THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,409) The Peppermint Trolley Co. — “I Remember Long Ago”
Take a ride on the peppermint trolley with this glorious ’68 B-side by America’s greatest 60’s TV band. This beautiful and bittersweet confection “sounds like S.F. Sorrow-era Pretty Things stripped of their menace” (Mike Segretto, https://psychobabble200.blogspot.com/2021/09/review-peppermint-trolley-company-vinyl.html), and is a “danceable psychedelic cut, with rhythmic ferocity, very well-woven choral games, lysergic keyboard solos and powerful bass lines plus a fascinating percussive dimension based on bongos and choirs”. (Magic Pop Blog, https://magicpopblog.wordpress.com/2021/09/10/out-sider-guerssen-reedita-el-disco-popsike-de-culto-de-the-peppermint-trolley-company/)
America’s greatest TV band of the 60’s? Don’t think simian, think peppermint. The Peppermint Trolley (see #54, 136, 318, 426) appeared rehearsing in an episode of the classic detective drama Mannix (see #136) and camped it up on The Beverly Hillbillies, and that’s just for starters. They also recorded the theme song to the generation-defining iconic TV series The Brady Bunch (at least for the first season). Talk about Monkee business!
In addition to the Trolley’s contributions to television, it was a wonderful pop psych/ baroque pop band (not bubblegum, despite what its name might suggest). “Long Ago” is taken from their sole LP, which Beverly Paterson aptly describes as:
[T]he self-titled platter was padded to the ceiling with layers of sweet soaring harmonies stacked neatly atop pastoral textures, glistening melodies and exotic interludes. The band’s attention to detail and their ability to deliver the songs in such a natural manner remains flawless. A spiffy paisley pop vibe, akin to that of the Poor, the Left Banke, and the Strawberry Alarm Clock, hugs the tunes. Challenging and ambitious, but highly accessible, [it] is one of the greatest overlooked efforts of the era.
As the the Trolley, Al Campbell tells us:
Formed in Redlands, CA, in 1967, Peppermint Trolley Company managed to release one album and five singles. They were one of the initial bands signed to the Acta label, whose biggest success was the American Breed “Bend Me Shape Me.” Only one of Peppermint’s singles managed to make the charts, “Baby You Come Rollin’ Across My Mind.” It peaked at number 59 in the summer of 1968. They managed to keep a relatively high profile by performing the weekly TV theme songs for Love American Style and the first season of The Brady Bunch (the cast members sang the theme from the second season on). The band consisted of Bob Cheevers (vocals and guitar), Jimmie Faragher (bass, guitar, and sax), Danny Faragher (keyboards), Casey Cunningham (guitar and flute), and Greg Tornouist (drums). Their success was short lived and by the early ’70s the band changed their name to Bones and finally the Faragher Brothers before disbanding. Bob Cheevers gained success as a solo artist, releasing several discs in the contemporary folk genre.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/peppermint-trolley-company-mn0000411009#biography
Danny Faragher wrote a great history of their career which I highly recommend —http://www.dannyfaragher.com/bio/the-peppermint-trolley-company/.
Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
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