"Green Tambourine"
Single by The Lemon Pipers
from the album Green Tambourine
B-side	"No Help From Me"
Released	December 1967
Format	7" single
Genre	Rock and Roll, Psychedelic rock
Label	Buddah Records 23
Writer(s)	Paul Leka/Shelly Pinz
Producer	Paul Leka
The Lemon Pipers singles chronology
"Turn Around and Take a Look" (1967) "Green Tambourine" (1967) "Rice Is Nice" (1968)

"Green Tambourine" was the primary hit by the 1960s Ohio-based rock group The Lemon Pipers, as well as the title track to their debut-album Green Tambourine. Released towards the end of 1967, it peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for one week at the start of February, 1968 and earned the group a gold record for over a million copies sold. The record remained on the chart for three months.^[1] It was also the first U.S. number-one hit for the Buddah label. The Lemon Pipers would never repeat this success, although "Rice Is Nice" and "Jelly Jungle" did make it onto the charts in 1968.^[1]

The song is the story of a street musician pleading for someone to give him money. In exchange, he would play his green tambourine. The song's instrumentation contains the title tambourine as well as an electric sitar^[2]. (Sitar was a frequent trademark of the so-called "Psychedelic sound".) Another hook is the heavy, psychedelic tape echo applied to the word "play" in each chorus and at the end, fading into a drumroll ("Listen while I play play play play play play/my green tambourine").

[edit] Pop culture references

At the end of the 2001 film Recess: School's Out, TJ and the gang are seen playing this song, with Mikey singing vocals (Mikey's singing voice provided by Robert Goulet). The gang and Principle Prickly are seen in the background, dressed and hairstyled in Sixties hippie clothing and/or hair.

Mrs. Miller covered the song in her 1968 album Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing.

Status Quo covered the song on their 1968 debut album Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo.

Tripping Daisy covered the song on their 1992 debut album, Bill. (The Dragon Street release)

Lawrence Welk covered the song and his version placed on the Billboard Easy Listening survey.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Nite, Norm N. and Newman, Ralph M.: ROCK ON: The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Rock N' Roll': Thomas Y. Crowell: 1978. p 276.
2. ^ Vincent Bell Danelectro, Silvertone Guitar, Bass, Parts, Accessories. History, Vintage Danelectro

Preceded by "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" by John Fred and his Playboys

Billboard Hot 100 number one single February 3, 1968 (one week)

Succeeded by "Love is Blue" by Paul Mauriat

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