The Leaves - War of Distortion (1966)

This California group was started by college-student Jim Pons who was inspired to form a band after hearing The Beatles on the radio. He gathered up his fraternity brothers and, none of them knowing an instrument, they taught themselves how to play. Their first gig was in a school gym on the same bill as Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. They would later replace The Byrds, who had just been signed, as the house-band at a local nightclub until being discovered by Pat Boone. In November 1965, they became the first group to release the (now) rock standard “Hey Joe” and had a hit with it in 1966 when they released a re-recorded version. The group disbanded when Pons left to join The Turtles in 1967.

This song appeared on the group’s 1966 debut album, Hey Joe.



The Leaves - War of Distortion (1966)

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Lyrics:

The “War of Distortion” rages
Like a forest fire
Giant monsters scream and yell
And they never tire

The greedy hands of Mr. Lee
Makes the un-hips eardrums bleed

Simple folks, though wild appearing
The freaky fox with one gold earring

Things that make it
Things that dangle
Distorted sounds from every angle

Secret dreams exposed by night
Change the dimming to the light

Everything is like it seems
No crashing thunder from machines