The La De Das - How Is The Air Up There? (1966)

The Changin’ Times - How Is The Air Up There? (1965)

(Steve Duboff - Artie Kornfeld)
 USA
Original version

Single on Philips label.

The Changin’ Times were Steve Duboff and Artie Kornfeld, the writers of this song. Another Changin’ Times Duboff-Kornfeld original, Pied Piper (1965), was a hit for British singer Crispian St Peters in 1966 in both the UK and USA.

Writer-producer Artie Kornfeld had worked in the Brill Building school of songwriting in the early 60s: Jan & Dean’s Dead Man’s Curve was one of his early co-writing credits, and he wrote The Angels’ hit I Adore Him (1963) with Jan Berry of Jan & Dean. In 1967, after writing and producing for The Cowsills, he was appointed Vice President of Rock by Capitol Records, a recording industry first. Artie was one of the originators of the 1969 Woodstock Festival (his face is familiar to anyone who has seen the movie).

Steve Duboff (1941-2004) met Artie Kornfeld at Screen Gems Music Publishing. Duboff-Kornfeld collaborations included The Rain, The Park And Other Things (1967) and We Can Fly (1968), both hits for the Cowsills (produced by Artie Kornfeld).

Artie Kornfeld’s official website has more biographical details. See Variety for a tribute to Steve Duboff’s varied career.

Not to be confused with Australian band The Changing Times.

Thanks to Artie Kornfeld.