Crazy Elephant
Crazy Elephant was a short-lived American bubblegum pop band noted for their 1969 hit single, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'". Crazy Elephant was a studio concoction, created by Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz of Super K Productions, promoted in Cash Box magazine as allegedly being a group of Welsh coal miners.[1] Former Cadillacs member Robert Spencer was widely utilized on lead vocals, though future 10cc member Kevin Godley took lead vocals on "There Ain't No Umbopo", recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England, and released on the Bell label in May 1970.[2] A touring group was formed later for promotional purposes. The bassist on "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" was Gary Gaynor, a local studio musician who also worked with Laura Nyro. The song was covered by Detroit band Adrenalin featuring vocalist David Larson in 1979 and later by Helix.
Crazy Elephant's "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" (b/w "The Dark Part of My Mind") was a transatlantic one-hit wonder, making number 12 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart.[3] Several follow-up singles, including "Gimme Some More" (b/w "My Baby (Honey Pie)") and "Sunshine Red Wine" (b/w "Pam"), failed to chart.
The band also released a self-titled album in 1969 featuring:
- Robert Spencer (vocals)
- Kenny Cohen (flute, saxophone, vocals), who later performed with The Eagles, Santana, Rod Stewart and B. B. King
- Bob Avery (drums), who also played with The Music Explosion
- Larry Laufer (keyboards, vocals)
- Hal King (vocals)
- Ronnie Bretone (bass)
Discography
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
Record Label | B-side | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | |||||
| 1967 | "The Right Girl" (as The Livin' End) | — | — | Spontaneous Records |
"Your Cheatin' Heart" | |
| 1969 | "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" | — | — | Bell Records | "Hips and Lips" | Crazy Elephant |
| "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" | 12 | 12 | "Dark Part of My Mind" | |||
| "Sunshine, Red Wine" | 104 | — | "Pam" | |||
| "Gimme Some More" | 116 | — | "My Baby (Honey Pie)" | |||
| "There's a Better Day a Comin' (Na, Na, Na, Na)" |
— | — | "Space Buggy" | |||
| 1970 | "There Ain't No Umbopo" | — | — | "Landrover" | ||
Albums
| Year | Album | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Crazy Elephant | Bell Records |
See also
References
- ↑ Carl Cafarelli. "An Informal History of Bubblegum Music, Part 3". Retrieved 2011-12-08.
- ↑ Liner notes to Strawberry Bubblegum CD, June 2003
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 125. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.