Saturday, January 18, 2025

VA - Decca Originals [1998-1999] (9 x CDs)

DECCA

VA - Decca Originals [1998-1999] (9 x CDs)

The "Decca Originals" series, released between 1998 and 1999, is a collection of compilation albums that showcase a variety of artists and genres from the Decca Records catalog. Each CD in the series focuses on a specific theme or era, offering a curated selection of tracks that highlight the diversity and richness of Decca's musical history.

The Mod Scene [1998]: This compilation is a vibrant journey through the mod movement, featuring energetic tracks from The Small Faces and The Graham Bond Organisation. The remastering is top-notch, bringing the 60s mod culture to life with every beat. A must-have for any mod enthusiast!

Included in this series are the following albums.

R&B Scene [1998]: A fantastic collection of rhythm and blues tracks that capture the essence of the genre. Featuring artists like John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, this compilation is a soulful and energetic experience. The remastering quality is excellent, making these classic tracks sound fresh and vibrant.

The Beat Scene [1998]: This compilation is a delightful exploration of the beat music era, featuring tracks from The Zombies and The Honeycombs. The selection is both nostalgic and invigorating, showcasing the infectious energy of the 60s beat scene. Perfect for fans of classic rock and pop.

The Psychedelic Scene [1998]: A mind-bending collection of psychedelic tracks that capture the essence of the 60s counterculture. Featuring artists like The Move and The Smoke, this compilation is a trip through the vibrant and experimental sounds of the era. Perfect for fans of psychedelic rock.

The Freakbeat Scene [1998]: This compilation is a wild ride through the freakbeat genre, featuring tracks from The Creation and The Action. The selection is eclectic and exciting, showcasing the experimental and psychedelic sounds of the 60s. A fantastic addition to any psychedelic rock collection.

The Northern Soul Scene [1998]: This compilation is a treasure trove of Northern Soul gems, featuring tracks from artists like Tony Clarke and Gloria Jones. The remastering is excellent, bringing out the energy and passion of each track. A must-have for any Northern Soul enthusiast.

The Girls' Scene [1999]: A delightful collection of tracks by iconic female artists from the 1960s, including Marianne Faithfull and Olivia Newton-John. The selection is both nostalgic and empowering, showcasing the incredible talent and diversity of women in music. Perfect for fans of classic female vocals.

The Blues Scene [1999]: A soulful collection of blues tracks that highlight the raw emotion and talent of artists like John Mayall and Alexis Korner. The remastering is superb, bringing out the depth and richness of each track. A must-have for any blues aficionado.

The Rock 'n' Roll Scene [1999]: This compilation is a rockin' journey through the early days of rock 'n' roll, featuring tracks from artists like Billy Fury and Vince Eager. The remastering is top-notch, making these classic tracks sound fresh and exciting. A fantastic addition to any rock 'n' roll collection.

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Track lists

CD1

01 Quik - Bert's Apple Crumble 2:14

02 Hipster Image - Make Her Mine 2:19

03 Poets - That's the Way It's Gotta Be 2:36

04 Wards of Court - How Could You Say One Thing 1:56

05 Graham Gouldman - Stop! Stop! Stop! 2:59

06 Pete Kelly's Soulution - If You Love Don't Swing 2:26

07 Timebox - Girl Don't Let Me Wait 2:34

08 Mockingbirds - Lovingly Yours 2:15

09 Amen Corner - Expressway to Your Heart 2:42

10 Attack - We Don't Know 2:41

11 Chris Farlowe - Air Travel 2:12

12 Graham Bond Organisation - Little Girl 2:40

13 Outer Limits - Just One More Chance 3:03

14 Ronnie Jones with the Nightimers - I Need Your Loving 2:46

15 Small Faces - Grow Your Own 2:19

16 Zoot Money's Big Roll Band - Walking the Dog 2:27

17 Steve Aldo - Baby What You Want Me to Do 3:46

18 Tom Jones - Dr. Love 1:53

19 Jimmy Winston & His Reflections - It's Not What You Do 3:01

20 Habits - Elbow Baby 2:35

21 Score - Beg Me 2:46

22 Loose Ends - That's It 2:11

23 St. Louis Union - East Side Story 2:25

24 Paul & Barry Ryan - There You Go 2:14

25 Eyes of Blue - Supermarket Full of Cans 2:41


CD2

01 Birds - You're on My Mind 2:48

02 Fairies - Anytime at All 2:19

03 Blues By Five - Boom Boom 2:21

04 Cops 'n' Robbers - Gotta Be a Reason 2:48

05 Dave Berry - Don't Gimme No Lip, Child 2:17

06 Lulu & the Luvvers - I'll Come Running Over 3:03

07 Graham Bond Organisation - Long Tall Shorty 2:22

08 Frays - Keep Me Covered 2:35

09 Davie Jones & the King Bees - Louie Louie Go Home 2:12

10 John Mayall - Crawling Up a Hill 2:17

11 Chasers - Hey Little Girl 2:07

12 Zoot Money - The Uncle Willie 2:55

13 Hipster Image - Can't Let Her Go 2:42

14 David John & the Mood - To Catch That Man 2:10

15 Beazers - Blue Beat 2:31

16 Exotics - Cross My Heart 2:32

17 Rod Stewert - Good Morning Little School Girl 2:09

18 Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated - I Got My Mojo Working 3:11

19 Emeralds - King Lonely the Blue 2:57

20 Big Three - You've Gotta Keep Her Underhand 2:51

21 Plebs - Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You 1:52

22 Steve Aldo - Can I Get Witness 3:19

23 Redcaps - Talkin' Bout You 2:23

24 Paul's Disciples - See That My Grave is Kept Clean 2:08

25 Birds - You Don't love Me 2:05


CD3

01 Poets - I Love Her Still 1:46

02 Game - Gonna Get Me Someone 2:47

03 Thee - Each & Every Day 2:12

04 Mighty Avengers - (Walking Thru' The) Sleepy City 2:09

05 Shel Naylor - It's Gonna Happen Soon 2:01

06 Joe Cocker - I'll Cry Instead 1:44

07 Beat Boys - Third Time Lucky 1:45

08 Mark Four - Hurt Me If You Will 2:56

09 Sandra Barry & the Boys - Really Gonna Shake 2:00

10 Lulu & the Luvvers - Surprise Surprise 2:21

11 Mojos - Everything's Alright 2:21

12 Beat Chics - Now I Know 2:16

13 Pete Best Four - I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door 2:05

14 Warriors - Don't Make Me Blue 2:05

15 Marauders - That's What I Want 2:21

16 Brooks - Once in a While 2:35

17 Rick & Sandy - Lost My Girl 3:06

18 Unit 4+2 - I Was Only Playing Games 2:43

19 Tierneys Fugitives - Did You Want to Run Away 2:20

20 Mockingbirds - One By One 2:24

21 Rockin' Berries - Itty Bitty Pieces 2:08

22 Knack - Who'll Be the Next in Line 2:00

23 Brian Poole & the Tremeloes - Keep on Dancing 1:58

24 Hi Numbers - Heart of Stone 2:21

25 Andrew Oldham Orchestra - Da Doo Ron Ron 2:23


CD4

01 John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - Curly 4:49

02 Eddie Boyd - Key to the Highway 2:34

03 John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - The Supernatural 2:56

04 Otis Spann - Pretty Girls Everywhere 2:51

05 Eddie Boyd - Blue Coat Man 2:32

06 Champion Jack Dupree - Third Degree 3:17

07 John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - Steppin' Out 2:29

08 Savoy Brown - Train to Nowhere 4:12

09 Curtis Jones - Roll Me Over 2:37

10 Zoot Money - Get on the Right Track Baby 1:52

11 Alexis Korner - Night Time is the Right Time 4:19

12 Mae Mercer - Sweet Little Angel 3:21

13 The Graham Bond Organisation - Strut Around 2:37

14 John Mayall & Steve Winwood - Long Night 2:02

15 Davey Graham - Goin' Down Slow 2:27

16 Savoy Brown - Taste and Try Before You Buy 2:22

17 Keef Hartley Band - Me and My Woman 5:05

18 Eddie Boyd - Dust My Broom 2:39

19 Champion Jack Dupree & Mickey Baker - Barrelhouse Woman 2:02

20 Rod Stewart - I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town 2:56

21 John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - Double Trouble 3:21

22 Champion Jack Dupree - 24 Hours 4:06

23 Alexis Korner - Early in the Morning 2:58

24 Savoy Brown - Let Me Love You Baby 3:04

25 John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - I Need Your Love 4:13


CD5

01 Score - Please Please Me 2:44

02 Paul Ritchie and the Cryin' Shames - Come on Back 2:36

03 Attack - Anymore Than I Do 2:05

04 Majority - One Third 2:16

05 Shel Naylor - One Fine Day 2:30

06 New Breed - Unto Us 2:31

07 Syn - Grounded 2:23

08 Fire - Father's Name is Dad 2:33

09 Small Faces - Understanding 2:50

10 Birds - No Good Without You Baby 2:40

11 Mark Bolan - The Third Degree 2:31

12 Flies - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone 2:40

13 Keith Shields - Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) 2:14

14 Mark Four - I'm Leaving 3:34

15 Jimmy Winston - Sorry She's Mine 3:01

16 Poets - Wooden Spoon 2:30

17 Outer Limits - Just Help Me Please 2:30

18 Denis Couldry and the Next Collection - I Am Nearly There 3:22

19 Blue Stars - I Can Take It 2:07

20 Timebox - Poor Little Heartbreaker 2:47

21 Fairytale - Run and Hide 2:32

22 Loose Ends - Taxman 2:31

23 Sea-Ders - Thanks a Lot 2:23

24 Human Instinct - Pink Dawn 1:59

25 Beatstalkers - You Better Get a Better Hold On 2:11


CD6

01 Orchids - Oo-Chang-A-lang 2:37

02 Antoinette - Jenny Let Him Go 2:26

03 Vernons Girls - Only You Can Do it 2:38

04 Louise Cordet - Two Lovers 2:35

05 Truly Smith - The Boy From Chelsea 2:30

06 Dana Gilespie - You Just Gotta Know My Mind 2:10

07 Barry St. John - Hey Boy 2:49

08 Susan Hampshire - When Love is True 2:22

09 Jean Marrin - Save the Last Dance for Me 2:50

10 Beryl Marsden - When the Lovelight Starts Shining Thru His Eyes 2:43

11 Pamela Blue - My Friend Bobby 2:15

12 Jackie Frisco - Sugar Baby 2:21

13 Janice Nichols - I'll Give it Five 2:05

14 Bobbie Miller - What a Guy 2:34

15 Mysteries - Give Me Rhythm and Blues 2:38

16 Olivia Newton-John - Till You Say You'll Be Mine 2:37

17 Vashti - Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind 2:18

18 Marianne Faithfull - Is This What I Get for Loving You 3:53

19 Billie Davis - Nobody's Home to Go Home To 2:16

20 Shape and Sizes - Rain on My Face 2:16

21 Lorraine Child - You 2:46

22 Linda Flavel - The Trouble With Me is You 2:36

23 Adrienne Posta - Shang a Doo Lang 1:55

24 Lulu - Try to Understand 2:09

25 Exceptions - Soldier Boy 2:04


CD7

01 Frankie & Johnny - I'll Hold You 2:28

02 David Essex - So-Called Loving 2:29

03 Flirtations - Nothing But a Heartache 2:44

04 Fearns Brass Foundry - Don't Change It 2:13

05 Clyde McPhatter - Baby You've Got It 2:59

06 Micky Moonshine - Name it You Got It 3:26

07 Ronnie Jones - My Love 2:13

08 Fantastics - Ask the Lonely 2:49

09 Tom Jones - Stop Breaking My Heart 2:26

10 Billie Davis - Billy Sunshine 3:22

11 Amen Corner - Our Love (Is in the Pocket) 2:43

12 Danny Williams - Whose Little Girl Are You 2:08

13 Eyes of Blue - Heart Trouble 2:34

14 Bobby Hanna - Everybody Needs Love 3:05

15 Dave Berry - Picture Me Gone 2:45

16 John Paul - I Wanna Know 2:12

17 Elkie Brooks - The Way You Do the Things You Do 2:44

18 Jon Gunn - I Just Made Up My Mind 3:03

19 Adrienne Poster - Something Beautiful 1:44

20 Brotherhood of Man - Reach Out Your Hand 3:18

21 Sonny Childe - Giving Up on Love 2:37

22 Truly Smith - My Smile is Just a Frown (Turned Upside Down) 2:48

23 Stevie Kimble - All the Time in the World 2:22

24 Tony Newman - Let the Good Times Roll 2:37

25 Bats - Listen to My Heart 3:07


CD8

01 Tintern Abbey - Vacuum Cleaner 3:06

02 End - Shades of Orange 2:42

03 Accent - Red Sky at Night 3:15

04 Curiosity Shoppe - Baby I Need You 3:31

05 Syn - 14 Hour Technicolour Dream 2:55

06 Poets - In Your Tower 2:33

07 Attack - Colour of My Mind 2:30

08 Small Faces - That Man 2:16

09 Fairytale - Guess I Was Dreaming 3:03

10 Turquoise - Woodstock 3:34

11 Al Stewart - Turn Into Earth 2:55

12 Virgin Sleep - Secret 2:23

13 Felius Andromeda - Meditations 4:10

14 Human Instinct - A Day in My Mind's Mind 2:13

15 Ice - Ice Man 2:57

16 Moody Blues - Love & Beauty 2:26

17 23rd Turnoff - Michaelangelo 2:25

18 Societie - Bird Has Flown 2:38

19 World of Oz - Like a Tear 3:12

20 Garden Odyssey Enterprise - Sad & Lonely 4:22

21 Keith Shields - Deep Inside Your Mind 2:10

22 Timebox - Gone is the Sad Man 3:44

23 Plague - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 2:32

24 Andy Forray - Dream With Me 2:44

25 Warm Sounds - Nite is a Comin' 2:58


CD9

01 Billy Boyle - My Baby´s Crazy `Bout Elvis 2:36

02 Joe Brown - Comes The Day 2:12

03 Joey Castell - Tryin´ To Get To You 2:32

04 Ken Colyers Skiffle Group - Downbound Train 2:41

05 Bob Cort Skiffle - School Day 1:54

06 Michael Cox - Too Hot To Handle 2:11

07 Terry Dene - Pretty Little Pearly 1:50

08 Jackie Dennis - La Dee Dah 1:58

09 Lonnie Donnegan Skiffle Group - Rock Island Line 2:30

10 Vince Eager & The Vagabonds - Yea Yea 2:28

11 Billy Fury - Collette 1:52

12 Wee Willie Harris - Rockin´ At The Two I´s 2:35

13 Eddie Hickey - Plain Jane 1:38

14 Sally Kelly - Little Cutie 2:17

15 Little Tony & His Brothers - Foxy Little Mama 2:11

16 Most Brothers - Whole Lotta Woman 2:31

17 Danny Rivers & Alexander Combo - My Baby´s Gone Away 2:05

18 Russ Sainty With The New Notes - Race With The Devil 2:27

19 Mort Shuman - Turn Me Loose 2:33

20 Freddie Starr & The Midnighters - It´s Shaking Time 2:51

21 Tommy Steele & The Steelmen - Elevator Rock 1:50

22 Rob Storme - Transistor Sister 2:03

23 Screaming Lord Sutch - I´m A Hog For You 2:16

24 Bobby Tempest - Don´t Leave Me 2:22

25 Terry White & The Terriers - Rock Around The Mailbag 2:32

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Friday, January 17, 2025

VA - Costello's Cover Story (A Butterboy Compilation) 4 x CDs)

ELVIS COSTELLO

VA - Costello's Cover Story (A Butterboy Compilation) 4 x CDs)

Declan Patrick MacManus OBE, born on August 25, 1954, and famously known as Elvis Costello, is a multifaceted English artist. He has made his mark as a singer, songwriter, record producer, author, and television host. Rolling Stone magazine praises Costello for revitalizing the sophisticated, lyrical traditions of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, infusing them with the raw energy and attitude that define punk. His songs are noted for their intricate wordplay and a continually evolving array of musical styles.

Elvis Costello's songs have a unique appeal that makes them irresistible for cover versions. His music is a rich tapestry of genres, blending elements of punk rock, new wave, pop, and even classical influences. This versatility allows artists from various musical backgrounds to find something relatable and adaptable in his work. Costello's songwriting is characterized by its intricate wordplay, emotional depth, and clever storytelling. His lyrics often explore universal themes such as love, heartbreak, and social commentary, which resonate with a wide audience. This emotional connection makes his songs timeless and relevant, providing a fertile ground for reinterpretation.

Another reason for the popularity of Costello's songs as cover versions is their melodic and harmonic complexity. His compositions often feature unexpected chord progressions and melodic twists that challenge and inspire musicians. This complexity not only showcases the technical prowess of the covering artist but also allows them to put their unique spin on the song, making it their own while still honoring the original.

Costello's music also possesses a certain raw energy and authenticity that appeals to artists. His passionate delivery and distinctive voice imbue his songs with a sense of urgency and sincerity that is hard to replicate. When other artists cover his songs, they often strive to capture this intensity, resulting in powerful and memorable performances.

Furthermore, Costello's influence on the music industry cannot be overstated. His innovative approach to songwriting and genre-blending has inspired countless musicians, making his songs a natural choice for covers. By interpreting his work, artists pay homage to his legacy while also introducing his music to new audiences.

Dive into this first volume of cover versions of Elvis Costello's songs, performed by a diverse array of artists. Across these 4 CDs, you'll experience unique interpretations of his musical genius. The tracks are presented in chronological order, reflecting the release dates of his albums. Most of his albums are represented here with at least one cover version by another artist.

I have an additional 3 volumes, each featuring different versions of his music, with no repeats by any artist, while still following the chronological order of his album releases. Let's start with this set and let me know if you'd like more in the future. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Erratic Retaliator Strategy - Welcome to the Working Week 1:33

02 Outlaws - Miracle Man 4:09

03 Jamie and Steve - Blame it on Cain 2:51

04 Everything But the Girl - Alison 3:04

05 Catbite - Sneaky Feelings 2:21

06 Duran Duran - Watching the Detectives 4:48

07 Hem - (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes 2:24

08 Dyan Diamond - Mystery Dance 1:41

09 Sugarcult - No Action 1:47

10 hench - This Year's Girl 4:17

11 Status Quo - Pump it Up 3:30

12 Sam WM - Hand in Hand 5:32

13 Cloud Eleven - Little Triggers 2:27

14 Stars Explode - ( I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea 3:27

15 Sum 41 - Radio Radio 2:51

16 Throwback Suburbia - Accidents Will Happen 3:09

17 Peter Mulvey - Oliver's Army 2:48

18 Matt Pond PA - Green Shirt 2:19

19 Linda Ronstadt - Party Girl 3:23

20 Fastball - Busy Bodies 3:32

21 Barry Holdship - Possession 3:22


CD2

22 Deathray Davies - Men Called Uncle 2:22

23 Tasmin Archer - New Amsterdam 3:30

24 Ed Rogers - High Fidelity 2:37

25 Robin Goldwasser - Riot Act 3:24

26 Dave Edmunds - Girls Talk 3:29

27 Linda Ronstadt - Talking in the Dark 2:09

28 Sarah Borges - Radio Sweetheart 3:44

29 Tywanna Jo Baskette - Just a Memory 3:21

30 Smith Bros. - Night Rally 2:15

31 Rachel Sweet - Stranger in the House 4:05

32 Anderson Council - Strict Time 2:48

33 Brenda Kahn - Watch Your Step 3:33

34 Tickets - From a Whisper to a Scream 2:54

35 Matt Brown and the Theme Music Collection - Big Sister's Clothes 3:32

36 Jon Auer - Beyond Belief 3:38

37 Calexico - Shabby Doll 5:29

38 Naked Eyes - Man Out of Time 3:30

39 Chet Baker - Almost Blue 3:12

40 Sondre Lerche - Human Hands 2:35

41 Kristen Cothron - Town Cryer 3:39

42 Alison Brown - Everyday I Write the Book 3:30


CD3

43 Unthanks - Shipbuilding 3:46

44 Frank Royster - The Only Flame in Town 4:20

45 Roy Orbison - The Comedians 3:22

46 Christy Moore - The Deportees Club 4:28

47 Dennis Schocket & Cliff Hillis - Brilliant Mistake 3:57

48 Rosanne Cash - Our Little Angel 4:08

49 Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit - Indoor Fireworks 3:34

50 Tim Timebomb and Friends - American Without Tears 4:50

51 Nick Lowe - Poisoned Rose 4:46

52 Johnny Cash - The Big Light 2:42

53 Steve Kobashigawa - Sleep of the Just 4:19

54 Los Lobos - Uncomplicated 5:13

55 Severo - I Hope You're Happy Now 4:23

56 Fireking - Tokyo Storm Warning 7:12

57 Black Box Recovery - I Want You 6:54

58 Michael LeMonde - Blue Chair 3:52

59 An American Underdog - Crimes of Paris 4:15

60 Jimmy Cliff with Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Seven Day Weekend 2:39

61 Powderfinger - Let Him Dangle 4:33

62 Gail George - Deep Dark Truthful Mirror 3:27

63 Unwieldies - Veronica 4:49


CD4

64 Sundial Symphony - God's Comic 5:44

65 Viktoria Tolstoy - Baby Plays Around 3:41

66 Verena Lo - The Other Side of Summer 3:31

67 Tasmin Archer - All Grown Up 4:11

68 Paul Dempsey - So Like Candy 4:33

69 Deep Dark Woods - The Birds Will Stop Their Singing 8:43

70 Popdudes - Kinder Murder 3:15

71 Darlene Love - Still Too Soon to Know (feat. Bill Medley) 3:36

72 Corin Ashley - London's Brilliant Parade 3:45

73 'Til Tuesday - The Other End (Of the Telescope) 3:52

74 Lush - All This Useless Beauty 3:50

75 Roger McGuinn - You Bowed Down 3:51

76 Sara Lov - I Want to Vanish 2:48

77 Mike Viola - God Give Me Strength 6:16

78 Bangles - Tear Off Your Own Head 3:57

79 A Fragile Tomorrow - Daddy Can I Turn This_ 4:00

80 Johnny Monaco - My Little Blue Window 3:19

81 Kelley Ryan - Monkey to Man 4:09

82 Joan Baez - The Scarlet Tide 2:25

83 Michael Carpenter - No Hiding Place 4:05

84 Johnny Cash - Hidden Shame 3:59

85 Chuckie Anvil - Suspect My Tears 3:34

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Thursday, January 16, 2025

VA - This Is... Easy: 450 Easy Listening Favourites (Updated Improved Remastered Expanded Super Deluxe Edition) [2025] (16 x CDs)

K SPECIAL

VA - This Is... Easy: 450 Easy Listening Favourites (Updated Improved Remastered Expanded Super Deluxe Edition) [2025] (16 x CDs)

Newly updated and revised with many more remastered tracks added - celebrating 30 years since the Easy Listening revival in London peaked in 1995.

This new compilation is mostly gathered from the excellent 'This Is... Easy' series, along with 'The Sound Gallery' and 'The Sound Spectrum' discs, the 'Blow Up' series, 'The Easy Project', 'House of Loungecore', 'Girl in a Suitcase' the 'In Flight Entertainment' series, the 'KPM 1000' library series and many others.

To my knowledge, a compilation on this scale has never been compiled before in this particular genre in one collection with such a vast selection of classic music.

The Swinging Easy Listening Revival of the 1990s

The retro easy listening scene first developed around the mid 90s around the time that Brit Pop was taking off in the UK. The swinging sounds of the likes of Alan Hawkshaw, Keith Mansfield and Brian Fahey were revived into clubs like Smashing and Blow Up in London. Whilst neither of these clubs had a strictly kitsch only music policy, taking on many different sounds and styles, the rebirth of easy listening for a younger generation started there. The music press reported that at these places indie kids were mixing with fashionistas, musicians and record label dudes and people were reviving 60s fashions, dressing in retro corduroy suits, brightly coloured sixties shirts, pencil skirts and mini dresses. It sounded like my kind of scene (in a totally non-ironic non-hipster way) and so I began to investigate the music.

The first album I bought in this genre was The Sound Gallery. 24 Musical Masterpieces dug from the crates of EMI’s flagship Studio Two label, augmented by offerings from the United Artists label and KPM Recorded Music Library, with all tracks recorded from albums between 1968 to 1976. It was from that record that I first heard Girl In a Sportscar by Alan Hawkshaw and went on to discover the huge amount of music he was responsible for. Some of it is the sort of music you've probably only ever heard in elevators in hotel lobbies,1970s British sit-coms and awkward moments in movies.

"The Champ" is a song by The Mohawks, a group of session musicians assembled by Alan Hawkshaw. It was originally released in 1968 but failed to chart. However, a re-release made #58 on the UK Singles Chart in 1987 after being sampled many times. The song is based on "Tramp", a 1967 Lowell Fulson record that was covered extensively after its release. The song chants the word "Tramp" rather than "Champ".

The song is perhaps better known for its usage as a sample in over 700+ songs; it has been widely sampled and emulated (but not exclusively) in hip hop music.

I went on to purchase a number of compilation albums that expanded my knowledge and appreciation of easy and loungecore. Those of a certain age might remember the theme to The Gallery section on Tony Hart's Vision On, but how many of you would know it as Left Bank Two by The Noveltones?

There it was on The Sound Gallery: Volume Two - 27 Musical Masterpieces compilation.

Other brilliant albums that set me off on a journey of discovery included In-Flight Entertainment, where I fell for Brigitte Bardot’s 'Je Danse Donc Je Suis' and subsequently went on a journey of discovery of the French actress and model’s recorded work.

Then there was Test Card Classics, which answered in a digitally remastered form where the BBC got some of the amazing background music they played in the late 60s and early 70s before TV started at around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and then there was The Sound Spectrum which brought me likes of The City of Westminster String Band, Tony Hatch and Roy Budd.

The scene even brought a genuine Top 40 chart hit in 1995 with a novelty cover of Oasis' 'Wonderwall' by The Mike Flowers Pops, a band who replicated the easy 60s sound. It reached the same chart position (number 2) as the original.

Maybe you've never paid attention to this genre of music before? If not, jump in, keep an open mind and give it a go. Life will have never felt so groovy.

Celebrating 30 years since the easy listening revival in London

There is no denying there was an explosion of interest in easy listening music in the 1990s.

The CDs and LPs purchased contain only a fraction of the compilations released from the 1990s onwards and whilst new releases these days are fewer in number they still appear periodically in different guises. The easy listening revival also left in its wake a host of lounge blogs catering to aficionados still captivated by the genre.

Googling easy, exotica, bachelor, cocktail, lounge and jet set uncovered a cornucopia of titles as did further searching with words like library, mambo, Muzak, commercials, tiki, TV, groovy and spy.

New descriptors materialised in the 90s such as loungecore, ultra-lounge, elevator music, retro-lounge and space age bachelor pad music as major labels, minor labels and bootleggers rushed to find new ways to put a fresh spin on what was essentially a huge rebranding and repackaging exercise for very old music.

It's been thirty years since this revival burst onto the record collecting scene, so Forumusic is pulling together a series of articles about it this year under a banner entitled The 90s Easy Listening Revival.

Blow Up

Blow Up is a club night that was founded in the early 1990s by promoter and DJ Paul Tunkin at a North London pub called "The Laurel Tree". The night quickly became the centre of the emerging Britpop scene in Camden attracting long queues of people eager to gain entry to the tiny venue. Early regulars included members of Blur, Pulp, Elastica, Suede, Buzzcocks, Huggy Bear and The Jesus and Mary Chain, leading to the club being referred to as the place where "Britpop was born".


The style of Blow Up and its audience has been noted as an early influence on, and instrumental in, the later mid-Nineties explosion of the Britpop scene in the UK and abroad, with Time Out calling it the "breeding ground" of the Britpop sound. John Best said that "not only do British bands look like Jarvis now, so do fashion models. It's global and I think it started at Blow Up." The Guest List called it "the night that spawned a thousand bands".

History

Often mistakenly labelled as purely a 'mod club' by the press, Blow Up had a much wider musical scope than this, although the club was initially started by Tunkin as a reaction to the prevalent grunge/slacker scene which he said "was so anti-style". The music played included British Pop and R'n'B from the 1960s (Small Faces, Kinks, Rolling Stones etc.) and Soul, late 1970s new wave (Buzzcocks, Wire etc.) together with emerging new bands mixed in with film soundtracks, 'music library' tracks, Easy Listening and 1960s electronic music (Jean Jacques Perry et al.); anything that fell under Tunkin's term of 'Orgasmic Pop'.


1993-1996: The Laurel Tree

When the club first opened on 16 October 1993 its audience was attracted by word of mouth, predominantly made up of Camden locals, as well as a large proportion of people from Tunkin's hometown of Southend. However almost a year after opening in 1994, an early defining point for Blow Up was the publication of a 4-page article in music magazine Select devoted entirely to the club, which attracted people from much further afield fuelling its popularity even further. Blow Up's format and the sharp style of its 'regulars' was in contrast to the ubiquitous indie/rock clubs of the time, and it went on to influence many similar nights; it was referred to by Melody Maker at the height of Britpop in 1995 as "The Club that Changed the World". A year later Blow Up was featured in Vox magazine as one of "5 clubs that changed the face of clubbing", alongside seminal UK punk clubs The Blitz and The Roxy.

1996-2001: The Wag Club

The club relocated to Soho into the much larger venue of The Wag Club in 1996 and did much to revive the latter's fortunes which had somewhat waned since its 1980s heyday. Although Blow Up had played host to the occasional live band in Camden, the larger capacity of the Wag enabled live shows to be hosted on a weekly basis, which continued to reflect the club's broad musical outlook. Bands that played ranged from stalwarts of the 1960s music scene such as Desmond Dekker, to avant-garde acts such as Chicks On Speed and Stereo Total and also included a very early show for The Libertines in 1999. In 1999 the club was voted No. 4 in Time Out Magazine's 'Top Ten clubs of the 90s'. When The Wag finally closed in 2001 after 40 years, the last club to be held there was Blow Up.

2001-2009: The Metro Club

During the last of several short residencies at other Soho venues in 2001 after The Wag's closure, Blow Up took over the running of a venue on London's Oxford Street called The Metro Club; shortly afterward the Blow Up club night was moved there. Prior to this The Metro Club was known primarily as a club venue, but Blow Up began promoting live shows here too, and in 2002 the venue earned Time Out Magazine's 'Live Venue of the Year' award, attributed to the breakthrough acts booked in their first year there; early shows including bands such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kings of Leon and The Killers. Due to the planned extension of Tottenham Court Road Underground station, the Metro Club was issued a Compulsory Purchase Order by Transport for London with 28 days' notice in December 2008, and was forced to close. It held its last Blow Up night on 17 January 2009, also the last night of the venue itself.

2009-present: Post The Metro Club

Blow Up moved to Bar Rumba, Soho on 24 January 2009, after which it moved to 4 Denmark Street in 2011, followed by several other London residencies and one-off events. It is currently in residence at The Bussey Building (a warehouse/Arts space in Peckham), where it held its 20th Anniversary Party in February 2014. Since 2009 the club has hosted more events in the United States (New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento) and also returned to Tokyo.

Was there an Easy Listening Scene?

From a UK perspective there were a large number of established club nights mixing easy listening into their playlists in and around London in 1994 when style magazines such as ID and The Face first began to notice it but to call it a scene would be a misnomer. Scene suggests a more widespread and codified group with a uniform look, attitude and taste in music in the manner of Mods, Rockers or Punks.

Whilst some inhabitants of nights like Smashing, Blow-Up and Indigo's did blaze a trail for an easy listening look it never became widespread enough to catch on nationally. Blow-Up's clientele were primarily from the Mod scene and preferred suits and button-downs to colourful acrylic polo-neck sweaters and houndstooth jackets.

Easy listening appealed to older clubbers uninterested in either trainspotting the latest rare groove and funk discoveries or joining the rave cast of thousands sweating in purpose-built warehouses all over the UK every weekend. The London club scenes of the 80s and 90s paved the way for the revival of interest in all things easy drawing on the experiences and recollections of those who were there.

Pre-1994 easy listening compilations tended to be titled with descriptors like swing, crooners or oldies containing selections from artists who had hit the pop charts in the past and were known names. Many were released off the crest of the swing revival which was popular in the US in the late 80s and played a major role revitalising interest in 40s and 50s music.

From 1994 selections shifted towards finger-clicking lounge singers of a Rat Pack persuasion. These held sway alongside a resurgence of interest in singers who had popular TV shows in the 70s such as Andy Williams, Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones. Compilations of 60s and 70s TV and film themes were also popular when the easy revival first went from underground clubs to overground media interest in 1995.

When interest began to wane in the late 90s and early 00s the torch was picked up by smaller labels catering for lounge diehards who continued to want easy listening from more obscure sources. Pop Shopping featured jingles and songs from German television commercials and Crippped Dick Hot Wax and others began releasing soundtrack selections from 60s and 70s European porn movies.

It was perfect mood music to enjoy by the light of lava lamps impossible to source in the early 90s but mass-produced and omnipresent by 1999.

The timeline moving from the 80s swing revival in the US to obscure European porn soundtracks via lounge singers and retro-TV themes is convenient for describing the sequence of these repackaged releases but fails to chart the complexity of factors leading up to the revival.

The 1994 release of Space Age Bachelor Pad Music, a retrospective of the space age pop music of Juan García Esquivel was indicative that in the United States at least a significant number of music lovers had already developed a taste for esoteric, exotica flavoured sounds. Volume 1 of Re/Search's Incredibly Strange Music compilation released the previous year to complement their book of the same name provides further evidence that a growing band of people were busily exploring one particularly rich layer of strata of the musical rockface that had been ignored for many years.

At the peak of the revival American Steve Knopper compiled an overview of lounge music called Musichound: The Essential Album Guide to Martini Music and Easy Listening. A cursory skim through this weighty tome reveals a raft of artists who were writing and performing music in a lounge style from the late 80s onwards.

Threads on knowledgeable music forums like Soulstrut, Waxidermy and VG+ give good starting points for researching into the roots of the 90s Easy Listening Revival.

Library Music

In the late 80s and early 90s crate-diggers had already discovered library music from the likes of KPM and others. By the mid-90s a small but dedicated group of them were purchasing whole collections as large media companies were discarding their bulky vinyl libraries and replacing them with CDs.

This was the first time a switch from an older format to a newer one had released new music into the public domain for collectors to fetish over. Lurking amidst the orchestral strings, soundtrack strings, drama and light entertainment tracks on these library records which were initially intended only for use in radio and television, but also piped into supermarkets, airports and lobbies of hotel chains. Here lay a wealth of groovy 60s sounds, sultry bossa beats, funky spy themes and some truly sublime easy listening.

On one level these were all completely fresh sounds for DJs to blend in alongside established songs but paradoxically they could have been sounds subliminally absorbed from the incidental music of radio shows, television programmes and films watched during childhood.

Break hunters were all over them like a rash. Some of the LPs were also highly desirable to soundtrack collectors already familiar with the names of composers from officially released soundtracks. Jonny Trunk whose Trunk Records released the first commercially available library compilation entitled The Super Sounds of Bosworth shares anecdotes about soundtrack and library record collecting in the late 80s and early 90s in an interview to appear later this year.

An Easy Gift for the Majors

The majority of these easy listening releases came out on CD only and a large number of them were from major record labels. With huge but latent back catalogues of exotica and orchestral themes from the 50s and 60s they spied the resurging interest and moved fast to exploit it.

The easy revival triggered a reissuing frenzy surpassing that of the 60s and 70s when labels like Polydor, Decca and Philips had last dressed up their older recordings in fancy new sleeves.

In the 90s they were repackaging a similar product using 50s imagery and terminology which would have killed potential sales in the 70s. Bachelor dens, cocktails, tiki bars were officially hip for the masses again.

The music industry thrives on genres cycling back into fashion and with 90s consumers discarding LPs to build new CD collections, repackaging old music they already owned onto a new and desirable format was a particularly lucrative double whammy for established major labels.

Capitol dived in headfirst in 1997 with the carefully planned and beautifully packaged Ultra-Lounge series and there was a willing predominantly male audience ready and waiting for these pointedly retro-styled releases.

The £50 Bachelor Man

Easy listening genres like Space Age Pop and Exotica arrived gift-wrapped with typography, design motifs and styles of instant appeal to £50 men: 20 to 30-something working males with disposable income to spend on the latest videos or CDs every week.

Titles like Bachelor Pad Royale, Strip Tease Classics and Music for the Jet Set were irresistible when matched to the colourful mash up of retro-styles; 50s cocktail music and tiki-bars, 60s Mod and Bondesque spy imagery, 70s psychedelia.

Artists could dismiss the sleeve designs as historically incoherent but the look of these compilations were a potent pot pourri to extract money from the wallets of single and married hipster bachelors everywhere.

The Swing and Rat Pack revival helped to make entertainers in sharp suits cool again and whilst later exponents of easy like Andy Williams and Jack Jones had meandered towards polo-neck jumpers and flared trousers in the 70s they rarely succumbed to the sartorial inelegance of jeans and T-shirts.

Easy arrived with its own look. In 90s Europe by total contrast, the Jilted Generation a few years younger than the easy listening demographic were dressing down and dancing a lot faster, their beloved rave flyers, tickets and magazines hand-drawn, collaged, spray painted and then photoshopped from a completely different set of influences.

This Is... Easy?

One key to the initial success of easy listening in the 90s is that it wasn't just one genre and appreciating it didn't involve too many arguments over defining it.

On many easy compilations 60s and 70s TV themes are placed alongside newly discovered library tracks; film themes with Mod Hammond workouts; Tijuana Brass with Ray Conniff choruses and Bacharach medleys with Percy Faith instrumentals. This newly built bachelor pad paradise was no place for genre purists.

90s easy listening excluded practically any music from the 80s and defiantly ignored anything that sounded like rock, reggae, grunge, New Wave, disco, house or Hip Hop. It embraced Latin rhythms, orchestral themes, 60s Mod songs, groovier freakbeat, languid elevator music, Muzak and exotica.

To devotees who stayed with it beyond the Mike Flowers Pops cocktail version of 'Wonderwall' in '95 and the Austin Powers movies, international communication via early user groups like the Exotica mailing list on the World Wide Web gradually shifted interest away from the performers and the look and onto the composers, producers and session players who shaped the sounds and the labels which released them.

UK record collectors raised on Hip Hop and crate digging found common ground in their pursuit of funky breaks on easy listening records.

Post 2000: Easy Listening and Music Forums

The advent of web sites and music forums in the late 90s created new platforms for sharing musical discoveries, a habit that gradually began to replace the practice of gleaning information from music magazines or like-minded collectors in record shops and at record fairs.

Discussion about easy listening songs, artists and composers played a major part in the growth of the original UK-based Vinyl Vulture forum and fuelled many threads on a variety of other boards.

Although trainspotting came late to easy listening the obsessive scouring of sleeve notes and labels for minutiae on-line and en masse extended its shelf life well into the 21st century.

... and speaking of the 21st century, here is one of the greatest easy listening tracks set to one of the greatest TV commercials of all time. Originally broadcast in 2005 to widespread critical acclaim, it provides a great grand finale to this wonderful collection:

https://youtu.be/j0hEaC1QzSw?si=1OVIWpxSDHlt0CEa

So, after exhaustive and extensive online research, plus my own recollections, memories and records bought at the time, here is my personal compilation of what I consider to be the 450 best and most important tracks from the swinging easy listening revival of the 1990s.

This fully packed 16CD set contains many rare and extremely hard to find tracks, with a number featured in their original mono form. Only the original studio mixes are included. No later remixes, 'stereo enhanced' or live versions here!

Compiled as always using the very latest and highest quality digital remasters, with a considerable number of tracks sourced from the original master tapes for superior sound quality and enjoyment.


K

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Pt.1     Pt.2 

OR

Pt.1     Pt.2 

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Track lists

CD01

01 Pete Moore - Asteroid (Pearl & Dean Theme) 0:16

02 Paris Studio Group - Accroche Toi, Caroline (Vision On: Title Theme) 2:51

03 John Barry and his Orchestra - The Adventurer 2:07

04 The South Bank Orchestra, conducted by Denis King - The Adventures of Black Beauty 2:25

05 Robert Mellin Orchestra - The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe 2:37

06 John Dankworth Orchestra - African Waltz 2:21

07 Jacques Loussier with The Trio Play Bach - Air on a G String (Original 1966 Decca Records 7" Single Version) (Hamlet Cigars Television Commercial) 2:59

08 The Cecil Holmes Soulful Sound - Also Sprach Zarathustra 2:51

09 Birds 'N Brass - American Woman 2:49

10 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - And Soon the Darkness (Original 1970 Film Main Theme) 2:17

11 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Animal Magic 2:23

12 Burt Bacharach - Anyone Who Had a Heart 3:00

13 Rhinoceros - Apricot Brandy (Theme from the BBC Radio 1 Show 'What's New' 1969-1971) 1:59

14 Ronnie Hazlehurst and his Orchestra feat. Stephanie Gathercole - Are You Being Served? 2:41

15 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - Are You There (with Another Girl) 2:47

16 Nancy Sinatra - As Tears Go By 2:48

17 Brian Fahey and his Orchestra - At the Sign of the Swingin' Cymbal (Original Theme for 'Pick of the Pops') 2:07

18 Francis Lai feat. Nicole Croisille - Aujourd'hui c'est toi 2:08

19 Laurie Johnson and the London Studio Orchestra - The Avengers 2:18

20 Tony Christie - Avenues & Alleyways (Theme from 'The Protectors') 3:17

21 Dick Doerschuk - Balenciaga 2:43

22 Nancy Sinatra - Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (from 'Kill Bill') 2:40

23 Sidney Torch and the New Century Orchestra - Barnacle Bill (Theme from 'Blue Peter') 2:18

24 Edwin Astley - The Baron 1:47

25 Sidney Torch and his Orchestra - Barwick Green (Theme from 'The Archers') 2:48

26 Alan Hawkshaw - Beat Boutique 1:32

27 John Dankworth Orchestra - Beefeaters (Theme from the BBC Radio 1 'Tony Blackburn Breakfast Show') 2:08

28 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Bicycle Made for Three 2:58

29 Max Gregor & Orchester - Big Train 2:15

30 The John Schroeder Orchestra - The Bird Has Flown 4:41

31 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Birds 2:42


CD02

32 Mark Duval and his Music - The Black Rider 2:04

33 Mandingo - Black Rite 4:10

34 Les Reed - Black, White and Wonderful 2:49

35 Alan Hawkshaw - Blarney's Stoned (Theme from 'Dave Allen at Large') 1:51

36 James Clarke - Blow Up A-Go-Go 2:32

37 Paraffin Jack Flash Ltd. - Blue 'n' Groovy 4:12

38 The Frank Barcley Group - Blue Bottle (Theme from 'Miri Mawr') 1:53

39 Gals and Pals - Blue on Blue 2:58

40 Jerry Allen and his Trio - Blue Streak 1:55

41 Burt Bacharach - Bond Street (Theme from 'Casino Royale') 2:03

42 Brian Bennett - Boogie Juice 1:35

43 Simon Haseley - Bora 3:12

44 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - The Brass'illian Bird 2:55

45 The Steve Karmen Big Band - Breakaway 3:51

46 Frederick Caffell - Burros De Bahia 2:27

47 Ted Dicks - Busy Boy (Theme from 'Catweazle') 1:17

48 Neil Richardson - Busy Spectacle 1:54

49 The John Schroeder Orchestra - But She Ran the Other Way 2:53

50 Eric Coates - By the Sleepy Lagoon (Valse Serenade) (Theme from 'Desert Island Discs')

3:22

51 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - C'mon In (Theme from BBC Radio 2 'John Dunn's Breakfast Special') 1:59

52 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Caeser Smith (Theme from 'Hot Millions') 2:13

53 Lawrence Welk - Calcutta 2:14

54 Chris Montez - Call Me 2:34

55 Andy Williams - Can't Get Used to Losing You 2:22

56 Roy Budd and his Orchestra - The Car Chase 9:41

57 Don Lusher - Carnaby Chic 2:45

58 Sounds Orchestral - Cast Your Fate to the Wind 3:13


CD03

59 Pete Moore - Cat Walk 2:59

60 The Mohawks (Alan Hawkshaw) - The Champ (Original 1968 7" Single Version) 2:37

61 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - The Champions 2:08

62 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Chase That Car 2:24

63 Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Chelsea Morning 3:00

64 Pérez Prado and his Orchestra - Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White (Original 1955 RCA Victor 7" Mono Single Version) 3:01

65 Ennio Morricone - Chi Mai (Theme from 'The Life and Times of David Lloyd George') 5:08

66 Mason Williams - Classical Gas 3:04

67 Keith Mansfield - Close Shave 2:09

68 The Johnny Keating Orchestra - The Clown 2:21

69 Alyn Ainsworth Orchestra - Colditz March 3:02

70 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Come One Come All 2:45

71 Max Harris - Cool Stepper 2:30

72 Brian Fahey and his Orchestra - Countdown 2:29

73 The Alan Moorhouse Band - Cracklin' Rosie 2:36

74 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Crossroads 2:00

75 The Dakotas - The Cruel Sea 2:14

76 Vick Flick Sound - Cubanana 2:35

77 Vick Flick Sound - The Cutter 2:08

78 Ole Jensen and his Music - Daisy Bird 2:18

79 Edwin Astley - Danger Man 1:49

80 Edwin Astley - Department S 2:10

81 Alan Tew - The Detectives 2:29

82 The Charles Williams Orchestra - Devil's Gallop (Signature Music for 'Dick Barton - Special Agent') 2:48

83 Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra - Dick Van Dyke Theme 2:20

84 Peter Reno and Simon Haseley - Distant Hills (Theme from 'Crown Court') 3:03

85 Ron Goodwin and his Orchestra - Do You Know the Way to San Jose? 2:29

86 James Clarke - Double Take 2:30

87 The Tony Hatch Sound - Downtown 3:09


CD04

88 Ray Anthony - Dragnet 2:44

89 Paddy Kingsland - The Earthmen 3:17

90 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Echo Four-Two 2:12

91 James Clarke - Elegance 2:56

92 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Emmerdale Farm 2:16

93 Martin Denny - The Enchanted Sea 1:58

94 Lalo Schifrin - Enter the Dragon (Main Theme) 2:22

95 The Pandora Orchestra - Eurocrat 1:47

96 Keith Mansfield - Exclusive Blend 3:21

97 Ferrante & Teicher - Exodus (Theme) 2:57

98 The Simon Park Orchestra - Eye Level (Theme from 'Van der Valk') 2:21

99 Keith Mansfield - Fast Back 2:21

100 The Gerhard Narholz Orchestra - Fasten Seat Belts 2:22

101 Pete Moore - The Fat Man 2:41

102 Roy Budd and his Orchestra - Fear Is the Key (Main Theme) 2:24

103 Peggy Lee - Fever 3:21

104 Billy Taylor Trio - Film '71 - Film 2018 ('I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free') 3:38

105 Val Merrall - Flash 3:57

106 Julie London - Fly Me to the Moon 2:30

107 Pete Moore - For What It's Worth 2:40

108 David Gold - Forbidden Fruit 3:24

109 Frank Pourcel - Francais Francais 2:11

110 Alan Parker - The Free Life 2:14

111 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Freewheelers 2:53

112 James Clarke - Friendly Faces 1:40

113 Engelbert Humperdinck - From Here to Eternity 3:48

114 Reg Wale - Fruity Flutes (Theme from 'Farmhouse Kitchen') 2:28

115 The Ron Grainer Harpsichord Group - A Fuguey Day 1:44

116 Neil Richardson - Fun in the Sun 2:26


CD05

117 The Saint Orchestra - Funko 2:24

118 Keith Mansfield - Funky Fanfare (National Screen Service 'Our Feature Presentation' Theme) 2:28

119 Alan Moorhouse and his Bond Street Brigade - Funky Fever 2:46

120 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Gala Performance (Theme from 'This Is Your Life') 1:44

121 James Clarke - Gentle Breeze 2:15

122 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Gentle Giant 2:29

123 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - Georgy Girl 2:23

124 Roy Budd - Get Carter (Theme from 'Get Carter') 3:20

125 Roy Budd - Getting Nowhere 3:09

126 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Girl About Town 2:30

127 Alan Hawkshaw - Girl at the Top 1:51

128 Astrud Gilberto feat. Stan Getz and João Gilberto - The Girl from Ipanema (Original 1964 Verve Records 7" Mono Single Version) 2:46

129 Alan Hawkshaw - Girl in a Sportscar 1:39

130 The Derek Scott Orchestra - Girl in the White Dress (Theme from 'General Hospital') 3:18

131 Les Reed and his Orchestra - Girl on a Motorcycle (Theme from 'Girl on a Motorcycle') 3:29

132 John Barry and his Orchestra - The Girl with the Sun in Her Hair 2:58

133 Johnny Scott - Glad Gadabout 2:40

134 Steve Gray - Go for Broke 2:44

135 The Oscar Brandenburg Orchestra - Going Places 2:53

136 The Scottmen - The Good Word (Theme from 'Nationwide') 2:49

137 Hugo Montenegro, his Orchestra and Chorus - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2:41

138 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Goofy 2:59

139 Keith Mansfield - Grandstand 2:25

140 Hugh Masekela - Grazing in the Grass 2:37

141 Keith Mansfield - The Great Outdoors 3:33

142 Al (He's the King) Hirt - Green Hornet Theme 2:19

143 Pete Moore Orchestra - Green Onions 2:33

144 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - The Groupie 2:15

145 The John Schroeder Orchestra - Grow Your Own 2:56


CD06

146 Pérez Prado and his Orchestra - Guaglione 2:24

147 Lee Mason and his Orchestra - Gumboots 2:48

148 Tony Evans and his Orchestra - Gypsy Cream 2:34

149 Dick Walter - Hacienda Happening 2:11

150 John Cameron - Half Forgotten Daydreams 4:08

151 The Roger Webb Orchestra - Hammer House of Horror 2:52

152 Andy Williams - Happy Heart 3:14

153 Morton Stevens and his Orchestra - Hawaii Five-O 1:33

154 The John Schroeder Orchestra - Headband 3:09

155 Mandingo - The Headhunter 3:05

156 Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra - Heavy Action (Theme from 'Superstars') 1:30

157 Alan Moorhouse - Heavy Bopper 2:32

158 Ray Davies and his Funky Trumpet - Heavy Water 4:20

159 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - The Hell Raisers 2:15

160 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Hello Honky Tonk 2:12

161 Wynder K. Frogg - Henry's Panter 3:14

162 Bill Geldard - High Ball 2:13

163 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - High Tension 2:47

164 John Barry and his Orchestra - Hit and Miss (Theme from 'Jukebox Jury') 2:01

165 Howard Blaikley Orchestra - Hold Tight 2:32

166 James Clarke - Holiday People 2:03

167 Cliff Nobles - The Horse 2:25

168 Bill Geldard - Hot Line 2:27

169 Alan Hawkshaw - Hot Pants 1:48

170 The Scottmen - Hot Rod 2:55

171 Badder than Evil - Hot Wheels (The Chase) 2:59

172 Burt Bacharach - A House Is Not a Home 3:28

173 Earl Grant - House of Bamboo 2:37

174 Synthesonic Sounds - House of the Rising Sun 2:35


CD07

175 Roy Budd - Hurry to Me 4:00

176 Keith Mansfield - Husky Birdsong 3:28

177 Lord Sitar - I Can See for Miles 3:42

178 Honeybus - I Can't Let Maggie Go 2:57

179 Andy Williams - Can't Take My Eyes Off You 3:13

180 John Keating - I Feel the Earth Move 3:40

181 Whistling Jack Smith - I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman 2:23

182 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - I Will Follow You 2:04

183 Bobbie Gentry - I'll Never Fall in Love Again 2:51

184 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - The "In" Crowd 2:44

185 David Snell - International Flight 1:56

186 John Barry and his Orchestra - The Ipcress File 3:53

187 Quincy Jones and his Orchestra - Ironside 3:54

188 The Ray Conniff Singers - It Never Rains in Southern California 3:42

189 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - It's a Knockout ('Bean Bag') 2:00

190 Alan Hawkshaw - It's All at the Co-op Now 1:13

191 Rico Rodriguez - It's Not Unusual (Original 1968 Pama Records 7" Single Version) 2:36

192 John Gregory and his Orchestra - Jaguar 3:39

193 The John Barry Seven and Orchestra - The James Bond Theme (from Dr. No.) 1:47

194 Laurie Johnson and the London Studio Orchestra - Jason King 2:02

195 Brigitte Bardot - Je danse donc je suis 1:53

196 Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin - Je t'aime... moi non plus 4:15

197 John Keating Space Experience - Jesus Christ Superstar 3:54

198 John Gregory and his Orchestra - Jet Stream 2:49

199 Neil Richardson - Jewel of Evening 2:35

200 The Barry Gray Orchestra - Joe 90 2:17


CD08

201 Tony Osborne - John & Paul 2:35

202 Brass Incorporated - Just Like That (Theme from BBC Radio 2 'Terry Wogan's Breakfast Show') 1:54

203 The Ray McVay Sound - Kinda Kinky 2:28

204 The Gary Mann Orchestra - La Soiree (The Evening) (Theme from 'The Big Match' 1974-1980) 2:35

205 Gato Barbieri - Last Tango in Paris 2:48

206 The Andrew Oldham Orchestra - The Last Time 3:49

207 Brian Fahey and his Orchestra - Late Night Extra (Theme from BBC Radio 2 'Late Night Extra') 1:52

208 The City of Westminster String Band - Le Blon 3:15

209 Peter, Paul and Mary - Leaving on a Jet Plane 3:25

210 The Noveltones - Left Bank Two (Vision On: The Gallery Theme) 2:28

211 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - Let's Hang On 2:36

212 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Let's See Action 2:16

213 Keith Mansfield - Life of Leisure 3:05

214 James Clarke - Life of Luxury 2:33

215 Alan Hawkshaw - Lift Off 3:16

216 John Andrews Tartaglia - Light My Fire 5:19

217 The Settlers - The Lightning Tree (Theme from 'Follyfoot') 2:40

218 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Limehouse 2:46

219 Johnny Keating & The Z-Men - A Little Waltzin' 2:37

220 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - London Life 2:18

221 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro) 2:18

222 Mark Duval and his Music - The Loner 2:50

223 The Milton Hunter Orchestra - The Loner (Theme from 'Budgie') 2:43

224 Dusty Springfield - The Look of Love 3:31

225 Roy Budd feat. Lesley Cline - Love Is a Four Letter Word 2:39

226 The Paul Mauriat Orchestra - Love Is Blue 2:33

227 Cyril Stapleton, his Choir and Orchestra - Love Today, Cry Tomorrow 2:53


CD09

228 Keith Mansfield - The Loving Touch 2:59

229 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Lucky Seven 2:29

230 The Johnny Hawksworth Orchestra - Lunar Walk 2:31

231 Ray Davies and his Funky Trumpet - Mach 1 3:37

232 E. Cap - Mama Elephant 3:03

233 Pérez Prado and his Orchestra - Mambo No. 5 2:11

234 The Tony Hatch Sound - Man Alive 2:02

235 Ron Grainer and his Orchestra - Man In a Suitcase 2:13

236 The Les Reed Orchestra - Man of Action 2:20

237 The Shadows - Man of Mystery (Original 1960 7" Mono Single Version) 2:03

238 Billy May and his Orchestra - The Man with the Golden Arm 2:51

239 Ray Martin and his Concert Orchestra - Marching Strings (Theme from 'Top of the Form') 2:40

240 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Marching There and Back (Theme from 'Screen Test') 2:43

241 Francis Lai Orchestre - Marseillaise Générique (Theme from the 'Brigitte Bardot Show') 2:11

242 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Martini 3:13

243 Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Mas Que Nada 2:36

244 Barry Stoller - Match of the Day (The Complete Original 1970 Theme) 2:12

245 Keith Mansfield - Men on the Move 2:54

246 Pierre Arvay - Merry Ocarina (Vision On: Humphrey the Tortoise Theme) 2:02

247 The Ron Grainer Harpsichord Group - Mexican Marmalade 2:13

248 The Alan Moorhouse Band - Mexico Fiesta 2:25

249 John Barry and his Orchestra - Midnight Cowboy (Theme) 2:32

250 Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen - Midnight in Moscow 3:00

251 John Scott and his Orchestra - Midweek 2:39

252 Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra - Mini Walking, Mini Clarinet and Mini Movement (from 'Mary, Mungo and Midge') 3:20

253 Martin Denny - Misirilou 2:36

254 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Miss World 1:37

255 Lalo Schifrin - Mission: Impossible 2:32

256 Jimmy Smith arranged by Lalo Schifrin - The Money Programme ('The Carpetbaggers') 3:55


CD10

257 Henry Mancini, His Orchestra and Chorus - Moon River 2:42

258 Chris Montez - The More I See You 2:40

259 Keith Mansfield - Morning Broadway 2:05

260 Stan Butcher, His Birds and Brass - Morningtown Ride (Theme from 'Ed Stewart's Junior Choice') 2:52

261 Doris Day - Move Over Darling 2:33

262 Waldo De Los Ríos: Manuel De Falla Orchestra - Mozart Symphony No.40 in G Minor (1st Movement Allegro Molto) 4:26

263 Duncan Lamont - Mr Benn (Theme and music from 'Mr Benn') 3:37

264 Roy Budd - Mr. Rose 2:27

265 John Shakespeare Orchestra - Mucho Mexico Seven-O 2:38

266 The Oscar Brandenburg Orchestra - Music to Drive By (Theme from the BBC Radio 2 'Charlie Chester's Soapbox') 2:52

267 Andy Williams - Music to Watch Girls By 2:31

268 Vick Flick Sound - Mustang 2:43

269 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - The New Avengers 2:14

270 Jim Lawless - News Travels Fast 3:45

271 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Next of Kingsleigh 3:14

272 Alan Hawkshaw - The Night Rider 1:59

273 Sherwin & Maschwitz - A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square 3:47

274 Men About Town - Norwegian Wood 3:10

275 The Delle Haensch Band - Number One (Sport on Two) 2:23

276 Billy May and his Orchestra - The Odd Couple 2:14

277 The Dave Pell Singers - Oh Calcutta 2:18

278 Area Code 615 - The Old Grey Whistle Test ('Stone Fox Chase') 3:24

279 Matt Monro - On Days Like These (from 'The Italian Job' 1969) 3:43

280 Mike Vickers - On the Brink 2:24

281 Floyd Cramer - On the Rebound 2:07

282 The Les Reed Piano - On the Scene 2:16

283 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - 1-2-3 2:34


CD11

284 Anthony Isaac / The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - The "Onedin Line" Theme (Original Decca 1971 7" Single Version) 3:22

285 Val Merrall - Open House 3:14

286 Brian Fahey and his Orchestra - Open House (Theme from the BBC Radio 2 'The Pete Murray Show') 2:05

287 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Out of This World 2:13

288 The Johnny Pearson Orchestra - Owen, M.D. ('Sleepy Shores') 3:36

289 The London Studio Group - Pageing Sullivan 2:34

290 Perry Como - Papa Loves Mambo 2:40

291 Dick Doerschuk - Paradise Found 2:55

292 Raymond LeFevre - Pebble Mill at One ('As You Please') 2:19

293 Mike Vickers - Pegasus 1:35

294 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - The Penthouse Suite 1:52

295 The Les Reed Combo - People in London 2:50

296 John Barry and his Orchestra - The Persuaders 2:10

297 The John Schroeder Orchestra - Peter Popgunn 2:30

298 Chris Barber's Jazz Band feat. Monty Sunshine - Petite Fleur 2:45

299 The Harry Roche Constellation - Pinball Wizard 3:26

300 Henry Mancini and his Orchestra - The Pink Panther Theme 2:37

301 Roy Budd - Plaything 2:52

302 Sam Fonteyn - Pop Looks Bach (Theme from 'Ski Sunday') 2:04

303 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Portobello Market 2:23

304 Keith Mansfield - Powerhouse Pop 2:31

305 The Swing Bach Ensemble - Prima Ballerina (Theme from 'Watch') 2:34

306 Ron Grainer and his Orchestra - The Prisoner 2:18

307 Robert Earley - Public Eye (Theme from 'Public Eye' ABC Television 1965-1968) (Mono Version) 2:05

308 Alan Parker - Punch Bowl 1:39

309 Martin Denny - Quiet Village (Original 1958 Liberty Records 7" Mono Single Version) 3:40

310 B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head (from 'Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid') 2:59

311 Edwin Astley - Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) 1:40

312 Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra - The Rat Catchers 2:42

313 Alan Hawkshaw - Raver 2:31


CD12

314 Harry Stoneham Quintet - The Raver 2:48

315 The Ray Macvay Sound - Revenge 2:08

316 The Robert James Orchestra - The Right One 2:33

317 Neil Richardson - The Riviera Affair 1:29

318 Group 40 Orchestra - Roadwalk 1:50

319 Manuel and his Music of the Mountains - Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez (Theme from 2nd Movement) 4:01

320 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Rough Riding 3:00

321 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Rumbo 3:31

322 The Pandora Orchestra - Running Free 1:55

323 Steve Gray - Running from Danger 1:51

324 The Les Reed Brass - The Saint 2:00

325 Francis Lai feat. Brigitte Bardot - Saint-Tropez (Theme from 'Eurotrash') 1:12

326 James Clarke - Say Something Sweet 3:07

327 Esquivel! - Sentimental Journey 2:36

328 Denny Wright and the Hustlers - Shout About Pepsi 2:23

329 Russ Conway - Side Saddle 1:52

330 David Gold - Silk Stream 2:55

331 Ron Goodwin and his Orchestra - 633 Squadron 2:57

332 Killer Watts - Sleep Walk 2:51

333 Mandingo - The Snake Pit 3:11

334 James Clarke - Soft Memories 2:03

335 Pete Moore - Solar Wind 2:33

336 Alan Moorhouse - Some Other Time 2:37

337 Birds 'N Brass - Sort of Soul 2:48

338 Quincy Jones and his Orchestra - Soul Bossa Nova 2:43

339 Max Gregor - Soul House 3:00

340 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Soul in Space 2:57

341 Booker T. & the M.G.'s - Soul Limbo (Theme from 'BBC Cricket') 2:20

342 Alan Moorhouse - Soul Skimmer 2:07

343 Young Holt-Unlimited - Soulful Strut 2:57


CD13

344 Burt Bacharach - South American Getaway 5:08

345 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Spanish Charade 3:34

346 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - Spanish Flea 2:09

347 Sounds Incorporated - Spanish Harlem 2:53

348 The Lovin' Spoonful - Speakin' of Spoken 2:41

349 The Harry Roche Constellation feat. Claire Torry (Vocals Solo) and Jenny Mason (Whispers) - Spiral 10:37

350 The City of Westminster String Band - Split Level 3:18

351 Tony Evans and his Orchestra - Spoofin' 2:42

352 Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra - Sports Car Special 1:34

353 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Sportsnight 2:50

354 The Eliminators - Staccto 2:08

355 Pete Moore - Steptoe and Son 2:29

356 Chico Rey and the Jet Band - Stiletto 2:50

357 The Roger Webb Orchestra - Strange Report 2:01

358 Max Harris - The Strange World of Gurney Slade 2:10

359 Acker Bilk - Stranger on the Shore 2:57

360 Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night 2:36

361 The Alan Moorhouse Band - The Striker 2:26

362 David Rose and his Orchestra - The Stripper 1:57

363 Tak Shindo - Stumbling 2:05

364 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Sucu Sucu (Theme from 'Top Secret') 2:07

365 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - Sugar Shack 2:28

366 Birds 'N Brass - Sugar Sugar 2:58

367 The Ray Conniff Singers - Summer Breeze 3:32

368 James Clarke - Summer Dreams 3:55

369 James Clarke - Summer Season 2:01


CD14

370 Keith Mansfield - Sun Lover 3:15

371 David Lindup - Sunseekers 2:43

372 Sister Goose and the Ducklings - Super Shine #9 2:46

373 Synthesonic Sounds - Superfly 4:15

374 The Harry South Orchestra - The Sweeney (Original Opening and Closing Themes) 3:23

375 Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra - A Swingin' Safari 3:05

376 Pete Moore Orchestra - Take Eight 2:59

377 The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five 5:25

378 Ron Grainer and his Orchestra - Tales of the Unexpected 2:23

379 Andrew Bown - Tarot (Theme from 'Ace of Wands') 3:15

380 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - A Taste of Honey 2:44

381 Bernard Herrmann - Taxi Driver (Main Title from 'Taxi Driver') 3:38

382 Samantha Jones - The TC-Theme 3:02

383 Keith Mansfield - Teenage Chase 2:21

384 The Tornados - Telstar (Original 1962 7" Mono Single Version) 3:15

385 Steve Gray - A Tender Touch 2:27

386 The Button Down Brass featuring the 'Funky' Trumpet of Ray Davies - Tequila 3:32

387 Alan Moorhouse - That's Nice 2:15

388 Michel Legrand & The London Symphony Orchestra - Theme and Variations for Two Pianos and Orchestra (Theme from 'The Go-Between') 3:11

389 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - Theme from 'A Summer Place' 2:20

390 The Barry Gray Orchestra - Theme from 'Captain Scarlet' 1:51

391 Hugh Montenegro - Theme from 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' 2:00

392 George Martin - Theme One 2:25

393 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me 2:55

394 The Alan Tew Orchestra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin' 2:25

395 Matt Monro - (They Long to Be) Close to You 2:54


CD15

396 Herb Alpert - This Guy's in Love with You 4:02

397 The Barry Gray Orchestra - Thunderbirds 2:34

398 Cyril Stapleton, his Choir and Orchestra - Ticket to Ride 3:17

399 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - Tijuana Taxi 2:09

400 Booker T. & the M.G.'s - Time Is Tight (Original 1969 7" Mono Single Version) 3:12

401 Steve Gray - Time to Fly 2:49

402 The Happy Mexicans - Tio Pepe 1:54

403 Elias and His Zig-Zag Jive Flutes - Tom Hark 1:56

404 John Dankworth Orchestra - Tomorrow's World 3:31

405 Dave Davani Four; C.C.S. - Top of the Pops 6:00

406 The Mood Mosaic feat. The Ladybirds - A Touch of Velvet - A Sting of Brass 3:19

407 Keith Mansfield - Towards the Sun 2:46

408 Ken Woodman and his Piccadilly Brass - Town Talk (Theme from the BBC Radio 2 'The Jimmy Young Show') 2:49

409 Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas - Trains and Boats and Planes 2:44

410 Pete Moore's Orchestra and Chorus - Turnpike Lane 2:20

411 James Clarke - Two Lane Blacktop 1:54

412 Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra - The Typewriter 1:36

413 The Barry Gray Orchestra - U.F.O. 2:10

414 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um 2:09

415 Francis Lai feat. Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh - Un homme et une femme 2:37

416 Percy Faith and his Orchestra - Up on the Roof 2:32

417 The Johnny Hawksworth Orchestra - Up to Date (Theme from 'Man About the House') 1:47

418 The 5th Dimension - Up, Up and Away 2:37

419 The John Schroeder Orchestra - The Virgin Soldiers March 3:29

420 The Graham Bond Organisation - Wade in the Water 2:40

421 Syd Dale and his Orchestra - Walk and Talk 2:23

422 The Ventures - Walk Don't Run (Original 1960 Dolton Records 7" Mono Single Version) 2:03

423 Horst Jankowski and his Orchestra - A Walk in the Black Forest 2:50


CD16

424 Dionne Warwick - Walk on By (Original 1964 7" Mono Single Version) 2:53

425 The Alan Tew Orchestra - Walk on the Wildside 4:00

426 The John Schroeder Orchestra - Wana Nana Wana Nana 3:37

427 Mongo Santamaría Band - Watermelon Man (Original 1963 Battle 7" Stereo Single Version) 2:27

428 The Oscar Brandenburg Orchestra - A Well Swung Fanfare 2:32

429 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - West End (Theme from 'Whicker's World') 2:36

430 Burt Bacharach - What the World Needs Now Is Love 4:15

431 Ray Martin and his Orchestra - Wheelbase 1:55

432 Joe Loss and his Orchestra - Wheels Cha Cha 2:16

433 Peter Sarstedt - Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? 4:44

434 Keith Mansfield - Whistle Stop Tour 2:29

435 Jacky - White Horses (Original Philips 1968 7" Mono Single Version) 2:19

436 Noel Harrison - The Windmills of Your Mind (from 'The Thomas Crown Affair') 2:17

437 Percy Faith, his Orchestra and Chorus - Windy 2:52

438 Jack Jones - Wives and Lovers 2:31

439 Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra - Wonderland by Night (Wunderland bei Nacht) 3:12

440 The Mike Flowers Pops - Wonderwall 2:43

441 Shawn Phillips - World in Action 3:39

442 The Don Harper Orchestra - World of Sport 1:42

443 Boots Randolph and his Combo - Yakety Sax (1963 Monument Records 7" Stereo Single Version) 2:02

444 John Barry and his Orchestra - You Only Live Twice 2:36

445 Keith Mansfield - Young Scene (Theme from 'The Big Match' 1968-1972) 1:20

446 Johnny Keating & The Z-Men - Z-Cars 2:12

447 Lou Busch and his Orchestra - Zambezi (Original 1956 Capitol Records 7" Mono Single Version) 2:37

448 David Lindup - The Zodiac 3:08

449 Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra; John Malcolm Orchestra - The Awakening (ITV News at Ten Theme) / Non-Stop (Original ITN News Theme) 4:19

450 Andy Williams; Roger Williams - The Impossible Dream (The Quest) (Honda TV Commercial) (Original 1968 7" Single Versions) 5:40

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