Lothar and the Hand People - What Grows on Your Head (1969)

First assembled in Denver, Colorado in 1965, this psychedelic and experimental band found their calling when they moved to New York together in 1966. Known for their strange space-like sound effects, the band created songs that transcended from folk and rock to psychedelic and experimental. They were known for their heavy use of a theremin, a synthesizer which seemed “futuristic” at the time and can be heard in The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations." They were so in love with the noises that the theremin created, they decided to name it and chose the name “Lothar.” Lead by their synthesizer, Lothar, the band referred to themselves as “the Hand People,” or the ones who had to use their hands to create music. In the band’s short existence, they were able to open for The Byrds, the Grateful Dead, The Lovin’ Spoonful, and Canned Heat. They even had a jam session with Jimi Hendrix.

The band released a total of two albums, 1968’s Presenting…Lothar & the Hand People and 1969’s follow-up, Space Hymn. The song below comes from the band’s second and last album, commenting on society’s outlook on hippies and people with long hair. It’s possible that they were inspired by the recently released “Hair” by The Cowsills, but with little information on the group available, one can’t be too sure what drove them to write this catchy song.



Lothar and the Hand People - What Grows on Your Head (1969)

Loading the ABLYAM player...(Might not work on mobile devices)

Lyrics:

It doesn’t matter

Don’t wanna cut my hair
It’s gonna grow down to my knees
My teacher at school’s not there
My mom and my dad don’t care
Don’t know what it means to be free
With your long hair blowing in the breeze
Free

Well, me and the guys
We’re running away
To live in a cave
Alone with our hair

It gets in my mouth when I eat
I don’t like to walk the street
You know I can’t stand the heat
The people who laugh at me
They’re jealous because I’m free
With my long hair waiving to the trees
Free

Oh, one of these days
You’ll wake up and see
An army of guys
An army of hair

I don’t wanna cut my hair
It’s gonna grow down to my knees
My teacher at school’s not there
My mom and my dad don’t care
Don’t know what it means to be free
With your long hair blowing in the breeze
Free

Me and the guys
We’re running away
To live in a cave
Alone with our hair

Hair