Master of Musical Immersion: The two most dazzling Grace Slick guest vocals
There are many components to great music. Sometimes, the perfect arrangements can be all it takes, while other times, the lyrics guide the storytelling aspect and enhance the overall enjoyment. And then there is the power of a good vocal performance, where a performance can transform a song into a more emotional experience. Grace Slick is one of the most distinctive voices in music, who carries this innate ability to change the feel of an entire song completely.
Slick’s distinctiveness came from her contralto voice, meaning she could deliver vocals with a deep raspiness, which was often the reason many of her sounds sounded so commanding and emotionally intense. Take ‘White Rabbit’ as the most obvious example—not only do the building arrangements and melody enhance the song’s signature cadence, but Slick’s vocal also gives it its defiant tone, signalling an almost otherworldly quality.
Even in ‘Somebody To Love’ with her higher, more upbeat delivery, she was able to tap into the broader counterculture movement with an intensity that captured the essence and energy of the time. At the same time, her voice complemented the genre-blending sound perfectly, existing between worlds and times in a way that felt completely raw and authentic.
Beyond her contributions to Jefferson Airplane, Slick has also guested on several tracks by her fellow contemporaries, including collaborations with the likes of Paul Kantner and David Crosby. She has also contributed vocals to songs by Jefferson Starship and other projects within the broader psychedelic rock scene. More than most, however, her voice has the power to add intensity to any track, taking it from a good song to one with countless layers.
While there are many collaborations that could be deemed her best, the two that seem to stand above the rest are her contributions to Heart’s ‘What About Love’ and Crosby’s ‘What Are Their Names’. Though both appear arguably in stark contrast, they showcase the two sides to Slick’s appeal, namely, her ability to deliver beautifully unkempt explosiveness with vocals alone, and appear as though she was from a different time entirely.
‘What About Love’, aside from presenting a pivotal moment in Heart’s career, is perhaps one of their most spine-tingling cries for lovelorn justice in their entire discography, made possible by Slick’s haunting background vocals as they deliver their forced dramatic reflection: “What about love? Don’t you want someone to care about you? What about love? Don’t let it slip away!”
On the other side sits Crosby’s ‘What Are Their Names’, which not only was a standout from his debut solo album but delivered a more subdued haunting quality that showed off Slick’s unmissable presence, even when her vocals seep into the background in more unsuspecting ways. In both instances, Slick demonstrates her prowess at delivering nuanced richness without distracting from the broader themes. In other words, whether belting or crooning in the background, Slick’s voice alone highlights the interplay between vocals and arrangements, making any song feel uplifted into new immersive territories.
