Roger Nichols & The Small Circle of Friends – Don’t Take Your Time / I Can See Only You (1968 7″ Single)

About this Record

A definitive sunshine pop masterpiece, this vintage US 7-inch single by Roger Nichols & The Small Circle of Friends represents one of the crowning achievements of late-1960s West Coast soft pop and vocal harmony arranging. Released in 1968 on A&M Records (catalog #926), this 45 rpm features tracks culled from their legendary self-titled 1968 LP (SP 4139), produced by Tommy LiPuma and exquisitely arranged by Bob Thompson.

Featuring the classic A&M ochre-colored stock label, Side A showcases “Don’t Take Your Time” (co-written by Nichols and Tony Asher of Pet Sounds fame), while Side B presents “I Can See Only You”. Although commercial success eluded the group upon original release, their sophisticated melodic sensibilities, bossa nova undercurrents, and pristine vocal harmonies later sparked a massive revival in the 1990s, becoming an iconic foundational holy grail within Japan’s Shibuya-kei movement and worldwide soft rock collecting circles.

Tracklist & Notes

Side A: Don’t Take Your Time (Nichols / Asher) – 2:30 [Matrix: 1448]
Side B: I Can See Only You (Nichols / Roberds / Margolin) – 2:58 [Matrix: 1449]

Credits: Arranged by Bob Thompson; Produced by Tommy LiPuma. Published by Irving Music Inc. (BMI). Both tracks note “*as featured in SP 4139”.