Incense and Peppermints
Encyclopedia
Incense and Peppermints is the first album by psychedelic rock
band Strawberry Alarm Clock
. Released in late 1967, the album reached #11 on the Billboard 200
album charts and includes the band's #1 Billboard Hot 100
hit "Incense and Peppermints
". In addition to the six regular members of the band, the album also features the flute playing of Steve Bartek, who co-wrote four songs on the album with bass
player George Bunnell.
The tracks "The World's on Fire", "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow", and "Incense and Peppermints
" are all featured in the motion picture Psych-Out
, along with a new song; "Pretty Song from Psych-Out", which appeared on the band's second album Wake Up...It's Tomorrow
.
The Japanese release of the album also features the non-album B-side, "The Birdman of Alkatrash".
A compilation album
of the same name (albeit spelled with an ampersand
) was released by MCA
in 1990. To date, the album has been released on CD only in Japan.
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles best known for their 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints". The group took its name as an homage to the Beatles' psychedelic hit "Strawberry Fields Forever", reportedly, at the suggestion of their record company Uni Records.They are...
. Released in late 1967, the album reached #11 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album charts and includes the band's #1 Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
hit "Incense and Peppermints
Incense and Peppermints (song)
"Incense and Peppermints" is a song by the Los Angeles based psychedelic pop band Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song is officially credited as having been written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, although it was based on an instrumental idea by band members Mark Weitz and Ed King...
". In addition to the six regular members of the band, the album also features the flute playing of Steve Bartek, who co-wrote four songs on the album with bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player George Bunnell.
The tracks "The World's on Fire", "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow", and "Incense and Peppermints
Incense and Peppermints (song)
"Incense and Peppermints" is a song by the Los Angeles based psychedelic pop band Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song is officially credited as having been written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, although it was based on an instrumental idea by band members Mark Weitz and Ed King...
" are all featured in the motion picture Psych-Out
Psych-Out
Psych-Out is a feature film about hippies, psychedelic music, and recreational drugs, produced and released by American International Pictures. Originally scripted as The Love Children, the title when tested caused people to think it was about bastards, so Samuel Z...
, along with a new song; "Pretty Song from Psych-Out", which appeared on the band's second album Wake Up...It's Tomorrow
Wake Up...It's Tomorrow
Wake Up...It's Tomorrow is the second album by Strawberry Alarm Clock. It is the last album to feature the classic Incense and Peppermints lineup....
.
The Japanese release of the album also features the non-album B-side, "The Birdman of Alkatrash".
A compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of the same name (albeit spelled with an ampersand
Ampersand
An ampersand is a logogram representing the conjunction word "and". The symbol is a ligature of the letters in et, Latin for "and".-Etymology:...
) was released by MCA
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
in 1990. To date, the album has been released on CD only in Japan.
Side A
- "The World's On Fire"
- "Birds In My Tree" (George Bunnell, Steve BartekSteve BartekSteve Bartek, born in Garfield Heights, Ohio on January 30, 1952, is an American guitarist, film composer, conductor and orchestrator.-Early career:...
) - "Lose to Live"
- "Strawberries Mean Love" (Bunnell, Bartek)
- "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow" (Bunnell, Bartek)
Side B
- "Paxton's Back Street Carnival"
- "Hummin' Happy"
- "Pass Time with SAC"
- "Incense and PeppermintsIncense and Peppermints (song)"Incense and Peppermints" is a song by the Los Angeles based psychedelic pop band Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song is officially credited as having been written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, although it was based on an instrumental idea by band members Mark Weitz and Ed King...
" (John S. Carter, Tim Gilbert, Mark WeitzMark WeitzMark Weitz is an American musician. A former keyboard player for the 1960s psychedelic rock group Strawberry Alarm Clock, Weitz was the principal composing member of the band.- Early life and The Strawberry Alarm Clock :...
, Ed KingEd KingEdward C. King is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
) - "Unwind with the Clock"
Personnel
- Mark WeitzMark WeitzMark Weitz is an American musician. A former keyboard player for the 1960s psychedelic rock group Strawberry Alarm Clock, Weitz was the principal composing member of the band.- Early life and The Strawberry Alarm Clock :...
- Organ, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Randy Seol - DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, bongos, vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, vocals - Ed KingEd KingEdward C. King is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
- lead guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Lee Freeman - rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, bassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, drums, vocals, woodwind - George Bunnell - Bass, vocals
- Gary Lovetro - Bass, vocals
- Steve BartekSteve BartekSteve Bartek, born in Garfield Heights, Ohio on January 30, 1952, is an American guitarist, film composer, conductor and orchestrator.-Early career:...
- Flute - Greg Munford (uncredited) - lead vocals on Incense and Peppermints