Legal Commentary

Sunday Song Lyric

By Jonathan H. Adler

Is the Easter Bunny a white rabbit?  I?ve always assumed so. The Easter Bunny may be a white rabbit but he or she still does not have much to do with Grace Slick?s ?White Rabbit,? the classic song she immortalized with Jefferson Airplane in 1967.  The rabbit of which Slick sang was the nervously late character from Alice in Wonderland (aka Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland) ? ?I?m late! I?m late! For a very important date!? ? not a purveyor of jelly beans and creme-filled eggs.  Interestingly enough, the song was originally performed by Slick?s earlier band, The Great Society.  After Slick joined Jefferson Airplane, they included the song on their album Surrealistic Pillow.  And surreal the lyrics are.  Here?s the final verse:

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?

Here are the full lyrics, a performance from the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and another from Woodstock.

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on April 04, 2010 (boomark / email).