The Lollipop Shoppe - You Must Be a Witch (1968)

Originally formed as The Weeds in Portland, Oregon, this group never managed to appear on any charts. They were managed by “Lord” Tim Hudson, who was also the manager of The Seeds and would later be a voice actor for characters in the Disney films The Aristocats and The Jungle Book. Once under the tutelage of Hudson, the group was convinced that they should change their name to something that would fit in with the popularity of bubblegum music and that wouldn't sound so similar to his other group, The Seeds. The name seen above is what resulted, but the band still continued to play their garage/psychedelic material that they preferred. Although they never managed to score a hit song, they did open for acts such as The Doors and Janis Joplin, as well as appearing on the soundtrack to a ‘60s biker movie called Angels from Hell. Releasing only one album and a handful of singles, the group decided to call it quits in 1969 soon after their last single was released.

This song, arguably the most “successful” by the group, was released in 1968 as the single to the group’s only full length album, Just Colour. The band was clearly attempting to make listeners think they were from England, as they chose to spell “color” with its English spelling. Unfortunately for the band, the album passed by with only lukewarm attention. Luckily for us, the song is a great garage rocker that sounds nowhere near what the band’s bubblegum-sounding name would suggest.

[Update: Fred Cole of The Lollipop Shoppe provided us with an exclusive story. Check it out.]



The Lollipop Shoppe - You Must Be a Witch (1968)

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Lyrics:

Why do you try and look into me?
Why do you always look and never see?
Always look and never see
Always look and never see

You plea and decree
You're talking obscene
You’re making my life into a dream
You're wearing your colors
To be like the others
An easy life in heaven
With a thousand other guys
Yeah, yeah

The place, the time
Don't seem to matter much
'cause “guys” to you
Is pushing people with your touch
Pushing people with your touch
Pushing people with your touch

Your willing decree
You're talking obscene
You’re making my life into a dream
You're wearing your colors
To be like the others
An easy life in heaven
With a thousand other guys
Yeah, yeah

You must be a witch
I don’t need your love now
You must be a witch
I don’t need your love now
Yeah, oh

Easy life in heaven
With a thousand other guys
Yeah, yeah

Your eyes can't see
There's something wrong with you
It's sad to say
I never wanna be like you
I never wanna be like you
No, no, no
I never wanna be like you