6 of the 60s: 10/30/13 (1967)...

Hey gang, it's "hump day", and I'm ready to serve up a half-dozen more nuggets from the sixties. This week I travel back to 1967, the year of the Shag Harbour Incident, where a large unknown object fell from the sky off the coast of Nova Scotia, and the remains of what have never been found (oooooooooo...) This week there's six songs to "turn on, tune in, and drop out" to...(I've included links to buy anything on CD or MP3 when available)...

Strawberry Alarm Clock - "Incense And Peppermints"
from the album Incense And Peppermints (1967)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Songwriters: John Carter, Tim Gilbert

Bridging the gap between psychedelic rock and bubblegum pop, this band's sole top-10 single was majorly influential beyond its years..

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Blues Magoos - "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet"
from the album Psychedelic Lollipop (1966)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5
Songwriters: Michael Esposito, Ronald Gilbert, Ralph Scala, Emil Thielheim

Another psychedelic one-hit-wonder (ish), the band from the Bronx cribbed a organ riff from a Ricky Nelson record to fortify this trippy record...

Jay & The Techniques - "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie"
from the album Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie (1968)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #6
Songwriter: Maurice Irby

The integrated soul/pop band from Allentown, Pennsylvania got us ready for autumn with this breezy little number...

The Doors - "People Are Strange"
from the album Strange Days (1967)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #12
Songwriters: John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison

This ode to loneliness comes across as twee on passing glance, but Jim Morrison's insight over the depth of despair makes this a Halloween playlist standard.

The Four Tops - "7 Rooms Of Gloom"
from the album Reach Out (1967)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #14
Songwriters: Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland

Motown did not shy away from the psychedelic era, as proven by this epic heartbreak trip with Levi Stubbs' voice booming through the speakers like a howling ghost...

The American Breed - "Step Out Of Your Mind"
from the album The American Breed (1967)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #24
Songwriters: Al Gorgoni, Chip Taylor


The Illinois trippy rock band landed their first hit with this invitation to broaden your horizons...

That's it for this week's 60s trip...Tomorrow I'll have 7 more from 1977 and eight from 1987...