Magic Hollow

Last updated
"Magic Hollow"
Single by The Beau Brummels
from the album Triangle
Released1967
Genre Psychedelic pop, folk rock
Length2:54
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s) Ron Elliott, Sal Valentino
Producer(s) Lenny Waronker
The Beau Brummels singles chronology
"Don't Make Promises"
(1967)
"Magic Hollow"
(1967)
"Lift Me"
(1968)
Audio sample
"Magic Hollow"

"Magic Hollow" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, from the band's fourth album, 1967's Triangle . The song, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and lead singer Sal Valentino, was released as the album's first single. The song appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of the Beau Brummels 1964-1968 , and "Magic Hollow" also served as the title of the band's 2005 four-disc box set.

Contents

Release and reception

The song, released in 1967, was the first Beau Brummels single credited to both Elliott and Valentino. The song featured session musician Van Dyke Parks on harpsichord. The song also featured an accordion, violin, and a cello. [1] "Magic Hollow" failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but since its release the song has been well regarded by music critics. Author and journalist Richie Unterberger described the song as "wispy and wistful," like "mood music for deep forest walks." [1] Stansted Montfichet of Allmusic called it the highlight of the Triangle album, and said the song "remains one of the most beautiful tunes in the entire Brummels canon." [2] In June 1997, music journalist Jon Savage named "Magic Hollow" to Mojo magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Psychedelic Classics." [3] A demo version of the song performed by Valentino appears on the band's four-disc Magic Hollow box set, released in 2005. [4] Author Tom Moon, in his 2008 book 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die: A Listener's Life List, called "Magic Hollow" one of Triangle's key tracks. [5]

The single's non-LP B-side, "Lower Level," was written by Ron Elliott. The song was predicted to reach the Hot 100 in a 1967 issue of Billboard magazine, though it did not enter the chart. [6]

Track listing

7" Vinyl
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Magic Hollow"Elliott, Valentino2:54
2."Lower Level"Elliott3:23

Ulver version

Norwegian experimental group Ulver recorded a cover version of "Magic Hollow" for their 2012 album Childhood's End . A music video for the song was also released. [7]

Related Research Articles

The Beau Brummels American rock band

The Beau Brummels were an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, Ron Meagher, Declan Mulligan, and John Petersen (drums). They were discovered by local disc jockeys who were looking to sign acts to their new label, Autumn Records, where Sylvester Stewart—later known as Sly Stone—produced the group's early recording sessions. Initially, the band's musical style blended beat music and folk music and typically drew comparisons to the Beatles, while their later work incorporated other music genres such as psychedelic rock and country rock.

Laugh, Laugh 1964 single by The Beau Brummels

"Laugh, Laugh" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. Released in December 1964 as the band's debut single, the song reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart the following February. "Laugh, Laugh" was the first hit single to come out of the emerging San Francisco music scene in response to the British Invasion. The song was later included on the band's first full-length album, Introducing the Beau Brummels, released in April 1965.

Sal Valentino

Sal Valentino is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as lead singer of The Beau Brummels, subsequently becoming a songwriter as well. The band released a pair of top 20 U.S. hit singles in 1965, "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little." He later fronted another band, Stoneground, which produced three albums in the early 1970s. After reuniting on numerous occasions with the Beau Brummels, Valentino began a solo career, releasing his latest album, Every Now and Then, in 2008.

You Tell Me Why

"You Tell Me Why" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song was written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. "You Tell Me Why" was released as the album's lead single, and peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1965. The band revisited the song and included it on their 1975 eponymous album. The original version later appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968.

<i>Triangle</i> (The Beau Brummels album) 1967 studio album by The Beau Brummels

Triangle is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Beau Brummels. Produced by Lenny Waronker and released in July 1967, it was the band's first album to include songs that vocalist Sal Valentino and guitarist Ron Elliott composed together. The band incorporated fantasy elements and surreal characters into the album's song titles and lyrics, and worked with a variety of session musicians to create Triangle's psychedelic musical style. The Beau Brummels were reduced to a trio—Valentino, Elliott, and Ron Meagher—at the time Triangle was recorded, as former group members Don Irving (guitars) and John Petersen (drums) left the band following the release of the group's previous album, Beau Brummels '66.

Just a Little (The Beau Brummels song)

"Just a Little" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels. The song is included on the band's debut album, Introducing the Beau Brummels, and was released as its second single, following "Laugh, Laugh". "Just a Little" became the band's highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1965. It also reached the top 10 of the charts in Canada and Australia.

<i>Bradleys Barn</i> 1968 studio album by The Beau Brummels

Bradley's Barn is the fifth studio album by American rock group The Beau Brummels. Released in October 1968, it contains the singles "Long Walking Down to Misery" and "Cherokee Girl." The album has received critical acclaim as an early example of country rock. Bradley's Barn is actually a recording studio in Nashville owned by Owen Bradley.

The Beau Brummels discography

The Beau Brummels were an American rock band that formed in 1964 and originally consisted of singer Sal Valentino, lead guitarist Ron Elliott, bassist Ron Meagher, rhythm guitarist Declan Mulligan and drummer John Petersen. Local radio disc jockeys Tom Donahue and Bobby Mitchell discovered the band at a club near San Francisco. They signed the Beau Brummels to their fledgling Autumn Records label, and their house producer, Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone, recorded the band's early sessions.

<i>The Beau Brummels, Volume 2</i> 1965 studio album by The Beau Brummels

The Beau Brummels, Volume 2 is the second studio album by American rock group The Beau Brummels. Released in August 1965, the album contains the U.S. top 40 hit "You Tell Me Why" and follow-up single "Don't Talk to Strangers."

Good Time Music

"Good Time Music" is a song originally recorded by American pop rock band The Lovin' Spoonful in 1965. Written by John Sebastian, it appeared on the 1966 Elektra Records compilation What's Shakin'. The song has been described as "a sort of manifeseto of the group's optimism in its jaunty rhythms and celebration of the return of good time music to the radio."

Ronald Charles Elliott is an American musician, composer and producer, best known as songwriter and lead guitarist of rock band The Beau Brummels. Elliott wrote or co-wrote the band's 1965 U.S. top 20 hits "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little". In addition to reuniting with the Beau Brummels on occasion over the years, Elliott released a solo album in 1970, and has played on and produced albums by a number of other artists.

Ron Meagher is best known as bassist of American rock band The Beau Brummels. When guitarist-songwriter Ron Elliott was putting the band together in 1964, he asked a friend, Kay Dane, if she knew any good bass players. Dane recommended Meagher, but cautioned, "He's kind of weird. He has long hair!" After joining the band, Meagher proved to be important to the band's image, as he was one of the first American rock musicians with Beatlesque hair.

Here We Are Again

"Here We Are Again" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels. It was released in 1966 as the band's second single on Warner Bros. Records, following their cover of Bob Dylan's "One Too Many Mornings," released earlier that year. "Here We Are Again" was the first Beau Brummels' A-side written by lead vocalist Sal Valentino.

<i>The Beau Brummels</i> (album) 1975 studio album by The Beau Brummels

The Beau Brummels is the sixth studio album by the American rock band of the same name. Released in April 1975, the album features the work of all five original band members for the first time since the band's debut album, 1965's Introducing the Beau Brummels. The album peaked at number 180 on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart in 1975.

John Declan Mulligan is an Irish rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as a guitarist of American rock band The Beau Brummels. In 1964, he met Ron Elliott, Sal Valentino, and John Petersen during an informal rehearsal at the Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco. After joining the Beau Brummels, who shortly thereafter also added Ron Meagher, Mulligan recorded perhaps his most memorable contribution with the band, the harmonica opening of the hit single "Laugh, Laugh," which reached the top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in February 1965.

<i>The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968</i> 1987 greatest hits album by The Beau Brummels

The Best of the Beau Brummels 1964-1968, sometimes titled The Best of the Beau Brummels: Golden Archive Series, is a compilation album by American rock band The Beau Brummels. Released in 1987 by Rhino Records, the album features 18 songs, including the band's biggest hit singles—"Laugh, Laugh", "Just a Little", "You Tell Me Why", and "Don't Talk to Strangers"—as well as songs which never appeared on an album before this collection, such as the 1967 single "Here We Are Again".

<i>San Fran Sessions</i> 1996 box set by The Beau Brummels

San Fran Sessions is a box set compilation which collects 60 demos, outtakes, rarities and unissued performances recorded by The Beau Brummels from 1964 to 1966. The three-disc set, released by Sundazed Records on June 11, 1996, includes alternate takes of the band's singles "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little", as well as early versions of songs that were likely targeted for their never-completed third album on Autumn Records.

Not to be confused with Styx (band)

<i>Magic Hollow</i> (album) 2005 box set by The Beau Brummels

Magic Hollow is a box set compilation by The Beau Brummels comprising 113 songs recorded between 1964-1968, including hit singles, demos, outtakes, rarities and previously unissued material. The set was released on June 21, 2005 by Rhino Handmade.

<i>The Candlestickmaker</i> 1970 studio album by Ron Elliott

The Candlestickmaker is the lone solo album by American musician Ron Elliott, released in 1970 on Warner Bros. It was recorded following the dissolution of The Beau Brummels, with whom Elliott had been the chief songwriter and guitarist. A two-part, fifteen-minute piece titled "The Candlestickmaker Suite" comprises the entire second side of the album.

References

  1. 1 2 Unterberger, Richie (2000). Urban Spacemen and Wayfaring Strangers: Overlooked Innovators and Eccentric Visionaries of '60s Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman, Inc. pp.  180, 183. ISBN   978-0-87930-616-8.
  2. Montfichet, Stansted. "Triangle - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2009-09-01.
  3. Savage, Jon (June 1997). "100 Greatest Psychedelic Classics". Mojo . Bauer Media Group. 1 (43).
  4. Unterberger, Richie. "Magic Hollow - Review". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  5. Moon, Tom (2008). 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die: A Listener's Life List . New York: Workman Publishing Company. p.  63. ISBN   978-0-7611-3963-8.
  6. "Spotlight Singles". Billboard . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 79 (37): 18. 1967-09-16.
  7. Shepherd, Kate (2012-05-12). "Ulver - 'Magic Hollow' (video)". Exclaim! . Retrieved 2016-02-07.