The Peppermint Trolley Company
Listen – Trust – MP3
Greetings all.
I hope – as always- that you are well, rested from the weekend and ready once again to soak up some quality sounds.
I can’t remember exactly when I fell in love with this song, but I suspect it was sometime in the mid-to-late 80’s when I first came across the Peppermint Trolley Company LP.
The California-based band, consisting of Jimmie and Danny Faragher, Casey Cunningham, Bob Cheevers and Greg Tornquist formed – and released their first 45 –as the Mark Five in 1965. They changed their name in 1966, and recorded first for Valiant, before being one of the first bands signed to Acta Records (which had its biggest success with the American Breed).
Though ‘Trust’ – written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams – was recorded by Nichols’ Small Circle of Friends, and on Williams debut solo album ‘Someday Man’, I believe that the PTC recorded it first. How they got their hands on this wonderful song is a mystery to me, and if any of you know the sequence of events, I’d love to hear it.
Suffice to say, no matter which version you hear (though I’m partial to Williams’ recording), it’s hard to deny that ‘Trust’ features some beautiful hooks. The PTC arrangement is a slice of late 60’s pop perfection. They manage to weave in light elements of baroque pop and great sunshine pop harmonies without ever overdoing it. What I can’t understand is how “Trust’ failed to break through as a major hit. Sure, by the end of the 60’s things were getting hairy and heavy, but there was also a huge amount of light pop on the charts. Williams and Nichols would go on to have a lot of success with other material (like ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’ for the Carpenters), but sadly ‘Trust’ never really hooked the listening audience.
Oddly enough, the Peppermint Trolley Company went on to perform the themes to both the Brady Bunch (first season only) and Love American Style.
They must have had some serious promotion behind them, as they really got around. I used to have a video of them performing (lip synch) ‘Trust’ on an Ohio dance party TV show (YouTube clip below, but originally posted at Bedazzled) and they also performed the tune on an episode of Mannix (featuring a came by none other than Harry Dean Stanton).
Mannix Clip
I hope you dig the tune.
Peace
Larry
Iron Leg 
‘Trust’ by The Peppermint Trolley Company is a big favourite of mine aswell.
A later 45 by them call ‘Spinnin’ Whirlin’ ‘Round’ is another non LP killer with a perfect melody and ultra cool jangle.
Check out my blog ‘Renaissance Fair sometime!!!
I used to watch Greg play for the worship team at our church in Minnesota when I was in junior high. He wrote several worship songs that we used regularly. I saw him a time or two in concert as well.
My first guitar came from a store he worked at, and (can’t quite remember) maybe owned.
I remember seeing him sing and speak at a small youth group gathering where he mentioned recording the Brady Bunch theme, and their band opening for Alice Cooper.
He also wrote a song called “Grumble Alley” that I was recently reminded of, and it was recorded by Randy Matthews. Greg moved to Nashville sometime in the late 70s or early 80s, and is still there, last I heard.