The cover says “The Second Season” instead of “The Complete Second Season” because it doesn’t include a banned episode called “Bored, She Hung Herself” which was only shown once in 1970 and has never run again. It’s about hippie kids who hang-and-release for kicks. Sordid subject matter, yes, but I’ve seen a videotape of the banned episode and can say that I’ve seen much worse on TV many times over. Really hate that it’s not included. (Update: turns out someone actually did die after watching the episode and attempting to try some of the thrill techniques detailed therein.)

“Let’s go down by the river,” sings this Oregon loner folkie, over and over again. “And together we can have liberty.” He’s drenched in echo and minor chords and while you listen you find yourself wanting to scream out “don’t do it!!” to whoever he’s singing to. And at the end, when it’s clear that it’s actually baptism he’s singing about, you’re no less concerned.

Bob Desper – “Liberty”

Here’s the B-side to the Osmond Brothers’ 1967 single “I Can’t Stop,” which was reissued in ’71 during Osmondmania and charted at #96, but although “I Can’t Stop” has since made it to a few compilations, “Flower Music” has never seen official release since then. Sounds like Alan taking lead on both sides; the raspy, hipper-sounding Merrill had become the official big brother voice by ’71.

The Osmond Brothers – “Flower Music”

And how about those lost legends of surf piano? Outtatune . . . outtasite.

The Tandems – “Beyond the Surf”

Here’s a western ghost town instrumental version of what later became known as “My True Love.” I found this on the now out-of-print Shakedown compilation, tacked on as a hidden track at the end of Disc 1’s “The Chase.”

Bobby Fuller – “My True Love (early version)”

Presented here in its ultimate version, this tiki lounge number pops up a few times in the first season of Hawaii Five-0. The problem is that those who sing it eventually end up in serious trouble, if not dead.

Don Ho – “It Ain’t No Big Thing”

The Beau Brummels tried to get all their band members a shot at singing lead a la moptops, but every song they tried it on would have sounded better with Sal Valentino’s distinctive voice. This second song in this clip is one of the few to feature Irish Brummel Dec Mulligan on lead just before he left the group.

Rare little beauty written by Paul McCartney. This 45 is apparently John Christie’s only release and also the only thing I know about him.

Update (12/06/10): My “only release” pronouncement has been mercifully disproven by Herman Hamerpagt (see comments below). Christie, who was a discovery of Dave Clark (of the Dave Clark 5) actually put out an album called Relax in ’74 and had a hand in Clark’s ’80s musical Time. A record hunter’s work is never done.

John Christie – “4th of July” (1974)