Genre: country-rock
Rating: 1 stars *
Title: Colours
Company: Century
Catalog: 36550
Year: 1969
Country/State: Lubbock, Texas
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5385
Price: $80.00
Not to be confused with a similarly named outfit signed to Dot, this is one of those albums that gets slapped with a psych label on dealer lists. Be forewarned it isn't ...
Recorded in Lubbock, Texas these guys were an acoustic four piece showcasing the talents of Jan Lammers, Gordon Parrish, Jim Ratts, and Susan Swenson. The four members apparently met while attending Texas Tech. Sharing a common interest in popular music they formed Colours (named after the Donovan song) and began playing at parties and dances. Released on the vanity Century label, 1969's "Colours" featured a mixture of traditional country and popular pop covers (the lone exception being the Parrish-penned 'Long Time Leavin''). In spite of dealer hype these guys weren't even close to being a rock band - imagine an early-1960s acoustic folk group like Peter, Paul and Mary, or a Catholic youth mass group and you'll get a feel for their sound. They weren't bad if you liked the genre and they turned in nice covers of Stephen Stills' 'Helplessly Hoping' and Dylan's 'Be Your Baby Tonight' (the latter included a rare slice of electric guitar courtesy of Dave Goolsbee). Side one also ended with an unlisted slice of backwards tape manipulation. Don't even ask why it's there. Well, complete with Eric Anderson quote "... come watch the no-colours fade lazy into the petal sprays of violets of dawn ..." at least the cover was cool ...
"Colours" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) It's About Time (Chip Douglas) -
2.) Tell Me Why (Ron Elliott) -
3.) Long Time Leavin' (Gordon Parrish) -
4.) Flushed from the Bathroom (J. Clement) -
5.) Somebody Touched Me
7.) Helplessly Hoping (Stephen Stills) -
8.) uncredited track
(side
2)
1.) Be Your Baby Tonight (Bob Dylan) -
2.) Simple Song of Freedom (Bob Darin) -
3.) Dismal Swamp (instrumental) (W. McEuen - W. McEuen) -
4.) Simple Gifts (traditional) -
5.) Little Bird (Jerry Jeff Walker) -
6.) Less of Me (Glen Campbell) -
I've never heard them but there are apparently two other Colours LPs (both recorded when they were still attending college) 1967's "Song without End" and 1969's (Century catalog number D-70) and "Colours" (Century catalog number 36550).
"Song without End" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Pack Up Your Sorrows
2.) I’ll Be Gone
3.) Suzanne
4.) Back On The Street Again
5.) La Do Da Da
6.) Catch The Wind
7.) Here, There And Everywhere
(side 2)
1.) Sing Hallelujah
2.) Too Much Of Nothing
3.) If I Were A Carpenter
4.) Angie;
5.) Draft Dodger Rag;
6.) One Kind Word;
7.) I’m In Love With A Big Blue Phrog
.) Hurry Sundown
After graduation the band relocated to Denver, Colorado which became their home port over the next four years as they became mainstays on the college and club circuits. Ratts appears to have remained active in music playing in the bands Wild Jumbos and Runaway Express. Here's a link to their website:
http://www.runawayexpress.com/