Recorded - January 9, 1967
Released - February 14, 1967
#1 for weeks of March 25 & April 1 and 8, 1967.
It's fairly safe to say that most people reading my blog are very familiar with "Happy Together". After all, it is a very accessible and feel-good tune. It also has been featured in endless movies, often for comedic effect. On a more infamous note, it's also been used in endless commercials, often with painfully re-written lyrics. Many might make the assumption then that The Turtles were a clean-cut and innocent pop group. Well, prepare to be surprised...
The core duo in The Turtles is singers Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, later known as Flo & Eddie. They began their music career in the early 1960's in a surf rock group called The Crossfires. Despite all of the members being under 18, they were playing frat parties, drinking beer, and most importantly, absolutely rocking out. Due to most of the material being instrumental, Flo & Eddie played alto and tenor saxophones. By 1965, The Crossfires decided to change direction and go in more of a folk-rock sound. They then changed their name to The Turtles, perhaps in reference to another animal-named group, The Byrds.
The first two Turtles albums and all of the singles released during 1965 and 1966 are a mix of pure folk-rock, and pop-rock. Some of this material was proto-psychedelic ("Grim Reaper Of Love"), and some was even pure garage rock, ("Outside Chance"). Throughout the band's history, their material was a mixture of self-compositions and songs written by outside artists. Also, unlike many other poppier rock bands from the time period, The Turtles actually played their own instruments on their records.
By early 1967, The Turtles were facing dwindling successes. They had already replaced several members of the group and desperately needed a hit. They were given "Happy Together", which was written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon of the garage rock group The Magicians. Perhaps due to the song being the poppiest number The Turtles had recorded, the pop market ate it up, and it shot straight to #1, the only Turtles song to do so.
Well, "Happy Together" may be sunshine pop as opposed to the folk-rock The Turtles used to pay, but it's pop of the highest caliber. Musically, I've always loved the contrast between the tense and subdued verses and the absolutely bombastic and jaunty chorus. The use of a marching-style drum beat and prominent brass makes this song reminiscent of old marching band music.
Vocally and lyrically, all the hallmarks of sunshine pop are discernible. We have prominent and elaborate backing vocals, many of which feature wordless syllables. The lyrics are apolitical, and cheerful. Howard Kaylan's lead vocal performance is also quite memorable and he manages to alternate between gentle in the verses and powerful in the choruses without going out of key.
Perhaps the only downside of Happy Together's success (Besides its subsequent overuse in advertising), is that it stereotyped The Turtles as a pure pop band. Don't get me wrong, none of their poppier songs are even remotely bad, in fact, I really like them. However, by 1968, The Turtles, and especially Flo & Eddie were maturing. Their 1968 album, The Turtles Present The Battle Of The Bands was a concept album where they pretended to be twelve different bands, all with different styles. Yet it was "Elenore", purposely written to have cliche'd lyrics, that was the biggest hit.
The Turtles last album released while they were together was the underrated Turtle Soup, produced by none other than Ray Davies of The Kinks. Following increased issues with their record label, Flo & Eddie broke up The Turtles in 1970. They then spent a year and a half in the newly reformed Mothers Of Invention with Frank Zappa! And let me tell you, if you still think of The Turtles as a clean cut and innocent pop group, listen to any of The Mothers' albums from this 1970-71 period and it'll blow your mind!
Flo & Eddie had a successful later career as a duo, and still perform under The Turtles' name to this very day. If all you know by them is "Happy Together", I'd highly recommend diving deeper into their catalog. You'll no doubt be "Shell shocked".
Final Verdict - "Happy Together" remains a timeless pop classic. Don't let my much larger appreciation for the rest of their catalog make you assume anything else. It remains one of the finest songs from 1967, and I'm sure we'll still want to hear it 50 years from now.
Coming Up Next - "Somethin' Stupid" by Nancy and Frank Sinatra.
Until Next Time - I'm Dr. Rock, Shell we review the next #1 hit? -
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