Before the Electric Light Orchestra in England, there was America’s Neon Philharmonic. ‘Morning Girl’, was released on April 5, 1969, just one week before ‘Will You Be Staying After Sunday’. The Neon Philharmonic peaked at #17 on Billboard, compared to #32 for the Peppermint Rainbow.
Forty years ago, Tipper Gore put attention on song lyrics in popular songs.
Songs from the Sixties about sex had lyrics that were coded, rather than explicit: “How’d you sleep last night? You’re several ages older now.”
My father would immediately turn off the car’s AM radio when Gary Puckett’s ‘Young Girl’ started playing on WABC. A #2 hit that debuted in March, 1968, what I paid attention to weren’t the lyrics, but the record’s sound.
I never knew that about Dad! I never witnessed it! Mom actually liked a lot of our pop songs. Now, of course, the “guy tempted by statutory rape” lyrics of “Young Girl” are obvious. And how about “This Girl is a Woman Now?” Yikes, even worse!
Back then I just loved the song and crushed on ugly/cute Gary. Plus he had a great voice. When I first met Tom, I immediately saw a pretty fair resemble between the two, and that was it for me!
“Morning Girl” is a very short but excellent song that I still love but I would never have been able to catch those lyrics. Next you’ll be telling me my beloved “Crystal Blue Persuasion” was penned by Satan himself.