The Cowsills’ Electrifying Rendition of “Hair”

“Hair” is a song from the musical of the same name, which was written by Gerome Ragni, James Rado, and Galt MacDermot. The musical, which premiered in 1967, explores the counterculture and sexual revolution of the 1960s. The song “Hair” became an anthem of the hippie movement and the anti-Vietnam War protests of the time.

The Cowsills, an American pop and rock band composed of siblings, recorded a popular version of “Hair” in 1969. Their rendition of the song featured upbeat vocals and a lively arrangement, capturing the spirit of the musical and the era’s cultural and social changes.

The lyrics of “Hair” celebrate the freedom of expression, self-acceptance, and breaking away from societal norms. The chorus famously includes the lines “Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair; Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen,” reflecting the era’s embrace of natural and unconventional hairstyles.

The Cowsills’ version of “Hair” became a charting hit, reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remains a popular representation of the 1960s counterculture movement and continues to be associated with the era’s ideals of peace, love, and freedom.