Classic rock song from 1969 was recorded at mobbed-up studio and released accidentally to the public

Tommy James, Crimson and Clover

Guitarists know Crimson and Clover as the best song for testing their Tremolo and Delay pedals.

It is still one of the most popular songs of the 60s. It has been covered by Joan Jett, Dolly Parton and Prince.

The biggest hit record for Tommy James and the Shondells was recorded as a game-changer to get the band into the new soft-rock FM radio stations in 1968. 

Prior to Crimson and Clover, Tommy James and the Shondells had been known for bubble-gum hits like I Think We’re Alone Now and the rocker Mony Mony.

The song was produced during the psychedelic wave in music. Tommy James wanted to get the drug feel in the song.

After working on the song in the studio, James headed out on the road for a tour. He played a demo for a Chicago radio station.  Videos follow the story break.

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Crimson and Clover – Ed Sullivan Show

The demo was not mastered or finished but the station secretly taped it. They started playing Crimson and Clover every 20 minutes in rotation.

By the time Roulette Records and James found out it was too late. The song was already a hit.

The rest is history as the unfinished version of the song became the finished version by accident selling five million copies.

The video soundtrack was another master by CBS who wanted James to perform the song on the Ed Sullivan Show. James said the song was impossible to perform live.

Sullivan demanded an unique stereo master of the song, so James sent him several mono tracks, which is what we are hearing in this video from the Ed Sullivan Show.

Roulette Records signed Tommy James by threatening to break the legs of any other label who tried to steal him. Morris Levy the owner of Roulette was a member of the New York mafia.

Levy became rich by producing a string of hits during the 1960s, controlling publishing and record production including illegal copies of other label’s records. He rarely paid artists their royalties.

In his book, Me, The Mob, and The Music, James said artists were afraid to ask for more than a weekly allowance from Levy. When Jimmy Rodgers (Kisses Sweeter Than Wine) left Roulette, he received a brutal beating in LA. The case was never solved by the police but artists knew. You didn’t mess with Morris Levy.

In the mid 80s, Levy was indicted by the Federal Government and convicted in 1986. He died before he served any prison time.

Rhino bought Roulette from Morris Levy and released a cleaned up remaster version which Tommy James prefers.

James said that after Rhino re-released his catalog he got his first royalty checks.

In the remix the stereo separation is clearer and the bass, guitar and vocals and properly placed.  Nonetheless, most people prefer the original mix.

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Crimson and Clover – Rhino re-master (sorry this video is blocked on iPhone / iPad – I’ll keep looking. If you have an iOS compatible version of the Rhino mix, please post a comment)

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For more on the actual recording details see – Sound on Sound June 2010

Updated to fix first video which would not work on iPhone/iPad