I initially disregarded this message as trivial poop, but got to thinking
about how paranoid radio stations and advertisers were back in the sixties
about artists sneaking in code words relating to drugs. However, let's not
forget, drug references were not new to popular music at the time. You'll
find ample examples in the jazz and R&B recordings that pre-date the Elvis era.
During the sixties, and prior to 68, you'll mind a few vague references to
drugs in general, but marijuana specifically--that's a research project.
It's true that songs like "Puff the Magic Dragon," and "Along Comes Mary"
were purported to be about marijuana, but such notions were fueled more by
pop culture hype and middle class hysteria rather than fact.
Nevertheless, the song "Girl" that appears on the Beatles "Rubber Soul"
album (1965) features a blatant reference to pot smoking. By their own
admission, John and Paul point out that the hissing sound John makes after
he sings the word "girl" is not a sigh but an intentional ploy to sneak in
a drug reference.
Beyond that, there is a pre-68 song about marijuana that has a speck of pop
music credibility. A California band called Rainy Daze recorded "That
Acapulco Gold" which had a momentary presence on the Billboard charts at
#119 in the Spring of 67.
Of course after 68, you couldn't avoid being within earshot of some song
about dope or other drugs, as some of these previous entries suggest. And
I'll add one to the list that comes to my mind: "Marijuana" by the Fugs.
Come to think of it, this is trivial poop after all.
Oh Well,
C.S.
>Since I am the "singer" in the group, I am
> > > supposed to sing four lines of a sixties (prior to 68) that has
>reference to
> > > pot.
> > > Since the airwaves of the top singles were fairly conservative, any
>ideas
> > > on a song I could use.
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