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| THE TOGGERY FIVE-I'm Gonna Jump/Bye Bye Bird U.S. Tower 119 1965 |
Manchester's Toggery Five (who took their name from a famous clothing store called The Toggery) cut but just two singles in the U.K. This was their first, issued in Britain as Parlophone R 5175 in September 1964. It was released here in the States much later in March of 1965 where it would be their only single issued in these parts.
"I'm Gonna Jump" is a slow belter of a ballad. It's bleak and dark and musically sounds like an impassioned side that Them would have cut. Musically it could be beat ballad but the lyrics about the song's protagonist offing himself after spotting his girl with another guy are far too sinister for a beat group, allegedly this led to a B.B.C. ban of the record! Lead vocalist Paul Young pours his heart out on it.
Their U.K. follow up, penned by Andrew Loog Oldham and Keith Richard, "I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys" was issued in February 1965 and is also worth checking out, as is it's flip side "It's So Easy" (which was my introduction to the band). Apparently the band cut a version of "I'm Alive" , but were beaten to the punch by The Hollie's version which was released before theirs, but I find the story to be somewhat dubious as they were both on the same record label. Lead singer Paul Young (NOT the Q-Tips guy) later fronted Sad Cafe and later Mike and The Mechanics before passing away in 2000.
"Bye Bye Bird" was issued in 2022 on the 6 CD compilation "Wyld Beests And Weirdos" (which is available on streaming) as well as on EMI's 1998 CD "Rhythmn And Blues (With A Little Soul) At Abbey Road 1963-1967".
Hear "I'm Gonna Jump":
Hear "Bye Bye Bird":
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