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1. THE ROARING 60's-"We Love The Pirates" U.K. Marmalade 598001 1966
Written by (John) Carter, (Geoff) Stephens and (Terry) Kennedy it's a safe bet that they were behind this record too as it sounds like one of their vocal harmony projects. Lyrically it's about the closing of the Pirate Radio stations with a distinctly West Coast American California surf pop sound but with a distinct British lilt to it all ala The Ivy League of Ministry Of Sound.
https://youtu.be/tfcHwKmf-WY
2. THE KNACK-"(The Man From The) Marriage Guidance And Advice Bureau" UK Piccadilly 7N 35347 1967
The Knack cut several 45's in the 60's, two for Decca and four for Piccadilly (this was their fourth and final one). Though more light weight than their previous releases this little tune has a witty Ray Davies mid 60's feel to it and some great harmonies and a delivery that seems to anticipate Bill Fay.
https://youtu.be/dLs9_gs24A0
3. BARRY MASON-"Over The Hills And Far Away" UK Deram DM 104 1966
Famous songwriter Barry Mason ("Delilah", "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Grows" etc) cut his trippy debut with Deram which he co-authored and co-produced with former Yardbird Paul Samwell-Smith. It starts out like an MOR ballad but soon gets way trippy with some deep echo, psychedelic sounds (is that wail or horn or bagpipe?) at a dirge like pace not unlike "Still I'm Sad" on a bad trip. Truly bizarre and unique!
https://youtu.be/cna8ICgdTRU
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4. BENNY HILL-"What A World" UK Pye 7 N15974 1965
Best known for his ribald, semi sexist, half slapstick T&A sketch comedy Benny Hill was equally adept at incredible musical witticism as this Tony Hatch produced 1965 single will attest. It's a full on social commentary tackling subjects like Bob Dylan ("Now the folk singer came from America, to sing at the Albert Hall, he sang his songs of protest and fairer shares for all, he sang how the poor were much too poor and the rich too rich by far and he drove back to his penthouse in his brand new Rolls Royce car") and pirate radio ("Now Annie's a shorthand typist working for the B.B.C., her brother Jackie's in prison doing three years for forgery, her sister Josie's in Holloway and in Dartmoor is her Uncle Jam, her dad runs a pirate radio ship but she never talks about him") all with Hill's penchant as a top notch wordsmith.
https://youtu.be/G2HC2X7EOp0
5. THE NEW GENERATION-"Sadie And Her Magic Mr. Galahad" Spark SRL 1000 1968
The debut 45 for the new UK independent label Spark was this bouncy/happy mid tempo pop number by The New Generation that brings to mind Argent/White's post Zombies recordings. Subsequent releases by the band were credited to A New Generation. Two members Gavin and Ian Sutherland later found fame in Quiver and as The Sutherland Brothers.
https://youtu.be/QcD08zOGr7Q
6. THE OUTSIDERS-"Keep On Doing It" UK Decca F12213 1965
Not to be confused with either the American or Dutch Outsiders this UK band were produced by Jimmy Page who shared writing credits on both sides with future Bunch Of Fives/Junior's Eyes member Mick Wayne. It's a rough little number with castanets and a lead singer (Wayne?) who sounds a lot like Sonny Bono. It takes a bit but eventually it builds into something pretty cool.
https://youtu.be/dpC-9FIyvcQ
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7. TANDEM-"Shapes And Shadows" UK Chapter One CH 109 1969
Former Sons Of Fred members Ray Redway and Alan Boehling formed this pop duo in 1969 releasing just this one single that was quite the polar opposite of their mod/freakbeat band. "Shapes And Shadsows" is a brilliant slice of slickly produced mournful harmony pop with strings and everything but the kitchen sink/no expenses spared production care of Les Reed.
https://youtu.be/O2Aiq-NtdUc
8. THE CALIFORNIANS-"Golden Apples" UK CBS 2663 1967
With all the trimmings (zither?, balalaika?, mandolin? ,brass, chimes, strings playing with an Eastern feel etc) and lots of buzzing psychedelic effects turn this harmony pop debut from a Wolverhampton quintet roars into an all out psychedelic freak-out (dig the phased horns). The Californians made several other harmony oriented 45's but still got freaky with their magnum opus "The Cooks Of Cakes And Kindness" (Fontana TF 991 1969).
https://youtu.be/duN7ZaJUVvs
9. PERSIMMON'S PECULIAR SHADES-"Coplington" UK Major Minor MM 554 1968
With both an interesting band name and song title this disc would automatically be assumed to be an eccentric piece of late 60's British pop psych. That assumption is entirely correct with it's cheeky, totally English pop psych feel with a happy go lucky feel, lots of sunshiney harmonies and period melodies. The band were allegedly formerly the U.K. act The Shades Of Blue.
https://youtu.be/TfW8gagI1Vo
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10. SCREAMING LORD SUTCH-"The Cheat" UK CBS 202080 1966
With a production not unlike the Californians single above (actually they both shared the same arranger, Des Champ) Sutch leaves his Ripper/graveyard/monster movie stuff (on this side at least, "All Black And Hairy" on flip stayed that course) and takes this Lee Hazelwood track on with strings, flute and piano evoking an Eastern/101 Arabian nights feel. The horns come on and it's pure 100% freaking magic! It was Sutch's one and only flirtation with psychedelia and as a result is as in demand as his early Meek produced sides.
https://youtu.be/SBiCtoLCfkI
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