"Greatest" pre-1970 psychedelic songs

[claudel]

My fave track from the Summer of '67 (Alternate version I'd not heard until now... )



One of my top 5 albums from that summer. Seems to have aged pretty nicely.

 

[TyBo]

A few Beatles cuts have been mentioned, but not the most psychedelic of all — “Tomorrow Never Knows”.

I'm pretty sure that has been mentioned, one reason I posted some other psychedelic Beatles tunes instead. Don't know if TNK is the most psychedelic ... but it's up there.
A number of tunes on Revolver fit, really. Various Beatles have commented that that album was actually their "acid period" work, more so than Sgt Pepper (which itself does definitely have some trippy stuff).

 

[BigJohnAZ]

Crystal Blue Persuasion and Crimson & Clover- Tommy James & the Shondells

 

[J R Knots]

Cream







Marmalade



Hendrix



NY Rock n Roll Ensemble






Kenny Rogers First Edition

 

[Gluvhand]

 

[Rib 13]

 

[Rib 13]

Psychedelia, as a vital style, a developing trend, was quite over with by 1970 anyway, if not by Woodstock(not counting any much later retro revivals). Sure, there were remnants, both musically and lifestyle, but it was no longer fresh, plus Manson and Kent State was a harsh wake-up call/clampdown. The bloom was definitely off the buds.

But from the era before all that, of what I’ve seen so far there have been great examples, some obvious ones, some uninformed choices, so all I’ve got is…
Silly name(weren’t they all), but typical of the times, they unfortunately suffered from the “Bosstown Sound” hype backlash; Jeff Baxter was among their ranks for a while(but I don’t think he was on this), textbook stuff….


Then, underrepresented as far as I can see, the original Quicksilver Messenger Service; not only was John Cipollina such a singular amazing and overlooked guitar stylist, their jams/musical voyages were far more interesting and to the point than certain bands I could mention. “Pride Of Man”, their first apocalyptic single sounded like nothing else, “Gold And Silver” was a fascinating mutation of Brubeck’s “Take Five”, but this is where the band really goes off to somewhere else…


In spite of their vocal limitations at that time, Dino Valenti’s whiney shrill vocals added later on ruined ruined the band, just in time for the aboveground hit singles, the only stuff that is remembered.

Ian Bruce Douglas and I are friends....actually, I should say "were" friends because I hadnt heard from him or Caryn in almost ten years - he just disappeared. The interesting thing was that he was talking a little about doing another US album with myself and another bass player friend of mine - so, yes, with two bass players simultaneously. I was certainly interested when we started chatting about it but - like I said - he disappeared

 

[JOME77]

Cream - Sunshine of Your Love

 

[elkkid2]

I love this...Jimi talking about Global Warming!

 

[elkkid2]

And, a personal favorite, from 1968, is Cat Mother. Their first album was co-produced by Cat Mother and Jimi Hendrix. --The only Album Jimi produced that wasn't his own music. It was either this Song, or "Favors" to fit your Phyc-a-delic, if I could have added some songs of theirs in the early 70's it would have been closer to what you wanted.

 

[b/o 402]

 

[b/o 402]

Strawberry Alarm Clock was by this time a real band, unlike the studio creation that put together Incense and Peppermints. There are contemporaneous live videos that show Ed King, Randy Seoul et al pulling this number off very creditably.

 

[jim nolte]

True this. I especially like the last number on side two.

Saturday Afternoon, about the Human Be-In January 1967, “ I will give you caps of blue and silver sunlight for your hair” Casady is all over that album with his Jazz Bass.

 

[bassdude51]

8 pages, can't read 'em all. Maybe already mentioned.

Blue Cheer.........Summer Time Blues


............................................................................................................

The song maybe not be so psychedelic but the video sure is.

 

[Rib 13]

i think this is technically bubblegum music but Im still going to toss in the ring cause I just like it

 

[TyBo]

i think this is technically bubblegum music but Im still going to toss in the ring cause I just like it

Yeah, I posted that one earlier (long thread at this point ) - definitely hits the psychedelic vibe if you watch the video where they're miming to the recording. Hippies .

 

[TyBo]

one more. Live on the Smother's Brother's Show. I love how Grace is digging the fret work. And these lyrics are still good.
"In loyalty to their kind they can not tolerate our minds.
In loyalty to our kind, we can not tolerate their obstruction"
Lather is from the recording but this is what you could do with some kind of filter and image on image back then. Bravo studio!

The Airplane were a great psychedelic band. Spencer Dryden's drumming always reminded me a bit of a washing machine cycling, and Crown of Creation is one such example ... but I like, and liked, it and them anyway. Plus ... Jack Casady!

 

[DJ Bebop]

 

[DJ Bebop]

 

[TyBo]

Summer of Love, Flower Power, psychedelic bubblegum music was a bit of a thing. One of the best of these, imo ...