You probably know the riff. That bouncy, horn-heavy intro to "More Today Than Yesterday" is one of those pieces of music that feels like it’s just always existed. It’s a staple of oldies radio, wedding receptions, and movie trailers. But if you ask the average person who actually performed it, you'll usually get a blank stare or maybe a guess like "The Association" or "The Buckinghams." Honestly, it’s kinda wild that Spiral Staircase—or The Spiral Starecase as they actually spelled it—remains such a "one-hit wonder" footnote despite creating one of the most durable pop songs of the late 20th century.
They weren't just a studio creation. This was a real band from Sacramento. They were a group of guys who grinded through the club circuit, changed their name multiple times, and eventually caught lightning in a bottle before the industry moved on without them.
Why the Spiral Staircase Name Still Rings a Bell
The band didn't start out with that psychedelic-leaning name. Back in the mid-60s, they were a four-piece called The Fydallions. They were tight. They played Vegas. They did the lounge thing. Pat Upton, the lead singer and guitarist, had this incredible, high-tenor voice that basically demanded a spotlight. When Columbia Records came sniffing around, they weren't crazy about the name "The Fydallions." It sounded a bit too much like a barbershop quartet or a polka band.
Columbia executive Gary Usher—the guy who worked with the Beach Boys and The Byrds—pushed them toward the name Spiral Staircase. It fit the 1969 vibe. It sounded sophisticated but also a little bit trippy. They added the intentional misspelling of "Starecase" (with an 'e' in the middle) because, well, that’s what bands did in the 60s to look cool. Think The Monkees or The Byrds.
The lineup was solid:
- Pat Upton (Vocals/Guitar)
- Harvey Kaye (Organ)
- Dick Reed (Keyboards)
- Bobby Raymond (Bass)
- Vinny Parello (Drums)
They had the talent. They had the label backing. And for a brief window in 1969, they had the biggest song in the country.
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The Story Behind More Today Than Yesterday
Pat Upton wrote "More Today Than Yesterday" while the band was staying at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. He wasn't trying to write a generational anthem. He was just a guy with a guitar in a hotel room. He told interviewers years later that the song came together relatively quickly. It’s a simple sentiment: "I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow." It’s pure, unadulterated sunshine pop.
When they went into the studio, they added a massive horn section. That was the magic. The 1960s were pivoting. You had the gritty rock of Woodstock happening on one side and this ultra-polished, brassy pop-soul happening on the other. Spiral Staircase sat right in the middle.
The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It stayed on the charts for weeks. It eventually sold over a million copies. For a group of guys from Sacramento who were used to playing five sets a night in smoky lounges, it was a total whirlwind.
Why didn't they have a second hit?
It’s the classic industry story. They released an album, also titled More Today Than Yesterday, which actually had some decent tracks on it. Songs like "No One for Me to Turn To" showed that Upton had serious songwriting chops. But the band was struggling with their identity. Were they a Vegas lounge act? A soul group? A pop band?
Internal friction and disagreements with management started to eat away at the foundation. By 1971, the group had essentially dissolved. Pat Upton went on to work as a session musician and eventually joined Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band. He spent years touring with Nelson, providing those high harmonies that defined Nelson's later sound.
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Fact-Checking the Legacy of Spiral Staircase
There is a lot of misinformation online about the band's origins. Some sources claim they were a "manufactured" group put together by Columbia. That's just wrong. They were a working band for years before they ever stepped into a major studio. They earned their stripes in the bars of Northern California and the lounges of Nevada.
Another common misconception is that they were part of the "Sunshine Pop" movement like The Free Design or The Millennium. While "More Today Than Yesterday" fits that vibe, the rest of their catalog is actually much closer to blue-eyed soul. If you listen to their covers of "Proud Mary" or "Our Day Will Come," you hear a band that was deeply influenced by R&B and Motown, not just the fluffy pop of the era.
The Tragic Ending for Pat Upton
Pat Upton eventually moved back to Alabama and opened a lounge called "Pops." He stayed active in music, but he never chased the charts again. Sadly, Upton passed away in 2016 at the age of 75. While he didn't die a superstar, he died knowing he had written a song that would be played at thousands of weddings every single year. That’s a legacy most musicians would kill for.
The Resurgence of the Spiral Staircase Sound
In the last decade, there’s been a massive revival of interest in 60s horn-pop. Producers like Mark Ronson have cited that era as a huge influence. You can hear the DNA of Spiral Staircase in modern tracks by artists like Bruno Mars or Lake Street Dive.
Why does it still work?
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- The Tempo: It’s at that perfect walking pace that makes you want to move.
- The Horns: They aren't just background noise; they are the hook.
- The Sincerity: There’s no irony in Pat Upton’s voice. He really means it.
People often overlook the complexity of the arrangement. If you actually try to play the bass line of "More Today Than Yesterday," you’ll realize it’s incredibly busy. Bobby Raymond was doing some serious work back there. It’s a masterclass in how to make a complex song sound effortless.
What You Can Learn from the Spiral Staircase Story
If you’re a musician or a creator, there’s a real lesson here about the "Long Tail" of success. Spiral Staircase didn't have a 20-year career at the top of the charts. They had one year. But they did that one year so well that they created a permanent income stream and a permanent place in the cultural lexicon.
Practical Takeaways for Music Fans and Historians:
- Dig deeper than the hits: If you like their big single, go find the full 1969 album. It’s a time capsule of the transition from 60s pop to 70s soft rock.
- Listen to the live recordings: There are a few bootlegs and live television performances floating around YouTube. You can see how tight they were as a unit.
- Appreciate the session work: Pat Upton’s work with Rick Nelson is some of the best country-rock of the 70s. It’s worth a listen just to hear his vocal range in a different context.
The story of the Spiral Staircase music group is a reminder that you don't need a massive discography to be immortal. You just need one perfect moment where the songwriting, the arrangement, and the timing all align. They might have been a "one-hit wonder," but when the hit is that good, who cares?
To truly appreciate the era, listen to the More Today Than Yesterday album on high-quality vinyl or a lossless streaming service. Pay attention to the stereo separation between the brass and the organ. It highlights a specific moment in recording history when engineers were finally figuring out how to make pop music sound "big" without losing the intimacy of the vocal. Explore Pat Upton's solo work on the song "Yesterday's Memories" to see how he tried to evolve past the band's initial success.