Jan Berry
Mother Earth/Blue Moon Shuffle
Jan Berry of Jan And Dean issued this wonderful 45 to very little acclaim back in 1972. Too bad, because it’s one of Jan’s finest moments. I would even go a step further and say it’s one of the greatest moments in west coast pop history.
“Mother Earth” is a shimmering delicate pop song with traces of sadness. The sound is somewhat reminiscent of The Beach Boys “Friends” album, it also carries the feeling of Love’s “Da Capo” long player.
I’m not quite sure when the record was recorded, it sounds like 1968, but the actual release date is 1972. Cheers must go to Lou Adler for being insightful enough to appreciate Jan’s massive talent.
This single is quite rare but it is worth any effort spent in tracking it down. You can also find “Mother Earth” on several Jan and Dean oddities collections.