RARE 1970 PSYCH BEYOND VALLEY OF THE DOLLS MAMA LION Strawberry Alarm Clock

$

59

                 R A R E   1 9 7 0   O R I G I N A L

~B R E E Z Y   C A L I F O R N I A   P S Y C H   C L A S S I C ~

     A      
   STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK

              meets

           MAMA LION

               IN 

  Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls
         

\                                   USA - 20Th Century Records - TFS - 4211

VERY RARE and sought after Original 1970 first pressing in thick, clean cover = Featuring exclusive to this album only tracks by The Strawberry Alarm Clock. The tracks did not make it on any of their regular releases)

"Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" centers on a tough and cool sounding female rock group called "The Carrie Nations" headed by the great vocalist Lynn (Mama Lion) Carey...The Carrie Nations headed west in hopes of scoring big in Hollywood. Can you say hits and tits? The movie for this soundtrack depicts the girls loaded down with sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll... an added murder is in the strange mix, as the wild girls get caught up in the swinging southern California lifestyle. All Hell breaks loose as the girls get outta control, with the backing music providing a decadent back drop to the script. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a seductive, drugged-out orgy of a good time. It is a blast, too, even without the accompanying movie. Most of the songs are performed by the fictitious, all-girl trio the Carrie Nations, who are the main characters of the film. They sound something like how Janis Joplin might have had she settled in the seedy pop climate of early-'70s Los Angeles (what one reviewer has accurately described as sounding like Joplin's older and uglier sister - uh, hardly, check out the Penthouse cover photo of singer Lynn Carey ) - crossed with the early Zeppelin-esque pose of Heart, and they inject their songs with both tough-broad vigor and little-girl vulnerability. The music is full of interesting contradictions, particularly a hip knowingness played against the childlike irresponsibility of the generation. It is voluptuously perverse and promiscuous music, but also innocently teenage, full of batted eyelashes and wide-eyed curiosity. It is addictive and aphrodisiacal and even makes you feel a bit dirty when hearing it. The other main contributor (easy listening vocal trio the Sandpipers add the cursory theme song) is that ever-trendy veteran of the psychsploitation film phenomenon, Strawberry Alarm Clock, who also popped up as Jack Nicholson's band in the great Psych-Out a couple years earlier. The band plays themselves as a hip Hollywood combo during the film's first party scene, predictably opening their set with their huge hit, "Incense and Peppermints" (which doesn't appear on the soundtrack), but also chiming in with the sunny Calif grooves of "Girl from the City," with its interesting anti-back-to-the-land sentiment, and the surprisingly un Strrawberry Alarm Clock like tough biker psych of "I'm Coming Home." The swinging, kitschadelic draw of the whole scenario notwithstanding, the songs themselves make the soundtrack, and, in some small way, the movie as well. As such, the stars of the soundtrack are actually its conceivers and songwriters, particularly Stu Phillips, who wrote a majority of the music for the film. Beautifully swaying Aquarian ballads ("Come with the Gentle People," "In the Long Run") mix with bluesy hippie anthems ("Look on Up at the Bottom") and hard-hitting heavy rock ("Sweet Talking Candy Man," "Find It") to create the perfect decadent atmosphere. Like the film, which has become one of the most beloved cult B-movies of an era full of them, the Beyond the Valley of the Dolls soundtrack deserves the highest critical rating on pop cultural value alone. That it happens to be loaded with swaggering, self-effacing rock music that is nothing but fun.

                                                                            Lynn Carey

                                                 Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (Vocal) (02:25)
                                                                                                      The Sandpipers

                                                Come With the Gentle People (Vocal) (02:15)
                                                                                                        Carrie Nations

                                                  Look On Up At the Bottom (Vocal) (02:45)
                                                                                                         Carrie Nations

                                                          Girl From the City (Vocal) (02:25)
                                                                                                   Strawberry Alarm Clock

                                                           In the Long Run (Vocal) (02:50)
                                                                                                             Carrie Nations

                                             Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (Instrumental) (02:25)

                                                       Sweet Talkin' Candy Man (Vocal) (02:00)
                                                                                                              Carrie Nations

                                                                        Find It (Vocal) (02:00)
                                                                                                                 Carrie Nations

                                                               Ampersand (Instrumental) (02:15)

                                                                   Once I Had Love (Vocal) (02:00)
                                                                                                                 Carrie Nations

                                                                   I'm Comin' Home (Vocal) (03:40)
                                                                                                            Strawberry Alarm Clock

                                                                      Beyond the valley of the Dolls (Vocal) (02:25)
                                                                                                                                             The Sandpipers

CONDITION: The cover: very solid and colorful, M- TOP COPY (rare to find without shelf wear!!!!!)  ...no delete marks, no bends, on writing and no split seams, this is a nice collection rarity with fresh original colors, no delete marks, no split seams, no bends, and no writing  ... collection worthy rarity ...

The vinyl: all glossy over both sides, rated: M- TOP COPY plays fantastic(!) and both 20th Century labels are clean

CONDITION: The Cover: rated: clean VG++ front, light contct rub only begins, otherwise strong, back cover "EX"excellent ... tiny (!) delete bb drill at bottom right, has no split seams, no bends, no writing, and otherwise stiff and crisp with bright original colors...46 years old!

The Vinyl: glossy clear and clean M- TOP LEVEL = plays clean and enjoyable all the way ... with clean 20th Century labels

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record