K's EASY LISTENING SPECIAL - VA - This Is... Easy: 425 Easy Listening Favourites (Super Deluxe Edition) [2023] (15 x CDs)

 

K's EASY LISTENING SPECIAL - 

VA - This Is... Easy: 425 Easy Listening Favourites (Super Deluxe Edition) [2023] (15 x CDs)

The Swinging Easy Listening Revival of the 90's.

The retro easy listening scene first developed around the mid 90's 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 60's 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,1970’s 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 60’s and early 70’s 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 with a novelty cover of Oasis' 'Wonderwall' by The Mike Flowers Pops, a band who replicated the easy 60’s 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 1994.

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

The CDs and LPs I purchased contain only a fraction of the compilations released from the 1990's 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 90's 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 the a banner entitled The 90's Easy Listening Revival.

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 80's and 90's 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 40's and 50's 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 70's such as Andy Williams, Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones. Compilations of 60's and 70's 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 90's and early 00's 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 60's and 70's European porn movies.

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

The timeline moving from the 80's 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 in 1998 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 80's onwards.

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

Library Music

In the late 80's and early 90's crate-diggers had already discovered library music. By the mid-90's 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 lay a wealth of groovy 60's 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 80's and early 90's 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 50's and 60's they spied the resurging interest and moved fast to exploit it.

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

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

The music industry thrives on genres cycling back into fashion and with 90's 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 head first 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; 50's cocktail music and tiki-bars, 60's Mod and Bondesque spy imagery and 70's 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 70's they rarely succumbed to the sartorial inelegance of jeans and T-shirts.

Easy arrived with its own look. In 90's 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 90's is that it wasn't just one genre and appreciating it didn't involve too many arguments over defining it.

On many easy compilations 60's and 70's 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.

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

So, after exhaustive and extensive online research, plus my own recollections and memories, here is my personal compilation of what I consider to be the 425 best and most important tracks from the swinging easy listening revival of the 90's.

This fully packed 15CD 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      Pt.3 

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Track lists

CD01

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

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

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

04 John Barry and his Orchestra - The Adventurer 2:08

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

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

07 John Dankworth Orchestra - African Waltz 2:21

08 Fleetwood Mac - Albatross 3:07

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

10 Birds 'N Brass - American Woman 2:49

11 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Animal Magic 2:23

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

13 The Shadows - Apache (Original 1960 Columbia Records 7" Mono Single Version) 2:53

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

15 Nancy Sinatra - As Tears Go By 2:48

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

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

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

19 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Avengers Tag 1:59

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 Edwin Astley - The Baron 1:47

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

25 Alan Hawkshaw - Beat Boutique 1:32

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

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

28 Max Gregor & Orchester - Big Train 2:15

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

30 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Birds 2:42

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

CD02

32 Mandingo - Black Rite 4:10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 Brian Bennett - Boogie Juice 1:35

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

42 The Steve Karmen Big Band - Breakaway 3:51

43 Frederick Caffell - Burros De Bahia 2:27

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

45 Neil Richardson - Busy Spectacle 1:54

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

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

3:22

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

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

50 Lawrence Welk - Calcutta 2:14

51 Bobby Womack - California Dreaming 3:17

52 Chris Montez - Call Me 2:34

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

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

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

56 Don Lusher - Carnaby Chic 2:45

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

58 Pete Moore - Cat Walk 2:59

CD03

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

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

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

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

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

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

65 Mason Williams - Classical Gas 3:04

66 The Johnny Keating Orchestra - The Clown 2:21

67 Alyn Ainsworth Orchestra - Colditz March 3:02

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

69 Max Harris - Cool Stepper 2:30

70 Brian Fahey and his Orchestra - Countdown 2:29

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

72 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Crossroads 2:00

73 The Dakotas - The Cruel Sea 2:14

74 Vick Flick Sound - Cubanana 2:35

75 Vick Flick Sound - The Cutter 2:08

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

77 Edwin Astley - Danger Man 1:49

78 Edwin Astley - Department S 2:10

79 Alan Tew - The Detectives 2:29

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

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

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

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

84 James Clarke - Double Take 2:30

85 The Tony Hatch Sound - Downtown 3:09

86 Ray Anthony - Dragnet 2:44

87 Paddy Kingsland - The Earthmen 3:17

CD04

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

89 James Clarke - Elegance 2:56

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

91 Martin Denny - The Enchanted Sea 1:58

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

93 The Pandora Orchestra - Eurocrat 1:47

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

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

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

97 Pete Moore - The Fat Man 2:41

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

99 Peggy Lee - Fever 3:21

100 Val Merrall - Flash 3:57

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

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

103 David Gold - Forbidden Fruit 3:24

104 Frank Pourcel - Francais Francais 2:11

105 Alan Parker - The Free Life 2:14

106 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Freewheelers 2:53

107 James Clarke - Friendly Faces 1:40

108 Engelbert Humperdinck - From Here to Eternity 3:48

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

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

111 Neil Richardson - Fun in the Sun 2:26

112 The Saint Orchestra - Funko 2:24

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

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

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

116 James Clarke - Gentle Breeze 2:15

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

CD05

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

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

120 Johnny Keating & The Z-Men - Getaway 2:37

121 Roy Budd - Getting Nowhere 3:09

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

123 Alan Hawkshaw - Girl at the Top 1:51

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

125 Alan Hawkshaw - Girl in a Sportscar 1:39

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

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

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

129 Johnny Scott - Glad Gadabout 2:40

130 Steve Gray - Go for Broke 2:44

131 The Oscar Brandenburg Orchestra - Going Places 2:53

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

133 Hugo Montenegro, His Orchestra and Chorus - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 2:41

134 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Goofy 2:59

135 Keith Mansfield - Grandstand 2:25

136 Hugh Masekela - Grazing in the Grass 2:37

137 Keith Mansfield - The Great Outdoors 3:33

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

139 Pete Moore Orchestra - Green Onions 2:33

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

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

142 Pérez Prado and his Orchestra - Guaglione 2:24

143 Lee Mason and his Orchestra - Gumboots 2:48

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

145 Dick Walter - Hacienda Happening 2:11

CD06

146 John Cameron - Half Forgotten Daydreams 4:08

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

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

149 The John Schroeder Orchestra - Headband 3:09

150 Mandingo - The Headhunter 3:05

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

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

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

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

155 Bill Geldard - High Ball 2:13

156 Les Reed Piano - High Society 2:16

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

158 Howard Blaikley Orchestra - Hold Tight 2:32

159 James Clarke - Holiday People 2:03

160 Bill Geldard - Hot Line 2:27

161 Alan Hawkshaw - Hot Pants 1:48

162 The Scottmen - Hot Rod 2:55

163 Badder Than Evil - Hot Wheels (The Chase) 2:59

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

165 Earl Grant - House of Bamboo 2:37

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

167 Roy Budd - Hurry to Me 4:00

168 Keith Mansfield - Husky Birdsong 3:28

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

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

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

172 Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer 3:32

173 Whistling Jack Smith - I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman (Used in the 'AA Car Insurance' TV ads) 2:20

CD07

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

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

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

177 David Snell - International Flight 1:56

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

179 Quincy Jones and his Orchestra - Ironside 3:54

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

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

182 Rico Rodriguez - It's Not Unusual (Original 1968 Pama Records 7" Single Version) 2:38

183 John Gregory and his Orchestra - Jaguar 3:39

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

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

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

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

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

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

190 Neil Richardson - Jewel of Evening 2:35

191 The Barry Gray Orchestra - Joe 90 2:17

192 Tony Osborne - John & Paul 2:35

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

194 The Ray McVay Sound - Kinda Kinky 2:28

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

196 Gato Barbieri - Last Tango in Paris 2:48

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

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

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

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

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

CD08

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

203 Keith Mansfield - Life of Leisure 3:05

204 James Clarke - Life of Luxury 2:33

205 Alan Hawkshaw - Lift Off 3:16

206 John Andrews Tartaglia - Light My Fire 5:19

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

208 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Limehouse 2:46

209 Anita Harris - London Life 2:53

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

211 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro) 2:18

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

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

214 Dusty Springfield - The Look of Love 3:31

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

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

217 Cyril Stapleton - Love Today, Cry Tomorrow 2:53

218 Keith Mansfield - The Loving Touch 2:59

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

220 The Johnny Hawksworth Orchestra - Lunar Walk 2:31

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

222 E. Cap - Mama Elephant 3:03

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

224 The Tony Hatch Sound - Man Alive 2:02

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

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

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

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

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

CD09

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

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

232 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Martini 3:13

233 Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Mas Que Nada 2:36

234 Keith Mansfield - Men on the Move 2:54

235 Pierre Arvay - Merry Ocarina (Vision On: Humphrey the Tortioise Theme) 2:02

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

237 The Alan Moorhouse Band - Mexico Fiesta 2:25

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

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

240 John Scott and his Orchestra - Midweek 2:39

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

242 Martin Denny - Misirilou 2:36

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

244 Lalo Schifrin - Mission: Impossible 2:32

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

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

247 Keith Mansfield - Morning Broadway 2:05

248 Stan Butcher, His Birds and Brass - Morningtown Ride (Theme from 'Ed Stewart's Junior Choice') 2:38

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

250 Roy Budd - Mr. Rose 2:27

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

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

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

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

255 Vick Flick Sound - Mustang 2:43

256 Count Indigo - My Unknown Love 4:06

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

258 Jim Lawless - News Travel Fast 3:45

CD10

259 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Next of Kingsleigh 3:14

260 Alan Hawkshaw - The Night Rider 1:59

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

262 Men About Town - Norwegian Wood 3:10

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

264 B. Bumble & the Stingers - Nut Rocker 2:00

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

266 The Dave Pell Singers - Oh Calcutta 2:18

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

268 Mike Vickers - On the Brink 2:24

269 Floyd Cramer - On the Rebound 2:07

270 Val Merrall - Open House 3:14

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

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

273 Perry Como - Papa Loves Mambo 2:40

274 Dick Doerschuk - Paradise Found 2:55

275 Mike Vickers - Pegasus 1:35

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

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

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

279 The John Schroeder Orchestra - Peter Popgunn 2:30

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

281 The Harry Roche Constellation - Pinball Wizard 3:26

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

283 Roy Budd - Plaything 2:52

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

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

286 Keith Mansfield - Powerhouse Pop 2:31

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

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

CD11

289 Alan Parker - Punch Bowl 1:39

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

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

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

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

294 Harry Stoneham Quintet - The Raver 2:48

295 The Ray Macvay Sound - Revenge 2:08

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

297 Neil Richardson - The Riviera Affair 1:29

298 Group 40 Orchestra - Roadwalk 1:50

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

300 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Rough Riding 3:00

301 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Rumbo 3:31

302 The Pandora Orchestra - Running Free 1:55

303 Steve Gray - Running from Danger 1:51

304 Edwin Astley - The Saint 2:00

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

306 The Cougars - Saturday Night at the Duck Pond 2:12

307 James Clarke - Say Something Sweet 3:07

308 Esquivel! - Sentimental Journey 2:36

309 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - The Shake 2:18

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

311 Russ Conway - Side Saddle 1:52

312 David Gold - Silk Stream 2:55

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

314 Killer Watts - Sleep Walk 2:51

315 The Johhny Pearson Orchestra - Sleepy Shores (Theme from 'Owen M.D.') 3:05

316 Mandingo - The Snake Pit 3:11

317 James Clarke - Soft Memories 2:03

318 Pete Moore - Solar Wind 2:33

CD12

319 Alan Moorhouse - Some Other Time 2:37

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

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

322 Max Gregor - Soul House 3:00

323 Harry Stoneham Quintet - Soul in Space 2:57

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

325 Tony Hatch & The Satin Brass - Soulful Strut (Am I the Same Guy) 2:32

326 Burt Bacharach - South American Getaway 5:08

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

328 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Spanish Flea 2:09

329 Sounds Incorporated - Spanish Harlem 2:53

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

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

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

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

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

335 Tony Hatch and his Orchestra - Sportsnight 2:50

336 The Eliminators - Staccto 2:08

337 Pete Moore - Steptoe and Son 2:29

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

339 The Roger Webb Orchestra - Strange Report 2:01

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

341 Acker Bilk - Stranger on the Shore 2:57

342 The Alan Moorhouse Band - The Striker 2:26

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

CD13

344 Tak Shindo - Stumbling 2:05

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

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

347 Birds 'N Brass - Sugar Sugar 2:58

348 The Ray Conniff Singers - Summer Breeze 3:32

349 James Clarke - Summer Dreams 3:55

350 James Clarke - Summer Season 2:01

351 Keith Mansfield - Sun Lover 3:15

352 David Lindup - Sunseekers 2:43

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

354 Synthesonic Sounds - Superfly 4:15

355 The Harry South Orchestra - The Sweeney (Original Closing Theme) 2:43

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

357 Pete Moore Orchestra - Take Eight 2:59

358 The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five 5:25

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

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

361 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - A Taste of Honey 2:44

362 Bernard Herrmann - Taxi Driver 3:38

363 Samantha Jones - The TC-Theme 3:02

364 The Tornados - Telstar 3:15

365 Steve Gray - A Tender Touch 2:27

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

367 Alan Moorhouse - That's Nice 2:15

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

CD14

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

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

371 George Martin - Theme One 2:25

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

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

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

375 The Barry Gray Orchestra - Thunderbirds 2:34

376 Cyril Stapleton, His Choir and Orchestra - Ticket to Ride 3:17

377 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Tijuana Taxi 2:09

378 Steve Gray - Time to Fly 2:49

379 The Happy Mexicans - Tio Pepe 1:54

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

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

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

383 Keith Mansfield - Towards the Sun 2:46

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

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

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

387 James Clarke - Two Lane Blacktop 1:54

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

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

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

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

392 Dave Brubeck - Unsquare Dance 2:01

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

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

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

396 James Clarke - Violin Serenade 3:05

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

CD15

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

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

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

401 Dionne Warwick - Walk On By 2:54

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

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

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

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

406 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - West End 2:36

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

408 Ray Martin and his Orchestra - Wheelbase 1:55

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

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

411 Keith Mansfield - Whistle Stop Tour 2:29

412 Jacky - White Horses 2:19

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

414 Percy Faith, His Orchestra and Chorus - Windy 2:52

415 Jack Jones - Wives and Lovers 2:31

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

417 The Mike Flowers Pops - Wonderwall 2:43

418 Shawn Phillips - World in Action 3:39

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

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

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

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

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

424 David Lindup - The Zodiac 3:08

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

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