‘Elenore’ is a 1968 song by the Turtles, originally included on The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands. Although written by Howard Kaylan, its writing was co-credited to all five members of the band: Kaylan, Mark Volman, Al Nichol, Jim Pons, and John Barbata. The song was written as a satire of their biggest pop hit ‘Happy Together.’
By 1968, the Turtles had had a number of successful pop records on the White Whale label, including Bob Dylan's ‘It Ain't Me Babe,’ ‘Happy Together,’ and ‘She'd Rather Be with Me,’ the latter two written by Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon. The band members wanted to diversify their musical output (in parallel with more innovative musical groups of the time) and to record their own material. However, their record company was reluctant to allow them to do so.
As a demonstration of their musical versatility, the Turtles recorded the album ...the Battle of the Bands, which featured performances in a wide variety of different musical styles. The band recorded "Elenore" as a parody of the type of happy-go-lucky pop songs they themselves had been performing, but with deliberately clichéd and slapdash lyrics such as: "Your looks intoxicate me / Even though your folks hate me / There's no one like you, Elenore, really"; and "Elenore, gee, I think you're swell / And you really do me well / You're my pride and joy, et cetera..."
Howard Kaylan later said: “Elenore was a parody of "Happy Together." It was never intended to be a straight-forward song. It was meant as an anti-love letter to White Whale [Records], who were constantly on our backs to bring them another "Happy Together." So I gave them a very skewed version. Not only with the chords changed, but with all these bizarre words. It was my feeling that they would listen to how strange and stupid the song was and leave us alone. But they didn't get the joke. They thought it sounded good. Truthfully, though, the production on "Elenore" WAS so damn good. Lyrically or not, the sound of the thing was so positive that it worked. It certainly surprised me.”
‘Elenore’ reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reached # 7 on the UK Singles Chart, # 4 in Canada, # 8 in Australia, and # 1 in New Zealand. It has since been featured on many anthologies and as part of the soundtrack of The Boat That Rocked.
Label – White Whale
Songwriters – Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman, Al Nichol, Jim Pons, John Barbata
Producer – Chip Douglas
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]You've got a thing about you
I just can't live without you
I really want you, Elenore, near me
Your looks intoxicate me
Even though your folks hate me
There's no one like you, Elenore, really
[Chorus]
Elenore, gee, I think you're swell
And you really do me well
You're my pride and joy, et cetera
Elenore, can I take the time
To ask you to speak your mind?
Tell me that you love me better
[Verse 2]
I really think you're groovy
Let's go out to a movie
Whadda ya say now, Elenore, can we?
They'll turn the lights way down low
Maybe we won't watch the show
I think I love you, Elenore, love me
[Chorus]
Elenore, gee, I think you're swell
And you really do me well
You're my pride and joy, et cetera
Elenore, can I take the time
To ask you to speak your mind?
Tell me that you love me better
[Outro]
(One more time)
Elenore, gee, I think you're swell, ha-ha
Elenore, gee, I think you're swell, ha-ha, ha-ah-ah