Noel Harrison
The Windmills of Your Mind.com
The Great Electric Experiment is Over (1969)
LP and digital download.
Noel’s final album for Reprise includes two Dylan covers and one Donavan song as well as an attempt at the classic Everybody’s Talkin‘, which struggles to get going, but finds its feet by the end.
In their July 1969 review, Gramophone magazine said: "I am living in hopes that the claim of the title of "The Great Electric Experiment Is Over" by Noel Harrison may soon come true in popular music, although I have my doubts. Harrison is lightly amusing in this song and the others, singing unostentatiously in a friendly, informal atmosphere completed by a small group of musicians with some good guitar work prominent."
The best track not included on the compilation Life is a Dream is probably Hello Sun.
Track List:
The Great Electric Experiment is Over *
Don't Think Twice It's Alright
Nathan La Franeer *
Hello Sun
Everybody's Talkin'
I'm Gonna Be a Country Boy Again
Another Song to You *
Poor Cow *
Blue Island *
Spider, Spider!
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
*featured on Life is a Dream.
Listen
Listen to and download The Great Electric Experiment is Over:
Sleeve Notes:
When I was a kid
I grew up in softness
Green grass
Fruit trees
Butterflies
Snow in the winter
And the old man tender in the garden
Loving his plants and vegetables
And the children from the poor street down the road
Would pass occasionally
Throwing stones and jeering.
But behind their houses too
Were green fields and trees
Rabbits
Swelling spring and peaceful fall.
But you…
You fight like wolves over the carcass of the city
And we speak to one another
You the man to the snake
I the man to the wolf.
And so the gulf widens
Confusing those who would build bridges.
I think the time has come
To protect the growth
Of this soft thing life.
I think the time has come
For one who works in wisdom
To remain
At the head of the thousand steps
Awaiting those who wish to make he climb.
Watch:
Watch Noel perform The Great Electric Experiment is Over's title track on the September 26, 1969 edition of the American music show, Jimmy Durante Presents The Lennon Sisters.
Argentinian release
In Argentina, the album was released as 'Noel Harrison'. Despite dropping the Great Electric Experiment is Over title, the same songs were on the album.
Armed forces release
In America, tracks from the album were released in a special format for the armed forces.
The special album featured tracks by Noel on the B-side and by Andy Kim on the A-side.
Tracks were regularly taken from popular albums and put onto one LP for the armed forces radio service so they did not have to carry around a lot of vinyl.
Tracks from the Great Electric Experiment is Over which were featured on this rare record included the title track, Don't Think Twice it's Alright, I'm Gonna Be a Country Boy Again, Another Song to You and Blue Island.
4 Track release
The Great Electric Experiment is Over was also released on a 4 Track cartridge, with all the tracks in the same order.
