"Crimson & Clover" is the sixth studio album by Tommy James and the Shondells, released in December 1968. The album features the massive #1 hit "Crimson and Clover" and the #2 hit "Crystal Blue Persuasion." Crimson & Clover peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200 and became one of the band's most successful releases.
In response to suggestions from radio stations, the group decided to create an extended version of the title track. The five-and-a-half-minute version of "Crimson and Clover" featured two verses without lead vocals, followed by overdubbed guitar solos by Shondells guitarist Ed Gray, who used steel and fuzz guitars. The track also included an extended one-minute finish with wah-wah pedal effects. During the recording process, a slight speed error was introduced during the tape copying, which caused a minor pitch drop during the new guitar solo sections. This mistake was left uncorrected, giving the track a slightly different sound.
The album's liner notes were written by Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who had toured with the band during his 1968 presidential campaign as a way to show his appreciation for the band's support.
For the 1991 CD re-release titled Crimson and Clover/Cellophane Symphony, the original album version of Crimson and Clover was used, but digital software was employed to correct the speed and pitch issues from the 1968 recording. The CD booklet noted that the track was now presented "as it was meant to be heard," with Tommy James expressing satisfaction with the reissue.
