start to finish." Cash Box called the single a "bright, pulsating, rhythmic, sometimes-frenetic, funky rock outing." Brett Milano of udiscovermusic.com rated Jorma Kaukonen's psychedelic guitar solo at the end of the song as one of the 100 all-time greatest, stating that it opens "with those three sustained wailing notes and [closes] with those sign-off chords that leave the song forever unresolved."
Label – RCA Victor
Songwriter – Darby Slick
Producer – Rick Jarrard
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]When the truth is found to be lies
And all the joy within you dies
[Chorus]
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, love
[Verse 2]
When the garden flowers
Baby, are dead, yes and
Your mind, your mind is so full of red
[Chorus]
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
[Bridge]
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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 3]
Tears are running
They're all running down your breast
And your friends, baby
They treat you like a guest
[Chorus]
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
[Instrumental Outro]
[Guitar Solo]