Over the past few weeks I’ve been tweaking my “Flower Power” collection big time, to the point where I have it EXACTLY the way I want. So, for posterity’s sake (and for all you audiophiles out there) here is my original 6-disc set with the subsequent changes made – and believe me, there isn’t a slouch cut in this set. I challenge anyone to find any weaknesses in it!

(Ed. note: Aside to “Tightwad” – you’ll have a chance to experience and judge these discs personally as a result of my upcoming visit in a few weeks!)

Original Disc 1:

The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin’
The Turtles – Happy Together
? and The Mysterians – 96 Tears
The Beatles – Day Tripper
The Beatles – We Can Work It Out
Barry McGuire – Eve of Destruction
The Rolling Stones – Out Of Time
Paul Revere & The Raiders – Kicks
Strawberry Alarm Clock – Incense And Peppermints
Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Were Made For Walkin’
The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man
The Beatles – Nowhere Man
The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn!
The Beatles – Mark I (early version of “Tomorrow Never Knows”)
The Beatles – Love You To
Bob Dylan – Like A Rolling Stone
The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Born On The Bayou
The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black
Canned Heat – Goin’ Up The Country
Buffalo Springfield – For What It’s Worth
Creedence Clearwater Revival – I Put A Spell On You
Manfred Mann – Quinn The Eskimo
The Turtles – Buzzsaw

Final changes:
– remove “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work It Out” (these were, after all, 1965 cuts)
– add Sonny & Cher, “The Beat Goes On” (much more hip!)

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Original Disc 2:

Scott MacKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)
Jefferson Airplane – Somebody To Love
The Doors – Break On Through (To The Other Side)
The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever
The Beatles – Penny Lane
The Doors – Light My Fire (long version)
Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit
Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles – With A Little Help From My Friends
The Beatles – Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds
The Monkees – Pleasant Valley Sunday
The Turtles – Elenore
Eric Burdon & The Animals – Sky Pilot (long version)
The Troggs – Love Is All Around
The Beatles – All You Need Is Love
The Turtles – You Showed Me
Tommy James & The Shondells – Crimson And Clover (long version)
The Beatles – Blue Jay Way
Thunderclap Newman – Something In The Air
The Doors – End Of The Night

Final changes:

– remove “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “Penny Lane” and all “Sgt. Pepper” cuts (you’re better off just playing “Sgt. Pepper” and “Magical Mystery Tour” in their entirety!)
– add The Young Rascals, “A Beautiful Morning”
– add The Rolling Stones, “Ruby Tuesday”
– add Diana Ross & The Supremes, “Reflections”
– add The Monkees, “Words” (moved from Vol. 3)
– add Eric Burdon & The Animals, “San Franciscan Nights” (moved from Vol. 3)

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Original Disc 3:

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Commotion
Canned Heat – On The Road Again
Deep Purple – Hush
The Doors – The End
Vanilla Fudge – You Keep Me Hangin’ On
The Chambers Brothers – Time Has Come Today (long version)
Donovan – Atlantis
The Beatles – It’s All Too Much
Lemon Pipers – Green Tambourine
The Rolling Stones – She’s A Rainbow
Janis Ian – Society’s Child
Status Quo – Pictures Of Matchstick Men
The Rolling Stones – Sympathy For The Devil
Eric Burdon & The Animals – San Franciscan Nights
The Bee Gees – Words
The Monkees – Words
The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter

Final changes:

– remove The Monkees, “Words” (moved to Vol. 2)
– remove “San Franciscan Nights” (moved to Vol. 2)
– remove “Gimme Shelter” (moved to Vol. 4)
– remove The Bee Gees, “Words” (great cut, but my goal was to create a truly great psychedelic disc)
– add The Human Beinz, “Nobody But Me” (an all-time favorite cut!)
– add Steppenwolf, “Magic Carpet Ride”
– add The Rolling Stones, “Street Fighting Man”

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Original Disc 4:

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Down On The Corner
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son
The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women
Three Dog Night – Easy To Be Hard
The Monkees – Circle Sky
The Box Tops – Soul Deep
The Rolling Stones – Street Fighting Man
The Monkees – Porpoise Song
The Monkees – As We Go Along
Plastic Ono Band – Give Peace A Chance
The Monkees – Listen To The Band (long version)
Bob Dylan – Lay, Lady, Lay
Tammy Wynette – Stand By Your Man
Tommy James & The Shondells – Crystal Blue Persuasion
Sir Douglas Quintet – Mendocino
The Yongbloods – Get Together
The 5th Dimension – Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In
The Beatles – Come Together
The Beatles – Something
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Up Around The Bend
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Who’ll Stop The Rain

Final changes:

– remove “Street Fighting Man” (moved to Vol. 3)
– remove “Stand By Your Man” (I’ll find a spot for that in another collection)
– remove “Something” (great cut, but having “Come Together” was sufficient)
– add The Rolling Stones, “Gimme Shelter” (moved from Vol. 3)
– add Three Dog Night, “One”
– add Crosby, Stills, & Nash, “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”

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Original Disc 5:

1. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Ramble Tamble
2. Diana Ross and The Supremes – Someday We’ll Be Together
3. Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
4. The Beatles – Let it Be (album version)
5. Crosby Stills, Nash, & Young – Woodstock
6. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Lookin’ Out My Back Door
7. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Run Through The Jungle
8. Three Dog Night – Out In The Country
9. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young – Ohio
10. The Doors – Peace Frog / Blue Sunday
11. Creedence Clearwater Revival – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (long version)
12. Melanie – Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)
13. The Doors – Roadhouse Blues
14. The Beach Boys – Student Demonstration Time
15. Sugarloaf – Green-Eyed Lady
16. Grand Funk Railroad – I’m Your Captain/Closer To Home (long version)

Final changes:

– remove “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (great cut, but it just didn’t fit)
– remove “Student Demonstration Time” (moved to Vol. 6)
– add Norman Greenbaum, “Spirit In The Sky” (a truly great cut from 1970)
– add Bread, “Make It With You” (moved from Vol. 6)
– add Vanity Faire, “Hitchin’ A Ride” (moved from Vol. 6)

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Original Disc 6:

1. Canned Heat – Let’s Work Together
2. The Doors – Ship Of Fools
3. The Doors – Land Ho!
4. Blues Image – Ride, Captain, Ride
5. The Moody Blues – Question
6. The Monkees – The Girl I Knew Somewhere
7. Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee
8. The Doors – L.A. Woman
9. Vanity Faire – Hitchin’ A Ride
10. Bread – Make It With You
11. The Doors – Hyacinth House
12. Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar
13. Alive And Kickin’ – Tighter, Tighter
14. The Doors – Riders On The Storm
15. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
16. Michael Nesmith – Joanne
17. Bee Gees – How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?
18. Rolling Stones – Wild Horses
19. B.J. Thomas – Rock And Roll Lullaby

Final changes:

– remove “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” (a good cut, but little too light for this collection)
– remove “Me And Bobby McGee” (a good enough cut but I never liked the song)
– remove “Hitchin’ A Ride” (moved to Vol. 5)
– remove “Make It With You” (moved to Vol. 5)
– add Santana, “Black Magic Woman” (a great cut I had forgotten about)
– add Faces, “Stay With Me” (a “seven wonder” to be posted on soon)
– add The Beach Boys, “Student Demonstration Time” (moved from Vol. 5)