The band originally consisted of Ed King (lead guitar), Mark Weitz (keyboards), Lee Freeman (rhythm guitar), Gary Lovetro (bass), and Randy Seol (drums). On their first and most famous single, Incense and Peppermints, lead vocals were sung by Greg Munford, a 16-year-old friend of the band.
Strawberry Alarm Clock's song reached #1 on the Billboard pop singles chart in late 1967, and it has since been included in many mutli-artist collections and also appeared in many films as an iconic tune of the swinging sixties. After that success, the band added George Bunnell (bass and rhythm guitar) before making their first LP in 1967, also titled Incense and Peppermints. Bunnell would also become their main songwriter.
Membership changes were many. which sadly foretold the band's falling fortunes. Gary Lovetro left the band before their second album, Wake Up It's Tomorrow, which was also released in 1967. Their single from that album, Tomorrow, was a minor hit and their only other top 40 appearance, reaching #23 in early 1968. Although the group followed up with more LPs in 1968 (The World in a Seashell) and 1969 (Good Morning Starshine), Strawberry Alarm Clock had begun to fall apart and their audience was mostly gone The group managed to keep performing in various forms until 1971, when Strawberry Alarm Clock finally broke up.
Strawberry Alarm Clock as a band has made two notable appearances in films, first in the 1968 Jack Nicholson movie Psych-Out, where they played several songs including Incense and Peppermints, Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow, and The Pretty Song from Psych-Out. They second' appeared in the 1970 Russ Meyer camp classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
Ed King went on to join Lynyrd Skynyrd. Several members of Strawberry Alarm Clock reunited in the 80s to perform on oldies concert tours as well. Still, no additional albums came of that.
The original band lineup reunited one last time to perform an approximately one-hour set at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, IL, on April 29, 2007. The event was part of the last day of film critic Roger Ebert's ninth annual Overlooked Film Festival and was preceded by a screening of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Despite being unable to speak due to recent surgery, Ebert made prepared remarks with the use of a device given to him by a U of I professor.
Tomorrow
Strawberry Alarm Clock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things won't be the same
Tomorrow
Life would be a different game
But right now I am with you, and
Together we can make it through
Ba-ba-ba...ba-ba-ba-ba
Forever
Our love might last
Forever
Will it come too fast
But right now I am with you, and
Together we can make it through
Ba-ba-ba...ba-ba-ba-ba
We live in a world
Of carnivals and clowns
And buildings to the sky
That make us want to fly
But right now I am with you, and
Together we can make it through
Ba-ba-ba...ba-ba-ba-ba
We live in a world
Of carnivals and clowns
And buildings to the sky
That make us want to fly
But right now I am with you, and
Together we can make it through
But right now I am with you, and
Together we can make it through
Wow!
The song "Tomorrow" by Strawberry Alarm Clock speaks to the idea of change and the uncertainty it brings. The lyrics tell of a world where things are constantly changing and how difficult it can be to keep up with it all. The singer acknowledges that tomorrow, things won't be the same and life will be a different game. However, right now the singer is with their loved one and they believe they can make it through any changes that come their way. The repeated phrase "ba-ba-ba...ba-ba-ba-ba" acts as the bridge that connects the verses, emphasizing the importance of the present moment.
The second stanza of the song delves further into our world of change, where we are surrounded by carnivals and clowns, along with towering buildings that make us want to fly. The use of these metaphors serves to emphasize the surreal nature of the world we live in, where things are both exciting and confusing. The sentiment of living in the moment with a loved one is repeated once again, solidifying the theme of the song.
Overall, "Tomorrow" calls attention to the idea that life is ever-changing and can be overwhelming, but acknowledges the importance of staying grounded in the present moment with loved ones by our side. The song's use of vivid imagery and simple but effective lyrics create a sense of both urgency and contentment.
Line by Line Meaning
Tomorrow
The future, implying that things will change
Things won't be the same
The singer predicts that changes, good or bad, will happen in the future
Life would be a different game
The future will bring new challenges or opportunities
But right now I am with you, and
Despite the uncertainty of the future, the present moment with the artist's loved one is secure and comforting
Together we can make it through
The artist acknowledges the power of their bond to overcome obstacles
Forever
An eternity, suggesting the potential for a long-lasting relationship
Our love might last
Love can endure, but there is a possibility that it may not
Will it come too fast
The quick pace of the relationship may threaten its stability
We live in a world
The reality of the world in which we exist
Of carnivals and clowns
A metaphor for the strange, unpredictable nature of life
And buildings to the sky
A representation of human accomplishments and ambition
That make us want to fly
The sight of skyscrapers can inspire a sense of awe and desire for freedom or transcendence
Wow!
An expression of enthusiasm or amazement
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THEODORE A KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
andrez03
I really, REALLY HATE (from the bottom of my heart) typical generic commercial golden oldies radio formats (who play the top-1000 oldies in random order!!) they FLAT-OUT IGNORE this wonderful stuff from "LATE 1967"...
Darling-Beach Boys
Lazy Days-Spanky (McFarlane) and Our Gang
The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener (on the other side)--Petula Clark
Zabadak-Mickey, beaky, Tich, etc.
In And Out Of Love-Supremes
Tomorrow-Strawberry Alarmclock
Pata Pata-Miriam Makeba
Purple Haze-Jimi Hendrix
Never My Love-Association
Hello Goodbye-Beatles
I'm giving away my F-ing age, But guess what! LOL!!! I don't really give a flying MF*** at a rolling donut! LOL!!!!!! :))) :)))) :))))
MAGNETO
This should have been a big hit, it was the perfect psychedelic pop rock single follow up to Incense! I remember having the 45.
Barry Titone
had the 45 too! great tune!
suuzq35
Great song! Wow
Moonshiner
I got my 45 in a bag of chips..lol
MAGNETO
@J G which is why I said "big" hit. To me, it has just as much potential as the other one. But as you said, any band would be happy just to crack the top 40.
Philip Bourdon
I had the 45 too
46razzledazzle
I can't believe that the song "Sit with the Guru" that came from this album never hit the Top 40. They played some of the best psychedelic music.
Peggy Morabito
Hi love your music
Hemi Vic
This was the Strawberry Alarm Clock's follow-up single to Incense and Peppermints! Just a killer tune!
Charles Clark
Being 13 at that time hearing it on the radio was most exciting thing I had heard since Journey to the Center of Your Mind