Hair, an American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

Almost a year ago, on March 31, 2009, a revival of Hair opened on Broadway to favorable reviews. Much like the original in 1967, the production came from the Public Theater, this time from the the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park series, where it played in the Summer of 2008. It ran from July thru September, soon moving to previews on Broadway before the official opening. On April 1, 2010, the original Broadway cast will be opening the show in London, so a new cast will be taking the Broadway stage on March 9 to continue the run here. It was just rumored that two of the new cast are American Idol alumni, season 3 runner up Diana DeGarmo, and Season 5 finalist Ace Young, a favorite of mine. To celebrate the casting, I thought we'd revisit the show, and the effect it had on popular music. With lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot, the songs have entered the culture through the voices not of the stage, but of popular music itself.

As they appear on the soundtrack, the first song to enter popular culture is Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In, a mash-up, as it were, made popular by the 5th Dimension in 1969. It claimed the top spot on the Billboard charts for 6 weeks.The first song opens the show, a celebration of the 69s flower child lifestyle, while the second the final song, also sung by the tribe in a different kind of celebration.



Next up is a selection by jazz great Nina Simone singing Ain't Got No/I Got Life. The song made the biggest impact on the UK charts in 1968, taking the #5 spot. Both songs are from an early in the show, sung by the tribe to list what they lack, and then by a defiant Claude suggesting all they have.



The Cowsills were a family of singers, the basis for the television show The Partridge Family. In 1968 the hit #2 on the Billboard charts singing the novelty song Hair. In the show, Claude and Berger are explaining to the tribe what they think is so special about themselves.



In 1969, Three Dog Night followed up their Harry Nilsson-penned hit, One, with the song Easy To Be Hard. It became their biggest hit to date, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Interestingly enough, the song is sung by Sheila in the show, tlaking about the heartbreak of being in seeming unrequited love with Berger.



In July of 1969, a young American named Oliver reached #3 on the charts with Good Morning Starshine. It was his first hit, clearly utilizing his crisp and clear tone. The song is sung by Sheila, who is enjoying some fun with the tribe near the end of the show.



So Hair, the American Tribal-Love Musical placed five songs in the Top 10 on the charts in the US & the UK. Few shows could boast such a success in popular culture, especially in the modern era.

It's a Sign of the Times

Sometimes you run across a video that just jumps out at you, and screams out perfection. This video is one of them. As I was searching for videos of the 5th Dimension songs, I came across this clip from the British music program Top of the Pops, broadcast in 1970, but it captures the psychedelic last 60s in a way few could. There is the style of dance, projecting the pictures on the body, the camera work and editing, well, I just couldn't keep from smiling. So here it is, set to the 5th Dimension's Wedding Bell Blues, a truly retro experience. Let's Go-Go!

Worth Another Listen - 5th Dimension

Sometimes, there is certain music that just is a part of your childhood because siblings are listening to it. The 5th Dimension are like that for me, as my sister Kathy listened to them, and had their albums. The five original members were Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore, and Ron Townson. And from the point of view in this post, they are the only members of the group, for they stayed together through 1975, when all their great music was recorded. They worked with some of the great pop writers of the time, including Ashford & Simpson, Laura Nyro, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and Jimmy Webb.



Jimmy Webb penned such songs as By The Time I Get To Phoenix, The Magic Garden, MacArthur Park, and The Worse That Could Happen, to name a few. He also wrote Up, Up And Away, a Top 10 hit for the 5th Dimension. It went to #7 on the Billboard Top 100 pop chart.



Laura Nyro wrote and performed Stoned Soul Picnic, but in 1968, it was the 5th Dimension that made the song a hit. As the group went on and become more popular, they would add more soul to the recordings, more of their own flavor. They manage to take a hippie folk song and make it a rolling soul number, a call to a neighborhood party.



Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine was written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot, and were centerpieces of the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, Hair. Released in 1969, the recording sat at #1 on the Billboard chart for six weeks, and was certified platinum in sales, a much greater rarity than it is now. The later part of the song utilized the gospel voice of Billy Davis, Jr, who that very year married the gorgeous Marilyn McCoo. And dig the groovy video, folks.



Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, One Less Bell To Answer was a prime example of a pop ballad as only those two could write. Marilyn McCoo started to step out in front, and warmed the hearts of all who heard the heartbreaking song. The song stormed up the US charts and topped out at #2. "I end each day the way they start out, cryin' my heart out." Great stuff. If you don't sing along to this song, you have no heart.



In 1975, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. left the group, embarking on a solo career that included top hits like You Don't Have To Be A Star, Baby, hosting their own television show, and hosting duties on the show Solid Gold. At last check, Florence LaRue was still doing some touring, utilizing the band name. But nothing can compare to when the band was at their height, 40 years ago.