THE FIRST EDITION
Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, previously named The First Edition, was a rock and roll-based band, who also performed R&B, folk music, and country music. As the 1960’s counterculture was heating up, The First Edition signed with Reprise Records in the summer of 1967 and had its first big hit in early 1968 with the pop-psychedelic single “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” (US No. 5), followed by “But You Know I Love You” and the topical “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town”. (More from Wikipedia)
Many other artists in the 1960s also took a whack at psychedelia. Kenny Rogers’ first band the First Edition had an early hit song with “Just Dropped in (to See What Condition My Condition was In)”; though the lyrics kind of miss the boat, they are still charmingly corny. “Hurdy Gurdy Man” is one of many great psychedelic songs Donovan came up with. The Beatles had Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the Rolling Stones had Their Satanic Majesties’ Request. Even Motown got into the act: The Supremes hit with “Reflections”, while the Temptations had several psychedelic songs – “Psychedelic Shack”, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today)”, “Runaway Child, Runnin’ Wild”, and others. Many were on their 1970 album Psychedelic Shack; one of the biggest hits by the B-52’s, “Love Shack” was in part an homage to this record.
(March 2011)
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Mike Post’s many later musical credits include producing the first three albums for the First Edition (where Kenny Rogers got his start) and creating the theme music for Law & Order, The Rockford Files, Hill Street Blues, and many other TV shows.
(January 2015/1)
