THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,747) 3’s a Crowd — “Coat of Colors”
This delightful Canadian sunshine pop B-side lit up Hamilton, Ontario, reaching #9 there. (https://vancouversignaturesounds.com/hits/bound-fly-3s-crowd/) The A-side, written by Bruce Cockburn, reached #61 in Canada-wide (schijnsmusic, https://www.45cat.com/record/d4120ca)
Canadian Bands tells us of the in-Crowd:
Vocalist Brent Titcomb sidelined as a comedian was a staple on the Vancouver scene when he met up with fellow singer and comedian Donna Warner. By August 1964 they were writing together, when guitarist Trevor Veitch, who knew them from the local coffeehouses joined. They began playing together under the name The Bill Schwartz Quartet, although there were only three members, and none were named Bill Schwartz. They changed their name to 3’s A Crowd by the following spring . . . . After sending out demo tapes . . . they caught the attention of Sid Dolgay . . . heading up his own company, Universal Performing Artists. Dolgay brought them to Toronto, where they quickly became a fixture on the Yorkville circuit. They moved on to the Maritimes and in early ’66 added bassist Ken Koblun, ex of Neil Young & The Squires. His stay was initially short, as he moved to LA to join Buffalo Springfield [see #1,555], but didn’t even have time to unpack before he was back in Toronto with 3’s A Crowd . . . . [He] would have to leave again that April, suffering from drug related programs. He was replaced by Comrie Smith, who’d filled in while Koblun chased his Buffalo Springfield dreams. The group landed a deal with Epic Records, and was shipped off to New York that fall, where they recorded their debut single, “Bound To Fly,” shortly before Koblun rejoined the group. But by January ’67, he left again to try his hand with Buffalo Springfield again. Smith once again replaced him, and they added singer/writer David Wiffen and drummer Richard Patterson (ex Esquires) . . . . They released a second single, “Honey Machine,” which did relatively well on the charts. But while the band was touring, making several TV appearances along the way, their onstage raport with the crowd ended up casting them as a comedy/musical group, which didn’t sit well with the members. After an argument with Epic execs about their direction they were pushing the band in, they severed ties with the label. They continued on the circuit during the summer of ’67 and found their way across Canada . . . . By that fall they inked a new deal with ABC-Dunhill Records. And with Koblun once again in the band, they appeared at Expo ’67 in Montreal that summer . . . . There they were introduced to Cass Elliott of The Mamas & The Papas [see #1,734], who agreed to produce some demo sessions . . . . But shortly after returning home, Warner was forced to leave the group due to health concerns. She was temporarily replaced by Colleen Peterson by the time the band was shipped of to LA to begin recording . . . . After a month of studio time . . . they returned to Toronto in time to host their own national CBC TV special called, Our Kind of Crowd . . . . [T]heir first single, “Bird Without Wings,” written by Bruce Cockburn . . . and the b-side “Coat of Colours,” written by Murray McLauchlan, entered the charts . . . . The single was still climbing the charts when their debut album, Christopher’s Movie Matinee was finally released in February 1968. The band set out on a western swing of Canada, and then into California . . . . A second single, a cover of Dino Valenti’s “Let’s Get Together” found its way on to the charts that spring . . . . But by that May, the threads holding the band together were unwinding. Warner dropped out permanently due to her failing health, and Peterson was unable to join again on a permanent basis, so the band in effect folded. The problem though was the investors who financed the group’s album, and much of their career to that point, wanted their money back. The group remained disbanded until July 1968, when Dolgay convinced Wiffen and Patterson to reform the band. Patterson was now available, and guitarist Sandy Crawley . . . and bassist Dennis Pendrith joined. Since Bruce Cockburn wrote four of the songs on the album, and his group Olivus was going nowhere, he seemed like a natural addition, too. . . . [O]ne of the investors looking to recoup his money, took the group into the studio . . . . A video for the new Cockburn-penned song, “Electrocution of the Word” was produced. . . . Crawley dropped off the roster before a series of US college gigs could be finalized for the spring of ’69. The remaining members completed the two-month tour, and called it quits that April, when everyone went their separate ways. Most prominent of the after tales was Cockburn’s, who would go on to mega stardom as a crossover pop and folk artist.
“In 1966 and 1967, 3’s a Crowd received RPM Awards (later to become the Juno Awards) as best folk group.” (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/3s-a-crowd-emc)
Victoria Freeman adds that:
[B]the time the album was released in early 1968, some of the original members were getting tired. [Brent Titcomb recalls] “By that time, we’d been together about three years and we were worn out. Also . . . The Christy Minstrels were after Donna and were offering her all kinds of enticements, and we had to struggle to keep her in the band.” Initially, Dunhill had planned a major promotional effort for Christopher’s Movie Matinee, but once they sensed the group was not secure, they scaled down their promotion. In the meantime, Donna Warner had repeated throat and other general health problems, and Colleen Peterson began subbing for her and eventually became part of the band.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080828021607/http://www.brenttitcomb.com/crowd.html
Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
Please consider helping to support my website/blog by contributing $6 a month for access to the Off the Charts Spotify Playlist. Using a term familiar to denizens of Capitol Hill, you pay to play! (“relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment” — dictionary.com).
The playlist includes all the “greatest songs of the 1960’s that no one has ever heard” that are available on Spotify — now over 1,100 songs. The playlist will expand each time I feature an available song.
All new subscribers will receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock magnet. New subscribers who sign up for a year will also receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock t-shirt or baseball cap. See pictures on the Pay to Play page.
When subscribing, please send me an e-mail (GMFtma1@gmail.com) or a comment on this site letting me know an e-mail address/phone number/Facebook address, etc. to which I can send instructions on accessing the playlist and a physical address to which I can sent a magnet/t-shirt/baseball cap. If choosing a t-shirt, please let me know the gender and size you prefer.
Just click on the first blue block for a month to month subscription or the second blue block for a yearly subscription.
Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! / Off the Charts: 60s Rock Revelations😊 