Crazy Elephant was a short-lived American bubblegum pop band noted for their 1969 hit single, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'". Crazy Elephant was a studio concoction, created by Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz of Super K Productions, promoted in Cash Box magazine as allegedly being a group of Welsh coal miners. Former Cadillacs member Robert Spencer was widely utilized on lead vocals, though future 10cc member Kevin Godley took lead vocals on "There Ain't No Umbopo", recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England, and released on the Bell label in May 1970. A touring group was formed later for promotional purposes. The bassist on "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" was Gary Gaynor, a local studio musician who also worked with Laura Nyro. The song was covered by Detroit band Adrenalin featuring vocalist David Larson in 1979 and later by Helix.
Crazy Elephant's "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" (b/w "The Dark Part of My Mind") was a transatlantic one-hit wonder, making #12 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart. Several follow-up singles, including "Gimme Some More" (b/w "My Baby (Honey Pie)") and "Sunshine Red Wine" (b/w "Pam"), failed to chart.
The band also released a self-titled album in 1969 featuring:
- Robert Spencer (vocals)
- Kenny Cohen (flute, saxophone, vocals), who later performed with The Eagles, Santana, Rod Stewart and B. B. King
- Bob Avery (drums), who also played with The Music Explosion
- Larry Laufer (keyboards, vocals)
- Hal King (vocals)
- Ronnie Bretone (bass)
Famous quotes containing the words crazy and/or elephant:
“It’s like pushing marbles through a sieve. It means the sieve will never be the same again.”
—Before the 1972 Democratic Convention in Miami. As quoted in Crazy Salad, ch. 6, by Nora Ephron (1972)
“I asked my mother for fifty cents
To see the elephant jump the fence.
He jumped so high he reached the sky,
And didn’t get back till the Fourth of July.”
—Unknown. I Asked My Mother (l. 1–4)