Crimson and Clover

"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
Recorded	1968
Genre	Psychedelic pop; psychedelic rock; bubblegum pop;
Length	5:32 (album version); 3:23 (single version)
Label	Roulette, R-7028
Songwriter(s)	Tommy James; Peter Lucia;
Producer(s)	Tommy James
Tommy James and the Shondells singles chronology
Audio sample
	"Crimson and Clover" 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 at least five other countries. The single has sold 5 million copies, making it Tommy James and the Shondells' best-selling song. (The RIAA did not award a gold record, so the 5 million sales number is not officially acknowledged.)^[6] It has been covered by many artists including Joan Jett, Cher (as a duet with her son) and Prince.

In 2006, Pitchfork Media named it the 57th best song of the 1960s.^[7]

^ Kim Cooper; David Smay (2001). Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth. Feral House. ISBN 978-0-922915-69-9.
^ Scapelliti, Christopher (1998). "Tommy James & the Shondells". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 590–591.
^ Viglione, Joe. "Crimson and Clover – Tommy James & the Shondells". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
^ ^a ^b Billboard Staff (October 19, 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved February 19, 2024. Bubblegum pop and psychedelic rock crashing together at the end of the '60s, resulting in the decade's most sweetly narcotic No. 1
^ Breihan, Tom (November 16, 2018). "The Number Ones: Tommy James & The Shondells' "Crimson And Clover"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 15, 2023. James did all that, and he did it by writing the greatest bubblegum song of all time.
^ Creswell, Toby (2007). 1001 Songs, page 842. Hardie Grant Publishing. ISBN 978-1742731483. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
^ "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s: Part Four: #60–21", Pitchfork Media, August 17, 2006

[1] Kim Cooper; David Smay (2001). Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth. Feral House. ISBN 978-0-922915-69-9.

[2] Scapelliti, Christopher (1998). "Tommy James & the Shondells". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 590–591.

[3] Viglione, Joe. "Crimson and Clover – Tommy James & the Shondells". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 March 2022.

[Billboard_Pop_500-4] Billboard Staff (October 19, 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved February 19, 2024. Bubblegum pop and psychedelic rock crashing together at the end of the '60s, resulting in the decade's most sweetly narcotic No. 1

[Breihan_2018-5] Breihan, Tom (November 16, 2018). "The Number Ones: Tommy James & The Shondells' "Crimson And Clover"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 15, 2023. James did all that, and he did it by writing the greatest bubblegum song of all time.

[6] Creswell, Toby (2007). 1001 Songs, page 842. Hardie Grant Publishing. ISBN 978-1742731483. Retrieved 2012-02-27.

[7] "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s: Part Four: #60–21", Pitchfork Media, August 17, 2006

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