Salt Water Taffy – Summertime Girl / One Hand Washes The Other (1970 7″ Single)

About this Record

This 1970 7-inch single showcases the infectious sunshine pop and bubblegum harmonies of Salt Water Taffy, a late-1960s/early-1970s vocal group led by producer/songwriter Rod McBrien. Best known for their 1968 Buddah Records LP Finders Keepers, the group continued recording for United Artists Records into the early 1970s.

Side A features “Summertime Girl,” penned by the legendary songwriting duo Peter Anders and Vinnie Poncia (famed for their work with The Tradewinds, The Innocence, and Phil Spector productions). Arranged by Meco Monardo—who would later achieve global fame with his disco Star Wars adaptation—the track is a prime slice of upbeat, harmony-laden AM radio pop. Side B, “One Hand Washes The Other,” was co-written by McBrien and B. Ross.

Archivist Note on Packaging: The outer picture sleeve pictured in Photo 1 features striking red typography reading “when my heart rings / ‘explained Emma”. As the 1970 US release of UA50691 was originally issued in generic United Artists paper company sleeves, this vintage disc appears to be housed in an indie/custom picture jacket or paired with an unrelated indie-pop sleeve.

Tracklist & Notes

• Side A: Summertime Girl (2:38) – Written by P. Anders, V. Poncia; Arranged by Meco Monardo; Produced by Rod McBrien (Matrix: UAST 6476)
• Side B: One Hand Washes The Other (2:13) – Written by R. McBrien, B. Ross; Arranged by Meco Monardo; Produced by Rod McBrien (Matrix: UAST 6477)