The First Edition - Just Dropped In - Reprise, 1968

Many of you know this fine tune from the Cohen brothers' "Big Lebowski".  But what many don't know is that it's Kenny Rogers on vocal duties.  "Wait, that's The Gambler?" You betcha.

Kenny's long career in music started in the late 50's with a doo-wop group called The Scholars.  After some minor success with them Kenny tried to go on his own, and later joined a jazz trio, "The Bobby Doyle Trio", before moving on to the folky New Christy Minstrels.  But real success didn't happen until the formation of The First Edition in 1967.

Their second offering on Reprise is today's 45.  Apparently this tune was first recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in '67 but rejected.  I'd love to hear that! The song is meant to be a warning about using LSD, written by well-known Nashville songwriter Mickey Newbury.

"I got up so tight I couldn't unwind,

I saw so much I broke my mind"

Kenny's smooth voice and the song's non-traditional feel and psychedelic flourishes sent it to #5 on the charts, and sent The First Edition on a long and successful career.  They finally split in 1975 but not before many more hits and even a television show, "Rollin' On the River".  Kenny went on to massive Pop Country hits, a fast-food chicken franchise, inspiring goofy websites, and even being spoofed on Mad TV.  Kenny Rogers is a bona fide cultural phenomena.
And now, the clip!

The Electric Prunes - "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" - Reprise, 1966

Today I've got something a little different and..psychedelic - The Electric Prunes! Is this band's name aweful or awesome? Too close to call really, although rumor is that it was jokingly suggested as a last minute name idea for their first release "Ain't It Hard"/"Little Olive".  That single flopped.

But the next one, today's 45 "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" was a hit! It remains their highest charting success, reaching 11 in the USA and 49 in the UK.  This tune wasn't penned by the group, but rather the songwriting team of Annette Tucker and lyricist Nancie Mantz.  Apparently the band's producer,  Dave Hassinger, thought they needed some help in the songwriting department and made the connection. The signature reversed guitar lick which opens the songs appears to have been a happy accident of the recording process.  Here's a qoute from singer James Lowe:
"We were recording on a four-track, and just flipping the tape over and re-recording when we got to the end. Dave cued up a tape and didn't hit 'record,' and the playback in the studio was way up: ear-shattering vibrating jet guitar. Ken had been shaking his Bigsby wiggle stick with some fuzztone and tremolo at the end of the tape. Forward it was cool. Backward it was amazing. I ran into the control room and said, 'What was that?' They didn't have the monitors on so they hadn't heard it. I made Dave cut it off and save it for later."
This record was a slow starter when released, but it gradually picked up steam and became the hit that really started the bands career.  "Too Much To Dream" was later covered by Stiv Bators, The Damned, Doro Pesch, Paul Roland and others.
This song was included in the classic "Nuggets" compliation in 1972, allowing it to reach many new fans.  The Nuggets album is just a tremendous collection of mid to late 60's Rock, and you MUST pick it up.  Over the years it's been expanded into a several CD set I believe. Oddly, I was exploring 60's Rock and I found the Nuggets compliation late - after I had already purchased most of the songs individually. At any rate, when I realized this comp existed I just had to have a copy - here's a pic of my copy of the early 70s vinyl release.

The Electric Prunes actually got back together in around 2000, and in 2002 released a new recording titled "Artifact". They're still touring, and I hear they are working on some new material with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins.
And finally, the clip!