GREAT TRIPPY UNDERGROUND SONG! LIVED IN MIAMI AND IN 1968 RICK SHAW FROM WQAM HAD THEM ON HIS " SATURDAY HOP" SHOW ON SATURDAY MORNING. DID NOT KNOW WHO THEY WERE THEN, HEARD THIS SONG AND THE SAME DAY WENT AND BOUGHT THE 45. THE TIME FOR MECHANICAL WORLD ON THE 45 SAID " VERY LONG" ( FUNNY BECAUSE IT WAS THE EDITED VERSION THAT WAS A MINUTE SHORTER. THE B SIDE WAS "UNCLE JACK" ANOTHER GREAT SONG. BOUGHT ALL THEIR ALBUMS AFTERWARD.
When this track hit the airwaves of what was back then called "Underground FM" (Google up WABX -Detroit for textbook example of Flower era 'underground radio') I was 17 yrs old, had just lit my pipe and put on a pair of arctic earmuff supersize Sansui headphones. I lit me pipe and settled back to 'experience' this incredible track.
Your imagination has a major slice of something Pink Floyd-ish in it ...don't ever lose that my friend!! ;)
Mechanical World - Spirit [California] - 1968 - " Randy California's HEAVY Hendrix-inspired guitar is one of the most breathtaking features of the track." - Spirit-1996. NOTE: Heavily orchestrated and arranged, it has a slightly jazzy feeling, crossed with some avant-garde classical.
young people are missing some background. the song needs tobe appreciated in the context of the times when we thought america was was being torn apart by the insanity of the 60's power structure
This video makes the song darker than it really is, at least for me. This music was fly right stuff back in the 60's when one was flying, right. More of a renewal in SPIRIT than death of the SOUL. Spirit was one great band!
Spirit was the BEST Psychedelic band to come out of LA in that time. I grew up listening to them on the now-legendary SF underground stations LMPX/KSAN. Norm Davis, a former KSAN DJ has a website dedicated to them. I can't put the address here but do a websearch for KSAN the Jive95. Lots of great Downloadable archive goodies including live concerts by Janis & Big Brother, Van Morrison, It's A Beautiful Day, Hot Tuna and many more. You WON'T be sorry.
WQAM - yeah! This 'll get ya - who else saw Spirit at either the World or the Place in S Fla.? I wish I had a list of the bands I saw at those places....
@hulatown Saw 'em at the first Atlanta Pop Festival, then a year or so later at my college's spring concert festival; they OWNDED live--the roots of today's jam bands.
Always wondered who did the string charts for Mechanical World--anybody know?
this was a nation wide song- heard alot in houston and LA and even in colorado.
its about getting sick from sushi and nearlt dying.. love the heavy mellotron and of course randy california's cool guitar - hell the whole band was great- jay ferguson on vocals..the cool bald drummer..the thinking man;s doors..
As several others have indicated, this was, indeed, played frequently on WQAM in Miami in 1967. I've never figured out why it wasn't a big nationwide hit.
My mind is continually blown when I stumble across songs like this. A lost gem just floating in the internet void! Damn, there's so much good music just waiting to be found I suppose! SO HAPPY to have found this band!!
God damn if I don't sometimes wish we were back in the 60s! Everything is flat out complacent, stupid, or jaded these days. Where's the unified front of outrage.?Are Tea-partyers the best we can do? Why can't we do "balls deep" again?
@TheBushman2 I lived the 60s and loved Spirit, Traffic, VU, et al. Was an outcast since 90% of nrmal radio was shit. There's still good music being made - I'm certain. But I'm kinda stuck in 60's psych, 70-80s punk, BH Surfers, Beck, etc. Don't knock teaparty - it's your money, not the gov'ts. Most folks in the 60s, as now, just wanted to get a job and be left alone. dxguy
Yes, I also remember Rick Shaw and he did play this on TV before I went to school- Hialeah High, as a matter of fact---That was when there were no commercials on FM---Back in the day.....Balls deep, buddy, balls fucking deep!!!!!!
Actually, WQAM was the ONLY station I ever heard play this song. I always loved this. Around the same time was a song called LOVE MACHINE by The Roosters. Can't find a trace of that one.
after I commented I think that I spoke to soon and perhaps WQAM and WFUN Miami AM heavies did play it but it was pretty close to the edge as I know some records such as Dirty Water and Timothy pretty much were banned why I do not know and I guess thought the same for Mech. World.
Around 1968 I saw Spirit perform at 'Thee Image', a bowling alley converted to a concert and dance venue that was not far from the Marco Polo Hotel, in Miami Beach. They played their entire first album.
wow, I'm jealouse, I remember Thee Image but was only 14. ol man was cop missed all the concerts at the U too... I too discovered these guys from WQAM. Had the 45 with Uncle Jack on the backside.. I wore it out
Much better on the video, the recording is excellent
SEVFEST 1 month ago
Nature's Way of telling the two dislikers something's wrong
vosinddieandere69 3 months ago
As good as BOC are Randy was a good decade earlier with his guitar sound.
bogbrush6666 5 months ago
The first time I heard twin lead guitar on record.
Nobody has ever had a better guitar sound.
bogbrush6666 5 months ago
@bogbrush6666
Blue Oyster Cult used to do Triple Leads in Harmony on 'ME262' when playing live!
PeterThenn 5 months ago
why is that ugly mother fuckers face in the video ?
nootaramus 5 months ago
'Goth' has nothing on Spirit. 1st amazing single. Had their own spirit no one's touched since.
verbaud 8 months ago
very nice video. my 1st time to hear version 2. Thank You!
youngmindedman 9 months ago
@youngmindedman
It is actually version 2 of the video, not the song.
PeterThenn 9 months ago
GREAT TRIPPY UNDERGROUND SONG! LIVED IN MIAMI AND IN 1968 RICK SHAW FROM WQAM HAD THEM ON HIS " SATURDAY HOP" SHOW ON SATURDAY MORNING. DID NOT KNOW WHO THEY WERE THEN, HEARD THIS SONG AND THE SAME DAY WENT AND BOUGHT THE 45. THE TIME FOR MECHANICAL WORLD ON THE 45 SAID " VERY LONG" ( FUNNY BECAUSE IT WAS THE EDITED VERSION THAT WAS A MINUTE SHORTER. THE B SIDE WAS "UNCLE JACK" ANOTHER GREAT SONG. BOUGHT ALL THEIR ALBUMS AFTERWARD.
RADRONWHIT 9 months ago
When this track hit the airwaves of what was back then called "Underground FM" (Google up WABX -Detroit for textbook example of Flower era 'underground radio') I was 17 yrs old, had just lit my pipe and put on a pair of arctic earmuff supersize Sansui headphones. I lit me pipe and settled back to 'experience' this incredible track.
Your imagination has a major slice of something Pink Floyd-ish in it ...don't ever lose that my friend!! ;)
JubaL609 10 months ago
Loved this song when i was in jr. high school
selem3pope 11 months ago
Mechanical World - Spirit [California] - 1968 - " Randy California's HEAVY Hendrix-inspired guitar is one of the most breathtaking features of the track." - Spirit-1996. NOTE: Heavily orchestrated and arranged, it has a slightly jazzy feeling, crossed with some avant-garde classical.
mikekadas 11 months ago
young people are missing some background. the song needs tobe appreciated in the context of the times when we thought america was was being torn apart by the insanity of the 60's power structure
Steviewevie01 11 months ago
AWESOME SONG PLUS THIS VIDEO IS WAY BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE!!!!!
MrMegaFredzeppelin 1 year ago
@MrMegaFredzeppelin
Probably an underrated band,it's kind of 'Doorsey'
onthemoveagain 1 year ago
Killer, dude! Fraggin awesome.
TalkingEarth 1 year ago
The anthem for a veteran home from the war with a memory full of death.
docrichr 1 year ago
What software did you use?
Thanks,
Steve
stevei2x 1 year ago
@stevei2x
Pinnacle Studio 12
PeterThenn 1 year ago
This video makes the song darker than it really is, at least for me. This music was fly right stuff back in the 60's when one was flying, right. More of a renewal in SPIRIT than death of the SOUL. Spirit was one great band!
1mredneckmother 1 year ago 2
Spirit was the BEST Psychedelic band to come out of LA in that time. I grew up listening to them on the now-legendary SF underground stations LMPX/KSAN. Norm Davis, a former KSAN DJ has a website dedicated to them. I can't put the address here but do a websearch for KSAN the Jive95. Lots of great Downloadable archive goodies including live concerts by Janis & Big Brother, Van Morrison, It's A Beautiful Day, Hot Tuna and many more. You WON'T be sorry.
Ishmael932 1 year ago
WQAM - yeah! This 'll get ya - who else saw Spirit at either the World or the Place in S Fla.? I wish I had a list of the bands I saw at those places....
hulatown 1 year ago
@hulatown Saw 'em at the first Atlanta Pop Festival, then a year or so later at my college's spring concert festival; they OWNDED live--the roots of today's jam bands.
Always wondered who did the string charts for Mechanical World--anybody know?
Iamheofwhomhespeaks 11 months ago
this was a nation wide song- heard alot in houston and LA and even in colorado.
its about getting sick from sushi and nearlt dying.. love the heavy mellotron and of course randy california's cool guitar - hell the whole band was great- jay ferguson on vocals..the cool bald drummer..the thinking man;s doors..
nootaramus 1 year ago
luv it!
autosam 1 year ago
As several others have indicated, this was, indeed, played frequently on WQAM in Miami in 1967. I've never figured out why it wasn't a big nationwide hit.
vandywilliam 1 year ago
My mind is continually blown when I stumble across songs like this. A lost gem just floating in the internet void! Damn, there's so much good music just waiting to be found I suppose! SO HAPPY to have found this band!!
easternmind 1 year ago
Definitely one of the most badass leads EVER!
citizendisguise 1 year ago
God damn if I don't sometimes wish we were back in the 60s! Everything is flat out complacent, stupid, or jaded these days. Where's the unified front of outrage.?Are Tea-partyers the best we can do? Why can't we do "balls deep" again?
TheBushman2 1 year ago
@TheBushman2 I lived the 60s and loved Spirit, Traffic, VU, et al. Was an outcast since 90% of nrmal radio was shit. There's still good music being made - I'm certain. But I'm kinda stuck in 60's psych, 70-80s punk, BH Surfers, Beck, etc. Don't knock teaparty - it's your money, not the gov'ts. Most folks in the 60s, as now, just wanted to get a job and be left alone. dxguy
dxguy 1 year ago
Yes, I also remember Rick Shaw and he did play this on TV before I went to school- Hialeah High, as a matter of fact---That was when there were no commercials on FM---Back in the day.....Balls deep, buddy, balls fucking deep!!!!!!
MaloBreeze 2 years ago
Dang I do remember WQAM. Rick Shaw, Robie Young etc. They were my intro to R&R & Soul. The came the burgeoning of FM...
markjbaldwin 2 years ago
Love those soaring California leads.....he was a teenager then!
VancouverJames 2 years ago
hi, is there no better version? the stereo is ok!
joserailway 2 years ago
This is my favorite Spirit song.
djminimoto 2 years ago
Actually, WQAM was the ONLY station I ever heard play this song. I always loved this. Around the same time was a song called LOVE MACHINE by The Roosters. Can't find a trace of that one.
burntisland1 2 years ago
@burntisland1 "Love Machine" -- a 1968 recording by The Roosters -- is available elsewhere on youtube.
vandywilliam 1 year ago
AM rockers en Miami radio in the sixties were not permitted to play this song after one or two tries; that is a clear clear honest fact, I was there.
milkieways 2 years ago
that's wierd, I heard it on KJR abd KOL in Seattle in the summer of '68, if I remember right, both stations played it quite a bit.
bocfan53 2 years ago
after I commented I think that I spoke to soon and perhaps WQAM and WFUN Miami AM heavies did play it but it was pretty close to the edge as I know some records such as Dirty Water and Timothy pretty much were banned why I do not know and I guess thought the same for Mech. World.
milkieways 2 years ago
Spirit at their trippy best. One of my first bedroom headphone experiences was to this.
wittumy 3 years ago
Absolutely awesome. What an incredible band. They deserve so much more recognition.
lfitomshi 3 years ago
This song was number one on top 40 radio station WQAM in 1968 for three weeks!
peppertree5706 3 years ago
Around 1968 I saw Spirit perform at 'Thee Image', a bowling alley converted to a concert and dance venue that was not far from the Marco Polo Hotel, in Miami Beach. They played their entire first album.
davidhbradyjr 3 years ago 2
wow, I'm jealouse, I remember Thee Image but was only 14. ol man was cop missed all the concerts at the U too... I too discovered these guys from WQAM. Had the 45 with Uncle Jack on the backside.. I wore it out
Thanks Peter!
cnc66 3 years ago
that location is now occupied by a Publix supermarket!
FamilyBandstand 2 years ago
Rick Shaw Show used to play this on TV in Miami, used to watch it before I went to school.
kushisaac 2 years ago
Far out!
bloofan06 3 years ago