Today’s classic song of the day is one of the 1980’s most popular and most despised tracks. We’re talking about “We Built This City” by Starship. Released in August of 1985, the song topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 and hit the top ten in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Paraguay, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and West Germany. That, along with its much-played MTV video, makes it an incredibly popular song.
The flip side to that popularity is that a large number of listeners and critics really hate it. In 2004, Blender magazine named “We Built This City” the #1 Worst Song Ever. In a 2011 online poll, Rolling Stone readers named it the worst song of the 1980s. And in 2016, GQ magazine also declared it the worst song of all time.
Why all this vitriol? In general, the criticism echoes that of Blender editor Craig Marks, who said:
“It purports to be anti-commercial but reeks of ’80s corporate-rock commercialism. It’s a real reflection of what practically killed rock music in the ’80s.”
Critics also point out the irony of the song saying “they’re always changing corporation names,” given how often the band Starship (formerly Jefferson Starship, formerly Jefferson Airplane) had changed names in the past. And just what does “Marconi plays the mamba” mean, anyway? (Did they mean “mambo?” A mamba is a type of snake, which cannot, I believe, be played… at least not easily.)
“We Built This City” was written by Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s frequent partner and lyricist) and Martin Page, with a little assistance from producers Dennis Lambert and Peter Wolf. (No, not that Peter Wolf; this one never played in the J. Geils Band.) It was supposed to be about the demise of live-performance clubs in Los Angeles at the time, even though the spoken-word section specifically references San Francisco (“Golden Gate bridge,” “city by the bay”). In any case, the allegedly “dark” lyrics are offset with a lively synth-laden backing track with lots of corporate rock sheen. Ironic or just hypocritical? Decide for yourself.
As noted, the band then calling itself Starship started life in the 1960s as the Jefferson Airplane. By the time the 1980s rolled around, the membership had shifted somewhat to include Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick on lead vocals, Craig Chaquico on guitar, Pete Sears on bass, and Donny Baldwin on drums. (Producer Peter Wolf helped on this track by playing keyboards.) By this point in time the group had shed original Airplane members Paul Kantner, Jorma Kaukonen, Marty Balin, Jack Casady, Spencer Dryden, and a host of others. That’s the way the rock world rolls, knee deep in the hoopla and always playing corporation games.
