31 March 1968 Content warning: violence, misogyny. She was my woman. As she deceived me I watched and went out of my mind. I could see that girl was no good for me. When that man drove away I was waiting. She stood there laughing. I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed … Continue reading Tom Jones – ‘Delilah’
Tag: 60s
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – ‘The Legend Of Xanadu’
24 March 1968 As a young man called David Harman, Dave Dee was a police cadet who was called to the scene of Eddie Cochran's fatal car crash in Wiltshire in April 1960. Back at the police station that night, he strummed Cochran's famous red Gretsch electric guitar. Now there's an essential rock n' roll … Continue reading Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – ‘The Legend Of Xanadu’
Johnny McEvoy – ‘Nora’
17 March 1968 Trad. arr: O'Casey, says the writing credit on this record, and that is indeed the iconic Dublin playwright Seán O'Casey entering Irish Number Ones stage left. When Jack Clitheroe sings 19th century folk ballad 'Maggie' to his wife in The Plough And The Stars, he changes it to her name - Nora. … Continue reading Johnny McEvoy – ‘Nora’
Emmet Spiceland – ‘Mary From Dungloe’
24 February 1968 Like '80s 'Mary's Prayer' hitmakers Danny Wilson, Emmet Spiceland is a band, not a person. Like '80s 'Paradise City' hitmakers Guns N' Roses, Emmet Spiceland got their name from the amalgamation of two earlier bands, in their case the Emmet Folk Group and the Spiceland Folk Group. Two of these Spice Boys, … Continue reading Emmet Spiceland – ‘Mary From Dungloe’
Manfred Mann – ‘Mighty Quinn’
17 February 1968 Inuit and Yupik are among the preferred terms today for Quinn and his people, rather than the outdated and improper one used in this song. That bloody Bob Dylan, eh? The unfortunate nomenclature is a pity because otherwise 'Mighty Quinn' would be mightily enjoyable. The rolling piano chords and lilting flute are … Continue reading Manfred Mann – ‘Mighty Quinn’
Engelbert Humperdinck – ‘Am I That Easy To Forget’
25 January 1968 I can imagine the showbands and cabaret acts of 1968 Ireland immediately and gleefully slipping chart-topper 'Am I That Easy To Forget' into their antediluvian repertoire. Its unctuous blend of country balladry and easy listening—written and first recorded by a singer actually called Country Johnny Mathis!—sounds ready-made for the likes of Dickie … Continue reading Engelbert Humperdinck – ‘Am I That Easy To Forget’
The Monkees – ‘Daydream Believer’
11 January 1968 Is Monkees-snark even a thing any more? Anyway, not that I particularly care but just if any elderly male white rock fans are reading, apparently the piano on this single is indeed played by Peter and the guitar by Mike, meaning more Monkees played instruments on 'Daydream Believer' than Byrds did on … Continue reading The Monkees – ‘Daydream Believer’
Pat Lynch and The Airchords – ‘Treat Me Daughter Kindly’
16 December 1967 The Airchords were a showband formed by members of the Irish Air Corps, and singer Pat Lynch is the first Cork act to have an Irish number one single. This is also one of two records that keep 'Hello Goodbye' by The Beatles off the Irish top spot. However, my unexpected main … Continue reading Pat Lynch and The Airchords – ‘Treat Me Daughter Kindly’
Danny Doyle – ‘Whiskey On A Sunday’
28 October 1967 Aha, says you: another Irish folk ballad about drinking! However, 'Whiskey On A Sunday' was really a contemporary English song called 'The Ballad Of Seth Davy', the reference to the Dublin district of Beggar's Bush was originally Bevington Bush in Liverpool, plus the Seth Davy (or Davey or Davie, depending on sources) … Continue reading Danny Doyle – ‘Whiskey On A Sunday’
Engelbert Humperdinck – ‘The Last Waltz’
21 September 1967 Engelbert Humperdinck was in the arts and culture section of my Sunday paper last weekend; apparently he's doing a record with a fellow Eurovision competitor he met while finishing second-last for the UK in 2012. And yes, you may have forgotten he repped le Royaume-Uni at Eurovision in the 21st century. How … Continue reading Engelbert Humperdinck – ‘The Last Waltz’
