1968 saw The Association release a strong album, Birthday, that included what may be “one of the greatest songs ever recorded,” to quote the person who posted this audio clip of “Everything That Touches You”  (I can certainly understand the sentiment — have you heard the beautifully arpeggiated bass line by Joe Osborn that kicks off the song?)

The following year’s self-titled release, The Association, was a less cohesive affair, but it did produce a paean to everyone’s favorite member of the cabbage family – broccoli – that, nevertheless, raises the question:  does humor belong in music?

“Broccoli”     The Association     1969

“Italian Asparagus“

According to Texas A&M’s Aggie Horticulture website, “Despite broccoli’s antiquity, sprouting broccoli apparently was unknown in England until about 1720, when it was introduced as ‘sprout cauliflower’ or ‘Italian asparagus.’  It is surprising that such an excellent vegetable as sprouting broccoli, known for more than 2,000 years in Europe and perhaps 200 years in America, should have become popular here only in the past 25 years.  Since 1925 it has suddenly become an important market and home-garden plant in the United States.”