Modern Times
Studio album by
Jefferson Starship
ReleasedApril 2, 1981
Recorded1980-1981 at the Record Plant, Los Angeles and Sausalito
GenreRock
Length38:26
LabelGrunt
ProducerRon Nevison
Jefferson Starship chronology
Freedom at Point Zero
(1979) 		Modern Times
(1981) 		Winds of Change
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Modern Times is the sixth album by Jefferson Starship and was released in 1981. Grace Slick appeared on this album after a three-year absence. She returned near the end of the recording sessions, providing background vocals on some tracks as well as lead vocals on the single "Stranger" as a duet with lead singer Mickey Thomas. "Stranger" had previously been performed live by Jefferson Starship as early as December 1979, and the first studio version was made for Modern Times.[2] Although not appearing in the band picture on the gatefold cover, Slick is listed on the back cover of the LP with the credit "Introducing Grace Slick" and her picture is on the lyric sleeve with the note "Grace Slick courtesy of Grace Slick." She joined the band officially for the 1981 tour. This was the first Jefferson Starship album to have promotional music videos. It was also the first album to feature a charting single on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which had premiered earlier in the year. The single "Find Your Way Back" reached No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

The song "Stairway to Cleveland" was inspired by a harsh review that Rolling Stone had given the album Freedom at Point Zero,[3] inspiring Paul Kantner to wrap lyrics around a phrase he had heard from Paul Warren: "Fuck you! We do what we want!"

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Find Your Way Back"Craig ChaquicoChaquico, Tom Borsdorf4:15
2."Stranger"Jeannette SearsPete Sears4:44
3."Wild Eyes (Angel)"Paul KantnerKantner4:02
4."Save Your Love"J. SearsP. Sears5:58
Side two
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
5."Modern Times"Kantner, Mickey ThomasKantner2:36
6."Mary"J. Sears, ChaquicoChaquico3:37
7."Free"Thomas, ChaquicoChaquico4:34
8."Alien"J. SearsP. Sears4:42
9."Stairway to Cleveland (We Do What We Want)"Kantner, Paul WarrenKantner3:58

Personnel

Production

Singles / Music Videos

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ William Ruhlmann. "Modern Times". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  2. ^ Stranger (Live: X’s San Francisco 31 Dec ‘79 (Early Set)). Jefferson Starship. Retrieved May 20, 2022 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ Tamarakin, Jeff (2003). Got a Revolution: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-671-03403-0.
  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 0355". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Jefferson Starship Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  8. ^ "American album certifications – Jefferson Starship – Modern Times". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
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