<… Read Full Bio ↴Spooky Tooth was an English progressive rock band from the late 1960s.
They formed in October 1967, out of a combination of The Ramrods (1960 - late 1963), The V.I.P.'s (late 1963 - April 1967) and Art (April - October 1967). The line-up changed several times, but typically included the following members:
Mike Harrison (keyboards/vocals)Greg Ridley (bass guitar/vocals)Luther (Luke) Grosvenor (guitar/vocals)Mike Kellie (drums)Gary Wright (organ/vocals)
It was the addition of Gary Wright that signalled the name change from Art to Spooky Tooth.
The song "Better By You, Better Than Me" recorded by Judas Priest is a Spooky Tooth cover. It was taken from 1969's Spooky Two LP which is generally considered to be the best effort by the group. It was the last album release from the original line-up. Ridley joined Humble Pie in 1969 and was replaced by Andy Leigh who went on to Matthews Southern Comfort with ex-Fairport Convention vocalist Ian Matthews. The experimental nature of Ceremony received mixed reviews and following its release Wright also bowed out. The core of Harrison, Grosvenor and Kellie struggled on for one more album, aptly titled The Last Puff, (featuring a cover of "I am the Walrus") completed with friends from Joe Cocker's Grease Band.
They broke up in the autumn of 1970. After solo efforts, Harrison and Wright reformed Spooky Tooth in September 1972 with a different (and frequently changing) line-up. The best known member of these line-ups (March 1973 - September 1974) was Mick Jones (guitar/vocals), later of Foreigner. From February to May 1974, Mike Patto (vocals) replaced Harrison for the 1974 release The Mirror. The group then split again in September 1974.
DISCOGRAPHY
Art
Mike Harrison (vocals), Greg Ridley (bass guitar), Luther Grosvenor (guitar), Mike Kellie (drums)
* 1967 - Supernatural Fairy Tales
Spooky Tooth
* 1968 - It's All About
* 1969 - Spooky Two
* 1970 - Ceremony (with Pierre Henry)
* 1970 - The Last Puff
* 1971 - Tobacco Road (=It's All About)
* 1973 - You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw
* 1973 - Witness
* 1974 - The Mirror
* 1999 - Cross Purpose
* 1999 - The Best of Spooky Tooth: That Was Only Yesterday
* 2000 - Comic Violence
* 2001 - BBC Sessions
* 2007 - Nomad Poets (DVD)
Sunshine Help Me
Spooky Tooth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
yeah yeah yeah
People's talking about the hawk
Trippin' round a clock around the block
Turn your mind if you're the kind
Then get your mind, turned easy
Turn your mind if you're the kind
Sunshine help me
Sunshine help me
Take this haze away
Sunshine help me
Sunshine help me
Sunshine help me
Take this haze away
Sunshine help me
Coloured pictures on the wall
Of things you never thought you saw
Really saw before, yeah yeah yeah
Sleep in dreams like in seams
Of eagles who you've never seen
It will turn you
Will open doors
A better house with slim walls
The lyrics of Spooky Tooth's song Sunshine Help Me suggest the use of psychedelic drugs as a means of escaping the troubles of reality. The mention of crazy dreams and mind-blowing schemes points towards the mind-altering effects of such substances. The lyrics also refer to people discussing the "hawk", which could be a reference to the hallucinogenic drug mescaline, as it is derived from the peyote cactus which is often associated with Native American culture and the figure of the hawk. The repetition of the phrase "turn your mind if you're the kind" implies that the use of drugs is a way of shifting one's perspective and opening oneself up to new experiences.
The singer then implores the sun to "help me", indicating a desire for a brighter, clearer state of mind without the haze of drugs. However, the repeated refrain of "sunshine help me" suggests that the need for escape continues to be strong. The lyrics also make reference to "coloured pictures on the wall" of things that one has not seen before, implying that the use of drugs can provide access to new perspectives and ways of seeing the world. The song concludes with a reference to a "better house with slim walls", which could represent a state of mind where one is more open and receptive to new experiences and ideas.
Line by Line Meaning
crazy dreams and mind-blowing schemes will get you
yeah yeah yeah
Exciting and imaginative ideas can lead to great success.
People's talking about the hawk
Trippin' round a clock around the block
People are gossiping about others and wasting time.
Turn your mind if you're the kind
Then get your mind, turned easy
Turn your mind if you're the kind
Get your mind, turned easy
If you have an open mind, it is easy to embrace new perspectives and ideas.
Sunshine help me
Sunshine help me
Take this haze away
Sunshine help me
The singer is seeking clarity and positivity in their life.
Coloured pictures on the wall
Of things you never thought you saw
Really saw before, yeah yeah yeah
Art and creativity can open your eyes to new perspectives and experiences.
Sleep in dreams like in seams
Of eagles who you've never seen
It will turn you
Will open doors
A better house with slim walls
Dreams and imagination can lead to great opportunities and a better life.
Contributed by Adam N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.