“Chocolate River”
by The Seeds
1967 song
It’s beautiful but cutting; it’s jaw-dropping but was passed over for release originally: "Chocolate River" is an unreleased outtake to end all unreleased outtakes. It’s one of The Seeds’ best songs but was rejected when the 1967 Future album was being sequenced. "Chocolate River" finally saw the light of day on the 1977 rarities collection Fallin' Off The Edge; it’s since been included on several other Seeds compilations and has become a fan favorite.
"Chocolate River" is the sound of 1967 Los Angeles, that of a fried populace sizzling in the streets under the California sun. There’s a merriness about the melody and the agreeable lope of the band, challenged by tinges of madness and the song’s empty thousand-yard-stare. The band’s oft-noted punk attitude is toned down and the psychedelic pop is turned up on "Chocolate River", which manages to be soft and sawtoothed at the same time.
The senselessness of Sky’s words fits well with the long notes he sings on the choruses, if you can call them that. “A chocolate riiiiiiver, a chocolate riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiver,” he intones as the keyboard hovers too close; the singer is stoned out of his brain and just marinating in the sounds of his hubbly bubbly band.
"Chocolate River" was recorded over six takes on April 24, 1967; take 6 got overdubs of vocals, keyboards, and percussion that same day and would be the one ultimately released. On May 12 "Chocolate River" was in fact mixed for possible inclusion on Future but when rejected was tossed aside, apparently forever. It’s a feather in The Seeds’ cap though; fans are lucky to have it because it is one of the best tracks by any artist from 1967.
