Katrina Rosales
Incense and Peppermints is a 1967 song by the American psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song was written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert and features lead vocals by Greg Munford, a friend of the band. The song was initially released as the B-side of Thee Sixpence's fifth single, The Birdman of Alkatrash, but gained popularity and was re-released as an A-side. It spent 16 weeks on the Billboard chart, reaching #1 for one week in November 1967. Despite singing on the band's biggest hit, Munford never joined Strawberry Alarm Clock, and the band itself broke up in 1970. The song has endured as a favourite one-hit wonder and has been featured in TV shows and movies, including Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Name | Incense and Peppermints |
| Band | Strawberry Alarm Clock |
| Year of Release | 1967 |
| Genre | Psychedelic Rock |
| Peak Chart Position | #1 on Billboard Hot 100 |
| Number of Weeks on Billboard Chart | 16 weeks |
| Lead Singer | Greg Munford |
| Songwriter(s) | John S. Carter, Tim Gilbert, Mark Weitz, Ed King |
| Album | Incense and Peppermints |
| Movie Appearances | Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Psych-Out, Beyond the Valley of Dolls |
| TV Show Appearances | The Simpsons, Daisy Jones and the Six |
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What You'll Learn
- The song was performed by Greg Munford, a 16-year-old friend of the band
- Band members were unhappy with how they sounded, so Munford took the lead
- The song was written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, who were not in the band
- It was initially released as a B-side single, but gained popularity in Los Angeles
- The Strawberry Alarm Clock's only big hit, the band broke up in 1970
The song was performed by Greg Munford, a 16-year-old friend of the band
The song "Incense and Peppermints" was performed by Greg Munford, a 16-year-old friend of the band Strawberry Alarm Clock. Munford was initially asked to sing harmonies and backing vocals but ended up taking the lead when none of the band members liked how they sounded on the song.
The song was written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, who were not part of the band. Carter wrote the lyrics and melody, with the latter being controversial as it was extracted from the finished musical track. Despite this, Carter and Gilbert received 100% of the royalties and songwriting credits. Band members Mark Weitz and Ed King contributed to the song but were denied credits by producer Frank Slay.
"Incense and Peppermints" was one of the first singles released by Strawberry Alarm Clock, then known as Thee Sixpence. It was their biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1967. The song has been featured in various movies and TV shows, including Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and The Simpsons.
Despite singing on the hit song, Munford never joined the band, and Strawberry Alarm Clock failed to produce another big hit. They broke up in 1970, but a reunited version of the band is still operating today.
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Band members were unhappy with how they sounded, so Munford took the lead
The 1967 song "Incense and Peppermints" was performed by the American psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song was written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, although it was based on an instrumental idea by band members Mark Weitz and Ed King.
During the recording sessions, the band members were unhappy with how they sounded on the lead vocal track. Sixteen-year-old Greg Munford, who was a friend of the band and a singer with a group called The Shapes, was visiting them in the studio. The band asked him to sing, and this version was ultimately released. Munford never joined the band, despite singing on their biggest hit.
The song was initially released as the B-side of a single with "The Birdman of Alkatrash" as the A-side. Local radio stations began playing "Incense and Peppermints" and it gained popularity in and around Los Angeles. Uni Records picked up the record for national distribution, and the single was re-released in May 1967 with the sides reversed. The song spent 16 weeks on the Billboard chart, reaching #1 for the week ending November 25, 1967. It was also featured in the film "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" and the TV series "Daisy Jones and the Six".
Strawberry Alarm Clock was initially formed from former members of several Southern California bands. The group underwent some lineup changes, but ongoing members included Lee Freeman on vocals and rhythm guitar, Gary Lovetro on bass, Gene Gunnels on drums, Mark Weitz on keyboards, and Ed King. King later joined the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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The song was written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, who were not in the band
The song "Incense and Peppermints" was officially credited as having been written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert. However, it is important to note that Carter and Gilbert were not members of the band that made the song famous, Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song's writing credits are a source of controversy, as band members Mark Weitz and Ed King claimed to have contributed to the songwriting process. Despite this, they were denied songwriting credits by the band's producer, Frank Slay.
John S. Carter, a member of the band The Rainy Daze, was tasked by Slay with crafting lyrics for the song. Carter used a rhyming dictionary to write the lyrics and create the melody line. His writing partner, Tim Gilbert, was also credited as a writer, although there are disputes about the legitimacy of this credit. It is alleged that Gilbert did not participate in the song's writing process. As a result, King and Weitz felt they were unfairly denied their fair share of royalties and recognition for their contributions to the song.
The song "Incense and Peppermints" was initially released as the B-side of Thee Sixpence's single "The Birdman of Alkatrash" in April 1967. Local radio stations in Los Angeles began playing "Incense and Peppermints" instead of the A-side, and the song gained popularity. Uni Records picked up the record for national distribution, and the single was re-released in May 1967 with the sides reversed. The song climbed to the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, selling over a million copies.
Despite the success of "Incense and Peppermints," the song is considered a one-hit wonder, and the band Strawberry Alarm Clock disbanded in 1971. The song has endured as a favourite among fans of psychedelic rock and has been featured in various television shows and movies, including The Simpsons and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
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It was initially released as a B-side single, but gained popularity in Los Angeles
"Incense and Peppermints" was initially released as a B-side single, with "The Birdman of Alkatrash" as the A-side. The song was recorded by the American psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock, who were known as Thee Sixpence at the time. The single was released in April 1967.
The song was written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, although it was based on an instrumental idea by band members Mark Weitz and Ed King. However, the band members were not considered a good fit for the lead vocal track, so the lead vocals were sung by Greg Munford, a friend of the band who was present at the recording session. Munford was only 16 years old at the time and was not a regular member of the band, but his vocals ended up being a better fit for the song.
Despite being released as a B-side single, "Incense and Peppermints" began to gain popularity in Los Angeles. Local radio stations started playing the song instead of the A-side, and it soon became a hit in the region. Sensing the potential for a national hit, Uni Records picked up the record for distribution across the United States. The single was re-released in May 1967 with the sides reversed, and the band's name changed to Strawberry Alarm Clock to avoid confusion with another band.
The song went on to spend 16 weeks on the Billboard chart, reaching the #1 spot for one week in November 1967. It also appeared on the band's debut album, "Incense and Peppermints", which was released in October 1967 and peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200 album charts. The song's success cemented its place as a classic of the Summer of Love and a defining song of its era.
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The Strawberry Alarm Clock's only big hit, the band broke up in 1970
"Incense and Peppermints" is a song by the American psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song was released in May 1967 and spent 16 weeks on the Billboard chart, reaching the #1 spot for the week ending on November 25, 1967. It is considered a one-hit-wonder, as it was the band's first and most famous single, and the song that evoked the era of its release the most.
The Strawberry Alarm Clock was formed in 1967 in Glendale, California. The band is categorized as acid rock, psychedelic pop, and sunshine pop and charted five songs in the United States and Canada, including two Top 40 hits. The band underwent numerous lineup changes during its short lifespan, with ongoing members including Lee Freeman on vocals and rhythm guitar, Gary Lovetro on bass, Gene Gunnels on drums, Mark Weitz on keyboards, and Ed King, who later joined Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Despite the success of "Incense and Peppermints," the band broke up in 1971, two years after releasing their fourth album, which featured a heavier, less psychedelic sound. The band has reunited several times over the years, including in 1974-1975, 2001, 2009, 2012, and 2025. They have released five studio albums and are working on a sixth, with plans to perform at Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles in January 2025.
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Frequently asked questions
The song 'Incense and Peppermints' was performed by the American psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock.
The song is officially credited as having been written by John S. Carter and Tim Gilbert, although band members Mark Weitz and Ed King contributed to the song.
Yes, the song spent 16 weeks on the Billboard chart and reached the #1 spot for the week ending November 25, 1967. It has also been featured in TV shows and movies, such as The Simpsons and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
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