The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine
Encyclopedia
"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" is a 1966 song originally by Simon & Garfunkel released on their album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
. Written by Paul Simon
, it is a commentary on advertising. It was also released as a B-side of "The Dangling Conversation
", which charted at number 25 on Billboard
' s Hot 100.
as well as a series of unanswered personal questions. The lyrics are "blisteringly satirical" and aimed at various popular culture targets. In the original album notes, Ralph J. Gleason
said this song and "The Dangling Conversation" were criticisms of television and radio commercials. The notes for The Columbia Studio Recordings (1964–1970), a 2001 release of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme and four other albums, called the track "Simon's caricature of consumer culture". The song's verses arpeggiate
in full 1—3—5—8—3 on the I chord
.
. It was then released as a B-side of "The Dangling Conversation
", reaching number 25 on Billboard
' s Hot 100. In the February 1968 release of the soundtrack
for the movie The Graduate
, the song appeared (in a different version) as the eleventh track.
"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" received generally positive reviews. Allmusic's Matthew Greenwald wrote a review of the song, comparing it to Marty Balin
's "Plastic Fantastic Lover". Greenwald called it "a great putdown song about the effect of television" that "succeeds precisely because the overall sound of the record conveys the over-saturation and ridiculous nature of the medium". In Allmusic's review of the album, Bruce Eder defined the song as a "sneering rock & roll-based social commentary". Andy Fyfe of BBC Music
said in his review of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme that the song "may seem slight on the surface, but their joy at merely being alive reflected the optimism of youth in a time of crisis", referring to the Vietnam War.
In a review of The Graduate, John Nesbit said that although the duo's songs "blend in quite well", he called the track "a silly flop that no self-respecting young person played even back in the 1960s". George Starostin said that the track "can only be qualified as an unsuccessful parody on whatever you like".
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme is the third album by Simon & Garfunkel, released in the United States on October 10, 1966. Its name comes from the second line of the album's first track, "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", an English folk song from the 16th century, paired with a counter-melody and...
. Written by Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, it is a commentary on advertising. It was also released as a B-side of "The Dangling Conversation
The Dangling Conversation
"The Dangling Conversation" is a song written by Paul Simon, first released in September 1966 as a Simon and Garfunkel single "The Dangling Conversation"/"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine". The song only climbed to 25 on the US charts and never made it onto the UK charts. Paul Simon was amazed...
", which charted at number 25 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Writing and composition
"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" was written by Simon while he was in London apparently watching his clothes in a washing machine. It takes a cynical view of the advertising on Madison Avenue in New York City. The song also includes references to the hippie movement during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as well as a series of unanswered personal questions. The lyrics are "blisteringly satirical" and aimed at various popular culture targets. In the original album notes, Ralph J. Gleason
Ralph J. Gleason
Ralph Joseph Gleason was an influential American jazz and pop music critic. He contributed for many years to the San Francisco Chronicle, was a founding editor of Rolling Stone magazine, and cofounder of the Monterey Jazz Festival.-Biography:Gleason was born in New York City and attended Columbia...
said this song and "The Dangling Conversation" were criticisms of television and radio commercials. The notes for The Columbia Studio Recordings (1964–1970), a 2001 release of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme and four other albums, called the track "Simon's caricature of consumer culture". The song's verses arpeggiate
Arpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
in full 1—3—5—8—3 on the I chord
Chord (music)
A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...
.
Release and reception
"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" was the fifth track on Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, which was released on October 10, 1966 and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. It was then released as a B-side of "The Dangling Conversation
The Dangling Conversation
"The Dangling Conversation" is a song written by Paul Simon, first released in September 1966 as a Simon and Garfunkel single "The Dangling Conversation"/"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine". The song only climbed to 25 on the US charts and never made it onto the UK charts. Paul Simon was amazed...
", reaching number 25 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
The Graduate (soundtrack)
The Graduate is an album of songs from the soundtrack of Mike Nichols' movie The Graduate, featuring many songs from the folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Released on January 21, 1968, the album was produced by Teo Macero....
for the movie The Graduate
The Graduate
The Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama motion picture directed by Mike Nichols. It is based on the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College. The screenplay was by Buck Henry, who makes a cameo appearance as a hotel clerk, and Calder...
, the song appeared (in a different version) as the eleventh track.
"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine" received generally positive reviews. Allmusic's Matthew Greenwald wrote a review of the song, comparing it to Marty Balin
Marty Balin
Marty Balin is an American musician. He is best known as the founder and one of the lead singers of the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane.-Early life:Martyn Buchwald was born in Cincinnati, Ohio...
's "Plastic Fantastic Lover". Greenwald called it "a great putdown song about the effect of television" that "succeeds precisely because the overall sound of the record conveys the over-saturation and ridiculous nature of the medium". In Allmusic's review of the album, Bruce Eder defined the song as a "sneering rock & roll-based social commentary". Andy Fyfe of BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
said in his review of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme that the song "may seem slight on the surface, but their joy at merely being alive reflected the optimism of youth in a time of crisis", referring to the Vietnam War.
In a review of The Graduate, John Nesbit said that although the duo's songs "blend in quite well", he called the track "a silly flop that no self-respecting young person played even back in the 1960s". George Starostin said that the track "can only be qualified as an unsuccessful parody on whatever you like".