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\nContinued from Part Seven<\/a>…<\/em><\/p>\n
A Brotherhood reading of The Mamas & the Papas\u2019 \u201cCalifornia Dreamin\u2019\u201d is one of three covers on the record. A super-heavy reading of the song, the arrangement owes much to Vanilla Fudge, and Drake plays a blistering, Hendrix-styled solo. Phil and Joe recall cutting the song live in the studio; it took twenty-plus takes, with Phil playing bass and singing out in the foyer while Drake and Joe played at maximum volume inside Studio C. Drake\u2019s Leslie\u2019d guitar on the verses is an early example of the effect popularized by George Harrison on Let It Be<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cRose Garden\u201d is another borrowed tune, albeit one with an unusual history. First cut in 1968 by songwriter Joe South, a version of the song would be a monster hit in 1970 for Lynn Anderson. But this \u201869 backing track was originally recorded by a friend of the band, organist Lee Michaels. The track was possibly intended for his Recital<\/em> LP; Drake played on all of that album\u2019s songs. A&M label head Herb Alpert had insisted Michaels record the song, \u201cbut Lee hated it,\u201d says Phil. \u201cHe knew we were under pressure to get this record done, and we were running on empty, suffering from writers\u2019 block.\u201d So Lee slipped Brotherhood his track, probably without approval from his label: \u201cNo one questioned how the master tape got from Point A to Point B,\u201d Phil chuckles. He remembers the lineup on the rocking recording \u2013 cut at A&M \u2014 as Lee Michaels on organ, ex-Turtle Johnny Barbata on drums, Chris Etheridge on bass, Drake on guitar, and Phil\u2019s overdubbed lead vocal. Joe has memories of working on the song at RCA as well, but it may be those were rehearsal sessions for one of the group\u2019s few live gigs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDeep Blue Sea\u201d is an early example of a direction Drake would explore in later years. The song has a San Francisco bluesy vibe similar to the Grateful Dead\u2019s sound at the time. (Coincidentally, Joe\u2019s drum roadie during this period was Mickey Hart.) Phil characterizes the song as \u201cfiller, an album track. It didn\u2019t really match what we were all about. But we were desperate.\u201d<\/p>\n \tAnother tune banged out quickly, \u201cFamily Tree\u201d has a petulant, Stonesy lyric about \u201ca girl with too much money,\u201d Phil says. He recalls suspending the vocal mic in a trash can to get the singular sonic effect on this snarling garage raver.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To fill another three-and-a-half minutes, the band recycled Joyride<\/em>\u2019s \u201cLove Sketch,\u201d adding an overdubbed Drake Levin vocal in which he sings a sentimental (if slight) lyric: \u201cLove me, I love you \/ Love you, yes I do,\u201d etc. The band thought of the melancholy ballad as a companion to the first album\u2019s \u201cForever.\u201d<\/p>\n \tAn alternating unison\/harmony vocal arrangement is the highlight of the straightforward pop-rock \u201cDestination Unknown.\u201d The song\u2019s lyrics may have been a subtle telegraphing of Drake and Phil\u2019s realization that the band\u2019s future was uncertain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The record closes with a Beatles cover, \u201cWhen I Get Home.\u201d Though using much the same power trio approach as on \u201cCalifornia Dreamin\u2019\u201d the band did do some overdubs. \u201cDrake had that Hendrix sound down pat\u201d on the track, Phil observes. Had the band persisted, Phil believes this style might have pointed the way toward their future.<\/p>\n \tWorking with high-contrast, black-and-white band photos, Drake and Phil created the collage that adorned the album\u2019s front cover. Joe Pollard had suggested titling the straight-ahead, rocking album Brotherhood Too<\/em>, but the record was released in late 1969 with Drake\u2019s choice of title: Brotherhood Brotherhood.<\/em> The LP met the same commercial death as its predecessors. \u201cWe had high hopes,\u201d says Joe. \u201cWhen we finished the album, we were ready to go on the road.\u201d There were a few live dates, including Palm Springs and Spokane. \u201cThe few places we played, everybody loved us,\u201d Joe says.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/musoscribe.com\/images\/rose_garden.jpg\")
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