Background information
Origin Westchester, California
Genre(s) Psychedelic rock
Folk rock
Years active 1965 - 1971
Label(s) White Whale Records
Former members
Howard Kaylan
Mark Volman
John Barbata
Chip Douglas
Don Murray
Al Nichol
Jim Pons
Chuck Portz
The Turtles are an American pop, psychedelic and folk rock band defined by
a good-natured, joyously melancholic and occasionally cheeky sound. A precursor
to the bubblegum pop of the late 1960s and a foil to the more self-consciously
hip and "serious" acts of the era, the Turtles produced at least
a dozen memorable, radio-friendly chart singles but remain best known for
1967's "Happy Together".
History
The band – originally a surf rock group called The Crossfires –
was formed in 1965 in Westchester, California (a suburb of Los Angeles) by
Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. With the help of DJ and club owner Reb Foster,
the Crossfires signed to White Whale Records, and, adhering to the prevailing
musical trend, re-branded themselves as a folk rock group called "The
Tyrtles", the intentional misspelling inspired by The Byrds. However,
the trendy spelling did not survive long. As with the Byrds, the Turtles achieved
breakthrough success with a Bob Dylan cover. "It Ain't Me Babe"
reached the Billboard Top Ten in the late summer of 1965 (see 1965 in music)
and was the title track to the band’s first album. Their second single,
"Let Me Be" (written by P.F. Sloan), cracked the top 30 in the autumn.
Their third hit, "You Baby" (P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri), charted
in the top 20 in early 1966. However, their second album You Baby never entered
Billboard's Top LPs chart, and of several singles released in 1966 only two
– the Rolling Stones-like "Grim Reaper of Love" and the adorable
"Can I Get to Know You Better" – entered the Billboard Hot
100. The album You Baby includes the frenetic pop-rock nugget "Outside
Chance", written by Glenn Crocker and Warren Zevon.
At the start of 1967 a heavy touring schedule combined with a lack of recent chart success convinced drummer Don Murray and bassist Chuck Portz to quit the group, replaced by John Barbata and Chip Douglas respectively.
It occurred to the band that for eight months they had been performing a certain song on stage that, while moderately popular with the fans, had yet to be recorded. The first of several key Turtles singles co-written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon, "Happy Together" seemed almost a parody of itself, and had already been rejected by countless performers. Their biggest hit and surely their signature song, "Happy Together" signalled a turning point for the Turtles and for Chip Douglas, who provided the arrangement. With its tongue-in-cheek tone, incessant and infectious guitar riff, addictive chorus and backing vocals, simple drum and organ lines, and even an oboe playing along during the second chorus, "Happy Together" is perhaps the quintessential example of fresh, feel-good 1960s American pop. The single replaced the the Beatles' "Penny Lane" at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1967. Their only number one, it remained at the top for three weeks. An album of the same name followed and peaked at number 25.
