AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Lemon Pipers

Artist:The Lemon Pipers
Song:Green Tambourine
Album:The Real '60s





Back in the 60s, Buddah Records was known as the home of bubblegum music by nonexistent bands produced by Kasenetz-Katz. Groups like 1910 Fruitgum Co. were all created in the recording studio. The Lemon Pipers were a real band. But when their own songs didn't sell, Buddah owner Neil Bogart forced them to use an outside producer and the result was the number one hit Green Tambourine. Because they were on Buddah, I think fans assume The Lemon Pipers were not a band. They were all students at University Of Miami in Oxford, OH. They were lead singer Ivan Browne, guitarist Bill Bartlett, keyboard player Reg Nave, drummer Bill Albaugh and bassist Steve Walmsley. They got together in 1966 after playing in various bands. They wanted to be like The Byrds. After they reached the finals of a 1967 Battle Of The Bands in Cleveland, local music impresario Mark Barger took them to Buddah. The band wanted to write and record their own music. But when their first single written by Bartlett flopped, Bogart put them together with songwriter producer Paul Leka. He is best known as the man behind Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye by Steam. The band objected but Bogart threatened to fire them if they didn't comply. They reluctantly recorded Green Tambourine and it topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. This conflict continued until The Lemon Pipers left Buddah in 1969 and then split up. Three singles charted but I think most folks will only want Green Tambourine and the BMG 3CD comp is really cheap. Bartlett, Walmsley and Nave formed the short lived group Starstruck which eventually turned into the group Ram Jam and they had a hit with a cover of Leadbelly's Black Betty in 1977. Browne moved to California and Nave became a jazz DJ. Bill Albaugh died in 1999. Here's The Lemon Pipers performing Green Tambourine and Rice Is Nice on The Mike Douglas Show 1968 with an Ann Miller cameo at the end.