Dragon Fly
Studio album by
Grace Slick, Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship
ReleasedOctober 1974[1]
RecordedJuly 1974
StudioWally Heider Studios, San Francisco
GenreRock
Length42:25
LabelGrunt/RCA Records
ProducerJefferson Starship / Larry Cox
Jefferson Starship chronology
Dragon Fly
(1974) 		Red Octopus
(1975)
Grace Slick chronology
Manhole
(1974) 		Dragon Fly
(1974) 		Dreams
(1980)
Paul Kantner chronology
Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun
(1973) 		Dragon Fly
(1974) 		Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra
(1983)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[3]

Dragon Fly is the debut album by Jefferson Starship, released on Grunt Records in 1974. It peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified a gold album. Credited to Grace Slick, Paul Kantner, and Jefferson Starship, the band itself was a turning point after a series of four albums centering on the partnership of Kantner and Slick during the disintegration of Jefferson Airplane through the early 1970s.

The album received its RIAA gold certification within six months, selling as well as most Jefferson Airplane albums. Two singles were released from the album. "Ride the Tiger" reached #84 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up single, "Caroline", was written and sung by Marty Balin, who had not appeared on an Airplane or Airplane-offshoot album since Volunteers in 1969. He would join Jefferson Starship soon after, and remain with the band until 1978. The song "Hyperdrive" was used in the opening ceremonies of the 1976 World Science Fiction Convention, MidAmeriCon, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Ride the Tiger"Byong Yu, Grace Slick, Paul KantnerPaul Kantner5:11
2."That’s for Sure"Jerry GallupCraig Chaquico4:58
3."Be Young You"Grace SlickGrace Slick3:49
4."Caroline"Marty BalinPaul Kantner7:29
Side two
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
5."Devil's Den"Grace SlickPapa John Creach4:03
6."Come to Life"Robert HunterDavid Freiberg, Steven Schuster3:46
7."All Fly Away"Tom PachecoTom Pacheco5:25
8."Hyperdrive"Grace SlickPete Sears7:44

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (1974-1975) Peak
position
Australian albums (Kent Music Report)[4] 60
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[5] 18
US Billboard 200[6] 11

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 430. ISBN 9780862415419.
  2. ^ Ruhlmann, William (2011). "Dragon Fly - Jefferson Starship | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 154. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3915a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Jefferson Starship Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. ^ "American album certifications – Jefferson Starship – Dragon Fly". Recording Industry Association of America.
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