The second album by psychedelic trailblazers Vanilla Fudge is among the strangest rock records of the late '60s, which is no small distinction. The band had come to fame with an album that took rock and pop hits of the day and extended them into outsized, proto-prog journeys full of classical influences and heavy riffs. The follow-up went a step further, eschewing individual songs for an album-length suite charting musical history from Beethoven to The Beatles, literally. The concept was allegedly imposed on the band by producer Shadow Morton, but whatever the backstory, it's a shockingly ambitious effort. Snatches of the Sonny & Cher hit "The Beat Goes On" are used to frame interconnected tracks where the band add their signature art-rock treatment to bits of tunes from the canons of Mozart, Stephen Foster, Glenn Miller, Cole Porter, Elvis Presley, and more. The addition of excerpts from speeches by historical figures and quirky band commentary enhance the oddness. It's a tribute to both Vanilla Fudge's cachet and the openmindedness of the era that this album still ended up in the Top 20.