“Fortune Teller”

Thee Sixpence covered the popular song “Fortune Teller” on their second release, a 45 rpm single on All American backed with “My Flash On You”. Thee Sixpence later evolved into Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Many bands in the 1960s covered “Fortune Teller”, including the Rolling Stones and the Who (“and Wayne Fontana – ‘e did it”). Thee Sixpence’s version shows the band significantly improved over the rowdy mayhem of their first single, “Long Days Care”. Taking care to get the song right, the band still manages to inject quite a bit of groovy raveup energy into the performance. Also helping things is the fact that the band sounds better-recorded this time.

“Fortune Teller” is buoyed by a harmonica that does all the right things without being too overbearing (which was something of an issue on “Long Days Care”). There is even a fade-out at the end, lending further credence to the notion that the band and their producer were taking more care than they might have on the debut.

This single was also issued on the small Dot label. “Fortune Teller” was re-used as the b-side of a later Thee Sixpence single, 1967’s “Heart Full Of Rain”.

“Fortune Teller” appears on…

“Fortune Teller” b/w “My Flash On You” (1966)
“Heart Full Of Rain” b/w “Fortune Teller” (1967)
Step By Step (1998)

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