Changes

Changes is the name of a Strawberry Alarm Clock compilation released originally in 1971 on Vocalion (VL 73915). It was named for the song “Changes”, the last song on the group’s last studio LP, Good Morning Starshine.

Changes bypasses all of the band’s earlier and better-known hits to focus instead on SAC’s later career and some interesting album cuts. And indeed, it succeeds in this. Changes sports an insightful selection of some of the Clock’s hidden post-1967 highlights. (As with most SAC compilations, there is nothing new or previously unreleased on Changes.)

Included, of course, is the title song “Changes”, as well as latter-day singer Jim Pitman’s gentler songwriting contributions from Good Morning Starshine, “Dear Joy” and “Write Your Name In Gold”. The excellent “Small Package” from that LP is also here.

The World In A Sea Shell is not well-represented on Changes. Three of its tracks are here but two are the maudlin “Blues For A Young Girl Gone” and “Lady Of The Lake”. Neither of these is among the most recommended songs from that album. On the other hand, “Love Me Again” is one of the better (and lesser-known) tracks from that LP.

Finally, reaching all the way back to the band’s second album Wake Up… It’s Tomorrow, Changes includes all three of the “Black Butter” trilogy of songs.

Why was Changes released?

Evidently, this compilation was intended to be a sort of companion piece to 1970’s The Best Of Strawberry Alarm Clock, which collected a more mainstream batch of Strawberry Alarm Clock songs (you know, the usual hits and singles). And it does make a nice complement to that set. But for a band with only four albums in its heyday, if you’re that interested you should probably just get all four of the regular albums.

Although the band has been anthologized several times since 1970-1, Changes is still recommended if you want a brief overview of the band’s last two albums.

The Changes cover art

It has a really cool cover to boot – arguably the best part of the album. It’s based on that same overused photo from the band’s first album Incense And Peppermints, but it’s been painted. The dark oranges and browns that swirl around the band are quite evocative (even though that era of the band had a different lineup).

Even if you already have all the regular albums, Changes is recommended because it would make such a great piece of wall art.

The famous photo that the Changes painting is based on.

Track listing

Side 1

  1. “Changes” – from Good Morning Starshine
  2. “Write Your Name In Gold” – from Good Morning Starshine
  3. “Dear Joy” – from Good Morning Starshine
  4. “Small Package” – from Good Morning Starshine

Side 2

  1. “Blues For A Young Girl Gone” – from The World In A Sea Shell
  2. “Lady Of The Lake” – from The World In A Sea Shell
  3. “Black Butter, Past” – from Wake Up… It’s Tomorrow
  4. “Black Butter, Present” – from Wake Up… It’s Tomorrow
  5. “Black Butter, Future” – from Wake Up… It’s Tomorrow
  6. “Love Me Again” – from The World In A Sea Shell

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