Incense And Peppermints – Strawberry Alarm Clock | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#1); 1967
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
An unknown songwriter, a producer of Freddy Cannon’s hits, and a “guest” vocalist combined their talents to create one of the Summer of Love’s most memorable anthems. The tunesmith, John Carter, was an undergrad at the University of Colorado who had scored a regional West Coast hit with That Acapulco Gold by the Rainy Daze.
His effort impressed ex-Cannon producer Frank Slay, who asked Carter to pen lyrics for an instrumental track he’d earmarked for Thee Sixpence. At the recording session for Incense And Peppermints, Carter insisted that someone other than the band’s regular lead vocalist sing his song.
The group complied. Released as the B-side to The Birdman Of Alkatrash, Incense And Peppermints – with the one-time Sixpence now billed as the Strawberry Alarm Clock – soared to #1.
Unfortunately, the vocalist, 16-year-old Greg Munford, didn’t share in the fame. He was merely a guest at the session when Carter singled him out to sing Incense And Peppermints.
This content and the Song Meaning article was created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2025 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Frank Slay
Lyrics Written by:
- John S. Carter
- Tim Gilbert
- (uncredited: Mark Weitz, Ed King)
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).