To me this is certainly a pinnacle of pure late 60s sunshine pop. Composed by pop genius Roger Nichols the timeless, idealistic lyrics were written by Tony Asher (who wrote most of the lyrics with Brian Wilson on Pet Sounds) not by his regular partner Paul Williams. Sunshine pop hardly gets any sunnier than on this track: great production, strings galore, Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies, great bassline & trumpet and catchy as hell with it's uplifting chord progressions throughout. While the album version (recently included on the highly recommended "The Get Easy! Sunshine Pop Collection") is good already, the single version is just crisper, lusher, just perfect.
from Captain Nemo (Decca) available on CD - The Get Easy! Sunshine Pop Collection (Universal)
08 Jul 04 ·delicado: I have to agree. What a beautiful track! Very similar to the Small Circle of Friends record, but perhaps even better! I just have the version from the compilation; I'll try and track down the single. 08 Jul 04 ·eftimihn: Delicado, you have the single version already, it's the one on my Roger Nichols compilation, i just somehow forgot to mark it as the single version. The single is clocking in at 2:18, the album version runs 3 minutes. 09 Jul 04 ·delicado: Cool; I'll listen again. This track is sure to make it onto one of my comps; surely it could make a soft pop fan out of anyone! 03 Feb 05 ·tinks: great album, and a horrendously overlooked group..."dear undecided" is the best beatles song that the beatles never recorded. 24 Jun 09 ·Major Minor: I agree this is the best version... I think it's the same one that's on the "Sunshine days" compilation.... The one on Captain Nemo isn't awful or anything, but the orchestral intro does go on a bit...
A breezy popsong, produced by Anita Kerr... a grrrrrrrreat slice of uptempo sunshine pop...a tune that makes you feel good... isn't that what music is all about ???
24 Jun 09 ·Major Minor: What album is this available on?
An underrated, forgotten gem of perfect sunshine pop. Why this is rather little known is completely beyond me, since the song just has it all: breezy, swirling, lush strings, tight rhythm section, sweeping french horns and great male/female vocal harmonies. It's an uplifting uptempo song, pretty much in the vein of the 5th Dimensions' "Up, Up and Away".
from Flying Up Through The Sky, available on CD
17 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: This is gorgeous! Great title, too. I've never heard of this band before. 24 Jun 09 ·Major Minor: YES! The Oxfords have three of my favorite Sunshine Pop tracks: Flying Up through the sky, My world and Lighter than air... all great sunshine pop... however be warned much of the rest of the album seems to my ears to be fairly awkward Blues rock attempts that just don't work to my ears.... but those three tracks are Sunshine Pop perfection!
This is a mesmerizing pop-psych number from maybe the greatest British vocal group of the sixties. The composition is adventurous and reminiscent of SF-based sunshine pop but with that distinctive, eloquent British touch.
Harmony Grass was the group Tony Rivers fronted after his success with The Castaways.
He's been an important influence on Mike Alway's legendary �l label.
available on CD - Tony Rivers Series vol. 2 (RPM/Cherry Red)
12 Dec 03 ·musicmars: Yea tempted, we agree once more. I love that song. Another of the best 60's pop-psych songs. I can't think of one that's better. How is the rest of the cd? I only have the song on an el compilation. 07 May 04 ·delicado: Winning track! 18 Aug 05 ·eftimihn: Just wanted to recommend this to see it's already here. Fantastic track for sure, the whole album is uneven but "I think of you" is another winner on there... 24 Jun 09 ·Major Minor: Excellent track... I would also put up "What a groovy day" at least as good as this one. If anyone wanted to further check into Tony Rivers of this era the "Harmony Grass" compilation is recommended...
The Critters really came up with a gem in this 1966 top 40 hit, which seems to have a sort of Brazilian influence. I had the lyrics to this for years in a magazine before I heard the actual song. The greatest hits CD I cited is out of print, but this song may be found on various compilations as well.
Another hit the Critters had was their version of the Lovin' Spoonful's "Younger Girl", which was also
done by the Hondells...I like the Critter's version better.
available on CD - Anthology: The Complete Kapp Recordings,1965-1967 (Taragon)
24 Jun 09 ·Major Minor: Yes, Mr. Dieingly sad is pop perfection!
For any Critters fans I'd recommend checking out:
"The Giant Jellybean Copout" which was basically the same band under a pseudonym.. It's a breezy, jazzy, Beach Boys meets The Free Design amazing vocal harmony track that I would give 5 stars to... recommended to any sunshine pop fan
