The title of “A Million Smiles Away”, a song from Strawberry Alarm Clock’s 1968 LP The World In A Sea Shell, would suggest a soft, dreamy performance on an album known for its gentle string arrangements and sleepy, baroque pop. But, as one must constantly realize when dealing with SAC, things are not as they seem: “A Million Smiles Away” is a fast and bare-bones song, especially compared with the rest of the album.
The key reason for this is that “A Million Smiles Away” was written not by outsiders, but by long-time Clock members Ed King and Lee Freeman. For this reason the band attacks the song with obvious gusto that’s clearly missing from the album’s songs written by outside writers foisted upon the band by its management. Free to do what they want, Strawberry Alarm Clock enjoy themselves on “A Million Smiles Away”. It’s a highlight of the album.
The electric guitar slices through the speakers in King’s inimitable late-60s way, and the haunting melody and chord structure(s) of the track recall spy-movie music. Just like they’d done previously on songs like “Lose To Live” from 1967’s Incense And Peppermints.
Elsewhere, “A Million Smiles Away” features all the things that make the band still popular with music fans today: an expressive melody for the main vocal line which is backed by a peppy chorus; burbling playful xylophone; different but related musical segments squashed together into a short mini-suite; and a great, chirping organ to go with the twisted web of drumming.
“A Million Smiles Away” would not have been out of place on either of the band’s first two albums. either. Classic SAC.
“A Million Smiles Away” appears on…
The World In A Sea Shell (1969)
This song incredibly survives the old fashioned style used on this album quite well, unlike some sac material here on this album does not need re-recording and is one of the best on it.