By Chris Gedos

The New Jersey bubblegum band oh-so-ironically named 1910 Fruitgum Company was not a one hit wonder. “Simon Says” made it to #4 in March, 1968; “1,2,3, Red Light” and “Indian Giver” both reached #5 in ‘68 and ‘69, respectively. So why are all three songs so scarcely heard on OBG stations today? All three records sold over a million copies upon release, so where’s the love? My only thesis is that overtly saccharine songs associated with the period between The Summer of Love and the devastation of ’68 are seen as historical aberrations and therefore discarded as irrelevant. (Examples supporting this theory are “Green Tamborine” by The Lemon Pipers and, to a lesser extent, “Incense and Peppermints” by Strawberry Alarm Clock. Both of these songs made it to #1.) “Simon Says” is a bit gimmicky, but it’s also important to remember that the Milton Bradley game Simon wasn’t released until 1978. The saying Simon says can be traced to Simon de Montfort, who led the barons against Henry III of England during the Second Barons’ War, way back in the 1260’s! I think all this culturally and historically juicy information is enough to give 1910 Fruitgum Co. some much deserved airplay.

1910 Fruitgum Company (Official)