Smash Hits '73

This one I had no doubt about, a naked girl sitting amongst a pile of 7" singles? Oh yeah! I've even heard of some of the songs they've done.

side one

1 Welcome Home
2 Touch Me In The Morning
3 Stay With Me*
4 Killing Me Softly With His Song
5 Yesterday Once More
6 You Are The Sunshine Of My Life

side two

1 Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
2 And I Love You So
3 Live And Let Die
4 You're So Vain
5 Get Down
6 Young Love

MFP 50097 A BWD Production (p) 1975 except *1972

Smash Hits '71

I was in two minds about this one, almost naked lady with a baby in matching, erm, nappies? Still, cheesecake is cheesecake and baby or no this fits the bill. I have not researched why 1971 is connected with babies (or giant safety pins) but it still fits nicely into my collection.

side one

1 Never Ending Song Of Love
2 Did You Ever?
3 Mozart Symphony No. 40
4 Hot Love
5 Knock Three Times
6 Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

side two

1 I'm Still Waiting
2 Banner Man
3 Indiana Wants Me
4 I Did What I Did For Maria
5 My Sweet Lord
6 Pushbike Song

MFP 5229 (p) 1971 A BWD Production

Los Norte Americanos - Tijuana Beatles

I have a fascination for the influx of Latin music in the 1960s. I have quite a few records which embrace this new feel which came over to the UK with the advent of long haul flights and the start of the world getting smaller. These new rhythms really affected people and in a rush to acommodate the public's desire for this strange new sound not only did Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass make big but many albums took existing well known tunes and Tijuana'd them up. This is how oddities like this came to be, Tijuana Beatles. Yes, The Beatles, Latin brass style. Produced by the famous Jack Dorsey this album contains both Lennon/McCartney and original compositions. In fact half the album is original but what better way to sell your record than a cute girl and some Beatles tunes? One last thing, we've already learned that Nico Gomez was actually a Belgian chap, how Latin are M. Huckbridge and A. Sherman I wonder? Anyhoo, blurb time:

"Whatever the musical mood may be you can rely on the Tijuana Sound to add that something extra- and in this case  the extra enjoyment comes through teaming Beatle songs with Tijuana treatment. 

It's a happy musical marriage that just can't fail. The Beatles after all write great songs and the musicians who create the Tijuana sound are equally great at interpreting them in their own stylised fashion.
So far as material is concerned the tracks range far and wide over Beatle songs that have soared into hit parade charts all over the world. From one of the earliest-"All My Loving" right through to "Get Back""Ballad Of John And Yoko" and their very latest hit "Something".

Beatles apart there are a couple of original compositions specially written to explore the musical magic of Tijuana, the sound that has become a world-wide favourite. One thing's for certain; whether you're Beatle fan or Tijuana fan your ears and senses are in line for the kind of musical treat you'll want to repeat."

Side 1

Something (Lennon, McCartney)
When I'm 64 (Lennon, McCartney)
Ballad Of John And Yoko (Lennon, McCartney)
Tijuana Soul (M. Huckbridge, A. Sherman)
Enchiladas (M. Huckbridge, A. Sherman)
Cuba Libre (M. Huckbridge, A. Sherman)

Side 2

Get Back (Lennon, McCartney)
Hey Jude (Lennon, McCartney)
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da (Lennon, McCartney)
Tijuana Burro (M. Huckbridge, A. Sherman)
Tequila For Two (M. Huckbridge, A. Sherman)
All My Loving (Lennon, McCartney)

Marble Arch MALS 1190 (p) 1969

Blondie - The Tide Is High 7"

Another young lady who was important in my youth was Debbie Harry. Even now I get excited if Blondie appear on any BBC repeat or documentary. Couldn't possibly pass this up then could I.

I will add that Clem Burke was a huge influence on me growing up. People compare me to Keith Moon and Gene Krupa but Clem was up there with his tricks of the trade.

The Tide Is High c/w Susie & Jeffrey

Chrysalis CHS2465 (p)(c)1980

Tracey Ullman - Move Over Darling 7"

Proper cheesecake sleeve for this Doris Day cover from 1983. You may have got that from the massive sticker on the front. I used to have posters of this woman all over my bedroom, she was funny, could act and could sing. That's still what I like most in a woman even today!

Never quite got her American show even though it gave us The Simpsons.

Move Over Darling c/w You Broke My Heart In 17 Places

Stiff Records Buy 195 (p) 1983

Yes that was Hank Marvin. Also, doesn't the logo on the back remind you of T'Pau?

The Human League - Don't You Want Me 7"

I played a gig recentlyand afterward someone recommended Don't You Want Me as a song we would be good at. Aimi has not taken this on board but I love the song so when I found it today I had to buy it and am planning  an 80s night made up of only 7"s and 12"s, no mp3s!

Recorded as a throw away end track for the album Dare it was picked as a single and made #1 over Christmas 1981.

Don't You Want Me c/w Seconds

Virgin Records VS466 (p) 1981

Duran Duran - Union Of The Snake/The Reflex 7"

You may have gathered from earlier in this blog that I am a huge fan of Duran Duran pre 1987. I do have a post '87 collection but in my formative years not a lot got past me and what did I went back and got, with some luck along the way. So in a charity shop today I picked up Union Of The Snake and The Reflex from 1983 on 7" vinyl. Both of these previously belonged to an Andrew Cummings from form 4C, as he has helpfully written on them in large silver lettering. Of course both have featured in this blog before with the 12" versions and picture disc but now the 7" too. I am positive this collection (every 12" and album from 1981-86 all on vinyl with 7s, imports, deleted E.P.s and different pressings thrown in) will be worth a lot of money. I am starting to doubt this philosophy however and will no doubt die with the world thinking I remain some crazed Duran Duran fan. (Did I mention VHS, DVD and concert tickets too?).

Anyway, Union Of The Snake c/w Secret Oktober

EMI5429 - 1983


 

The Reflex was remixed dramatically from the Seven And The Ragged Tiger ersion by Nile Rodgers and was the bands second #1.

The Reflex c/w Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) Live at the Hammersmith Apollo (Steve Harley)

Duran 2 - 1983