Gimme Gimme…

Crazy Elephant’s Crazy Journey!

Crazy Elephant was sort of a typical concoction of the 1960’s pop scene – mostly a studio group – sort of a genuine group – Crazy Elephant was yet another creation of the bubble gum pop entrepreneurs Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffrey Katz.

Those two gave us some sweet treasures as the Lemon Pipers, the Ohio Express, the 1910 Fruitgum Company and others including putting many of their artists together in the extravaganza the “Kasenetz-Katz Super Circus”.

One of their earliest collaborations was with the Music Explosion with the 1967 hit – “A Little Big O’ Soul” a song which went to number 2 on the Hot 100. Jerry and Jeff had met while attending college in Arizona.

Kasenetz and Katz

Crazy Elephant at the recording sessions would be comprised of Jeff and Jerry along with Robert Spencer – a vocalist who had been with the Cadillacs for a time – Other participants on the few recordings they released under that name were a studio singer Norman Marzano – singing bass – and even Kevin Godley of 10cc providing lead on at least one track. He recorded “There Ain’t No Umbopo” in a studio in England.

Godley of 10cc

Godley both sang the song and composed it!

The Whole Darn Sticky Circus

The promotion for Crazy Elephant fantastically claimed that they were a group of “Welsh coal miners”!

“Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'” was co-penned by bubble gum singer/song writer Joey Levine who himself was well-entrenched in buckets of bubble gum! Levine was the lead singer for the Third Rail (“Run Run Run”), the Ohio Express (“Yummy, Yummy, Yummy” and others).

Joey Levine – Poppin’ Bubbles

Further, he recorded with or as “The Banana Splits”, “Professor Morrison’s Lollipop”, the “Patty Flabbies” and Reunion taking lead on “Life Is A Rock (But the Radio Roller Me)” from 1974. All of these were strictly studio.

Levine wrote and/or sang on several commercials including Mounds and Almond Joy’s “Sometime You Feel Like a Nut”, “Gentlemen Prefer Hanes”, “Come and See the Softer Side of Sears”, and “This Bud’s For You”.

Gentlemen Prefer Bud

When it would come time to record an entire album, musicians would include Ronnie Bretone (bass) Robert Spencer again on vocals, Bob Avery from the Music Explosion (drums), Larry Laufer (keyboards), Kenny Cohen (sax) who had/would back B.B. King, the Eagles, Santana and others, and Hal King (vocals).

For all the hype and labor – Crazy Elephant’s debut record would achieve a number 12 ranking on the Hot 100 and would be their final appearance on those charts. They did have a couple of “Bubbling Unde’s”. Another touring group was also put together.

Can’t imagine attending a Crazy Elephant concert. They were probably a segment in a review of some sort or maybe they simply toured as every bubble gum group behind the Katz and Kasenetz bubble gum machine!

Crazy Elephant Discography

45 – Bell – Gimme Gimme Some Lovin’ b/w Hips and Lips – DNC (first issue) – January, 1969

45 – Bell – Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ – Number 12 Hot 100 – b/w Dark Part Of My Mind – March, 1969

45 – Bell – Sunshine and Red Wine – Number 104 Bubbling Under b/w Pam – June, 1969

45 – Bell – Gimme Some More – Number 116 Bubbling Under b/w My Baby (Honey Pie) – September, 1969

45 – Bell – There’s A Better Day A Comin’ (Na, Na, Na, Na) b/w Space Buggy – November, 1969

45 – Bell – There Ain’t No Umbopo – Number 132 Music Vendor b/w Landrover – March, 1970

45 – Germany 1969

45 – Germany 1969

45 – France – 1969

45 – Netherlands – 1969

45 – Spain – 1969

45 – Sweden – 1969

45 – Hong Kong – 1969

45 – Israel – 1969

45 – Italy – 1969

LP – Bell – Crazy Elephant – Did Not Chart – August, 1969