Initially known as The Ingoes, they were renamed and signed to manager Giorgio Gomelsky's Marmalade label. The original line-up comprised Brian Godding (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Jim Cregan (guitar, vocals), Brian Belshaw (bass, vocals), and Kevin Westlake drums).
The band's debut album, We Are Ever So Clean, is a classic example of English psychedelia. On release, it was presented in the U.K. music magazine Melody Maker as "Giorgio Gomelsky's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Although not a major commercial success, tracks such as "What on Earth" or "Look at Me, I'm You" have helped give the album something of a cult period status as it is unearthed by successive generations of 1960s retro fans. It was recently voted number forty in Record Collector’s list of the "100 Greatest Psychedelic Records".
If Only for a Moment saw the band taking a noticeably heavier and rockier direction, with Cregan and Godding's distinctive two-part guitar harmonies playing a prominent role. The album also marked the departure of Westlake, to be replaced by John "Poli" Palmer and then Barry Reeves.
The quartet was dissolved in 1970. While Belshaw and Godding rejoined Westlake in B.B. Blunder, Cregan formed Stud with Jim Wilson and Charlie McCracken, before joining Family. He would find fame later in the decade with Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, and as a part of Rod Stewart's backing band.
The Blossom Toes contributed music to La Collectionneuse (1967), a film by French director Éric Rohmer, and also appeared in Popdown (1967) by Fred Marshall.
Love Bomb
Blossom Toes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That was there
Don't you worry this is a part of us
Once upon a time they were sitting out
In the cold waiting for the sun to come
Sooner or later the sun came
Time began to run
They tried so hard to chase it
As they raced nowhere
A million years went by
And the bullets start to fly
We have diplomatic men, diplomatic men with me
Selling gems of ignorance, pulling in the strings
There's enough explosive hanging 'round
To blow a grave big enough for us all
Have we raced to nowhere
The rain begins to fall
What can we do when our world turns blue
And our minds don't agree with the
Things we seem to be
And the cars that we buy they just don't
Seem to satisfy
And the houses that we own, well they're
Growing up too cold
What we need is a love bomb 100% gold plated, purified love bomb
We don't have any and we need some
Easily unpourated, purified love bomb
On your TV dinner, buy a TV too
Sit in silence through the movie
But keep on talking through the news
Getting drunk on whiskey is the best
Thing you can do
'Cause we turn to plastic, the
Horror film comes true
People try and people cry, others hit the wall
Many move and go running by, you can see them fall
Children of the Earth beware
Now's the time to learn
The race to nowhere ends when
Time begins to turn
What can we say as we throw it all away
As we fly to the moon we're still locked
Up in our rooms
And the bullets start to fly
Will the reapers still be wise
When they cry out for a friend Well it's too late to pretend
What we need is a love bomb 100% gold plated, purified love bomb We don't have any and we need some
Easily unpourated, purified love bomb
We don't have, we don't have, we don't have one
And we need some
The lyrics of Blossom Toes’ song Love Bomb are thought-provoking and suggest a message of desperation and hopelessness. The song speaks to the degradation of society and the lack of genuine communication and love among people. The lyrics start by asking the listener if he/she senses the quiet and tension around them, questioning what can be done when the world seems to be collapsing on itself. The lyrics describe people waiting for something, perhaps a change or a solution. The sun comes, but time continues to move forward, and people are unable to keep up or understand where they are going. The lyrics talk about diplomatic men who manipulate others and sell ignorance, leading to a potentially devastating outcome. The song highlights that people are obsessed with material possessions, such as cars and houses, which do not bring genuine happiness. The chorus repeats that people need a “love bomb,” a purified source of true love, to counteract the world’s chaos and bring peace and unity.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the state of society and the need for change. It speaks to the importance of real love and communication, and how a lack of these things can lead to destruction. It emphasizes the need for people to prioritize things that genuinely matter, including creating deep and meaningful relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you been aware of the hush
That was there
Don't you worry this is a part of us
Have you noticed the silence that exists? Don't be concerned, it's an integral part of who we are.
Once upon a time they were sitting out
In the cold waiting for the sun to come
Sooner or later the sun came
Time began to run
Long ago, they sat outside in the cold, waiting for the sun. Eventually, it arrived and time started to pass.
They tried so hard to chase it
But time began to fly
As they raced nowhere
A million years went by
They attempted to catch up with time but it started to go by quickly. As they ran in circles, millions of years passed.
And the bullets start to fly
We have diplomatic men, diplomatic men with me
Selling gems of ignorance, pulling in the strings
There's enough explosive hanging 'round
To blow a grave big enough for us all
Amidst a dangerous situation, I have cunning and clever diplomats with me, selling lies and manipulating events. There is enough danger present to obliterate us all.
Have we raced to nowhere
The rain begins to fall
What can we do when our world turns blue
And our minds don't agree with the
Things we seem to be
Have we been racing aimlessly? Rain is beginning to fall as our world becomes gloomy. When our thoughts don't align with our actions, how do we move forward?
And the cars that we buy they just don't
Seem to satisfy
And the houses that we own, well they're
Growing up too cold
What we need is a love bomb 100% gold plated, purified love bomb
The cars and homes we purchase can't seem to bring us fulfillment. What we need is a pure and precious 'love bomb'.
We don't have any and we need some
Easily unpourated, purified love bomb
On your TV dinner, buy a TV too
Sit in silence through the movie
But keep on talking through the news
We lack this 'love bomb' and it's crucial that we obtain one. We consume media while we eat, watching TV in silence during movies and chatting through the news.
Getting drunk on whiskey is the best
Thing you can do
'Cause we turn to plastic, the
Horror film comes true
Drinking whiskey is the best way to cope, as we lose our humanity and our nightmares materialize.
People try and people cry, others hit the wall
Many move and go running by, you can see them fall
Children of the Earth beware
Now's the time to learn
The race to nowhere ends when
Time begins to turn
People struggle and suffer, while others flee and fail. Children should be cautious and learn, as the pointless race comes to a close when time starts anew.
What can we say as we throw it all away
As we fly to the moon we're still locked
Up in our rooms
And the bullets start to fly
Will the reapers still be wise
When they cry out for a friend Well it's too late to pretend
As we waste everything, including our chance to explore space, we are still confined to our own spaces. Amidst the danger, will those who bring death still possess insight? When they call out for companions, it's too late to fake it.
We don't have, we don't have, we don't have one
And we need some
We are without this important 'love bomb' and it's imperative that we acquire it.
Contributed by Nathaniel K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nixnicoll
I haven't heard this in years; but the band are still enjoyable after all this time.In 1968 a friend of mine Steve Brink had been eating perhaps a little too much acid, & his father packed him off to a "nuthouse "to straighten out. However we organised a gig INSIDE the Blossom Toes did the music & I did the Psychedelic lighting effects !! Needless to say a good time was had by all!!
msdork61
i just found this band and i absolutely adore them - thanks so much!
Tveshag
Awesome band...fantastic!Thank you for sharing this.
kidonthesidewalk
Face melting riff there at the end. No doubt from the explosion of a love bomb.
Nixnicoll
Did the lights for the Blossom Toes one night back late 1968 or early '69 in a "nuthouse"in South London{ surbiton, Sydnam or somewhere beginning with an S.It was a very strange gig indeed as I don't think any of the patients had ever been exposed to Rock or psychedelic lighting before ! I can't remember too much as I was tripping at the time but can remember being somewhat worried as to whether we'd be allowed to leave after the gig !!!
star cloud
Nixnicoll did someone call the police thinking they being attacked by flying saucers?
Kodanshi Helcarver
That's pretty damn cool!
Joe Souza
beautiful sound !!!
grateful
cath salazar
Absolutely awesome groovy!.....❤️😻☮️👍
squarepyramid99
"If Only For A Moment" is not JUST good, it's G R E A T !