More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Amen Corner

THE AMEN CORNER-World Of Broken Hearts/Nema US Deram 45-DEM-85201 1967

Amen Corner's second U.S. single was the October 1967 release of the Pomus/Shuman composition "The World Of Broken Hearts" (first cut by Sissie Houston in the US on the Congress label the previous year, which was arranged and conducted by Mort Shuman). The Amen Corner's first version was issued in the U.K. the previous month as Deram DM 151 where it reached #24 in the national charts.

"The World Of Broken Hearts" works for Amen Corner in no small part due to their excellent production by Noel Walker. Starting with some subtle organ and and bass and Andy Fairweather Low's vocal the brass slides in subtly in conjunction with strings  before exploding and then fading out again for the verses and bursting back for the chorus. The churchy Hammond and and powerful horn section are always an asset for the band on their Deram sides and this cut exemplifies that.

Photo by David Wedgbury

The Fairweather-Low original "Nema" ("Amen" spelled backwards geddit?) starts with a catchy little piano/Hammond lick and bursts into a frantic Hammond n' horns orgy . Like the A-side it has quiet parts that are jarred by the power of their brass section (later to form Judas Jump after the band's 1970 dissolution) and the swirling Hammond. There's an almost "psychedelic" feel to it all. The best part is near the ending at 2:43 that utilizes the same chord changes later to crop up as "Baba O'Reilly" by The Who. Here the horns and Hammond pound out a tough riff before Fairweather-Low chants "N is the first, E is the second, M is the third, A is the fourth glad you bought our record" and it all ends.

Both sides can be found on the CD issue of their debut Deram LP "Around".

Hear "World Of Broken Hearts":

https://youtu.be/_JbN-N91mjY

Hear "Nema":

https://youtu.be/5fnYcR_dJhU

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: Amen

AMEN CORNER-High In The Sky/Run, Run, Run U.S. Deram 45-7521 1968

Today's topic was Cardiff, Wales favorite sons Amen Corner's fourth U.S. 45 release issued in October 1968 . It was released previously in July in the U.K. as (DM 197) where it became their highest charting record reaching a respectable #6.  No such luck in the U.S.A where their name would never pop up in the Billboard chart readings.  Issued in conjunction with their U.S. Deram LP "Round Amen Corner"  it was one of the first numbers I ever heard by them and still remains a fave.

Amen Corner's strength in my book always lay with their strong horn section twin sax attack of Allan Jones and Mike Smith which in my estimation helped compensate for lead singer Andy Fairweather Low's occasionally strained voice. "High In The Sky" benefits from the strong horn section as well as a nice fairground style feel to their churchy Hammond and grooves along quite nicely. The pounding, fluid James Jamerson style bass line weaving in and around the horns and Hammond is a further indication of how shit hot this band was.

"Run Run Run" suffers from the above mentioned tendency  by Fairweather Low in the vocal department, who like Chris Farlowe always seemed to be given numbers with keys he could never quite hit.  And regardless of what the musical backing is like (it's not at all un-listenable) it's lame, the tune itself is pretty weak as well.

Both sides can be found on the Deram CD reissue of their LP "Around Amen Corner".

See a half assed mime attempt from German TV's "Beat Club" below:

https://youtu.be/CR5OwC5M8yk?si=-VSRmum7IyrDh37f

Hear "Run Run Run":

http://youtu.be/fAwPPDWTXTI