Days Of Pearly Spencer

by

David McWilliams

1967
  David McWilliams born 4th July 1945 in Belfast, Northern Ireland

This record is a typical example of one that ought to have charted but didn't. Most people that were listening to the radio in 1967 will remember this item of 60s 'psychedelia' with pleasure.

The record, like David McWilliams himself, seemed to have all the right attributes for success. It just seemed like one of those numbers that you listened to on the radio and enjoyed, but didn't buy. Despite several re-issues in later years, this self-penned number by David McWilliams was never to succeed.

David McWilliams did have a little more success with Albums in the sixties, but none of his five singles, four of which were on Major Minor reached the charts. This singer/ guitarist produced yet more singles during the 1970s but these met with no more success.

The enigmatic 'Pearly' had to wait for Marc Almond to turn him into a hit in 1992.

Cowman, Milk Your Cow

by

Adam Faith

1967
  Adam Faith born 23rd June 1940 in Acton, London

It is a commonly held, but erroneous, belief that all the early 1960s pop idols were swept away by the 'beat boom'. Adam Faith's recording career began in 1958 with '(Got A) Heartsick Feeling'. His first chart success was in 1959 and his last was in 1966.

The improbably entitled 'Cowman, Milk Your Cow' was Adam's attempt to rekindle his chart rating with more 'modern' material. Although he bought the song from the brothers Gibb (aka Bee Gees) it was hardly the stuff of hits.

Despite his vocal limitations, Adam Faith managed, very successfully, to revise his musical style in 1963 to fit in with the new 'group' sound. Unfortunately, the attempt to redefine himself with this record didn't work. He tried with two more discs after this, but 1967 finally saw the end of his career as a musical performer.

Nevertheless, Adam Faith was to return to public view as a highly competent actor, manager, producer and finally as a successful financial adviser.

Al Capone

by

Prince Buster

45/BB 324 1965
  Buster Campbell born May 28th 1938 in Kingston, Jamaica


'Al Capone' was published more than a year before it entered the UK chart. The record was to mark the beginning of a significant increase in the popularity of West Indian music in Britain.

It wasn't the first record of its type to become a British hit. 'My Boy Lollipop' by Millie Small had actually reached #2 with few people realising or knowing that it too had a 'ska' beat.

The popularity of 'ska' was to grow as the 1960s drew to a close, with artists like the Skatalites and Desmond Dekker having chart successes. Ultimately, the ska sound would develop into reggae, but was revived at the start of the 1980s by groups like 'The Specials' and 'Madness'.

I'm A Believer

by

The Monkees

1967
  Peter Tork; Mickey Dolenz; Michael Nesmith; Davy Jones

By the end of January 1967, this record had reached the #1 spot. The Monkees were an unashamedly 'manufactured' group designed to emulate the success of the Beatles.

Almost everything about the group was accused of artificiality and falseness. Despite this, the quality of their output was excellent and they proved popular with British record buyers.

'I'm A Believer' was the first of ten UK hits issued by the group during the 1960s. These included the Dolenz penned 'Randy Scouse Git' which received approval for all but its name from the record company who recommended it be released under an 'Alternate Title' . So it was duly released as 'Alternate Title' and hit the UK #2 spot, being the group's second best chart showing.

Despite demonstrating that they were indeed capable of producing their own original music, and the enormous popularity of their TV show, the group's UK chart presence ended at the end of the 1960s.

San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)

by

Scott McKenzie

(CBS) 2816 1967
  Scott McKenzie born October 1st 1944 in Arlington

'San Francisco' will forever be associated with the 1967 'Summer Of Love'. It became the anthem of the Flower People and proclaimed the aspirations of the new 'hippie' revolution that San Francisco had become host to.

Unfortunately, the Summer Of Love was soon over and Scott McKenzie's chart career disappeared with it.

'San Francisco' was written by John Phillips of the Mamas and Papas, a group with whom Scott had previously worked.

However, Scott's only UK chart success managed to hold the UK #1 spot for no less than four weeks

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