“My Flash On You”

“My Flash On You” is the b-side of Thee Sixpence’s second 45 rpm single, the a-side of which is “Fortune Teller”. That was the second single in a row on which the band covered a song from Love’s self-titled 1966 debut album. Thee Sixpence was the original version of Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Unlike the band’s other Love cover “Can’t Explain”, “My Flash On You” finds Thee Sixpence putting their own unique spin on the song. First of all, there is on overtly psychedelic intro, with a mesmerizing echoed guitar running through a few chords against a tense background of silence. The band then comes in full force, sounding very noisy — the guitars are almost metallic, in the late 1970s sense. The ultra-tuneful bass lines are mostly intact from the original, and the vocals are even more gruff and shouted than Arthur Lee’s.

Thee Sixpence was never going to give Love real competition, and that doesn’t seem to be what they’re going for here anyway. They just love the song and love playing it – and they do so to their own satisfaction. Fantastic!

The “Fortune Teller” b/w “My Flash On You” was released on All American as well as the Dot label.

“My Flash On You” appears on…

“Fortune Teller” b/w “My Flash On You” (All American, 1966)
“Fortune Teller” b/w “My Flash On You” (Dot, 1966)
Step By Step (1998)

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