Alma Cogan-"Snakes And Snails"

 

Alma Cogan-Snakes, Snails And Puppy Dog Tails/How Many Nights Denmark Columbia DB 7622 1965

British 60's female singer Alma Cogan was long associated with the old variety show/pop guard so this completely rockin' July 1965 release (U.K. Columbia DB 7652 where it was titled simply "Snakes And Snails" on stock releases) must have come as quite the surprise to the public and her fans! Written and produced by Searchers drummer Chris Curtis in one of his first sessions behind the producers chair, he put quite a mix together for the recording as told to author Spencer Leigh in a "Record Collector" interview a few years before his death:

"I got Bobby Ore on drums, John Paul Jones on bass, Jimmy Page, Vic Flick and Joe Moretti on guitars and they played out of their skins! She didn't realise that she'd have to sing over a heavy rock backing and she loved it. The backing vocalists were Dusty Springfield, Doris Troy, Rosetta Hightower from The Orlons and me. Boy did we have fun."

Though Curtis has been known to embellish the truth a bit at times regardless of who's really on the record it's an incredible piece of music (Dusty's voice can audibly be heard on the backing vocals). The musical backing is solid and incredibly powerful as is the vocal delivery. The lyrics are completely dark and twisted (imagine a more fatal ending to "Love Potion #9"). It is alleged that Keith Richards panned it in a music newspaper as "one of the worst records I've ever heard".  Regardless of whether that's true the record went nowhere and Alma succumbed to overran cancer the following year at just 34 years of age.

 

The flip, "How Many Nights" is utterly disposable pop schlock, like something Brenda Lee or Lulu would have been forced to record. Next....

"Snakes And Snails" appeared ages ago on the Past & Present  "new Rubble" series CD "New Rubble Volume 5". 

Hear "Snakes, Snails And Puppydog Tails":

https://youtu.be/z4zVNC5UF7w?si=4OYMiUrBoBgg_bUA

Hear "How Many Nights":

https://youtu.be/45hDhAXqJJ0?si=DwzSx_R1Fqsa5XXN

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Traffic "Hole In My Shoe"

 

TRAFFIC-Hole In My Shoe/Smiling Phases U.S. United Artists UA 50218 1967

Traffic's second American single was released in October 1967, three months after it's British release as Island WIP 6017 where it reached #2, unfortunately it failed to chart here.

Penned and sung by guitarist Dave Mason it perfectly encapsulates the child like "toy town" psychedelic pop genre with lyrics about toy soldiers, bubblegum trees et al. With sitars, flutes, organ, Mellotron etc it has all the necessary trappings of a '67 pop psych record including the spoken word bit (care of Island records supremo Chris Blackwell's stepdaughter Francine)  "I climbed on the back of a giant albatross which flew through a crack in the cloud, to a place where happiness reigned all year round where the music played ever so loudly".  

The flip side, "Smiling Phases" is sung by Steve Winwood and his soulful vocals over a harder rocking musical section than the A-side with just flute, bass, drums, guitar, organ and outside of some phasing on the vocals none of the psychedelic whimsy from the A-side.

Both sides are available for streaming on Spotify and are also on the deluxe edition of their debut LP "Mr. Fantasy" (titled "Heaven Is In Your Mind" in the U.S.).  

Their whole journey from this period has been wonderfully chronicled in the wonderful book "The Island Book Of Records 1959-1968". 

Hear "Hole In My Shoe":

https://youtu.be/a77yHpjdUtU?si=2M3F4Dte19zt3YVw

Hear "Smiling Phases":

https://youtu.be/t_DAhdGHGgo?si=q3m24-ZRQ6AJNhUG

Graham Bond 1970

 

GRAHAM BOND-Walking In The Park/Springtime In The City U.K. Warner Brothers WB 8004 1970

Organ maestro Graham Bond's career had sadly dovetailed by the late 1960's. Addicted to heroin and frequently being tracked down by bailiffs and the police over his bankruptcy situation he was miraculously signed up by Warner Brothers who issued a single comprised of two tracks recorded in 1966 with Dick Heckstall Smith (saxophone) and John Hiseman (drums) AND paid him a healthy sum of  £5,000! The youthful Hiseman (22 at the time) produced by tracks. 

"Walking In The Park" (penned by Bond) sounds like it was literally made up on the spot with it's simplistic word rhymes, but it's a rather rollicking track nonetheless thanks to the band's solid playing. It is NOT the version that featured on the Graham Bond Organization's debut LP "There's A Bond Between Us".  Bond's organ trills are amazing and Heckstall Smith gives 101% as always and Hiseman nails it down nicely behind the kit! 

"Springtime In The City", another Bond original, is a moody piece of business. It sounds at times like it was made up, lyrically anyway, on the spot. But there's a spooky feel to it with Bond's Hammond organ trills and Dick Heckstall Smith's sax work which meshes perfectly with the improvisational nature of the song (a trademark of any Graham Bond 60's recording). Heckstall-Smith must have had the patience of the Master because he continuously stuck with Bond as the only ever present G.B.O. member!

Rare Portuguese pressing

Both sides were collected on the Warner Brothers 1970 double album compilation "Solid Bond" issued in several countries (also available on CD) as well as being available to hear on Spotify.  

Hear "Walking In The Park":

https://youtu.be/sTrPkouaU1E?si=eYs3gK1OJEU_JGPV

Hear "Springtime In The City":

https://youtu.be/bnDcxLCaSWc?si=MEPjxj3C0jGvBrjI

U.S. Soul/R&B/Jazz/Blues 45's For April

 

1. DESTINATION SOUL-"Ease My Mind" Tower 753 1967

With a 1967 release date you'd expect this to sound funkier but it's a weird track. The vocals remind me like an even more "white" Righteous Brothers but I love the driving beat and though some would argue it's not remotely "soul" I beg to differ. And I love the cheezy little Farfisa solo too.  Listen...

https://youtu.be/WXKGtujglZg?si=o8QC9i3RVDEPff_p

2. DON COVAY-"The Popeye Waddle" Cameo C-239 1965

Don Covay recorded for at least half a dozen imprints in the U.S. in the 60's. This one from '62 is incredibly tacky and but I dig the "Do You Love Me" rewrite that's going on in it. Strangely enough Covay is barely on the record as most of the vocals are by female session singers with him periodically injecting his improvisational vocal bursts after each chorus!

 https://youtu.be/GAy91XBz-EU?si=HbUQ2uMOUj0kGBoj

3. JIMMY BURNS AND THE FANTASTIC EPICS-"It Use To Be" Tip Top 213 1966

This slow burner has been #1 on my soul wants list for almost two decades now and seeing as the last copy went for $350 on Discogs last year the chances my owning it are slim. All griping aside this number is a killer from start to finish. Starting with some moody organ, it's down trodden vocals are a tour de force in full blown soulful misery!

https://youtu.be/gT2A-BwO19A?si=IhO7P6d-EqI9kPi

4. BIG MAYBELLE-"Quittin' Time" Rojak ROJ-118 1967

I love pretty much everything Big Maybelle did on Rojac and this one is probably my favorite alongside her renderings of "I Can't Control Myself" and "96 Tears". It's uptempo vibe and frantic beat is a perfect vehicle for her husky voice punctuated by some nifty blasts of horns. It reminds me a bit of "I Don't Need No Doctor", and dig the "Get Ready" lick injected mid song during the break.

https://youtu.be/3LWyhuQyvlw?si=TKGh5LBpvnZw9ufE

5. TONY CLARKE-"The Fugitive Kind" Chess 1935 1965

I'm a sucker for anything Tony Clarke released on Chess so.... This number reminds me a bit of The Manhattan's "Searchin' For My Baby" with it's slow delivery and call and response vocals and like all of Tony's releases on the label it has an air of sophistication and top notch production/backing.

https://youtu.be/dMv-wEBGZcc?si=sy5iP0bB0m9_LoZu

6. EARL KING-"Come On Part One" Imperial X5713 1960

I love this variation of "Let The Good Times" (copied part and parcel five years later by Alvin Robinson), it's got these greasy horns, funky/bluesy guitar and this suave/cool laid back vocal style that's just right and conjures images of a smoke filled, low lit dive bar with this band wailing over in the corner with their shades on while the whiskey flows.

https://youtu.be/60qqN6B3gSY?si=z2pj3IkdVPTTIvJO

7. THE SOUL SISTERS-"Flashback" Sue 140 1965

I just realized that a in lot of my posts today I have espoused lots of material by quite a few artists and I'm not going to deviate from that pattern on the subject of the duo The Soul Sisters and their Sue records output. This was their seventh of eight singles released on the label and this one is far more uptempo than any of their other releases for the label, like Betty Everett's "Can't Hear You No More" on a handful of speed (dig the exultation's of "Oooo oooo Pow!" periodically throughout the song)

https://youtu.be/7LO5MG8eSSk?si=fQMBq0n8LeKxE1UV

8. JEANETTE WILLIAMS-"All Of A Sudden" Back Beat 568 1966

Delivered with a melody not dissimilar to an uptempo "Take Me For A Little While" this in demand 100mph stormer was penned by Don Robey (under his moniker of Deadric Malone) and doesn't quit. The subtle brass, vibes and frenetic pace of course has rendered this unobtainable thanks to it's popularity on the pensioners soul scene. 

https://youtu.be/MS9mBARvTEs?si=vG06RaXxtKkYAuNR

9. BILL BUSH-"I'm Waiting" Ronn 17 1968

I really dig this one. It's a mid tempo tune with some jazzy sax and the tempo/beat that anticipates Terry Callier's "Ordinary Joe". The vocalist sounds a bit like Len Barry and I have no idea who was/is. Best of all there's these incessant organ that plays throughout the number that gives it an interesting feel.

https://youtu.be/GAL4KvjYGQk?si=V_9G9GY7sygUWGTG

10. THE CHARMAINES-"Rockin' Pneumonia" Fraternity F-931 1964

This Lonnie Mack produced number is in such demand there's not even a scan of it on 45cat so I had to nick it from Discogs! It's easily my favorite reading of "Rockin' Pneumonia", with some great vocals that remind me of a cross between The Shirelles and The Soul Sisters, but it's the greasy musical backing that really sweetens the deal here!

https://youtu.be/emW7XOKcxIU?si=mL91wK3JWqiMdTj6

Manfred Mann Channels Bob Dylan

 

MANFRED MANN-Mighty Quinn/By Request-Edwin Garvey U.K. Fontana TF 897 1968

Manfred Mann's biggest American hit was their January 1968 version of Bob Dylan's "Mighty Quinn" which rose to #10 (and in the U.K. it gave the band their third and final #10. It was forever a staple of the Oldies radio station I was reared on (NYC's WCBS FM 101.1!) and therefore firmly embedded in my psyche. I liked it and when I became British Invasion mad at some point in 1975/1976 it was the first record I ever owned by the band. All too often you get bludgeoned by songs like this but fortunately living in a bubble where all of my television watching is streaming and I don't listen to anything but vinyl and Spotify I have been able to appreciate such staples of my past now in doses I prefer!

"Mighty Quinn" or as my American oldies reissue 45 (with Keith's "98.6" on the flip) said "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)" of course comes from the scratch pad of Bob Dylan. The band were probably the earliest British interpreters of his work and had covered "With God On Our Side" on an E.P. and had a U.K. #2 hit with "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" in their previous incarnation. "Mighty Quinn" was from Dylan's legendary "Basement Tapes" and what the Manfred's did with it was nothing short of amazing. It's such a bouncy little ditty with nonsensical, clever lyrics and the Manfred's giving it 101% with a great beat, Klaus Voorman's flute, Manfred's Hammond, precise harmonies and Mike D' Abo's rousing vocals. 

Speaking of Mr. D'Abo...on the flip we have a composition of his, "By Request-Edwin Garvey".  It's probably one of THE most unusual flip sides to a mega hit you will ever hear!  D'Abo warbles on like he's coming from a 1920's gramophone over some piano and the whole thing sounds like a spoof of the Bonzo Dog Band meets something from a Mel Brooks movie! 

Both tracks are available on a host of Fontana records collections of the band's Mike D'Abo period as well as streaming on Spotify. 

Hear (and see) "Mighty Quinn" on "Beat Club":

https://youtu.be/klWzVuxdygg?si=VG4Qgh8GEEvwyLRv

Hear "By Request Edwin Garvey":

https://youtu.be/MadLv0kcGEw?si=296l2KZGbyB1HpEz

The Beat Scene- Volume Two Imagined

In 1998 Decca issued a 25 track CD called "The Beat Scene", one of several "Scene" compilations issued of tracks culled from the Decca/Deram archives. Unfortunately any further official volumes were not forthcoming so I decided to create an imaginary track listing of another volume utilizing tunes from the Decca label. 

1. THE BIG THREE-"What'd I Say" E.P. Decca  DFE 8552 1963 

2. BRIAN POOLE AND THE TREMELOES-"Love Me Baby" Decca F 12197 1965

3. THE ZOMBIES-"Woman" Decca F 12004 1964

4. THE MIGHTY AVENGERS-"Hide Your Pride" Decca F 11891 1964

5. THE PETE BEST FOUR-"Why Did I Fall In Love With You" Decca F 11929 1964

6. CHICK GRAHAM AND THE COASTERS-"A Little You" Decca F 11932 1964

7. PHASE FOUR-"Think I'll Sit Down And Cry" Decca F 12327 1966

8. FREDDIE STARR AND THE MIDNIGHTERS-"Peter Gunn Locomotion" Decca F 11663 1963

9. THE CLASSMATES-"Pay Day" Decca F 12047 1966

10. THE MARAUDERS-"Always On My Mind" Decca F 11748 1963

11. THE VERNONS GIRLS-"Dat's Love" E.P. Decca DFE 8506 1962

12. BERN ELLIOT AND THE CLAN-"Good Times" Decca F 11970 1964

13. THE CHECKMATES-"Around" Decca F 12114 1965

14. THE DENNISONS-"Nobody Like My Babe" Decca F 11990 1964

15. THE APPLEJACKS-"I'm Through" Decca F 12301 1965

16. THE ORCHIDS-"I've Got That Feeling" Decca F 11861 1964

17. HEINZ-"I Get Up In The Morning" E.P. Decca DFE 8545 1963

18. GEORGE BEAN-"Why Must They Criticize" Decca F 12228 1965

19. THE BROOKS-"Poor Poor Plan" Decca F 11868 1964

20. LEE CURTIS AND THE ALL STARS-"Let's Stomp" Decca 11690 1963

21. THE PICKWICKS-"I Don't Want To Tell You Again" Decca F 11901 1964

22. THE MOJOS-"Nobody But Me" E.P. Decca DFE 8591 1964

23. KINGSIZE TAYLOR AND THE DOMINOS-"Stupidity" Decca F 11874

24. BOBBY CRISTO AND THE REBELS-"I've Got You Out Of My Mind" Decca F 11913 1964

25. THE SNOBS-"Buckle Shoe Stomp" Decca F 11867 1964

Artwork care of Charlie Starkey. 

Randy Newman Feted In Britain

Songwriter Randy Newman sparked quite a bit of interest in the U.K. as early as 1965 but hit pay dirt when Alan Price took his "Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear" all the way to #4 (and it is alleged resulted in Newman securing a recording contract in America with Reprise records). Here are ten British readings of some of Randy's tracks released in the Sixties. Enjoy!

1. DUFFY POWER-"Davy O'Brien (Leave That Baby Alone)" U.K. Parlophone R 5631 1967

Originally released as "Leave That Baby Alone" by Saturday's Children in the US on Dunwich in May 1967, Davy Graham issued his version of this number in October with a full own treatment thanks to the incredible brass and arrangement courtesy of Mike Vickers. Is this a tale of lecherous intent or well meaning moral upstanding? We'll never know but Davy delivers the goods making this my favorite Randy Newman reading ever!

https://youtu.be/HafLjOZBQ9I?si=Pj6m1Md047C5URdR

2. THE NASHVILLE TEENS-"The Biggest Night Of Her Life" U.K. Decca F 12657 1967

The hits had long dried up for the Nashville Teens when Decca issued this as their tenth (and next to last) 45. This Newman track may have been an attempt to restart their career (Alan Price did a version on his second British album "A Price On His Head").  It's neo-rag time feel (in no small part to the barrel house Ivory tinkling) is a sign of the times but alas it was not really suited to the Teens.

https://youtu.be/9iZJdpflENY?si=hhqvlyBbXmZREYmO

3. MANFRED MANN-"So Long Dad" UK Fontana TF 862 1967

The Manfred's got the first version of this ditty out (Alan Price later recorded it as well) and it is probably my favorite reading of it. It's boozy, bluesy and incredibly intricate with a nice mix of barroom piano, harpsichord and Mellotron. Riding the crest of that whole Vaudevillian vibe Mike D'Abo and the boys easily handle this sentimental ode to father/son relations.

 https://youtu.be/hI647B5ecyc?si=OYHCKJTFGNPRfdc5

4. BILLY FURY-"Baby Do You Love Me?" U.K. Parlophone R 5658 1967

By 1967 Billy Fury, like all of his contemporaries was struggling against the tide. His management were trying everything to get him back in the game (his next single would be a Bee Gee number on one side and a Bowie track on the flip) and he too jumped on the Newman train. Sadly this one is incredibly tepid and reeks of chicken in the basket and stale ciggies and even a Randy Newman/Midas touch on the song writing credits could put Billy back together again. 

https://youtu.be/Paic_cjBLtk?si=QsPOblOWX2N-lwdP

5. CILLA BLACK-"I've Been Wrong Before" U.K. Parlophone R 5269 1965

Cilla gets kudos for being the first British artist to record a Randy Newman number. Randy himself was rather pleased with the results and took the time to frequently compliment it in interviews. I'm not a huge Cilla fan and I will admit this does absolutely nothing for me and it's inclusion here is merely for historical purposes. Next!

https://youtu.be/ly-vr-NqZ3w?si=LMRw8wTi2fkPDw-l

6. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD-"I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore" U.S. Atlantic 45-2623 1969

Dusty was late to the Newman party when she cut this one for her oft praised "Dusty In Memphis" LP in 1969. Lyrically it's probably my favorite Newman track, a wonderful social observation about apartment building gossip (previously recorded by The Walker Brothers and prior to that masterfully cut by Jerry Butler). With those two previous versions in mind this leaves me flat. Sorry.

https://youtu.be/PeAliPIwvYw?si=ab79p1Se3kVHH507

7. ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS-"Mama Told Me Not To Come" France EP Barclay 071081

1966

Originally slated to be the flip side Eric Burdon's first post Animals single "Help Me Girl" on Decca in the U.K. it was hastily withdrawn and issued instead with "See See Rider" on the flip. It was however released as an E.P. track in France AND on his first post Animals U.S. LP "Eric Is Here". Long before Three Dog Night took it to the top Eric interpreted it first. The music reminds me a lot of his ex-band mate's venture The Alan Price Set meets his drinking buddy Georgie Fame and it's lyrically suited to Burdon's then reputation as an all out looner. Interesting!

https://youtu.be/wf-XHK4YH1w?si=VuPNV7wJXAE9Ac6T

8. JULIE DRISCOLL-"If You Should Ever Leave Me" U.K. Parlophone R 5588 1967

Tucked away on the flip of her opus "I Know You Love Me Not", Jools ratchets up the emotions with a lush arrangement by Reg Guest. Unfortunately at the end it sounds like the number is out of her range AND it literally sounds like she's sobbing (talk about raw emotion) but the very Walker Brothers meets Dusty orchestration makes it incredible and therefore indispensable .

https://youtu.be/PzsiYqazaaE?si=o47z5iKmyMtU6Mwn

9. THE PERSUASIONS-"Big Brother" U.K. Columbia DB 7700 1965

Coming out in September 1965 this one joins Cilla in being one of the earliest U.K. recordings of a Randy Newman track. The Persuasions were an oft overlooked British band that had a fairly innocuous soul sound and this recording is actually fairly interesting falling somewhere between a beat ballad and jazzy and moody mod r&b.

https://youtu.be/aAfgMyqvUII?si=GfSgTQMrnOLGELrr

10. ALAN PRICE SET-"Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear" U.K. Decca F 12570 1967

Originally released by Tommy Boyce in the States on A&M the previous year, Alan Price became one of the most prodigious British interpreters of Newman's material (his second LP "A Price On His Head" contained no less than 7 of his tunes on it) and that is no better exemplified than in this brilliant little jaunty track. It's bubbly, kitschy and happy and gave Price his biggest selling British single. 

https://youtu.be/sVulPluv5jo?si=l9nHXxl5yI-Ep9WE