We Built This City (Starship)

“We Built This City” by Starship is a nostalgic critique of the commercialization and superficiality of modern radio and media, lamenting the loss of genuine music and culture.

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The song’s lyrics, such as “We built this city on rock and roll” and “Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio,” suggest a celebration of rock music’s origins and its cultural significance.

However, the lines “Someone’s always playing corporation games” and “Who counts the money underneath the bar” highlight the commercialization and corporate influence that have diluted the authenticity of music and media.

The song’s anthemic chorus and energetic delivery by Grace Slick underscore a sense of defiance and longing for a time when music was more genuine and less influenced by profit motives.

The overall message is a lament for the loss of the spirit of rock and roll in the face of commercial pressures, making it a poignant commentary on the state of the music industry in the 1980s.