Sunday Funnies (1971)

I go too far if I call this album a rarity, but it is a record that I am proud to own. Although it is possible to find used copies on the web, they are not that easy to find and I have seen prices of $100 asked for one (although I have seen it sold much cheaper too).

It found its way to my record collection in a way that one might perceive as dishonest. My mother bought the album in the early 70's. When I at the age of ten first heard it (it was the second track It's just a dream), it was among the most beautiful music I had ever heard. Later I began to explore the rest of the album and found it very good. One day in my 20s I moved away from home, and in some strange way this record followed me to my new home. Now it has lived with me for 20 years so probably I can call myself the rightful owner.
My mom makes the following comment regarding this:

"I bought the record Sunday Funnies at Kvantum in Uppsala (Sweden) for a very reasonable price. I had no idea what kind of music it was but thought the album cover was nice. I have not played it so much and don’t miss it at all. So consider it yours! Love, Mom. "

Good to hear! Well, the album is Sunday Funnies first album on the Rare Earth label (the Sunday Funnies are thus the name of both the group and the record). They released a second album in 1972, Benediction, which was their last.The label Rare Earth existed between 1969-1976, the music fans may also know the band Rare Earth belonging to the label, who also gave it its name. I should also mention that there was an earlier and different Sunday Funnies - a band existing in the 60s. The band this text is about came from Detroit and consisted of Richard Fidge (vocals), Ronald Aitken (guitar), Richard Kosinski (keyboards) and Richard Mitchell (drums).

Definitions are often difficult, especially when it comes to music. If you read about the Sunday Funnies, often pop-rock and psych-rock is mentioned. Actually it doesn’t matter much what you call a certain music, but the problem still pops up when you want to describe your music to someone else. Then it's nice to be able to use a well established label, which in this case is difficult.
The album opens up with a pretty tough rocker, Walk down the path of freedom, and continues with the earlier mentioned It's just a dream, which is much calmer. In general, I think that the record has the sound of the late 60s and early 70s (no wonder when it was recorded in 1971!) and some tracks have an element that is almost gospellike, or at least reminds me of religious music. By that I mean the rather epic / bombastic verses or choruses, which I personally like very much, and with texts that can be interpreted religiously. The name Sunday Funnies could well mean that the members have a Christian faith, but this I leave unsaid. Simultaneously there is a strong taste of 60's psychedelia in the songs, which makes it all even more interesting.

I highly recommend this album as it is one of my favorites, maybe it’s the sweet and magic memories of childhood which helps create this feeling. But even when I am objective to the content of the album it is very good, so if you manage to get your hands on a copy, I can only congratulate you.

Favorite Tracks
It's Just A Dream
You & I
Let The Sun Shine In

Tracklist

Side A
1st Walk Down The Path Of Freedom
2nd It's Just A Dream
3rd You & I
4th Tell Me

Side B
5th The Axe
6th Crack In A Bell
7th Let The Sun Shine In
8th Child Of Mine