Pop Rock

The “Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” by The Fifth Dimension is a great example of 1960s music, and a very good place to start the Pass The Paisley blogs. For, after all, this was to be the dawning of the age of Aquarius. This medley of two songs (that is, “Aquarius” and “Let the Sunshine In”) was written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt Macermot for the musical Hair in 1967. The 5th Dimension released their single in 1969, and the track went to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Adult Contemporaries Chart. It eventually was awarded RIAA platinum status.  “Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” was included on The 5th Dimension’s album The Age of Aquarius and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group in 1970. Hair was about sex, drugs, rock and roll, and anti-Vietnam War protests, going on to define a genre of the “rock musical.” In the story, some long-haired hippies living in New York City try to fight against conscription into the Vietnam War as well as fight against the conservative views of their parents. The hippies want to live in the Age of Aquarius, an upcoming astrological phenomenon to take us past the Age of Pisces into a new era of peace and love. At the end, the audience was invited for a “be-in. ” (To understand that fully, you had to be there.)

The 5th Dimension, originally called The Versatiles, formed in 1965 in Los Angeles. Their repertoire was quite versatile, covering a number of genres. This included R&B, pop, soul, sunshine pop, and psychedelic soul. The original members were Billy Davis Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, LaMonte McLemore, and Ron Townson. Besides “Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” they had hits with “Up, Up and Away,” “Stone Soul Picnic,” Sweet Blindess, “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Working on a Groovy Thing,” and “One Less Bell to Answer,” among many others. There have been personnel changes over the years, but the group continues to tour and perform.

Here are the lyrics to “Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” :

“When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind’s true liberation
Aquarius! Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

[instrumental and tempo shift]

Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in

[continue to end with concurrent scat]

Oh, let it shine, c’mon
Now everybody just sing along
Let the sun shine in
Open up your heart and let it shine on in
When you are lonely, let it shine on
Got to open up your heart and let it shine on in
And when you feel like you’ve been mistreated
And your friends turn away
Just open your heart, and shine it on in”

For others songs by The 5th Dimension: “Up, Up and Away” and “Wedding Bell Blues.”

If you are interested in reading about and listening to another song from Hair, please click here for “Good Morning Starshine” by Oliver.

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 40+ songs there. The TV has several channels with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures).”