Daily Nugget #2: Tommy James & The Shondells, "Crimson And Clover" (album version)

Today's track you already know, unless you've been living in a cave, and if that's the case, then it's a pretty sad cave, since this is one of those songs basically everyone likes. This version, though, is less well-known, because the radio version is unimpeachably perfect. But faced with making a trippy album version, Tommy James and the Shondells went into the studio after the song was already a hit and added a fuzzy psychedelic guitar solo, which in my book is the equivalent of adding that extra dollop of sweet creamy butter. The record where this version is available, Crimson & Clover [1968] is pretty great too, featuring "Crystal Blue Persuasion", "Sugar On Sunday", and the glorious Beatles rip "I Am A Tangerine". Pick up the newly reissued twofer (with 1969's also-good Cellophane Symphony) on Rev-Ola.

"Crimson And Clover" (album version):