"Mr. Farmer" is a song by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the " United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, ...

garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...

group

The Seeds The Seeds were an American psychedelic garage rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965, best known for their highest charting single "Pushin' Too Hard". The band's classic line-up featured frontman Sky Saxon, guitarist Jan Savage (b ...

, written by vocalist

Sky Saxon The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...

and produced by Marcus Tybalt. It was released as a single in 1967 and peaked at number 86 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The song was banned on many radio stations during the time of its release because of its drug references.

Lyrical content and recording

Written by Sky Saxon, "Mr. Farmer" depicts the tale of a man who becomes dissatisfied with city life and moves to the country, buys five acres, and spends time watering crops. Though Saxon attempted to disguise the lyrics to make the song's message appear anti-drug, the song was widely interpreted as a tribute to

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in variou ...

growers and was banned on many radio stations. Keyboardist Daryl Hooper later recalled discussing the song's bassline with Harvey Sharp, who had often played bass with the band in studio. Because the Seeds did not employ a bassist during live performances, Hooper used the left-hand bass on a

Wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

during small club performances, and later used a

Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, th ...

bass for larger shows.

Reception

"Mr. Farmer" was released as a single in February 1967 and peaked at number 86 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. In the "Monkees on Tour" episode of ''

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...

'', a promotional copy of the single is shown being played by Phoenix radio station

KRIZ Kriz may refer to : ;Places and jurisdictions: * an oasis in Tunisia, the site of the Ancient city ad modern titular see of Tigias (now Henchir-Taus), which was in the Roman province of Africa Bizacena * Qrız, village in Azerbaija ;Persons * Alo ...

when the band visits. Music historian

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compared the song's piano sound to that of early

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...

records. Author Harvey Kubernik called the song a "

punk-pop Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti- suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...

classic", and writer Malcolm Russell described it as a "tight groover".

Other appearances and versions

"Mr. Farmer" appears on the 1987 compilation '' More Nuggets: Classics from the Psychedelic Sixties Volume 2'' and is featured on the 2000 soundtrack to the film ''Almost Famous''. Sky Saxon revisited the song on his 2008 solo album ''The King of Garage Rock''.

Psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

band

Strawberry Alarm Clock Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band formed in 1967 with origins in Glendale, California, a city about ten miles north of downtown Los Angeles. They are best known for their 1967 hit single " Incense and Peppermints". Categorized a ...

recorded a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song relea ...

of the song on their 2012 album ''Wake Up Where You Are''.

Track listing

;7" Vinyl

Chart performance

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mister Farmer 1966 songs 1967 singles Parlophone singles Songs about cannabis Songs written by Sky Saxon The Seeds songs