Lemon Pipers, The

Band members               Related acts

- Bill Albaugh - drums
- Bill Bartlett - guitar
- Ivan Brown - vocals, guitar
- R.G. Nave - keyboards, tambourine, horns
- Steve Wamsley - bass

 

 

- Ram Jam (Bill Bartlett)

 

 

Title:  Green Tambourine

Company: Buddah

Catalog: BDS 5009

Year: 1967

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: --

Available: 2

Price: $10.00

 

 Fomed in Oxford, Ohio and originally known as Ivan and the Sabres, by 1967 drummer Bill Albaugh, guitarist Bill Bartlett, vocalist Ivan Brown, keyboard player R.G. Nave and bassist Steve Wamsley had opted for a change in name and musical direction. As The Lemon Pipers, the quintet scored a contract with the small local Carol label. Although a one-shot single ("Quiet Please" b/w "Monaural 78") went nowhere, it attracted the attention of the newly formed Buddah label, which promptly signed the band. 

Heavily influenced by the ongoing wave of psychedlia, the group's label debut "Turn Around, Take a Look" b/w "Danger" quickly followed their debut into oblivion. For its part, disappointed with the band's commercial performance, Buddah was on the verge of dropping the group. With label president Neil Bogart and other Buddah executives convinced the song would be a hit, the Pipers were subsequently given the option of recording Paul Leka and Shelley Pinz's "Green Tambourine" or being dropped by the company. Reluctantly the group acquiesced, recording the track. Released as a single the song began generating considerable airplay, leading Buddah to rush the group into the studio to record an album's worth of material. Titled after the leadoff single and produced by Paul Leka, "Green Tambourine" featured a mildly entertaining collection of top-40 pop/bubble gum. Spotlighting Brown's nasal voice, material such as "Rice Is Nice", "Blueberry Blue" and "Turn Around and Take a Look" was catchy, commercial, if formulaic. On the other hand, the two Bartlett penned originals; particularly the eight minute guitar rave up "Through with You" were great slices of psychedelia. Equally appealing, with it's phased guitars and washed-out/echoey vocals the title track went #1, standing as an era classic. Propelled by the hit, the parent album hit #90.

"Green Tambourine" track listing:
1.) Rice Is Nice (Paul Leka - Shelley Pinz) - 2:16
2.) Shoe Shine Boy (Paul Leka - Shelley Pinz) -3 :19
3.) Turn Around Take a Look (Bill Bartlett) - 2:42
4.) Rainbow Tree (Kenny Laguna - Mizrahi) - 2:16
5.) Ask Me If I Care (Ehrmann) - 3:03
6.) Straglin' Behind - 2:32
7.) Green Tambourine (Paul Leka - Shelley Pinz) - 2:22
8.) Blueberry Blue (Paul Leka - Shelley Pinz) - 2:19
9.) The Shoemaker of Leatherwear Square (Paul Leka - Shelley Pinz) - 2:00
10.) Fifty Year Void (The Lemon Pipers) - 5:01
11.) Through with You (Bill Bartlett) - 8:31

 

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