Rafflegate Inquiry – New Boy Pulls His Own Number Out of the Hat!
The August meeting of the guitar club was, once again, very well attended even
though it's the height of the holiday season. At the start of the evening, Gary2
introduced James to the other club members. James is studying music production
at BIMM in Birmingham and will be helping to set up and run the sound system.
He'll be a great addition to the team.
Vince got the evening underway with an instrumental tango, followed by an
interpretation on the Stylistics & Stone in Love with You which was a no. 9 hit in
the UK in 1972. Following the Invisible Man in 2nd place, Steve, as usual, played a
couple of his own compositions, including a new song called Friday at the Factory
all about working life in the '70s.
Gary 1 played his version of Thea Gilmore's Dreamers from the 2018 album Small
World Turning. This was followed by Babylon from White Ladder by David Gray.
Babylon reached no. 5 in the UK charts in 2000. Erica's contributions to the
evening included She Got You written by Hank Cochran and recorded by Patsy
Cline in 1962. The song is a jazz/pop song with country overtones and it went to
no. 1 in the Country & Western charts. Patsy tragically died in a plane crash at the
age of 30. Roger Miller's 1965 hit, King of the Road was Bryan's first song. He was
then supported by Ian on harmonica for another song from 1965, Bob Dylan's She
Belongs to Me.
Vic and Howard firstly performed the Gene Pitney composition, Hello, Mary Lou
which was first recorded in 1960 by Johnny Duncan and then by Ricky Nelson, who
had a no. 2 hit with it in British charts. Their second song was Dirty Old Town,
written about Salford in 1949 and then made popular by the Dubliners and the
Pogues. Sandra then brought the first half of the evening to a close with a classical
instrumental, vows (I'm not sure we've got this right) and then the Carole King
song, So Far Away from the 1971 album Tapestry which featured James Taylor on
guitar. This is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 30 million
copies worldwide.
During the break, James managed to pull his own number out of the hat and
waltzed off with first prize in the raffle – beginner's luck or what? The inquiry is
underway...
Gary2 kicked off the 2 nd half of the evening with a version of Ian Hunter's Letter to
Britannia from the Union Jack taken from All American Alien Boy, his 2nd solo album
after the break up of Mott the Hoople. Then, as a tribute to Gary 1's efforts with the
kazoo at the July meeting, Gary played One Man Band. This featured on Roger
Daltrey's first solo album from 1973 and then became a no. 6 hit single for co-
writer Leo Sayer in 1974. Ian followed this with Neil Diamond's Hello Again, a
number 3 in the US charts in 1981. The song also featured in the film The Jazz
Singer. Then came a version of Hotel California which was a US no. 1 for the
Eagles and also the winner of a Grammy Award for record of the year in 1978. As
we all know, you can check out any time you like but you can never leave...
The ever reliable John F.C. then played 2 instrumentals. Firstly, 'If' written by
David Gates and a hit for Bread in 1971 with Telly Savalas' spoken cover version
becoming a UK chart-topper in 1975 – who loves you, baby? This song has the
shortest title of any song to reach no. 1. John's 2 nd piece was South Wind by John
Renbourn. I have precisely no trivial facts about this - do your own research! Tim
also played two instrumental versions of well-known songs: Let it Be was a
number 2 in the UK and a number 1 in the USA for the Beatles in 1970. Bet you
didn't know that Leo Sayer took a version to number 55 in the UK charts in 1975.
Tim then played On Broadway a number 9 US hit for the Drifters in 1963.
John F.A. then treated us to a medley of the George Harrison song, While My
Guitar Gently Weeps and All My Loving from the 1963 album With the Beatles.
This was followed by I'm a Pilgrim, a gospel number/Christian hymn from the 19th
century. This was first recorded in 1924 by the Norfolk Jubilee Quartet and later
covered by the Byrds and Johnny Cash (separately, I believe). Peter Lawler's
contributions to the evening's proceedings included the builders' song, Why
Paddy's not at Work Today. A version of this by the influential Irish folk group, the
Clancy Brothers, can be found on YouTube.
To wrap up the evening, John R. played a version of the Bellamy Brothers' Let Your
Love Flow which was a UK top 10 hit in 1976 (along with Don't Go Breaking My
Heart, this song always reminds me of that long, hot summer of '76, a bit of a
contrast with this year). John followed this with the traditional song, Can the Circle
be Unbroken (By and By). This was recorded by the Carter Family in 1964,
although it was originally written in 1907. Ross then finished the night off with a
version of Back in the USSR from 1968 and then Matthew and Son which,
perhaps surprisingly, was Cat Stevens' highest charting song, reaching no. 2 in the
UK in 1967. By that time we were all gasping for a cup of cold coffee and a piece of
cake!
The next meeting is on Tuesday 5th September.
Best regards,
Gary2 (research supplied by Garypedia TM )
Apologies for any omissions/inaccuracies/mis-spelt names etc.