“Me And The Township” is the first song on Strawberry Alarm Clock’s final studio album, 1969’s Good Morning Starshine. With its gritty performance and lack of any non-rock instrumentation, the track immediately announces that the Clock is in a different mood than on the previous album, The World In A Sea Shell.
“Me And The Township” is a bare-bones rock song, sounding more like the James Gang than anything SAC had ever done before. Putting its keyboards to good, supportive use, and with the lead guitar picking out some groovy Woodstock-era runs, the song’s most startling feature is its stoned and strangulated rock-god vocals. Enter new singer/guitarist/songwriter Jim Pitman.
Compositionally, the song itself is very simple, as it’s mostly an excuse for some tough bluesy jamming and great faux-funky instrumental workouts. If Joe Cocker’s band had been stuck in traffic on August 17, 1969, the Strawberry Alarm Clock of “Me And The Township” could have filled in behind him and the crowd wouldn’t have noticed.
“Me And The Township” is structured in a classic “side 1, song 1” kick-off way. It introduces the album, avoiding any gravity or meaning and serving instead to set the scene for the subsequent music. Each band member gets his turn to shine, with Pitman in particular showing off his lead guitar chops.
“Me And The Township” appears on…
Good Morning Starshine (1969)
“Good Morning Starshine” b/w “Me And The Township” (1969)
One of sac’s most memorable and essential.
One of the most pleasant on the album, brilliant playing and singing and would have been a much better single than Good Morning Starshine.