Music: 'Jingle Jangle Morning: The 1960s U.S. Folk-Rock Explosion'
It was a time to be born, and see which way the wind was blowing
The amazing discoveries one glean from a music movement are not the well-know, the largesse of iconic songs. Sometimes it comes from the lesser-known, smaller crowd that imprinted their message in a deeply personal way.
Such is the case with Jingle Jangle Morning: The 1960s U.S. Folk-Rock Explosion, a 3CD, 74-track compilation that covers a wide ‘birth’ as it pertains to the genre that gave rise to a bunch of good troublemakers, including the well-worn (Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Ritchie Havens, Arlo Guthrie), the unknowns (The Blue Things, Fapardokly) and all that in-between (Tom Paxton, Dan Hicks, Nico). The voices also gave us a unified sound, even as it embraced multiple artists, to speak about the environment, religion, human frailty, and the Vietnam War.
Here It Is Another Day – The Mugwumps/℗©1967 Warner Records Inc./YouTube
Recognize two voices in The Mugwumps? That’s Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot, who went on to more recognizable fame in The Mamas and The Papas (as did future Lovin’ Spoonful guitarist Zal Yanovsky). As can be heard in this 1967 offering, the building blocks of two of folk-rock’s biggest bands are given a helping injection of psychedelic Merseyside. And it’s a nice backstory for those unfamiliar with the early days of their careers.
The Leaves – Hey Joe/℗© BMG Rights Management/YouTube
Yes, this is that “Hey Joe.” Now known universally as the debut of Jimi Hendrix, this is an April 1966 version from Los Angeles-based The Leaves. Granted, the interpretation spins more onto the garage grunge of The Standells and The Bad Seeds. However, considering its subject matter — a fugitive on the run — the sheer caustic attack presented here was one of the early signs of rebellion that could accurately align with the folk-rock environment.
Fred Neil – The Dolphins/℗© 1966 Capitol Records, LLC/YouTube
Awash in reverb and echo chamber orchestration, Fred Neil via this 1966 tune was the prototype folkie who went electric. Even more than the Dylan/Newport Folk Festival legend, Neil here embodies the uncanny fusion of world-weary delivery, observational lyrics, and forward-thinking instrumentation that went on to influence Tim Buckley, Paul Kanter and countless others.
The Youngbloods – Get Together (Audio)/℗© Ivan Mogull Music Corp., Irving Music Inc./YouTube
If nothing else, this song is one of the jewels of the folk-rock era, and showcasing it at this moment in time, only highlights its enduring quality, courtesy of vocalist Jesse Colin Young who passed on March 16.
Quicksilver Messenger Service – Pride of Man (Remastered)/℗© 1966 Capitol Records, LLC/YouTube
Proving once again that you can successfully keep the rock in folk-rock, Quicksilver Messenger Service turned a 1964 acoustic-based tune from Hamilton Camp into the signature styling of this 1966 offering: the unmistakable and burgeoning San Francisco pop psychedelia with chewy horns, glorious guitar distortion and lyrical directness that borders on the Biblical.
Jingle Jangle Morning: The 1960s U.S. Folk-Rock Explosion is available to pre-order from Cherry Red Records and releases March 21 as a four-hour, 3CD box set, which includes a 44-page booklet with photos, cuttings, and the story behind each song, courtesy of music historian Ritchie Unterberger.
