Strawberry Alarm Clock occupies a strange, fascinating corner in the story of late ’60s American rock. To many listeners, the band is forever tied to one song and one of the era’s most memorable titles, “Incense and Peppermints”, which still feels like a sonic postcard from the Summer of Love, soaked in color, innocence and psychedelic confusion. Yet reducing Strawberry Alarm Clock to a single hit does them a real disservice. Behind that name was a real, incredible band: skilled musicians, capable singers and creative masterminds who, in a turbulent career, released four classic albums and left behind substance. Strawberry Alarm Clock is releasing its new album (along the single “Blow Your Mind”) soon and Myth of Rock takes a flashback to the late ‘60s, where it all began.
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
The roots of Strawberry Alarm Clock go back to mid ’60s Glendale, California, where the group began as the Sixpence. Like many young bands of the time, they were shaped by the British Invasion, local club culture and an intense hunger to move from the neighborhood scene to something bigger. The early lineup—Lee Freeman, Ed King, Gary Lovetro, Gene Gunnels, Mike Luciano and Steve Rabe—paid their dues playing covers and building a following around Southern California, especially in Glendale and Santa Barbara. They sounded tight, confident and ambitious, and by 1966 they were already recording singles and flirting with wider exposure.
Line-up changes and name tweaks followed, as they often did in that era, and the arrival of keyboardist Mark Weitz proved especially important. By 1967, the band was evolving fast, and a throwaway B-side, an instrumental titled “Incense and Peppermints”, unexpectedly changed everything. With lyrics later added by outside writers and lead vocals sung by a teenage friend rather than a band member (Greg Munford), the song was a minor miracle of chaos and harmony. DJs flipped the single over, radio embraced it and suddenly Strawberry Alarm Clock, newly renamed in a moment of inspiration, were at the center of the psychedelic wave.
“Incense and Peppermints” hit number one in late 1967, and with it came instant fame, pressure and confusion. The band rushed to record an album around the hit, even as personnel shifted constantly. The resulting “Incense and Peppermints” LP remains a very strong debut: colorful, inventive, full of experimentation. Flutes, strange textures, unusual instruments and layered harmonies sat alongside garage rock energy and sunshine pop melodies. Despite its hurried creation, the album captured the spirit of the moment perfectly and still stands as one of the more charming documents of American pop/rock psychedelia.
Success brought opportunity. Strawberry Alarm Clock toured heavily, sharing stages with major names like Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Country Joe & the Fish and the Beach Boys. They were no longer just a studio experiment; they were a full-time working band, growing tighter and more confident on stage. On the inside, though, things remained unstable. Bassist Gary Lovetro exited, George Bunnell stepped into a bigger role and the group marched on as a five-piece that was finally beginning to function as a cohesive unit.
That cohesion shines through on their second album, “Wake Up… It’s Tomorrow” (1968). Anchored by the hit single “Tomorrow”, the record pushed their harmony singing further and leaned more into the band’s collective identity. It was less of a producer-driven psychedelic collage and more of a musicians’ album with pop hooks, feedback-laced guitar and ambitious vocal arrangements. Unfortunately, bad timing and label wrong decisions hurt its commercial impact. Released too late to fully capitalize on the single’s momentum, the album did worse than expected, marking the start of the band’s gradual decline in the marketplace.
Still, artistically, this sophomore album showed what Strawberry Alarm Clock could have become under more regular circumstances. They were evolving beyond novelty, carving out a sound that balanced accessibility with experimentation. Their appearance in the 1968 film “Psych-Out” further reinforced their credibility, placing them within the broader countercultural landscape of the era and giving them another memorable song in “Pretty Song from Psych-Out”.
By the time of their third album, “The World in a Sea Shell” (1968), cracks in the glass were impossible to ignore. Increased label control, outside songwriters and softer, more orchestrated arrangements alienated both fans and band members. Old wounds were scratched, especially regarding songwriting credits and royalties from “Incense and Peppermints”. Internal trust eroded, members departed, legal battles over the band name added chaos to an already fragile situation. What had once been a promising psychedelic outfit now seemed trapped by its own success and the industry machinery around it.
Their final album, “Good Morning Starshine” (1969), featured yet a new lineup and a heavier, blues-influenced sound. It no longer resembled the band that topped the charts in 1967, but it had honesty and grit. Self-produced and less constrained, it captured a group trying to redefine itself amid fading commercial prospects. The title track, a cover from the musical “Hair”, briefly charted, but it was clear that Strawberry Alarm Clock’s momentum had passed.
By the early ’70s, the band dissolved quietly. However, their story did not end in failure. Ed King’s later success with Lynyrd Skynyrd stands as a reminder of the talent within the group, and the band’s catalog has aged better than their reputation suggests. Strawberry Alarm Clock is remembered primarily for a single immortal hit, but a deeper listen reveals a band that captured the wonder, confusion and creativity of its era. In the end, Strawberry Alarm Clock was more than a funny name.
Their world is worth exploring, and now, as the band releases its new single “Blow Your Mind” and prepares to unveil its new album “Where’s One”, it’s the perfect time to rediscover this monumental psychedelic legend.
Five Essential Songs from Strawberry Alarm Clock
Few bands capture the spirit of 1960s psychedelia like Strawberry Alarm Clock. With their playful name, swirling melodies and inventive arrangements, they became one of the era’s defining acts—even if many only know them for one hit. Beyond the chart-topping success of “Incense and Peppermints”, the band’s catalog is full of imaginative, emotional and often underrated songs that showcase their musicality and creativity. Here are five essential tracks that define their legacy and illustrate why Strawberry Alarm Clock deserves recognition beyond their iconic single.
- “Incense and Peppermints” (1967)
“Incense and Peppermints” is a psychedelic pop/rock masterpiece, the song that forever defined Strawberry Alarm Clock and became one of the most iconic anthems of the psychedelic era. Released in 1967, it unexpectedly climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, capturing the colorful confusion of the Summer of Love. Built around swirling keyboards, harpsichord textures and dreamy harmonies, the track sounds like a musical hallucination frozen in time. The lyrics—abstract, fragmented, and slightly nonsensical—perfectly mirrored the psychedelic mindset of the era. Though initially intended as a B-side, radio DJs embraced it instantly, turning it into a phenomenon. Despite later controversies over songwriting credits, “Incense and Peppermints” remains a defining moment of American psychedelia and a timeless symbol of 1967’s spirit.
- “Tomorrow” (1968)
Released as the lead single from “Wake Up… It’s Tomorrow”, “Tomorrow” showed Strawberry Alarm Clock growing beyond their accidental hit status. Written by Mark Weitz and Ed King, the song reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, proving the band could deliver success on their own terms. Musically, it blends bright pop melodies with psychedelic textures and features a standout feedback-soaked guitar break from King. The layered vocal harmonies reveal a band becoming more confident and ambitious, aided by vocal coach Howard Davis. Lyrically more focused than “Incense and Peppermints”, “Tomorrow” carries optimism and emotional depth without losing its dreamy edge. Though the album suffered from delayed release and weaker promotion, “Tomorrow” remains one of Strawberry Alarm Clock’s strongest compositions and a fan favorite that highlights their songwriting maturity.
- “Pretty Song from Psych-Out” (1968)
Written specifically for the 1968 counterculture film “Psych-Out”, “Pretty Song from Psych-Out” is one of Strawberry Alarm Clock’s most sincere and emotionally resonant tracks. Co-written by Ed King and Lee Freeman, the song appears on “Wake Up… It’s Tomorrow” and stands out for its warmth and melodic elegance. Unlike the band’s more surreal material, this track leans into heartfelt lyricism, gentle harmonies and a laid-back psychedelic folk-rock feel. Its placement in “Psych-Ou”t—a film set in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury scene—helped cement the band’s credibility within the era’s cultural movement. Musically, the song highlights the group’s ability to balance commercial appeal with genuine artistic expression. Over time, it has become a cult favorite, often cited as proof that Strawberry Alarm Clock was far more than a novelty act.
- “Sit with the Guru” (1967)
“Sit with the Guru” is Strawberry Alarm Clock at their most playful and biting. Released as a single in late 1967, the song is a satirical take on the sudden Western fascination with Eastern spirituality during the psychedelic boom. Driven by harpsichord, sharp rhythms and catchy vocal lines, it blends pop accessibility with sly humor. Lyrically, it pokes fun at superficial spiritual tourism while still sounding unmistakably of its time. Though it didn’t reach the heights of “Incense and Peppermints”, the song charted respectably and remains one of the band’s most recognizable tracks. “Sit with the Guru” shows Strawberry Alarm Clock’s knack for combining commentary, melody and psychedelic flair, proving they could be clever without sacrificing musical charm.
- “Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow” (1967)
One of the most overtly psychedelic songs in Strawberry Alarm Clock’s catalog, “Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow” dives headfirst into surreal imagery and sonic experimentation. Featured on the “Incense and Peppermints” album, the track is drenched in swirling keyboards, echoing vocals and shifting textures that feel dreamlike and immersive. The title alone reflects the era’s fascination with altered states and abstract expression. Unlike the band’s radio hits, this song leans more toward album-oriented psychedelia, rewarding listeners who explore beyond the singles. It showcases the group’s willingness to experiment and stretch their sound, blending sunshine pop sweetness with darker, stranger undertones. Over the years, “Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow” has earned cult status among psychedelic rock fans and stands as one of the band’s most adventurous compositions.
“Incense and Peppermints” catapulted Strawberry Alarm Clock to fame, yet the other four songs listed above demonstrate the band’s range, creativity and appeal. Strawberry Alarm Clock remains a cornerstone of the 1960s psychedelic pop/rock. For fans old and new, these tracks are the perfect gateway into a colorful, imaginative world of melody, harmony and pure 1960s charm.
