"Somebody to Love" (originally titled "Someone to Love") is a rock song written by Darby Slick, originally recorded by the Great Society, and later by Jefferson Airplane. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Jefferson Airplane's version No. 274 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Background
Written by the Great Society guitarist Darby Slick San Francisco in the mid-1960s was the center of free love, but Darby Slick saw a downside to this ethos, as it could lead to jealousy and disconnect. The song champions loyalty and monogamy, as the singer implores the listener to find that one true love that will nurture them and get them through the tough times.
Jefferson Airplane version
When Grace Slick departed to join Jefferson Airplane, she took this song with her, bringing it to the Surrealistic Pillow sessions, Cash Box called the single a "bright, pulsating, rhythmic, sometimes-frenetic, funky rock outing." Brett Milano of udiscovermusic.com rated Jorma Kaukonen's psychedelic guitar solo at the end of the song as one of the 100 all-time greatest, stating that it opens "with those three sustained wailing notes and [closes] with those sign-off chords that leave the song forever unresolved." Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it Jefferson Airplane's best song because "it drives harder than almost anything else they ever recorded," "Slick checks in with her all-time greatest vocal" and "the hook is bigger and brighter than most of the band's psychedelic folk-outs."
Charts
Weekly charts
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1967)
!Peak<br/>position
|-
|Canada Top Singles (RPM)
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|U.S. Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|5
|-
|U.S. Cash Box Top 100
|align="center"|5
|}
{|class="wikitable"
!Chart (1970)
!Peak<br/>position
|-
|}
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1967)
!Position
|-
|Canada Top Singles (RPM)
| style="text-align:center;"|38
|-
|U.S. Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|33
|-
|U.S. Cash Box
| style="text-align:center;"|22
|}