“Psychotic Reaction” by The Count Five

"Psychotic Reaction" was the Count Five's first single, out in June 1966 and the title track of their debut album, and it started life as an instrumental the garage band had been banging out for six months. Their manager, Sol Ellner, father of co-writer Kenn Ellner, suggested that rhythm guitarist John "Sean" Byrne put words to it, and the hook arrived early in 1966, in a health education class at San Jose City College, where Byrne was a freshman. While the professor lectured on psychosis and neurosis, his friend Ron Lamb leaned over and pitched the title.

Byrne called it the missing punch line, finished the lyric and brought it to band practice that night. A few weeks later they played it at a West Valley College dance, and the emcee, KLIV disc jockey Brian Lord, came away very impressed.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.