The U.K. duo of Peter and Gordon (Peter Asher, brother of Macca's then girlfriend Jane, and Gordon Waller ) achieved minor success in the U.S. scoring eight Top 40 hits here out of their 18 U.S. single releases between April 1964 and June 1969 (including a #1 with the Lennon/McCartney penned "A World Without Love"). Though never as cool as Chad & Jeremy (Peter & Gordon didn't have any long players to equal C&D's "Of Cabbages And Kings" or "Ark" in my estimation) they managed quite a few hidden gems. I have chosen ten of them for your perusal. All releases are American unless noted. All scans c/o 45cat.com.
1. "Morning's Calling" B side Capitol 5740 1966
No doubt featuring the guitar stylings of Jimmy Page (check out those funky licks!) this mid tempo stormer graced the flip side of "Lady Godiva" (a #6 U.S. hit). It's rugged and bleak (lyrically and musically) and seems to be either about suicide or fleeing. Interestingly it came from the pen of Messrs Asher and Waller!
2. "The Jokers" A side Capitol 5919 1967
"The Jokers" was the title track from a1967 Oliver Reed/Michael Crawford film and was penned by Mike Leander (who arranged and conducted it) and Charles Mills. It's a cheeky upbeat number that starts with a very odd mix of Mellotron/tabla/harmonica giving it a cheezy but kitschy "Swinging London" feel to it.
3. "The Town I Live In" B side Capitol 5740 1966
This Geoff Stevens social observation piece first came to my attention via the storming version by Jackie Lee (the Irish female vocalist NOT the soul singer). Peter and Gordon's version preceded hers by a few months and though inferior to my ears it still merits listening. Delivered with an almost monotone feel that rises in key as the number progresses, it's a beautiful track with it's almost mariachi style horns and bitter lyrics eschewing life in a small town accented by a cool interlude with a churchy organ (arrangement courtesy of Geoff Love). It was featured as the rare B-side to "Lady Godiva" before being withdrawn and replaced with "Morning's Calling".
4. "London At Night" LP track "In London For Tea" Capitol T 2747 1967
This Cat Steven's penned upbeat number would not seem at all out of place on a Herman's Hermits album from '66-'67 with it's bouncy/happy feeling complete with full on strings, harpsichord, martial march drums, bongos etc while the lyrics espouse the joys of London and it's landmarks.
5. "The Exodus Song" LP track "Lady Godiva" Capitol T 2664 1967
This piece of propaganda written by Pat Boone and Ernest Gold for the film "Exodus" is lyrically repulsive ("this land is mine God gave this land to me...") but the duo's execution of it is nothing short of breathtaking both vocally AND musically (the latter featuring lush strings/woodwinds and brass). Their harmonies are spine tingling!
6. "Stranger With A Black Dove" U.K. LP track "Peter & Gordon" Columbia SX 6045 1966
This duo original features some positively strange lyrics (the title alone is peculiar!) that are no doubt Dylanesque but their harmonies and the incredible melody (backed by some incredible brass/strings that unfortunately is not credited on the LP!) are absolutely sublime and along with #1 above is one of my favorite P&G numbers.
7. "When The Black Of Your Eyes Turns To Grey" U.K. B-side Columbia DB DB 7729 1965
Tucked away on the flip of the absolutely dreadful "Baby I'm Yours" is this P&G original that's twinged with an almost country feel with some spacey guitar notes that would do '67 Syd Barrett proud. It more than certainly owes it's inspiration to "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" but oh that positively freaky guitar solo!
8. "Wrong From The Start" U.K. LP track "Peter & Gordon" Columbia SX 6045 1966
This Asher/Waller original sounds like it would fit in nicely on a '66 Hollies album with it's tight harmonies and punchy delivery (with some funky go-go combo organ and Jimmy Page's distinct guitar licks.
9. "I Feel Like Going Out" U.K. A-side Columbia DB 8398 1968
This trippy 1968 45 was penned by Peter Asher who not only produced it but assisted Mike Vickers in the arrangement. It starts out with some backwards bits and horns and a funky bass line that sound like they've been lifted from a Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers record. The harmonies are tight and despite them not seeming the least bit comfortable with psychedelic trappings the number works.
10. "Someone Ain't Right" U.K. LP track "Hurtin N' Lovin" Columbia 33SX 1761 1965
I first heard this track on a YouTube video someone made of a 10" acetate that Paul McCartney had pressed up for Xmas to give to a few friends (call it the original mix tape!). Backed by some bluesy harp blowing, twangy guitar (no doubt J.P.P.) and the duo's stellar harmonies it's a killer.
