Monday July 5, 2021 “Green Tambourine” The Lemon Pipers
The number one week in July seems to be reason enough to do a week of one hit wonders so let’s start chronologically in the 60s and move forward. Most of these songs were big hits from artists who, try as they may, were never able to follow up with a second shot.
First up are The Lemon Pipers that included singer Ivan Browne, guitarist Bill Bartlett, keyboardist R.G. Nave, bassist Steve Walmsley, and drummer William Albaugh. The group is best known for its number one bubblegum hit "Green Tambourine" which was written by the team of Paul Leka and Shelley Pinz.
In addition to this piece of brilliance, “Green Tambourine”, Paul Leka would also write and record “Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye” with studio musicians under the band name of Steam, another huge 60s one hit wonder.
The Lemon Pipers actually wanted to play more psychedelic music and they only recorded "Green Tambourine" because their record label would have dropped them had they refused. They eventually got the artistic control they wanted and ended up dropping off the charts for good with their first self-produced album. So much for artistic control.
When the Lemon Pipers broke up in 1969, Bartlett would join the band Ram Jam who also had a one hit wonder with the racially offensive hit tune, “Black Betty”.
Stay safe and well...and what exactly would you imagine a Lemon Piper to be?