Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

“Dimension 5ive”: Sunshine Pop’s Progressive Peak?

There’s something special about the song, “Dimension 5ive” by The 5th Dimension.   Lush vocals from start to finish — and yet it’s technically not a “vocal” tune, as there are no lyrics.  Yet, neither is it an instrumental.

This song is the closing track on the 5th Dimension’s 1970 album, Portrait, for which LeRoy Neiman provided an impressionistic color portrait for the front cover, a minimalist black line drawing for the back cover, and eight color sketches of the group at work in the studio for the album’s gatefold:

Fifth Dimension-aa

Bones Howe is once again behind the board, but there’s a new person to appear prominently in the credits on a 5th Dimension album:  Bob Alcivar.  Not only did he arrange all the album’s vocals, but he also wrote the song, “Dimension 5ive.”   Here’s the group rehearsing at Bob’s house:

Fifth Dimension-bb

Check out the song:

LP Musician & Production Credits

Billy Davis, Jr. – Vocals
Florence LaRue Gordon – Vocals
Lamonte McLemore – Vocals
Marilyn McCoo Davis – Vocals
Ron Townson – Vocals
Hal Blaine – Drums & Percussion
Larry Bunker – Congas & Percussion
Gary Coleman – Percussion
Joe Osborne – Bass
Dennis Budimir – Rhythm Guitar
Tommy Tedesco – Rhythm Guitar
Mike Anthony – Electric Guitar
Mike Deasy – Electric Guitar
Fred Tackett – Guitar
Jimmy Rowles – Piano
Larry Knechtel – Organ & Piano
Gary Illingworth – Electric Piano [RMI]
Arrangers – Bill Holman, Bob Alcivar & Bones Howe
Vocal Arranger – Bob Alcivar
Assistant Engineers – Johnny Golden, Larry Cox & Rik Pekkonen
Engineer – Bones Howe
Producer – Bones Howe

“Dimension 5ive” would be selected as the B-side to accompany “Save The Country” (US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK) and “One Less Bell To Answer” (France).

45 picture sleeve

France

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LINK to Sunshine Pop

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LINK to Vocal Instrumentals

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