Song Of The Day 12/11/2016: Childe Harold – “Brink of Death”

Song Of The Day Outtakes 2016 -- This was cut from Moog In Vogue, simply because I couldn't find the Moog. That is I'm sure it's responsible for some of the sound effects you hear in this song, but they don't distinguish themselves as much as the string parts and the flanging vocals. Childe Harold, the band, were a very British-sounding psychedelic group but were actually from New York. This is the only single they ever put out. "Brink of Death" was written by Bert Sommer of the marvelous pop-psych unit The Left Banke. This recording was arranged by Walter Carlos, later Wendy Carlos, who gained prominence with his/her Moog staple Switched-On Bach, which is why it's funny I can't detect the synth that well. Want more? Sure. Childe Harold is the name of the subject of a long narrative poem by Lord Byron, "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage." It was Byron's first big hit.