About The Song
The Lemon Pipers performing “Green Tambourine”, released originally in 1967.
It reached #1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, #1 in the US Cash Box 100, #1 in Canada Top Singles, #2 in Australian Charts, #3 in New Zealand Charts and #7 in UK Singles Chart.
“Green Tambourine” tells the story of a young busker or street musician who is prepared to play any song on his green tambourine in order to earn a few pennies.
The Indian tones and haunting sitar music playing in the background gave the song a special atmosphere which obviously captured the imagination of the record buying public of the time.
The vocals are accentuated by a heavily emphasized tape echo every time the word play appears.
The Lemon Pipers weren’t too comfortable being made over into a bubblegum act; they wanted to make sophisticated psych-rock. None of their successive singles really hit, and they got into royalty disputes with the label.
They left Buddah in 1968 and broke up soon afterward. Three former Lemon Pipers later formed a band called Starstruck and recorded a funky rock version of the old blues traditional “Black Betty.” Starstruck then evolved into Ram Jam, led by the former Lemon Pipers guitarist Bill Bartlett.
Video
Lyric
Drop your silver in my tambourine
Help a poor man fill his pretty dream
Give me pennies, I’ll take anything
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine
Watch the jingle jangle start to chime
Reflections of the music that is mine
When you toss a coin you’ll hear it sing
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine
Drop a dime before I walk away
Any song you want I’ll gladly play
Money feeds my music machine
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine
Listen while I play