After the success of their song "Happy Together," The Turtles were under pressure to deliver another song like it. But the band wanted to diversify. To make the label happy, Howard Kaylan wrote "Elenore" as a parody. It had goofy juvenile lyrics and the love interest had an old-fashioned name that was out of style. But it didn't matter because the tune was catchy and many other hit songs had juvenile lyrics. "Elenore" went to #6 on the Billboard pop chart. I didn't think it was unusual at all, because the song was released just in time for my tenth birthday. Well, years later I finally noticed "you're my pride and joy et cetera" and thought it was odd, but chalked it up to stretching for a rhyme, which is not uncommon. (Thanks, gwdMaine!)
Seriously, 1966 ?
ReplyDeleteJeepers, I am so old.
Remember walking around the house singing this song full pelt, to the annoyance of my father.
Feels like a different life ... guess it WAS a different life
Groovy. What a swell post! This song is on a very short list (2) of songs I really like and work while using a word you just don't expect to hear. The other is Marvin Gaye's Ain't That Peculiar.
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