The Lemon Pipers were a psychedelic rock band that began in Ohio in 1966. Though the band was only together for three short years, the group managed to have a song chart at #1 in the U.S. with “Green Tambourine”. I’ve heard a few different versions of that tune over the years, but I’m not sure that I’ve heard the original. Though the listed genres for the band on their Wikipedia page are psychedelic rock and bubblegum pop, it also seems that the band delved into blues, hard rock, and folk rock as well. This album, Green Tambourine (1968), was the group’s first release, and was named for their hit single after it reached #1 in the charts. I’m pretty stoked to give this album a listen, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Rice Is Nice” starts out with some really groovy, psychedelic pop guitar reminiscent of The Beatles’ Revolver (1966), and that guitar is joined some very light brushes of a harp. I really dig the orchestral strings that come in and sweeten up the chorus to even sweeter levels than it’s already at with the bright chorus vocals and the harp running across the soundscape. Super sweet track, and I’m excited to hear more.
“Shoeshine Boy” starts with some repetitious piano that soon is joined by some vocals that have a nearly serious tone. Holy smokes, a wah pedal’d guitar comes in and brings some really groovy and strange psychedelic flavors. I’m really reminded a fair deal of The Beatles’ work on Revolver (1966) again, particularly in their song “Eleanor Rigby”. Oh wow, more layers continue coming in, giving bringing more serious and psychedelic flavors that I’m really digging. Holy smokes, the guitar solo near the end of the track is super groovy, and is pulling me even further into the listening experience with the far out sounds. Wow, great track.
“Turn Around and Take a Look” starts out with a sort of classic bluesy country lick that reminds me of the lick Jerry Garcia plays at the beginning of the Grateful Dead’s renditions of the Hank Williams song, “You Win Again”. Oh wow, there’s straightforward, repetitious nature of the beat reminds me a lot of John Lennon’s songwriting in both The Beatles and especially his solo work. Oh wow, there’s some super groovy licks in the guitar work in this track. The combination of the far-out, swirling organs with the parlor/ragtime piano and the twangy country flavors in the guitar work creates a really groovy mixture of genres that I really dig. Great track.
“Rainbow Tree” has a very upbeat feel in the piano grooving along with the beat, and the mixture of the harpsichord, sweet orchestral strings, and bright chorus vocals all combine for a super sweet psychedelic pop sound that borders on sunshine pop and bubblegum pop. Super sweet tune.
Oh wow, “Ask Me If I Care” starts out with some winding, melting guitar work that sort of reminds me of David Crosby and The Byrds, and is soon joined by some sweetness from the bright vocals and orchestral strings. Oh wow, the vocals have a really groovy feel that reminds me of some soft psychedelic rock bands from the time period. Super sweet tune.
Holy smokes, “Stragglin’ Behind” picks up with some acid rock flavors reminiscent of Iron Butterfly with the crunchy distortion and the heavy playing from the lead guitar, the swirling psychedelic organs, the fat bass line, and a super strong beat from the drums on the other side of the soundscape. Wow, I’m really digging this song. The pace really picks up near the end of the track, as though they’re about to take off. Great track.
Oh wow, “Green Tambourine” starts with the classic mixture of parlor piano and tremelo’d psychedelic guitar that I recognize from other versions. I really dig the tabla-sounding percussion at the end of each verse. Oh wow, the orchestral strings enhance both the sweetness and psychedelia in the track really nicely. I’m not sure what the instrument is that’s playing that sort of rattlesnake-esque percussion is at times, but I really dig it. Great track.
“Blueberry Blue” starts with some quick bass work and piano that sets a tone for the track that reminds me of the early 80s rock/pop more than anything. Oh wow, I really dig the far out sounds in the guitar playing in this track. Holy smokes, the tune moves into a sort of baroque orchestral movement with the orchestral strings for a moment. Super sweet track.
Oh wow, “The Shoemaker of Leatherware Square” begins with the brushing of a harp and soon gets into a sort of psychedelic pop rendition of what sounds to be a folk ballad. Oh wow, the folksy nature of the track combined with the sweet orchestral strings and psychedelic pop flavors combine for a really interesting psychedelic style. Super sweet track.
Oh wow, “Fifty Year Void” has a really groovy, upbeat garage rock style that almost feels like The Beatles had a garage rock track on Revolver (1966). Holy smokes, the back and forth between the two guitar licks while the organs and bass swirl and groove the tune around in the background has somehow hooked me even further into the listening album. There’s almost a sort of impromptu-ness in this track compared to some of the others, as if the band wanted to get into a really groovy psychedelic bluesy garage rock jam, and I’m really digging that a lot. Holy smokes, a harmonica comes in and now the track has a folk rock style reminiscent of Fred Neil’s Bleecker and McDougal (1965). Holy smokes, the track seems to somehow be building up even more momentum and upping its grooviness factor even as the track begins to fade away. Wow, great track.
“Through with You” starts out with some far-out feedback sounds from a guitar, and then launches into what sounds to be a tight, upbeat shamanic psychedelic pop song of some sort, as though the band is leading you back home after the long journey that is this album. Oh wow, the track sort of mellows out into a manner that sounds like what a lone cowboy might’ve heard in his head while making the journey across the Mojave moving towards southern California, should that cowboy have had access to acid. Oh wow, the track has evolved into a full-blown psychedelic instrumental jam. I really dig the rapidly changing bass line while the beat stays tight and steady. Oh wow, the jam mellows out for a moment and gets into some really spacey territory with sound effects you might experience while listening to a Gong album. Oh wow, it sounds like the jam is gradually working back towards some framework out of this free flowing, psychedelic groove that the band is currently in. I really dig the accentuations from the harpsichord. Holy smokes, the track drops into place after that far-out jam section in a really slick manner. Great track, and a super groovy way to finish the album.
Holy smokes, I’m glad I checked out this album by The Lemon Pipers tonight. There were really groovy combinations of flavors throughout, at times having a bit of a bubblegum and psychedelic pop sound mixed with country and folk elements, and sometimes the songs had a really sweet acid rock grooves with heavier playing and crunchy distortion. The final track is pure psychedelic rock that brings you far out into spacey territory in a style that felt to me somewhat like The Doors on stimulants mixed with Gong, which pulled me even further into the listening experience. If you enjoy psychedelic pop and psychedelic rock from the mid-to-late 1960s, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A