The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show DVD Review
By Jonathan Boudreaux
After years of appearing on other television shows, in 1971 The 5th Dimension – vocalists Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue Gordon, Billy Davis, Jr, Lamonte McLemore, and Ron Townson – finally starred in their own: The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show. Featuring musical guest Dionne Warwick, The Carpenters, and Merle Haggard, this trippy romp focuses on old 5th Dimension favorites (“Up, Up and Away”) and then-current singles (“Loves’ Angles and Rhymes”).
The conceit of the show is that the 5th Dimension is a band of itinerant musicians who travel the countryside performing their tunes. The special begins with the group performing “Light Sings All Over the World” as they enter on a psychedelic gypsy caravan pulled by a scary mechanical mule that would not have been out of place on Hee Haw. The theme carries through to the group’s funky gypsy-inspired ‘70s duds – sort of hot pants meets peasant skirt.
A gaze into the group’s crystal ball segues into Warwick’s performance of “Games People Play” while surrounded by even more crystal balls. Gordon and McCoo join Warwick for a medley in which each performer covers the others’ songs. Gordon and McCoo sing “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?,” Warwick covers “Up-up and Away,” McCoo solos on “Walk on By,” Warwick sings “Sweet Blindness,” Gordon solos on a slow tempo “I Say a Little Prayer,” Warwick performs “Lay that Devil Down,” and McCoo and Gordon wrap things up with “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” The three women then perform an odd version of Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady."
Merle Haggard sits on the front porch of a stylized house for a spirited version of “I’ve Done it All,” followed by the more contemplative “It Was Fun.” This sequence feels slightly out of place here. Although directed in the same style as the other numbers, the set has a different feel to it, and the 5th Dimension never interacts with Haggard. It is almost as if Haggard’s appearance was taped for an entirely different show.
Next up, the 5th Dimension perform “Rainmaker” – only rather than “rain,” bits of confetti “snow” drifts down throughout the number.
The Carpenters make their first appearance with “Someone Like You.” An emaciated Karen also plays the drums in this too-sleepy cover song. Many bad jokes are bandied about regarding the fact that The Carpenters are not, in fact, carpenters. What wacky variety show humor!
In a perfect example of how different television was at the start of the 1970s, the next number features Townson, a trained opera singer, performing an aria from Pagliacci. Try to imagine under what circumstances the networks would be willing to include a performance of “Vesti la guibba” in primetime today. Then meditate on how quickly modern audiences would run screaming from their televisions.
When the Carpenters return to sing “Superstar,” Karen looks even skinnier in her white granny dress, as if she somehow lost more weight during Townson’s number.
This is followed by McCoo’s performance of “Love's Angles and Rhymes” while roaming through a smoke filled “forest.” Warwick returns – this time wearing what appears to be a yellow birthday cake – to sing “Reach Out and Touch” in front of a simmering mobile of mirrored tabs. Look closely to see the camera occasionally reflected in the mirrors.
The 5th Dimension close the show with a medley of their hits – “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In,” “One Less Bell to Answer,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” and “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Up, Up and Away” – while wearing powder blue crocheted outfits. Groovy!
Although this special is lip synced – badly – it offers modern audiences the chance to see all of these performers in their prime: Warwick before she became a Psychic Friends Network-shilling joke, Karen Carpenter before her inner demons ended her life, and the 5th Dimension, a group that hearkens back to a time when singing abilities were viewed as an asset.
This special is housed on a single disc. Viewers can choose to play the entire show or jump to a specific song via the “Song Selection” menu.
