09-12-2009, 11:16
![[Image: P13810VA18T.jpg]](http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/pic200/drP100/P138/P13810VA18T.jpg)
YouTube - Crimson and Clover - Tommy James & The Shondells
from wikipedia
"Crimson and Clover" is a song by Tommy James and the Shondells. It was one of the biggest hits of the 1960s and reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #1 in Canada in 1969. It dropped from #18 to completely out of the Billboard pop charts in one week, setting a record for the farthest drop out of the charts.
"Crimson and Clover" was completely written and recorded by the duo of Tommy James and Peter Lucia Jr., the Shondells drummer. Lucia played drums and delivered backing vocals, while James played all other instruments and sang the lead vocals.
The song is famous for a unique "wobbly" vocal effect near the end of the song. To produce this effect, Tommy James plugged his microphone into a guitar amplifier, flipped the tremolo switch, and repeatedly sang the line "crimson and clover, over and over". When it was released in November 1968, some listeners thought he was saying "Christmas is over" instead of "crimson and clover.
The song is often incorrectly attributed to The Velvet Underground, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel or The Hollies on P2P networks and lyrics websites. The Velvet Underground instrumental song "Ride Into the Sun" from the Out-take V.U. album uses the same chords. Lou Reed later used the same chords for Sweet Jane on the Velvet Underground's "Loaded" album. The similarities are best heard on the Sweet Jane cover Version by the Cowboy Junkies from the Natural Born Killers Soundtrack.