Recorded - October 1967
Released - November 1967
#1 for week of February 3, 1968.
"Green Tambourine" by The Lemon Pipers is often considered to be the first bubblegum song to hit #1. Well, all I have to say to that is, go and listen to the previous song I reviewed, that is pure bubblegum. I feel that "Green Tambourine", is quite different and far more sophisticated than the likes of say,"Yummy Yummy Yummy". The Lemon Pipers, though known for this one big hit, also had a few more tricks up their sleeves as you'll soon learn.
Based in Ohio, The Lemon Pipers were formed in 1966. The following year, they were signed by Buddah records, who decided to market the band as a bubblegum group. Indeed, these early Buddah singles are all written by outside writers, which was the norm for most songs from the bubblegum genre. In November 1967, The Lemon Pipers released "Green Tambourine", which proved to be their only chart topper.
Together with "Incense And Peppermints" and "The Rain, The Park, And Other Things", "Green Tambourine" falls right into the stereotypical 1967 psych-pop style. With colorful lyrics, trippy orchestrations, a very prominent electric sitar, and with psychedelic tape effects used on the line "Play", it all sounds quite dated today. On the other hand, "Green Tambourine" doesn't contain any sugary lyrics or repetition. In fact, it's actually quite a solid psychedelic pop tune.
Lyrically, "Green Tambourine" deals with a street musician who asks his listeners for donations so he can become successful. With a less psychedelic arrangement, this song could easily be recorded in any genre as the lyrics are quite strong. Although I for one happen to like the psychedelic sitar sounds of this record. The biggest downside to "Green Tambourine" is that The Lemon Pipers didn't write the song. By this point, they had little say in their single releases.
February 1968 saw the release of the Green Tambourine album. This was a quickly cobbled together LP, released to capitalize on the title track's success. Featuring treacly bubblegum numbers such as "Rice Is Nice", much of this album is way too sugary for my taste, and it almost throws my "Green Tambourine isn't bubblegum", theory out the window.
However, underneath this avalanche of sucrose, there is "Through With You", a nine minute psychedelic rocker, written by the band themselves. Now, I may like "Green Tambourine, but "Through With You" absolutely rocks! Forget about success on the pop charts, this is what the band should have been putting up front. Either way, The Lemon Pipers never managed to have another large hit, and went their separate ways in 1969. They are forever doomed to be featured on 60's pop compilations and oldies stations.
Final Verdict - I feel that "Green Tambourine" is a lyrically solid number with a well produced music arrangement. Even though it wasn't written by the band, and its success prevented them from achieving larger critical success, I don't think it deserves to be classified at as a bubblegum song. It's not a masterpiece, and it's certainly dated, but I still find it an enjoyable to listen to.
Coming Up Next - "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat.
Until Next Time, I'm Dr. Rock, "now listen while I playayayayayayyyyy", my gold harmonica -
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