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"Embryonic Journey" is an instrumental piece composed by Jorma Kaukonen, which originally appeared as the ninth track on Jefferson Airplane's second album Surrealistic Pillow.

Other versions of "Embryonic Journey" were recorded by Kaukonen and featured on an album sharing the song's name. According to that album's liner notes, Kaukonen composed the tune in 1963 as part of a guitar workshop in Santa Clara, and included it on Surrealistic Pillow at the band's behest. According to Kaukonen, the song "evolved from... messing around on a 12 string in drop D".

This song has been used in the film Purple Haze, the final Friends episode (titled "The Last One"), in the movie The Rookie, in the movie Berkeley in the Sixties at the end with the credits, and in a UK television commercial for Norwich Union. It was also included on the A Walk on the Moon movie soundtrack and in Ken Burns's documentary series The Vietnam War. Philadelphia disc jockey Ed Sciaky used it as a theme song for his long-running "Sunday Night Alternative" radio show.

Covers

Leo Kottke did a cover version on his 1979 album Balance.

References

1. Tamarkin, Jeff (2003). Surrealistic Pillow (Liner notes). Jefferson Airplane. BMG Heritage. 82876 50351 2.
2. "Embryonic Journey". Songfacts. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
3. Breznikar, Klemen (April 20, 2015). "Jefferson Airplane | Hot Tuna | Jorma Kaukonen | Interview". It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
4. "The last 6 decades of rock & roots music from a guy who lived it". Athens News. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
5. "Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow the 50th Anniversary [Archive] - Progressive Ears".

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