Lysergic Acid DiethylamideThe late sixties were a time filled with sex, drugs and rock and roll. Much of American culture at the time was centered around these three things. Musicians possessed enormous social influence and, similarly, society placed much importance on the lives and attitudes of musicians. Among the rock groups of this era, the Beatles were by far the most influential. The British rock band was probably the most catalytic group in the history of rock and roll. Although they came together in the shadow of the Beatles, Jefferson Airplane was another band from that era. Jefferson Airplane was considered the first of San Francisco's psychedelic rock bands. Jefferson Airplane was always considered a psychedelic rock band, but it wasn't until later in their existence that The Beatles also fell into that category. Both groups earned this title for their creative rock style as well as their experimentation with drugs. Each of these groups has written songs alluding to drug use at one time or another. Two of the most criticized songs by these groups are Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by the Beatles and White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane. White Rabbit is a latent song with drug references. The drug connection in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is not as clear. Although John Lennon claims he did not intend to reference LSD in his song, the abstract lyrics and metaphorical language invite a drug connotation. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and White Rabbit are reflected in their association with LSD and their allusions to Alice in Wonderland, but looking at these songs more deeply it is evident that both artists were writing about escape; escape from reality.Lyserg...... middle of paper ......ame released in the late 1960s. Both songs have been criticized for their relationship to drug use and their possible influence on impressionable young people. Jefferson Airplane and the Beatles were trying to escape the media, fans and critics. It was thanks to their music, Alice in Wonderland, and a drug called LSD that they were able to do this. Works Cited “The Beatles Ultimate Experience Database: Songwriting and Recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. (Online) Available at http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Frontrow/4853/dba08sgt.html, September 25, 2000. "KidsHeath." (Online) Available at http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/know_drugs_lsd_prt.htm, September 26, 2000. Larrea, JJ "Fifty years later, LSD gains popularity in high schools." (Online) Available at http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/tryptamines/lysergic/lsd_use_up.html, September 27 2000.