Sunshine pop pioneers and genuine '60s hitmakers THE CYRKLE (“Red Rubber Ball,” “Turn Down Day”) make one of the year's most surprising and delightful returns with the new single “We Thought We Could Fly,” out September 15 and up for pre-order/pre-save at orcd.co/cyrkle-wtwcf from Big Stir Records now. It's the first single in over 50 years for the band led by founding singer-guitarist DON DANNEMMANN and classic-lineup keyboardist MIKE LOSEKAMP, and it's bundled with a new 21st-Century Version of the band's biggest hit “Red Rubber Ball” as a virtual B-side. But it's the lead track, a story-song with the classic CYRKLE sound telling the tale of the band itself and a musical friendship for the ages, that will grab listeners and leave them wanting more.

And what a tale “We Thought We Could Fly” has to tell. Opening with a burst of the band's unmistakable signature harmonies and evoking the breezy instrumental sounds of the band's heyday – think The Hollies, The Beach Boys, The Zombies and of course The Cyrkle themselves – it's all there. From the formation of the band as the frat rock combo The Rhondells to the heights of chart success under a new name (coined by no less than John Lennon) and opening for The Beatles, with whom they shared a manager in Brian Epstein. But it's also a touching and bittersweet portrait of Dannemann's friendship and enduring musical connection with his Cyrkle co-founder, the late Tom Dawes, from their first meeting to their last conversation just before Dawes' passing in 2007.

On both “We Thought We Could Fly” and the recreation of “Red Rubber Ball,” the current lineup of THE CYRKLE, rounded out by Pat McLoughlin (vocals, guitar), Dean Kastran of The Ohio Express (vocals, bass), Don White (lead guitar, vocals) and Scott Langley (drums, vocals), proves sublimely adept at recreating the magic of the band's signature sound. That should come as no surprise, since they've been keeping the music alive on the legacy circuit since 2017. What makes “We Thought We Could Fly” even more special is the presence of the late Tom Dawes on backing harmonies, thanks to the recovery of a set of backing vocals incorporated into the new song – a story that will be told in more detail in a “Making Of” video to be debuted on the Big Stir Records YouTube Channel in the days before the single's release.

The flip-side's faithful recreation of the band's biggest hit, the Paul Simon/Bruce Woodley-penned “Red Rubber Ball” that hit #2 on the Billboard Charts in 1966, is another loving look back. The song is simply timeless, as evidenced by it recent resurgence on TikTok. More importantly, the fresh sheen on the new version points the way forward for the band as they reach beyond their solid legacy and prepare an all-new album of originals to be released in early 2024. With the sunshine pop sound being discovered by a whole new generation, the time for THE CYRKLE has come back around again. Big Stir Records will be proud to bring it to you.

For more on THE CYRKLE, visit:
www.bigstirrecords.com/the-cyrkle