Crimson and Clover

"Crimson and Clover"
Italian single sleeve
Single by Tommy James and the Shondells
from the album Crimson & Clover
B-side
  • "Some Kind of Love"
  • "I'm Taken"
Released November 1968 (1968-11)
Format 7"
Recorded 1968
Genre
Length
  • 5:25 (album version)
  • 3:23 (single version)
Label Roulette
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Tommy James
Tommy James and the Shondells singles chronology
"Do Something to Me"
(1968)		 "Crimson and Clover"
(1968)		 "Sweet Cherry Wine"
(1969)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Crimson and Clover" is a 1968 song by American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. Written by the duo of Tommy James and drummer Peter Lucia Jr., it was intended as a change in direction of the group's sound and composition.

"Crimson and Clover" was released in late 1968 as a rough mix after a radio station leaked it. It spent 16 weeks on the U.S. charts, reaching number one in the United States (in February 1969) and other countries. The single has sold 5 million copies, making it Tommy James and the Shondells' best-selling song.(note: the RIAA did not award a gold record so the 5 million sales number is not officially acknowledged.) [3] It has been covered by many artists such as Joan Jett and Prince.

In 2006, Pitchfork Media named it the 57th best song of the 1960s.[4]

Composition and recording

Following the release of "Mony Mony", Tommy James wanted to change direction of the group's sound, and began producing his own material. At the time, James said this was out of "necessity and ambition", wanting to move from singles into albums. He departed from the group's principal songwriters Bo Gentry and Ritchie Cordell, and was given complete artistic control by Roulette Records.

The title, "Crimson and Clover", was decided before a song had been written for it. The combination of unknown meaning came to James as he was waking up, comprising his favorite color – crimson – and his favorite flower – clover. (There is also a species of clover native to Europe called the crimson clover.) A song to fit the phrase was written by Tommy James and bassist Mike Vale, but was scrapped. His following collaboration with drummer Peter Lucia, Jr. was more successful (Lucia has said that he himself came up with the Crimson and Clover phrase while watching a high school football game between his hometown Morristown (NJ) Crimson and Hopatcong (green, or "clover")). During the song's production, Roulette Records wanted a new single, so the group agreed to release "Do Something to Me" to gain time to complete the song.

"Crimson and Clover" was recorded in late 1968 in about five hours and is one of the earliest songs recorded on 16-track equipment. Tommy James played most of the instruments, while Mike Vale played bass and Peter Lucia, Jr. played drums. The song contains a tremolo effect on the guitar, set so that it vibrated in time with the song's rhythm. Near the end of the recording, the band had an idea of utilizing the tremolo effect with vocals. To achieve this, the voice microphone was plugged into an Ampeg guitar amplifier with tremolo turned on, and the output from the amplifier was recorded while James sang "Crimson and clover, over and over".

Single release

Tommy James and the Shondells on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969, one day before their single reached number one.

Tommy James made a rough mix of "Crimson and Clover" to show to Roulette Records executive Morris Levy for evaluation. The band was still intending to improve on the mix with ambient sound and echo. A few days later, James stopped at Chicago radio station WLS where he had previously had a positive experience, to get their reaction. After an interview discussing the single, he was persuaded to play the rough mix off-air for WLS. Unbeknownst to James, the station recorded the song which they aired with little delay - in November 1968 - as a "world exclusive".

Morris Levy had initially pleaded with WLS not to play the record prematurely, before its release, but listener response changed his mind. Roulette Records produced a specially pressed single and shipped it to listeners who called about the song. Eight hundred copies were also sent to WLS for promotional purposes. Levy refused to let James produce the final mix he wanted, and the single was released using the rough mix, with "Some Kind of Love" as its B-Side.[5][6]

"Crimson and Clover" entered the U.S. charts on December 14, where it stayed for 16 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 and 15 weeks on Cash Box Top 100. Following a performance of the song on The Ed Sullivan Show on January 26,[7] it became number one on February 1, 1969, a position held for one week on Cash Box Top 100 and two weeks on both Billboard Hot 100 and Record World 100 Top Pops. Internationally, the song reached number one in Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and Switzerland. It also charted in Austria, Brazil, France, Holland, Italy, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, and Puerto Rico. Despite this, the song did not chart in the United Kingdom.

Charts

Chart Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] 2
Canadian RPM 100[11] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 3
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[14] 21
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 1

Legacy

Album version

Based on suggestions from radio stations, Tommy James and The Shondells chose to create a longer version of "Crimson and Clover" for the album. The first two verses were copied without lead vocals and overdubbed with guitar solos by Shondells guitarist Ed Gray using steel guitars and fuzz guitars. During tape copying a slight speed error was inadvertently introduced. This resulted in a small drop in pitch during the new guitar solo sections, which went unfixed.[17][18] The album, also titled Crimson and Clover, was released in January 1969 and reached a peak of #8 on the Billboard 200.[19]

CD and single re-releases

The version of "Crimson and Clover" on the 1991 Crimson and Clover/Cellophane Symphony CD is the same as the original album version; however, digital technology was used to fix the speed and pitch error mistake made in 1968. The CD booklet states that "Crimson and Clover" is now as it was "meant to be heard," and that Tommy James is "very satisfied" with the reissue of the recordings in CD format.

The reissue single of "Crimson and Clover" (Roulette Golden Goodies GG-73) was also pressed with the longer album version although the label still shows the original single version playing time of 3:23.

Covers and interpretations

"Crimson and Clover" has been covered by many artists, some of whom have charted with the song. Patrick Samson reached #1 in Italy with the 1969 cover "Soli si muore", while Joan Jett and the Blackhearts reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their 1982 rendition.[20] Other artists who have covered or interpreted the song include Aguaturbia (1969), The Uniques (1969),[21] Sielun Veljet (1991), Bobby Conn (1995), Spanish Fly (1995, #89 on Billboard Hot 100),[22] Deadsy and Cher (1999), Dolly Parton on Those Were the Days (2005), Prince on Lotusflower (2009), Broken Bells (2010), Lissa Schneckenberger (2013)[23] and Teho Teardo and Blixa Bargeld (2014). The song has also been covered in German, as Tränen der Liebe, by Henner Hoier in 1976.[24]

Chords and samples

In 2006, Jarvis Cocker sampled the "Crimson and Clover" chords for his song "Black Magic",[25] and Dum Dum Girls' single "Lord Knows," from 2012, also uses this chord progression.[26]

Mentions and tributes

  • The song is credited as inspiring the film Cherries and Clover.
  • The Joan Jett cover of the song is mentioned in Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis.
  • The band Jimmy Eat World references this song in "A Praise Chorus" on their album Bleed American. Near the end of the song, they repeat the words "crimson and clover, over and over" several times.
  • The band Kings of Leon mention the song in "California Waiting" (from their debut album Youth and Young Manhood), in the line "Crimson and Clover pullin' overtime".
  • The band Ducktails references this song by name in "Surreal Exposure" on their album St. Catherine.
  • Elliott Smith sings "the radio was playing Crimson and Clover" in the song "Baby Britain" on his album XO. He also sings "His running love of Crimson and Clover" in the previously-unreleased song "Bottle Up and Explode (Alternate Version)" released in the Either/Or Expanded Edition released in 2017.
  • The band American Hi-Fi mentions "crimson and clover" in the song "The Breakup Song" on their album The Art of Losing – "Its over, all over. Just like in Crimson and Clover".
  • Metric mentions "crimson and clover" in the song "Siamese Cities" off the Static Anonymity EP.
  • SF Spanish Fly covered the song, a reggae version in 1995 (No. 89 Billboard Hot 100). SF Spanish Fly is a duo group featuring John "Milo" Pro and Octaviano Silva from San Francisco, California.
  • Liz Phair sings, "crimson and clover – soon he's taken over all my senses now" in the song "Johnny Feelgood".
  • On Hawk Nelson's album Letters to the President in the song "First Time", "Crimson and Clover over and over" is mentioned.
  • Referenced in "Automaton" by the Pernice Brothers "Something came over me, crimson, not clover-leafed"[27]
  • In the 1980s, the Clover Department Store used a version of the song in television and radio ads during the Christmas season with the changed lyrics: "Christmas at Clover...Over and Over." This version was sung by a chorus of children.
  • Janelle Monáe uses similar tremolo vocals and musical style in a nod to "Crimson and Clover" on "Mushrooms & Roses" off her 2010 debut album, The ArchAndroid
  • In the game Fallout 3, Eulogy Jones has two bodyguards named "Crimson" and "Clover" as a reference to this song.
  • On Veronica Falls's self-titled debut, "crimson and clover" is mentioned in the song "Come On Over".
  • Tanya Stephens rocks the melody in her roots and riddim feminist anthem "Think it Over".
  • Green Day mention "Crimson and Clover" in two songs from their 2012 album, ¡Dos!, in "Lady Cobra" ("Her black heart beats crimson and clover;") and "Nightlife" ("I'll be the devil on your shoulder saying 'Hey boy, come over' My black heart beats crimson and clover").
  • Gregory Pepper and His Problems sings "Sing it over and over, crimson and clover" during the chorus of his song, "Note to Self".
  • Johan sing "Write me a song of Crimson and Clover" in the title song of their album Pergola.
  • Gabrielle Calvocoressi mentions the Joan Jett cover of the song in her poem "Late Twentieth Century in the Form of Litany."
  • Lana del Rey repeats the phrase "Crimson and Clover, honey" towards the end of her song "Venice Bitch" from 2018. The section starts with "Back in the garden. We're getting high now, because we're older. Me, myself, I like diamonds. My baby, crimson and clover" and is followed by "Over and over, honey" just like in the original song.

Background music

  • It is used in the opening credits of the 2017 horror/thriller The Vault .
  • It was used as background music in the 1994 film Pontiac Moon.
  • It plays all through the "Renée" segment on the 2003 Jim Jarmusch film Coffee and Cigarettes.
  • It is used as background music to a makeout scene between John Cusack's character 'Rob' and his high school girlfriend 'Penny' in the 2000 film High Fidelity.
  • It was used multiple times in the 2003 film Monster.
  • It is used as background music in an episode of Veronica Mars when Logan waits in his yacht for Veronica, who never shows up.
  • It is used as background music in an A&W commercial where a middle-aged couple go to an A&W restaurant to relive memories.
  • Also used as background music in Sports Night at the end of the "Sally" episode.
  • A small part is used in the 2000 film Frequency as the radio signal is traveling to the sun and back through time.
  • The beginning of the song is used in The L Word in the episode 1.08 "Listen Up".
  • The song plays near the end of the Cold Case episode "Revolution", the fourteenth episode of the series' second season.
  • It plays during the prom dance scene in the 2008 film My Best Friend's Girl.
  • It was used as background music for the season 2 finale episode of Quebec sitcom Les Invincibles.
  • It plays in the beginning of the 90210 episode "Clark Raving Mad", the sixteenth episode of the series' second season, during a makeout session between Liam and Naomi.
  • It is on the soundtrack of the 2009 film The Boat That Rocked.
  • It was one of the songs in Andrew Reynolds (skateboarder) part in "Baker 2g".
  • The Joan Jett and the Blackhearts version was used in the 2006 romantic comedy Her Minor Thing.
  • The Joan Jett cover was also used at the end of the 2010 film The Runaways.
  • It was used in an episode of ABC's The Wonder Years where Kevin settles for one girl but really wanted to take another girl to a school dance.
  • Aly Michalka hums and sings the song in the 2011 film The Roommate.
  • It plays in the background of a scene in the 2011 season finale of In Plain Sight.
  • It plays several times in the 2016 Australian television drama series The Kettering Incident.
  • It is used as background music in the Sons of Anarchy episode "To Be, Act 1" (Season 4, Episode 13) (2011).
  • The Joan Jett cover was used in an episode of NBC's Go On episode "Bench-Clearing Bawl" on September 25, 2012.
  • It was featured in the twelfth episode of Fox Broadcasting Company science fiction series Almost Human, titled "Beholder".
  • It was featured in the 1970s-era New York crime film Blood Ties.
  • A brief segment plays in the 1993 film Indian Summer.
  • It was featured in the Bates Motel in the season 5 episode "Visiting Hours", during a scene in which Emma's mother is being cremated.
  • It is featured in the movie Battle of the Sexes.
  • The Joan Jett cover was featured in the Starz series Ash vs Evil Dead in 3rd episode of the 3rd series.

References

  1. ↑ Kim Cooper; David Smay (2001). Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth. Feral House. ISBN 978-0-922915-69-9.
  2. ↑ Crimson and Clover at AllMusic
  3. ↑ Creswell, Toby (2007). 1001 Songs, page 842. Hardie Grant Publishing. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  4. ↑ "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s: Part Four: #60–21", Pitchfork Media, August 17, 2006
  5. ↑ "WLS Airs Premiere of 'Crimson and Clover'", Billboard magazine, 30 Nov 1968, p.55
  6. ↑ James, Tommy (with Martin Fitzpatrick), Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James and the Shondells, New York : Scribner, 2010. ISBN 978-1-4391-2865-7
  7. ↑ "The Ed Sullivan Show: Episode Guide: Season 22, Episode 15: January 26, 1969: Tommy James & the Shondells, Shirley Bassey, George Hamilton Episode Recap", TV.com
  8. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  12. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Tommy James and the Shondells – Crimson and Clover". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Tommy James Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. ↑ "Crimson & Clover and Cellophane Symphony". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  18. ↑ Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James and the Shondells
  19. ↑ Tommy James and the Shondells, Mony Mony Retrieved February 7, 2015
  20. ↑ Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, "Crimson and Clover" Chart Position Retrieved February 7, 2015
  21. ↑ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. 2009-10-26. Archived from the original on 2009-10-26. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  22. ↑ Spanish Fly, "Crimson and Clover" Chart Position Retrieved February 7, 2015
  23. ↑ https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/352582/versions
  24. ↑ https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/352582/versions
  25. ↑ Murray, Noel. "Jarvis: Jarvis Cocker".
  26. ↑ Greene, Jayson. "Dum Dum Girls, "Lord Knows."".
  27. ↑ "Pernice typically smart, sad". The Star. Toronto. December 21, 2006. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
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