Brian's Weekly Sleevenotes - 9 May 15

Find out more about the songs in our playlist.

First Taste Of Love - Ben. E. King

In The Uk, The Record Was first released with “Spanish Harlem” as the top side but for some reason failed to become a hit. The record label decided to re-work the single some months later by promoting the other side, “First Taste of Love” resulting in King achieving his first taste of solo success on our charts.

Please Read Me - The Bee Gees

The Strawbs album, “Dragonfly” was released in February 1970 so we settled on your first choice of album tracks from The Bee Gees 1st. Despite its title, it was in fact the third album to be recorded by the group although the first two were only made available in Australia and New Zealand. This was their first album to be released internationally and included their first major hit, “New York Mining Disaster 1941.” This track, “Please Read Me” was later covered by Nina Simone on her album, “Nuff Said.”

Girl Don’t Come - Sandie Shaw

Written by Chris Andrews, this was the follow up to her chart topping, “There’s Always Something There To Remind Me.” The song was originally released as the ‘B’ side to another Andrews composition, “I’d Be Far Better Off Without You” but DJ’s began picking up on the other side and after Sandie performed both titles on a late night chat show, audience reaction to “Girl Don’t Come” was overwhelming, so Pye records were left with little option but to flip the disc.

All Or Nothing - The Small Faces

The only number one hit for the group that chose their name because of their lack of height as they were all under five and a half foot tall and ‘faces’ was a mod slang term for being cool. Written by Stevie Marriott and Ronnie Lane, “All Or Nothing” was the first record they made where they were able to consider it to be in the musical style of where they wanted to be as it wasn’t as pop orientated as their previous hits. According to Kay Marriott, Steve's mother, Steve wrote this song about his split with ex-fiancée Sue Oliver, though first wife Jenny Rylance states that Marriott told her he wrote the song for her as a result of her split with Rod Stewart.

Kansas City Southern - Dillard & Clark

Former Byrds member, Gene Clark’s solo version of “Kansas City Southern” appeared on his 1977 album, “Two Sides To Every Story” but he had recorded it in 1969 on the album, “Through The Morning, Through The Night” with banjo player Doug Dillard when the pair teamed up to form Dillard & Clark. This was their second and final album together due largely because of the large number of cover songs included on the album causing negative critical reaction and as result, Gene Clark also decided to go his own way although Doug Dillard tried unsuccessfully to continue the group as the Doug Dillard Expedition.

I’ll Be Satisfied - Don Covay

Don Covay who sadly passed away at the end of January this year, he was born Donald Randolph in South Carolina in 1938 before moving to Washington in the early fifties where he performed with his family’s gospel group, The Cherry Keys and later joined Rainbows who often featured Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart as guests. After landing a job as Little Richard’s driver, he persuaded him to hire him as the opening act on his tours. Signed to Atlantic, Don had success with classics that included “See-Saw” and Mercy, Mercy” and his songs were recorded by the likes of Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones and The Small Faces. This song comes from his 1964 album, “Mercy” which he co-wrote with Ron Miller, “I’ll Be Satisfied.”

Sharing You - Bobby Vee

Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, “Sharing You” became Bobby’s sixth UK top ten hit and was recorded with The Johnny Mann Singers as part of his album, “A Bobby Vee Recording Session.” Bobby has three sons and a daughter and from time to time they join him on his tours as backing vocalists, The Vees, whilst his youngest, Robbie is himself a recording and performing artist.

Sunny Cellophane Skies - Status Quo

Quo’s version of The Everly Brothers original hit from 1965 was issued as a single on the same day as their second album 'Spare Parts' hit the shops but didn’t include this track. The recording of “The Price Of Love” represented the first occasion that they had gone into a recording studio to record material specifically for release as a single. It was also the first Quo recording to feature the harmonica playing of Bob Young. The track itself did not appear on any album release until Pye issued the budget price compilation 'The Golden Hour Of Status Quo', in June 1973. In 1991 they re-recorded the song for inclusion on their 1991 album “Rock 'Til You Drop.”

If You’ve Got A Heart - Christine Quaite

Christine was born in Leeds and after being placed second in a Manchester talent contest, she was offered a contract by Oriole Records releasing her first record, “Oh My” in 1962, two years later she achieved a minor hit in America with “Tell Me Mama” reaching number eighty-nine on the Hot 100. Unfortunately Oriole went bankrupt in 1965 and Quaite signed with manager Bunny Lewis who negotiated a deal with the New York based Laurie Records and recorded the Bobby Goldsboro song, “If You’ve Got A Heart” but the company decided not to release it although it amazingly did find a home in the UK via EMI’s Stateside label that mainly issued American artists. Christine recorded one further single, the Bacharach and David composition, “Long After Tonight Is All Over” before calling it a day by getting married and starting a family.

The Boxer - Simon & Garfunkel

Paul Simon wrote the song about being alone in a big city and after critics began coming up with harsh comments about his music he felt they were trying to beat him up like a boxer. The song took over 100 hours to record in studios both in New York and Nashville. The backing vocals were recorded in a New York church to provide the right acoustics and the ‘lie, lie, lie’ part of the song were included with the intention of Simon writing proper words to complete the lyric but as he failed to come up with anything he was happy with, the ‘lies’ remained which now is considered a crucial part of the song despite Paul’s slight embarrassment when he has to sing that part of the song.