The Electric Prunes – I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (1967)
[Album 799/1001]
Full credit to The Electric Prunes – they know how to craft an intriguing title.
Beginning with the seemingly oxymoronic band name, The Electric Prunes. If asked to name an bold / exciting / invigorating fruit, how many people would choose dried / humiliated plums?
Then there’s the album name, I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night). Had anyone else previously considered that there might be an optimal quantity of dreams in a given sleep? Or that exceeding that desired amount would be a problem to be addressed through song?
And perhaps most thought-provoking of all, the track, Are You Lovin’ Me More (But Enjoying It Less).
It got me thinking about long-term relationships between bands & fans.
In my case, Radiohead.
With each subsequent album, I find my love / respect / admiration for the band continues to grow. Though at the same time, with the odd exception, I find I’m enjoying the newer albums less than their predecessors.
So I’m curious as to how that will one day apply to a relatively new-to-me group like The Electric Prunes.
With their debut, thus far, enjoyment hasn’t been hard to come by.
For starters, Train for Tomorrow feels like a preview of Nirvana’s About a Girl. Its followup track, Sold to the Highest Bidder features an electric mandolin-esque sound (which delightfully brings Flight of the Conchords to mind). Then there’s a dash of harpsichord in The King Is in the Counting House…so there’s plenty to enjoy within the sub-30-minute running time.
But I wouldn’t say I’m head over heels just yet.
Over time though, will I fall deeper in love?
And will it inevitably be offset by a decrease in enjoyment?
We shall see!
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Verbalize the Positive
For fans of The Onion, there’s a Canadian comparable named, The Beaverton.
One of their finest headlines: Study finds you are the only person who truly appreciates the genius of Radiohead!
Never heard the album but the title track is a psych classic.
The album is on par with the single – I see why it would get the top billing, but I enjoyed the rest of the album as well
I was about to say “That’s a pretty old tune!” Wait a minute that was the year I was born lol
Which would make you a quinquagenarian, Deke (a person between 50 and 59!)!
I feel better now. Thanks!
My grandmother loved prune juice. I wonder if she would’ve liked these guys…something tells me no.
It feels like prunes appeal to the grandparent demographic – perhaps that was their target audience here as well!
Something tells me that probably wasn’t the demographic. Ha!
Fun fact: “I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night” and its lack of airplay on commercial radio was what inspired Little Steven to begin Little Steven’s Underground Garage.
That is fantastic – while being simultaneously also fun & factual!
That is a very Onion headline. I’m intrigued, I love the Onion more than almost everything else in the world stacked up in a big pile.
I think the Beaverton often focuses more on Canada-specific headlines (about Provincial governments and such) – but when they’re on their game, they’re right up there with the Onion!
As others have said, the title cut is a much compiled psychedelic classic. It has its charm, this album, so I’ll be intrigued as to whether you fall more deeply for it, Geoff.
I’ve definitely been swept off my feet by the chatty & interesting titles – the music may be next!
I have never heard of these guys but I love their name and if people are saying they are often on psych rock comps, I may have to check them out.
I appreciated that this was a sub-30 minute running time, makes it an efficient album to explore!
Will definitely keep that in mind.