Early "Psychedelic" Country?

[Geo]

I hear a couple country tunes from that era on the radio
and both use an effect better known in rock, etc..
These had to be earlys or maybe 1sts.

"Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass?"
Buck Owens (and the Buckaroos?)
A really cheesey sounding Fuzz box on this one.
It really sounds like he is backed by a pop rock
group. It's really a hoot along with the tune.
I can't help think this was tongue and cheek all
the way.

"The Pill" (think that's the correct title.)
Lorretta Lynn
The tune gets a Wah-Wah pedal to "liven" it up.
She was known for breaking new ground anyway
even then and not afraid to put controversy
into country.

I haven't heard too much older stuff with an effect
unit until they started using phasers and flangers
around the mid '70s.

 

[jericho60]

I have a really wacky 60s version of "Cash on the Barrelhead" by Charlie Louvin with fuzz bass on it, and a song called "Wonder Drug" (i forget who by) with fuzz guitar.

And "Payload Daddy" by Red Sovine has guitar that's Echoplexed with about 4 repeats. Psychedelic, mang.

the fuzz sounds like somebody playing a kazoo into a tomato can. I wish I could find a cheesy fuzz like that...my 60s Fender fuzz/wah/volume (which weighs about 13 lbs) is way too uncontrollable.

"Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass" really makes me think of the Monkees. I think I remember hearing that there was so much backlash to the fuzz sound on that record that Buck felt compelled to take out his "country music pledge" afterwards.

 

[Geo]

That "Kazoo" sound was big. It's so novel and funny
hearing it now that it is tempting. Some could sound
like a big bug zapper or Jakeb's Ladder.
That Dano would probably get it.
I had a pedal think was made or sold under Guild that
was like that. It also had Wah, Surf Sound, Police Siren,
and Wind sounds. I never used the fuzz part though
cause even then I thought it was kind of yuck.
I had a Fuzz Face anyways.
The Maestro and the little plug in E.H. Matthews were
the Kazoo culprits I think.

 

[DAK]

A couple more...

The first would be Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry," a 1961 country hit that crossed over pop and contained the first (I think) fuzz guitar solo; at least, on a hit record. (I remember hearing that Grady Martin didn't intend it to sound like that, but a tube was going bad on the amp. Everyone decided to keep playing.)

The other would be a more obscure song by Hank Thompson; I think it dates back to '69 or '70,when he was recording for Dot. "But That's Alright" opens and closes with a fuzz tone riff, played in an upper register. I always dug it and managed to pick it up (on a used copy of the original LP) at L.A.'s Amoeba Music a few years ago.

 

[Jimo]

Porter tripped out on........

"The Rubber Room"----- --actually an improvement ------JIMO

 

[clydethecat]

The Coral Electric Sitar on "Games People Play" is pretty trippy too.

 

[jz63]

"Who's Gonna Mow.." what a great record!!! As stated earlier, that could have easily passed for a Nesmith Monkees tune. I really love what sounds like a Baldwin Electric Harpsicord on there as well. Buck always had one ear on contemporary rock and roll and wasn't afraid of trying new things.

 

[jericho60]

That was indeed a Baldwin Electric Harpsichord on that, played by Earl Poole Ball.

That Sundazed reissue of the Don Rich stuff said in the liner notes that Don had a copy of a Howard Roberts jazz album and the Beatles 'Rubber Soul' and listened to the two of them endlessly back then, almost ran his wife out of the house with them.

 

[Dave Brophy]

"The Pill" (think that's the correct title.)
Lorretta Lynn
The tune gets a Wah-Wah pedal to "liven" it up.

"Tennesee Birdwalk" by Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan.Find it online and give it a listen.You'll be glad you did.

 

[Paul in Colorado]

It was before Kenny was country, but don't forget "What Condition My Condition was In" by Kenny Rogers and the !st Edition. A friend of mine freaked out on acid and said that song discribed what happened to him. It don't get much more psychedelic then that!

 

[Fret Wilkes]

REAL pschedelic country...

The 1st New Riders Of The Purple Sage album.

Listen to Jerry Garcia on the pedal steel in "Dirty Business"...now THAT'S psychedelic country!

Fret

 

[Paul in Colorado]

Re: REAL pschedelic country...

The 1st New Riders Of The Purple Sage album.

Listen to Jerry Garcia on the pedal steel in "Dirty Business"...now THAT'S psychedelic country!

Fret

You should have heard them live. That first album doesn't even come close (and I love it)!

 

[Fret Wilkes]

Re: REAL pschedelic country...

The 1st New Riders Of The Purple Sage album.

Listen to Jerry Garcia on the pedal steel in "Dirty Business"...now THAT'S psychedelic country!

Fret

You should have heard them live. That first album doesn't even come close (and I love it)!

Ah, it is to dream.

Unfortunately I didn't see them live until April '74. Torbert had left and Skip Battin was playin bass. A real good show, but no Jerry, no Torbert. I saw them a bunch of times after that as well. I always loved NRPS and especially David Nelson. Their live album "Home, Home on the Road" from 1974 is EXCELLANT.

I have a Relix Records release of the 1st album lineup live at the Capitol Theater in 1971 I beleive. David Nelson handled the release and it sounds great.

Fret

 

[Geo]

"Tennesee Birdwalk" by Jack Blanchard and Misty
Morgan.Find it online and give it a listen.You'll be glad you
did.

I actually heard it today on the lunch time classic country
radio thing on WSM. Some guy called from Michigan and requested it.
Too much! What sounds!

"What Condition My Condition was In" by Kenny
Rogers and the !st Edition.

They were cool on the Smothers Brothers doing it. They
had some kind tricky lighting in the background.

he Coral Electric Sitar on "Games People Play" is
pretty trippy too.

My absolute favorite of that era. I never could get an
effect do that sound. Close, but no cigar.

 

[OutlawSteph]

My favorite psychedelic country rock

How about The Train Song by the Burritos? Sneaky Pete's tone on the pedal steel is wild! And the Byrds' album Younger than Yesterday.

 

[Doug 54]

"Paralyzed"

-Legendary Stardust Cowboy

 

[xStonr]

Re: REAL pschedelic country...

The 1st New Riders Of The Purple Sage album.

Listen to Jerry Garcia on the pedal steel in "Dirty Business"...now THAT'S psychedelic country!

Fret

You should have heard them live. That first album doesn't even come close (and I love it)!

Ah, it is to dream.

Unfortunately I didn't see them live until April '74. Torbert had left and Skip Battin was playin bass. A real good show, but no Jerry, no Torbert. I saw them a bunch of times after that as well. I always loved NRPS and especially David Nelson. Their live album "Home, Home on the Road" from 1974 is EXCELLANT.

I have a Relix Records release of the 1st album lineup live at the Capitol Theater in 1971 I beleive. David Nelson handled the release and it sounds great.

Fret

I did get to see them live when Jerry was playin pedal steel for them. NRPS was the opening act for the Dead in the late 60's and very early 70's. I saw them, I think it was 1971, when the Dead played 4 shows at the Felt Forum. Amazing show. Jerry was an amazing pedal steel player. He always said it was the hardest instrument for him to play.