Customer Reviews

Best of the Lemon Pipers

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Leka/Pinz songs are the "bubblegum" part of the collection, and while the lyrics on some of those are juvenile, the music is always enjoyable. Good lightweight orchestral pop with many instruments, along with the band's own guitars, keyboards and drums. Sitar, horns, harpsichord, and violin, are some of the other instruments added, that make this music more creative than typical "bubblegum." These atmospheric songs are best appreciated with headphones or careful listening. The group originals are rather good, "Wine and Violet" is an obscure gem of the psychedelic era with demented lyrics and backwards guitar, along with an echoed flute. The closing near 12-minute track shows a progressive side to this under-appreciated band. Any fan of psychedelic music should get this. Because the sound quality is top of the line, this is the best compilation for the band, even though it is missing a few good tracks. Check the page for more information, and my ratings of their songs.

while not the hitmakers the Ohio Express & the 1910 Fruitgum Co. were, they had the best song of the bunch with Green Tambourine. also great were jelly Jungle (Of Orange Marmalade), Rice Is Nice and Blueberry Blue. they certainly could have included the single version of Green Tambouine which has a more bassy mix and less echo. four stars is being generous.

Rather than offering a critique of the album, I'd like to point out some interesting connections to this band:

1. The group Steam, who sang "Na Na, Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" held in its membership one Paul Leka, who was part of The Lemon Pipers.

2. The group The Peppermint Rainbow, who sang "Will You Be Staying After Sunday" and "Don't Wake Me Up in the Morning, Michael", also includes Paul Leka. And they even included a near-identical cover of "Green Tambourine" on their album.

So, if you want to get a really interesting snapshot of the evolution (or perhaps lack thereof, should you decide such) of a group of musicians, listen to the recordings of all three groups.

The resurrected and reformed Buddah label (as Buddha) has issued several compilations of the original Buddah/Kama Sutra bubblegum-era artists. This is one in that series. Lemon Pipers singles have appeared on previous greatest-hits collections and various compilations but this is the best to date.

The entire compilation is in true stereo including stereo versions of the three top-100 charted singles. The sound quality is superior to anything encountered so far. If you're looking for this group's material, this is the best quality piece to buy.

It is a shame they did not make more music albums. They were a great group. The Green Tambourine brings back memories.

Best of bubblegum, no doubt. Beyond the single super hit (which is fine), my own favorites would be Love Beads and Meditation (aka Love, Peace and Medication) -- absolutely hilarious song, ought to be hit in its own right -- and cover of "I was not born to follow". Of and Jelly Jungle is great as well.
Some of the songs sound pretty much the same (shoeshine boy vs shoemaker for example), somewhat less memorable but not bad per se.

The Buddah stable of artists was easily the most successful purveyor of the 1960's phenomenon known as "bubblegum" - that heavy, repetitive bass beat combined with simplistic - and, yes, at times moronic - lyrics.

This was in 1968/69, and by this time the industry had started to breed the "progressive" faction of artists and critics. It wasn't long before they took dead aim at anything and everything enjoying huge commercial success. And make no mistake, groups like The Ohio Express, 1910 Fruitgum Co., The Archies, The Monkees and, to a lesser degree The Lemon Pipers, were enjoying huge success.

Wallowing in self-righteous indignation, the "progressive" set lashed out blindly at such groups, all the time failing to heed some sage advice on the ills of jealousy and envy. Such as that of Henry Fielding who wrote, way back in 1742, "Some folks rail against other folks, because other folks have what some folks would be glad of."

Let's face it. You'll find a lot more 55+ people walking around today recognizing and whistling or humming along to Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, Simon Says, or Green Tambourine than anything ever done by The Velvet Underground or Psychedelic Furs!

In terms of hit singles, this group consisting of Ivan Browne on vocals and guitar, Bill Bartlett on guitar, R.G. Nave on organ, Steve Walmsley on bass and drummer Bill Albaugh, pulled up the rear at Buddah with just three Billboard Pop 100 single hits, compared to seven each for the 1910 Fruitgum Co. and Ohio Express [not counting their two Cameo hits].

But they were the only ones with a # 1 to their credit, as Green Tambourine reached that pinnacle early in 1968 b/w No Help From Me. Nothing else, however, even came close, as Rice Is Nice peaked at # 46 in March 1968 b/w Blueberry Blue, and Jelly Jingle (Of Orange Marmalade) topped out at # 51 in May b/w Shoeshine Boy.

All those tracks are in this set, but for some reason the producers opted to leave off No Help From Me, and for that reason this collector had to deduct one star.

I'm a big lemon pipers fan for one giant reason, their triangle player was the gold standard as far as triangling went. Along with being the top frontman on vocals on the Gretna scene, I also played an off the charts triangle. I played triangle in a speed metal cover band called Rotweilers Buttcrack. We played covers of Pantera and Gorky Park songs and just tore the roof off of club after club. I didn't front this band as I really had to concentrate on making the triangle howl. I would play it on my back, doing cartwheels, on my head and just straight headbanging triangle. There was a solo I played on one of our original songs called, "The trip to hell on the triangle of doom" where I was so on that three girls in the front row fainted at the sheer force of what I was doing. Unfortunately I got all caught up in the scene like most triangle players do and I was pulling all nighters at waffle house. I was ordering hash browns with all of the fixings and pouring chocolate milk on them. Yes, it was messed up and I'm having a hard time holding together even as I type. I've got my life turned around now and play the triangle like it was meant to be played, for the fans and not myself. This band got me hooked on the greatest instrument though and for that I thank them.

Excellent remastering, excellent liner notes, all the tracks you remember and then some. Their material, though, was never that strong -- self-conscious ersatz psychedelia that doesn't hold up as well as that of the childishly naughty Ohio Express or 1910 Fruitgum Company, whose Buddha CD antholgies are more highly recommended. Still, if it's "Green Tambourine" or "Rice Is Nice" you want, this is far-and-away the best CD to go for.