In the late 60s there was no bigger insult than calling someone a square. So perhaps that’s why even the undoubtedly squarest acts of the era chose to cover tracks by way hipper groups. It was their way of telling the world they weren’t old news or making music solely for grandmas. One glimpse of the images on the covers usually belied the truth though. I mean, just look at those business casual v-neck sweaters. OK, so Dion may be somewhat of an exception to this. But in the mid to late 60s his stock was definitely trading pretty low, and no doubt doing a Jimi Hendrix track was seen as a way to bring some teenage fans back into the fold. In his case it actually worked, and his work from the late 60s and early 70s is well-regarded by critics. The Brothers Four and The Four Freshmen, not so much. But I defy anyone who has an inclination towards psychedelia not to get a kick out of the latter’s version of Donovan’s Hurdy Gurdy Man.

So, here’s a sprinkling of slightly-delic tracks that can be found on many unfashionable (and hence dirt cheap) LPs from the era. Plug in your lava lamp and enjoy.