Rock In My World

Traffic - Paper Sun

I've featured Traffic on Psychedelic Sunday once before, but they, along with a few other bands, deserve more than one posting. Traffic was one of the definitive English psych bands, although, allmusic.com lists them as a second-tier band in their top artist listing for the genre. I'm not going to get into an argument over that, since they really didn't innovate or have the strength of players like Pink Floyd, The 13th Floor Elevators, or The Yardbirds, who are all members of the first tier.

Paper Sun was not included in the original UK release of Mr. Fantasy, their debut album, but it had been a hit single for the band. When the time came to release Mr. Fantasy in the colonies, the album was retooled, with some deletions and additions, which did not please Dave Mason, one of the band's guitarists and songwriters. (He was eventually fired from the band during their tour in 1968.)

I'll always remember Paper Sun for the trippy sitar and pretty harmonies, and for the simple chorus, "ahh, paper sun." It really is a lovely song for a Sunday afternoon.