Green Circles

"Green Circles"
Song by the Small Faces
from the album Small Faces
Released	23 June 1967 (1967-06-23)
Recorded	13 December 1966 – 28 February 1967
Studio	IBC and Olympic, London
Genre	Psychedelic rock psychedelic pop pop
Length	2:46
Label	Immediate (UK) Columbia (US)
Songwriter(s)	Steve Marriott Ronnie Lane Michael O'Sullivan
Producer(s)	Marriott/Lane

"Green Circles" is a song by English rock band Small Faces first recorded in 1966. While not issued as a single in the United Kingdom, it was originally intended as the B-Side of "Here Come the Nice", their first single release on Immediate Records, this release was cancelled and the B-Side was replaced with "Talk to You."^[1] It remains one of the group's most well known and influential songs, and showcases the group's venture into psychedelic music, which would be prevalent in their later work, such as on "Itchycoo Park", "Lazy Sunday" and Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake.^[2]

Song profile

The song was written by Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane and Michael O'Sullivan, it was recorded on 13 December 1966 at IBC Studios at a session attended by Melody Maker journalist Nick Jones.^[3] The group resumed further work added at Olympic Studios on 28 February 1967, Olympic Studios was the same studio the band recorded most of their tracks while signed to Immediate. It was the last track on side one of the band's second studio album Small Faces and features Ronnie Lane on lead vocals.^[4] The song got its release in the US on the album There Are But Four Small Faces in March 1968.^[5]

The inspiration for the lyrics came after Michael O'Sullivan, a friend of the group, lived at their residence for a while. He is therefore listed as a writer for the song and became the only person not in the group to receive songwriting credits on the album.^[6]

Yeah, I suppose an acid trip, I dunno....yeah, Mick O'Sullivan, he lived with us at about that time. He even gets songwriting credit, I don't suppose he gets any money, though, either (laughs).

— Ian McLagan, Small Faces Talk to You: The story of the Small Faces in their own words

Set in B-flat major (the same key as their single "Here Come the Nice"), the song is described as highly psychedelic, and it is about the topic of being visited by a enlightened stranger. The recording engineers for the track are John Pantry, Glyn Johns and George Chkiantz, who was responsible for the flanging effect both heard on this song, and later on "Itchycoo Park".^[7] Johns and Chkiantz were also featured as the recording engineers on most tracks of the album.

Small Faces made an appearance on Beat-Club on 23 September 1967 , in which they mimed the song, along with "Itchycoo Park".^[8] Earlier versions can be found on the Here Comes The Nice boxset.^[9][10]

Personnel

• Steve Marriott - guitar, backing vocals
• Ronnie Lane - bass guitar, lead vocals
• Ian McLagan - piano, backing vocals
• Kenney Jones - drums

In popular culture and covers

• The 1968 song "Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Donovan may have taken inspiration from the song, name in the similar vocal melody, and the topic of being visited by a stranger. In 2012, Donovan revealed that he had become friends with Small Faces in 1965.^[11]
• British pop duo Twice as Much covered the track for their second studio album That's All in 1968.^[12][13]

References

1. Neill, Andy (31 March 2011). Had Me a Real Good Time: The Faces Before During and After. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-78323-619-0.
2. "Small Faces Ultimate Collection Review". BBC Online. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
3. Hewitt, Paolo; Hellier, John (2004). Steve Marriott: All Too Beautiful... Helter Skelter Publishing. p. 80. ISBN 1-900924-44-7.
4. Hewitt, Paolo; Hellier, John (2004). Steve Marriott: All Too Beautiful... Helter Skelter Publishing. p. 87. ISBN 1-900924-44-7.
5. Here Comes The Nice: Immediate Years box set 1967-69, liner notes, page 68
6. "IanMcLagan.com - The Story of the Small Faces in Their Own Words: The Songs". 6 February 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
7. Hodgson, Jay (19 August 2010). Understanding Records: A Field Guide To Recording Practice. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 142. ISBN 9781441124098. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
8. "Small Faces on Television". makingtime. Room for Ravers. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
9. "Small Faces / "Here Comes The Nice: Immediate Years box set 1967-69" | superdeluxeedition". Retrieved 6 November 2019.
10. "Small Faces Here Come The Nice Immediate Years Box Set 1967 – 1969 box set get an official UK release as second edition". Modculture. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
11. "Donovan". rockhall.com. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
12. Mason, Stewart. "Twice As Much - That's All". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
13. Hewitt, Paolo; Hellier, John (2004). Steve Marriott: All Too Beautiful... Helter Skelter Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-900924-44-7.