Indian Giver

Buddah records released a string of "bubblegum" records during the 60's -- light, do-nothing music meant to appeal to the psychedelia-minded who didn't want to deal with all that nasty talk of drugs and politics. Groups like 1910 Fruitgum Co and Ohio Express were really thinly-veiled covers; the real work behind these albums came from the producers at Buddah.

On this piece of vinyl, the Fruitgum Co. delivers its classically incorrect hit, Indian Giver (which still gets occasional airplay today despite its awful racial connotations). Even better is a cut called 1910 Cotton Candy Castle, a track that reminds me of a Beatles song shined up and made digestable for the masses.

Bennie D. says:
"Indian Giver" was one of the first singles I was able to get as a kid ("Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett was the first, if you don't count "Everything's Archie" off the back of the cereal box). It was one of the better recordings by the Fruitgums (topped only by "1910 Cotton Candy Castle" or "Candy, Candy" or "Go Away" or "Bingo, Bingo" or "The Song Song" or maybe competes well). The Bo Gentry-Bobby Bloom composition shows how good the songwriters are (Is that Bobby sing? Or Mark? It's hard to tell). Similar songs at the time included: the Electric Indian's "Keem-o-Sabe," the Ohio Express' "Cowboy Convention," the Beatles' "Octopus's Garden" as well as the Cowsills' "Indian Lake." Unfortunately, I think the song loses its impact because most people today do not know what "indian giver" means, and that's rather sad. It was the last big top charter before the musical avant-guarde decided to kill the genre. Still, "Special Delivery," "The Train" and "Baby Bret" deserved top 10 status. Of course, there's a lot of rare Bubblegum and Bubblegum Rock classics from 1968-1972 that never saw the light of any music chart (and are hard to find and get). "Indian Giver" came out at the right time, and I'm glad I was able to get it on 45 (and later LP). (11-04-2009)

Sean Blueart (sean@bluebox.com) says:
This reminds me of a hit by "The Sweet" in 1973 titled "Wig-Wam Bam":

"Hiawatha never bothered too much, about Minni-Haha and her tender touch, 'til she took him to the silver stream..."

"...try a little touch, try a little too much, just try a little wig-wam bam!"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF9cUmT_IGs (10-08-2008)

haywood jablomy says:
The 1910 Fruitgum Co. took their name from the very first slot machine, which paid off not in money but in chewing gum. (07-17-2008)

spuffler says:
Well, when I was 9-10 years old, this music was much less socio-political versus the products of contemporary artists like Beatles, Vanilla Fudge, etc. Much easier to understand these lyrics. This stuff got voluntary airplay, where as some other artists only got airplay because people requested the song (I remember making requests for 'Spirit in the Sky' and 'Innagadda Davida' - both were frowned upon by the AM radio DJs).

Very danceable too! Remember that: 'dancing'? People used to dance on their porches, in their living rooms... trippy stuff, that 'dancing' (12-03-2007)

Tim Dunn says:
Very nice flaming session here. Frank goes to a lot of trouble to provide a nice site and this is how you treat it.

Back to business...Buddha Records always had a reputation for some very odd releases. This is but one more.... (02-22-2007)

Indian Taker says:
Not enough songs about rapin' buffalo or smokin' prairie weed until the braves do each other's turd cutterz. This music is too weak to say anything about the bloodthirsty savages that occupied this land before whitey set things right. Party on, Garth! (01-10-2007)

Phil McRevis says:
If you listen long enough, you'll find that lollipop land is where the lovin' never stops. Now if I could just find the place on a map... (11-29-2006)

Lisa says:
Pow Wow, when played backwards, Goes something like: The Howdy Doodie show, it was my favorite show. it was on long ago... U used to play it backwards for my friends when I was in grade school. (08-07-2006)

C. Terentius Rufus says:
Sorry, Frank, this is NOTHING like the Beatles. Perhaps you were thinking of "Strawberry Fields," or "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." Doesn't even come close. (06-21-2006)

vduran says:
Indian giver was a name given to the white man because he land to the Indian and took it away. Today, in ignorance and lack of knowledge people assume the Indian was the Indian giver (so untrue). It might also help if some of you studied the Trail of Tears. And someone mentioned the holocaust never happened. How uneducated that person seems to be. If you don't believe it happened just ask the survivors. (06-13-2006)

getfactsstraight says:
oh please spare me. look at what the italians are putting up with in the media with the sopranos imagery. are you people serious? day after day italians are beaten in the american media with false images and BS. including from indian groups. bottom line instead of ignorantly blaming columbus for indian troubles - do a little reach on the 19th century. that is where you will find your culprit. so just stop mocking and blaming columbus for all the indian ills. those who do are mocking italians and america - named for an italian. the people singling out columbus alone should be ashamed of themselves. (04-18-2006)

Turd Ferguson says:
I live on an Indian reservation. I really do. In South Dakota. And also, Pulp Fiction is a really good movie. (04-04-2005)

Donna Bailey (WBailey2@nycap.rr.com) says:
thankyou for the answer to the song 123 redlight! from fruitgum they were great singers wish they could come back. (03-15-2005)

Uhhh, well....... says:
Except the native americans are not holding guns to the white's heads and making them go to the casinos. The whites never gave native americans a chioce. It was either be raped, slaghtered, and robbed, or be raped, slaughtered, and robbed. (11-14-2004)

Mad Dr. Matt (magob@aol.com) says:
You know, as bad as we murdering, germ-spreading pea-brained whites were to the Indians - I think the tables are slowly starting to turn.

Can you say - CASINO GAMBLING?

They right, folks. It's coming to your local reservation and quicker than you can calculate the house odds - it'll take your hard-earned cash in exchange for watered-down drinks!

FINALLY! Finally, the aboridgal people of north American are getting their comeuppence, and I say - MORE POWER TO 'EM! The reconquest of the USA by the Indians is underway!

Remember Wounded Knee! (11-11-2004)

KERRY & EDWARDS IN '04! says:
VOTE KERRY/EDWARDS! (10-27-2004)

Joli (purplevioletsquishies@comcast.net) says:
This, to me, is awe-inspiring. It reminds me of songs like Arizona by Paul Revere & the Raiders & Monday Morning Choo-Choo by the Stampeders. I am a big fan of the politically incorrect Little Black Sambo book & would have to say the album Indian Giver crowds for a place in the Little Black Sambo space in my heart. That Monday Morning Choo-Choo is leaving with my shoo-shoo, taking all of my everything away... today. (10-12-2004)

GT says:
Indians never lived here. White men have always lived here. The Jews lied about the Holacaust. (05-05-2004)

Carnacki says:
Hey the guy seated on the right has a hole in the back of his neck. Please excuse me, my asylum awaits me.
Sir Droopy Drawers (05-03-2004)

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