*First line is the band name. 1970. This band had a ton of hits in the late 60s and 1970s. Their music introduced audiences to many talented songwriters. Randy Newman wrote this song. Newman says that the song was inspired by his own lighthearted reflection on the Los Angeles music scene of the late 1960s. The Animals first recorded this song. But this band's version was a big hit. It was also the number-one song on the premiere broadcast of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem on July 4, 1970.