Happy Together

by The Turtles

Overview

The Turtles' third original album (and their highest charting, peaking at number 25) was also their most rewarding, filled with mostly first-rate songs beautifully executed. The hits singles "Happy Together" and "She'd Rather Be with Me" (both authored by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon of the East Coast band the Magicians) helped propel the LP's sales, but there was a cornucopia of superb music surrounding them. Opening with "Makin' My Mind Up," driven by horns and a jangly folk-rock guitar, the album pulls the listener through the goofy Hollywood-spawned pop of "Guide for the Married Man" (co-written by John Williams, and a third single off the LP, but not a hit) and the gentle Kaylan/Volman-composed "Think I'll Run Away," one of the two prettiest tunes on this record. And that's just the first eight minutes -- the weirdly trippy "Walking Song" and the Bonner/Gordon "Me About You" (the latter also a great showcase for Chip Douglas' bass) also awaited listeners headed for "Happy Together." Side two is no less impressive, offering a piece of psychedelic pop authored by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, and the hauntingly beautiful "Like the Seasons," the B-side to "Happy Together," composed by a young Warren Zevon. The band saves its boldest satirical impulses for the finale, "Rugs of Woods and Flowers." Its easy, unforced, quietly clever take on psychedelic pop makes this one of the more deceptively beguiling records of its era -- as well as the best of the Turtles' original albums. And ironically, Happy Together was also a better showcase for Bonner and Gordon's music than their own band, the Magicians, ever gave them. ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	06/26/2020
Label:	Manifesto Records
UPC:	0767004804316
Rank:	29368

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Turtles   Primary Artist
Warren Zevon   Guest Artist
Chip Douglas   Bass
Chuck Portz   Bass
John Barbata   Drums
Howard Kaylan   Vocals,Keyboards
Mark Volman   Guitar,Vocals,Sound Effects,Special Effects
Jim Pons   Vocals,Guitar (Bass)
Jim Tucker   Guitar,Rhythm,Guitar (Rhythm)
Al Nichol   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards

Technical Credits

Bob Irwin   Producer
Bill Inglot   Mastering
Bones Howe   Producer
Gary Montgomery   Composer
Ken Perry   Mastering
Garry Bonner   Composer
Joseph Wissert   Producer
John Williams   Composer
Leslie Bricusse   Composer
Howard Kaylan   Composer,Producer
Mark Volman   Composer,Producer
Armin Steiner   Engineer
Al Nichol   Composer
Harold Bronson   Liner Notes
Warren Zevon   Composer
Alan Gordon   Composer
Eric Eisner   Composer
Clark Besch   Photography
Jack Dalton   Composer
Steve Besch   Photography
Jeff Smith   Design,Artwork,Package Design