The Mod Scene- Volume Two Imagined

In 1998 Decca issued a 25 track CD called "The Mod Scene", one of several "Scene" compilations issued of tracks culled from the Decca/Deram archives. Unfortunately further official volumes were not forthcoming so I decided to create an imaginary track listing of another volume utilizing tunes from the Deram and Decca labels. All tracks are U.K. 45 rpm releases. 

1. THE EYES OF BLUE-"Don't Ask Me To Mend Your Broken Heart" Deram DM 114 1967

2. THE LOOSE ENDS-"Send The People Away (People Gotta Go)" Decca F 12437 1966

3. SMALL FACES-"I've Got Mine" Decca F 12276 1965

4. THE TRUTH-"Hey Gyp" Deram DM 105 1966

5. THE QUIK-"King Of The World" Deram DM 139 1967

6. ROB & DEAN DOUGLAS-"Phone Me" Deram DM 132 1967

7. THE ST. LOUIS UNION-"Think About Me" Decca F 12508 1966

8. THE ARTWOODS-"I Take What I Want" Decca F 12384 1966

9. THE NASHVILLE TEENS-"Words" Decca F 12542 1967

10. TONY KNIGHT'S CHESSMEN-"Surfer Street" Decca F 12109 1965

11. THE BIRDS-"Leaving Here" Decca F 12140 1965

12. JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUESBREAKERS-"Crocodile Walk" Decca F 12120 1965

12. GENE LATTER-"Just A Minute Or Two" Decca F 12364 1965

13. THE UNTAMED-"So Long" Decca F 12045 1964

14. THE LOVE AFFAIR-"Satisfaction Guaranteed" Decca F 12558 1967

15.  THE FLIES-"House Of Love" Decca F 12594 1967

16. LULU-"Can't Hear You No More" Decca F 11965 1964

17. ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS-"Help Me Girl" Decca F 12502 1966

18. THE CLAYTON SQUARES-"Come And Get It" Decca F 12250 1965

19. THE GAME-"Gotta Wait" Decca F 12469 1966

20. GOLDIE & THE GINGERBREADS-"The Skip" Decca F 12126 1965

21. THE DOUBLE FEATURE-"Come On Baby" Deram DM 115 1967

22. WINSTON G.-"Cloud Nine" Decca F 12444 1966

23. AMEN CORNER-"High In The Sky" Deram DM 197 1968

24. D. CORDELL TEA TIME ENSEMBLE-"A Quick One For Sanity" Deram DM 137 1967

25. DAVID BOWIE-"The London Boys" Deram DM 107 1966

Artwork care of Charlie Starkey. 

The Scaffold-"Lily The Pink"

 

THE SCAFFOLD-Lily The Pink/Buttons Of Your Mind US Bell B-747 1968

Liverpool pop trio The Scaffold managed several hits in The U.K. and despite four singles and an LP here on the Bell label left nary a trace of success in the 60's or otherwise. "Lily The Pink" was their third U.S. single issued in November of '68 (one month behind it's U.K. release as Parlophone R 5734 where it reached #1). Loosely based on a traditional folk tune "The Ballad Of Lydia Pinkman" (Pinkman was an actual person and was the inventor of a quack cure all remedy for ills such as menstrual cramps), "Lily The Pink" was the bands biggest selling tune. As in the case with most of their releases it was delivered in a typical cheeky/upbeat music hall. The lyrics focus on various individuals with problems ranging from big ears, stammers, weight problems etc, all cured by Lily's "medicinal compound". Listen from Graham Nash's cameo where he sings about "Jennifer Eccles had terrible freckles ..." (a nod to The Hollies hit "Jennifer Eccles").

The flip, "Buttons Of Your Mind" is an almost polar opposite with it's bleak, downtrodden somber backing of harpsichord and acoustic guitar. But of course in typical Scaffold fashion there's some surreal moments in the occasional voice overs.  

TRIVIA NOTE: 

Back when all the remaining "Ready! Steady! Go!" episodes were released on VHS in the 80's they inserted a delightful Watney's Ale commercial featuring the Scaffold singing the virtues of "Watney's Pale, the greatest ale" to the tune of "Lily The Pink".  You can view it here. 

Both sides have been collected on several of their EMI compilations, the most recent of which is a 2002 offering "Thank U Very Much: The Best Of Scaffold" and the earlier, more complete "The Scaffold At Abbey Road 19656-1971". 

Hear "Lily The Pink":

https://youtu.be/d-yjA8GDUn4

Hear "Buttons Of Your Mind":

https://youtu.be/i0MD8If_Zvo

U.S. Soul/R&B/Jazz/Blues 45's For May

1. IRMA AND THE FASCINATORS-"Lost Love" U.S. Scepter 12100 1965

Kicking off with some gritty guitar this mid tempo soul tune has some smokey lead vocals that lead into horns and call and response backing vocals. There's something rough and ready about it all that adds to it's charm.

https://youtu.be/AmvYc3Cwc-4

2. THE CRAMPTON SISTERS-"Baby Baby" U.S. ABC 45-10853 1966

With an odd intro of woodwinds/brass this tune combines a Motown style delivery with vocals that recall 60's girl group sounds like The Shangri La's or The Chiffons. It's interesting because it's an almost off kilter mix owing to the two styles that come off as oil and water but somehow it works, but just barely.

https://youtu.be/lQuhbxy6T-M

3. THE HUEYS-"You Ain't No Hippie" U.S. Instant 3289 1968

Huey "Piano" Smith re-invents himself as The Hueys in this scathing social commentary about fake long hairs ("you ain't no hippie cause your head is bald, you have no education and you talk like a fool..") on top of a funky groove delivered rapid fire with lyrics that are both catchy and compelling. 

https://youtu.be/xqD_-OFD59M

4. DEAN JONES-"Women (Ska-Da-La-De-Da)" U.S. Valiant 6055 1964

Here's an odd one by 60's Disney actor Dean Jones that despite the title is not remotely ska. The vocals are incredibly powerful with Jone's baritone crooning over a groove that melodically resembles "Watermelon Man". It's incredibly hip with a heavy nod to Mel Torme. Sadly it'll cost you several hundred dollars, which is why I don't have one....

https://youtu.be/6RtggE3DS7c

5. THE SOUL BROTHERS-"Keep It Up" U.S. Blue Cat BC 107 1965

Starting with some doo-wop style falsetto vocals this Lieber and Stoller number (they produced it as well) is 100% high class thanks to the arrangement and delivery (the mournful horn solo could easily come straight off of a Walker Brothers cover of a Jerry Butler side). There's a cool Latin back beat to it all as well which adds to it's mystique.

https://youtu.be/ie230jeLWWY

6. BILLIE POOL with THE JUNIOR MANCE TRIO-"Them Blues" U.S. Riverside RF-4559 1963

This incredible 45 comes care of female vocalist Billie Pool who rocks the house with help of the jazz combo The Junior Mance Trio who lay down a jazzy but distinctly r&b groove behind her blues shouting. Killer! 

https://youtu.be/H8F7u_Ivicc

7. ANN COLE -"Got My Mo-Jo Working" U.S. Baton 237 1957

"I Got My Mojo Working" blends  blues jump sounds with early rock n roll and a dash of doo wop. It's also the very first airing of the song written by Red Foster (Muddy Waters cut it simultaneously) and though not too dissimilar in it's tempo to Muddy's reading it is far superior in my book owing to it's vast array of genres blended within.

https://youtu.be/sP0crYPCHV0

8. JIMMY CLANTON-"Cindy" U.S. Ace ACE 8007 1963

US 50's teen idol Jimmy Clanton is best known for his 1958 smash "Just A Dream". By 1963 the hits were long gone but he cut this enchanting Mel Torme influenced twister that remains his most collectible side with it's uptempo groove.

https://youtu.be/SYv79Dtkktk

9. THE ROY MERIWETHER TRIO-"The Seventh Son" U.S. Columbia 4-44211 1967

This funky little version of Willie Dixon's "The Seventh Son" is a piano driven gas with jazzy tinges and Latin percussion on top of a pure Ramsey Lewis style groove with gruff scat improvisation during the piano solo. 

https://youtu.be/duZfTH1yArs

10. SYLVIA ROBBINS-"Don't Let Your Eyes Get Bigger Than Your Heart" U.S. Sue 805 1964

This scorching '64 Sue side has some incredibly sophisticated brass crossed with organ and lead vocals that remind me of Lesley Gore (Sylvia was one half of the duo Mickey & Sylvia and went solo when Mickey Baker relocated to Europe). 

https://youtu.be/Yr_a0EF8Ifk

All scans c/o 45cat.com