Andwella's Dream - Shades of Grey (1969)

At the age of sixteen, Dave Lewis joined his first band, known as Method, in his native home of Northern Ireland. After the band relocated to London the following year, 1968, they renamed themselves to what you see above.

By 1969, the group had released their first album, Love and Poetry, with all of its source material having been written and arranged by Lewis before the age of eighteen. The album featured Lewis on vocals, guitar, and keyboards, Nigel Smith on bass and vocals, and Gordon Barton on drums. Although the album failed to be commercially successful, it has since garnered more popularity and praise.

By 1970, the group had once again renamed themselves (this time, to just Andwella), and Lewis, remaining a member, simultaneously began a solo career. Andwella went on to release two more albums, and Lewis himself continued as a singer-songwriter, opening for such notable acts as Don McLean and Fairport Convention.

To hear another wonderful track from Love and Poetry, be sure to check out our previous post Andwella's Dream - Man Without a Name (1969).



Andwella's Dream - Shades of Grey (1969)

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Lyrics:

I used to play a game that stayed the same
When grey was grey every day
I used to sleep alone in a place called home
I used to own a car

Then I went away one sunny day
Now I see blue instead of grey
And I think of things in a better way
‘cause grey is not grey

And I have many friends
Who are proud to spend their days with me
And we sing life's song under the morning sun
Grey is never grey

And I play the game as best I can
Where every man equals any man
And I think of things in a better way
‘cause grey is not grey

I used to play a game that stayed the same
When grey was grey every day
I used to sleep alone in a place called home
Used to own a car

Then I went away one sunny day
Now I see blue instead of grey
And I live my life in a better way
‘cause grey is not grey

Country Joe and the Fish - Who Am I (1967)

In mid-1965, the publisher of the magazine Et Tu Brute, Country Joe McDonald, wanted to make a “talking issue” of his political, underground magazine. He recruited the talents of four other musicians, including Barry “The Fish” Melton, who had previously been in The Instant Jug Band with McDonald. Together, the outfit self-produced one-hundred copies of Talking Issue #1. It became popular enough that the duo of McDonald and Melton was able to pick up gigs performing it live at the ubiquitous coffee houses found throughout Berkeley, California.

By 1966, the duo expanded to a six-piece ensemble, relocated to San Francisco, and self-produced their second EP, the psychedelic Country Joe and the Fish, to great local acclaim. By December 1966, the group’s popularity had grown so vast, that they were signed to Vanguard Records, who they wound up releasing five albums for through 1970 (and one more album, Reunion, with Fantasy Records in 1977).

Alongside some of their San Francisco contemporaries, Country Joe and the Fish were at the forefront of the 1960s “hippie” ideologies: encouraging free-love, promoting the responsible use of LSD, and connecting your mind and spirit to nature.

The song heard below was first seen on I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die, the band’s second album for Vanguard, released in 1967. It was also re-released as the A-Side of a single in 1968, backed with “Thursday.” Written by Country Joe McDonald, the song is a poignant, existential outpouring of McDonald’s thoughts at the time it was written, presumably sometime in early 1967.



Country Joe and the Fish - Who Am I (1967)

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Lyrics:

Who am I
To stand and wonder- to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away?
Who am I?

There were some things that I loved one time
But the dreams are gone I thought were mine
And the hidden tears that once could fall
Now burn inside at the thought of all
The years of waste, the years of crime
Passions of a heart so blind
To think that, but even still
As I stand exposed, the feelings are felt
And I cry into the echo of my loneliness

Who am I
To stand and wonder- to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away?
Who am I?

What a nothing I've made of life
The empty words, the coward's plight
To be pushed and passed from hand to hand
Never daring to speak, never daring to stand
And the emptiness of my family's eyes
Reminds me over and over of lies
And promises and deeds undone
And now, again, I want to run
But now there is nowhere to run to

Who am I
To stand and wonder- to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away?
Who am I?

And now, my friend, we meet again
And we shall see which one will bend
Under the strain of Death's golden eyes
Which one of us shall win the prize
To live and which one will die
'tis I, my friend, yes 'tis I
Shall kill to live again and again
To clutch the throat of sweet revenge
For life is here only for the taking

Who am I
To stand and wonder- to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away?
Who am I?

Who am I?

The Syn - 14 Hour Technicolour Dream (1967)

This English band was formed in 1965 by Steve Nardelli and John Painter from a band called High Court, as well as Chris Squire, Andrew Jackman, and Martyn Adelman from a band called The Selfs. The band primarily performed R&B covers but, like nearly everyone, transitioned into playing psychedelic-sounding songs in late 1966.

Notably, the group opened for Jimi Hendrix in 1967 when Hendrix performed at the Marquee Club in London that year. If you recall, that was the same performance that featured the members of The Beatles in attendance and introduced Hendrix to the world. Needless to say, The Syn were nervous about performing before such musical icons; and, after Hendrix’s legendary set, they must have been glad that they went on before him rather than after.

The group disbanded later in 1967. Both Chris Squire and Peter Banks (who replaced John Painter) went on to form Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, which was eventually renamed Yes.

The song below was recorded and released during the band’s psychedelic period in 1967. Written by Steve Nardelli and Andrew Jackman, the song was the B-Side of their second single that year and featured the A-Side “Flowerman.”



The Syn - 14 Hour Technicolour Dream (1967)

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Lyrics:

(Dream, dream)
Dreaming
(Dream, dream)
Dreaming

Reality is getting you down
Just can't seem to get your feet off the ground
Could it be that you're caught up in a gravitational pull?
Is it society making you out to be a fool?

Forget it, child, you can become a freak
The prettiest girl that the world has ever seen
At the fourteen hour Technicolor
Fourteen hour Technicolor dream

Shades of orange and shades of green
Shades of purple, yellow, and tangerine
Shades of blue, black, and even cream
It's a fourteen hour Technicolor dream

You got your freedom, do what you like
Shoot yourself, root yourself
That'll be alright
At the fourteen hour Technicolor
Fourteen hour Technicolor dream

(Fourteen hour Technicolor)
Dream
(Fourteen hour Technicolor)
Dream
(Fourteen hour Technicolor)
Dream
(Fourteen hour Technicolor)
(Fourteen hour Technicolor)
(Fourteen hour Technicolor)
Dream

Fourteen hour Technicolor dream, yeah
And it's groovy
‘cause they're showin' movies
Yes, they are
And everybody's gonna be there, yeah
Suzy Creamcheese gonna be there, yeah
Yes, and I said a’have a Havana
And smoke a banana if you want to
I said, I said do what you want to

(Dream, dream)
Dreaming
(Dream, dream)
Dreaming