"Yeh Yeh/Get Away/Hall Of Fame Plus Bonus Tracks" by GEORGIE FAME – Two US Albums from December 1964 and March 1966 on Imperial Records in Stereo and Mono, One British Compilation Album in Mono-only from March 1967 on EMI Records Plus Nine Bonus Single Sides (November 2022 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) Compilation – 3LPs Plus Nine Bonuses Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Preach And Teach... "

 

Back in October 2015 most Georgie Fame fans here in the UK were licking their lips in glee at the new and gorgeous Universal/Polydor 5CD Box Set "The Whole World's Shaking: Complete Recordings 1963-1966".

 

That peach contained his second British album "Fame At Last" from October 1964 and third "Sweet Things" from March 1966 and so much more. However, those titles were track-list rejiggered (omissions and additions), artwork changed and issued as "Yeh Yeh" and "Get Away" in America in December 1964 and March 1966. And once Fame had left EMI for a new contract with Columbia/CBS Records – EMI UK issued a new March 1967 UK-only Mono-only compilation called "Hall Of Fame" – a title not covered by the 5CD Box Set.

 

And that is where this very cool Beat Goes On twofer CD compilation comes a yeah-yeah bopping in. It gathers together all three of those albums in the one place for the first time and throws in Nine Bonus Tracks – British LP tracks and seven-inch single sides from the period. This release also sees BGO of the UK reach the milestone of catalogue number 1,500 - so there are extra notes from Andy Gray of the reissue label on that too. A lot to talk of, so to the details...

 

UK released 17 November 2022 - "Yeh Yeh/Get Away/Hall Of Fame Plus Bonus Tracks" by GEORGIE FAME on Beat Goes On BGOCD1500 (Barcode 5017261215000) is a Compilation that Remasters 3LPs Plus Nine Bonus Tracks onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (73:09 minutes):

1. Let The Sunshine In [Side]

2. Yeh Yeh

3. Get On The Right Track, Baby

4. The Monkey Time

5. Preach And Teach

6. Gimme That Wine

7. I'm In The Mood For Love [Side 2]

8. Pride And Joy

9. I Love The Life I Live

10. Point Of No Return

11. Monkeying Around

12. Pink Champagne

Tracks 1 to 12 are his American Debut LP "Yeh Yeh" – released December 1964 in the USA on Imperial LP 12282 in Stereo (charted 5 January 1965 and rose to No. 137 after 3 weeks).

 

13. Get Away [Side 1]

14. Sweet Thing

15. Ride Your Pony

16. Funny How Time Slips Away

17. Sitting In The Park

18. See Saw

19. Music Talk [Side 2]

20. Last Night

21. It's Got The Whole World Shakin'

22. El Bandido

23. The World Is Round

24. The "In" Crowd

Tracks 13 to 24 are his second American album "Get Away" – released March 1966 in the USA on Imperial LP 9331 in Mono only (didn’t chart).

 

CD2 (47:03 minutes):

1. Sunny [Side 1]

2. Like We Used To Be

3. Outrage

4. In The Meantime

5. Something [Side 2]

6. Do Re Mi

7. Lil' Darlin'

Tracks 1 to 7 are part of the UK-only album "Hall Of Fame" – released March 1967 in the UK on Columbia SX 6120 in Mono only.

NOTE: In order to not duplicate titles on this 2CD compilation, seven tracks of its original 14 are not on CD2. If you want to sequence the original "Hall Of Fame" LP as was - use the following:

 

"Hall Of Fame" LP, March 1967, Columbia SX 6120 in Mono-only

Side 1:

1. Yeh Yeh (CD1, Track 2)

2. Sunny (CD2, Track 1)

3. Point if No Return (CD1, Track 10)

4. Like We Used To Be (CD2, Track 2)

5. Get On The Right Track, Baby (CD1, Track 3)

6. Outrage (CD2, Track 3)

7. Let The Sunshine In (CD1, Track 1)

Side 2:

1. Getaway (CD1, Track 13)

2. Sitting In The Park (CD1, Track 17)

3. In The Meantime (CD2, Track 4)

4. Something (CD2, Track 5)

5. Do Re Mi (CD2, Track 6)

6. Sweet Thing (CD1, Track 14)

7. Lil' Darlin' (CD2, Track 7)

 

BONUS TRACKS

8. Do The Dog (Live)

9. Shop Around (Live)

Tracks 8 and 9 are from the January 1964 UK debut album "Rhythm And Blues At The Flamingo", also January 1964 UK 45-single on Columbia DB 7193 A & B-sides. The album was recorded 'live' in September 1963 and Produced by Ian Samwell with Glyn Johns as the Engineer (Mono).

 

10. Green Onions

Track 10 is a non-album Mono B-side to "Do Re MI" – a UK 7" single released April 1964 on Columbia DB 7255

 

11. I'm In Love With You

12. Bend A Little

Tracks 11 and 12 are the Mono A and B-sides to a July 1964 Promo-Only UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7328

 

13. Telegram

Track 13 is the non-album Mono B-side of "In The Meantime", a February 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7494 – peaked at 22. "In The Meantime" the A-side is on the "Hall Of Fame" LP

 

14. It Ain’t Right

Track 14 is the non-album B-side of "Like We Used To Be", a July 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7633 (the A is Mono, the B is Stereo) – peaked at No. 33 on the charts. The A-side "Like We Used To Be" is on the "Hall Of Fame" LP

 

15. Don't Make Promises

Track 15 is the non-album Mono B-side of "Sunny", a September 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8015 (peaked at No. 13 on the charts). The A-side "Sunny" is also on the "Hall Of Fame" LP

 

16. Many Happy Returns

Track 16 is the Non-LP B-side of "Sitting In The Park", a December 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8096. The A-side is on the "Get Away" LP

 

The outer card slipcase looks and is classy, the 24-page book repros all the original artwork front and rear, pictures some foreign seven-inch sleeves to frame the Bonus Tracks and adds in new liner notes by noted writer and fan CHARLES WARING. Waring goes into depth giving a deep-dive print on those manic Modernism years between 1964 and 1966 particularly. Georgie Fame broke down doors for Mods and their adoration of all things American R & B and Soul – and so many of the covers here reflected Clive Powell’s obsession with the same. In fact, it seems off that given the British Invasion the "Get Away" album did not dent the top 200 of the American charts. It says Digitally Remastered from Original Tapes but not when or by whom, so we can presume that having licensed the material from Universal who handled the 2015 Box (it made a point of having found the best audio sources) – then these are the same. They certainly sound like it – clean – muscular and very punchy (mostly Mono).

 

Having said all of that, the first thing you could argue is that if you already own the October 2015 5CD Box Set "The Whole World's Shaking: Complete Recordings 1963-1966" – why would you buy this if 85% of it is already Remastered to perfection on that set (Tristam Powell – his son – and Andrew Walter did those RMs at Abbey Road)? The answer is the stragglers on the "Hall Of Fame" album. To the music...

 

It's easy to hear why the Flamingo-live "Do The Dog" and "Shopping Around" failed as a debut 45-single – it's joyful stuff for sure, but it’s just 'too' rough and cluttered. No such sweat with the brill R&B blasting out of your speakers with stuff like "Let The Sunshine In" and Motown's "The Monkey Time" – the girly vocals and brass jabs – all sparkling. The rhythm-section shuffle in "Pink Champagne" is fabulous – Fame's vocals fresh too. It's hard to do an instrumental diamond like "Green Onions" any kind of justice because its owned by Booker T & The M.G.'s – but Fame gives it a barnstorming arrangement that allows both the organ and Saxophone room to shine.

 

The original UK album closed on the Jazzy smooch of "I'm In The Mood For Love". Cool-city is the only way to describe the mod dancer B-side "Do-Re-Mi" (I can see why its so sought after by mod collectors) – unfortunately it's equally easy to hear why the sappy "I'm In Love With You" went only to demo-level only (the flip "Bend A Little" is far better). I'll admit that It's been decades since I last heard the Ska and Blue Beat EP – but what a blast the foursome are – and in great Audio too. But best of all for me is the monster "Yeh, Yeh" (his first No. 1) with its superb "Preach And Teach" flip (surely a shoe in for one the great double-siders).

 

The funky-as-a-gnat's-knackers "See Saw" packs huge punch while "Sitting In The Park" is as echo-lovely as the Billy Stewart 1965 Chess original. The drums on the 'so' 60ts "Music Talk" is a mod's wet dream as is his organ-drenched instrumental cover of the Ramsey Lewis nugget "The "In" Crowd". Both "The World Is Round" and the box set's namesake "The Whole World's Shaking" are fabulous Sixties R&B Jivers (I can just see the girls on the dancefloor blowing the sharp-dressed boys minds with their shimmy-shimmy-shake moves). The "Hall Of Fame" set gave a first-time-on-LP place to the rare B-side "In The Meantime" while another best Audio B-side goes to "It Ain't Right" – his own composition – worth the entry price alone.

 

OK – you could argue that there is a lot of duplication for fans on here – but even they will want the stragglers – and for newcomers - stonkingly great Audio for Georgie Boy Fame is his Mod-glorious prime (I say yeah yeah)...

"Swarbrick/Swarbrick 2/Smiddyburn" by DAVE SWARBRICK – November 1976, April 1977 and July 1981 UK LPs on Transatlantic and Logo Records – Guests included Martin Carthy, Alan Robertson, Kate Graham, Dave Mattacks, Bruce Rowland, Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg (all Fairport Convention), Beryl and Roger Marriott (of The Ceilidh Band) with John McCormack (of The Spinners) (April 2011 UK Beat Goes On Reissue – 3LPs onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Singing Bird..."

Now here's a bit of a wee belter. 

With time off from Fairport Convention and help from some of their jolly crew including his pals Martin Carthy, Simon Nicols and Producer Bruce Rowland, what you get here are three of Dave Swarbrick's fiddle-playing best solo LPs from 1976, 1977 and 1981 lumped together into one tasty 2CD love-bucket. With fabulous remastered audio from original Transatlantic and Logo Records tapes and card slipcase presentation – it looks the part too. Fiddly dee indeed. 

Let's get to the vicars, the hags, the shepherds, the rakes and the rocky roads to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...

UK released 12 April 2011 - "Swarbrick/Swarbrick 2/Smiddyburn" by DAVE SWARBRICK on Beat Goes On BGOCD 979 (Barcode 5017261209795) offers three LPs from 1976, 1977 and 1981 Remastered onto 2CDs that plays out as follows: 

CD1 (45:17 minutes):

1. The Heilanman/Drowsy Maggie [Side 1]

2. Carthy's March

3. The White Cockade/Doc Boyd's Jig/Durham Rangers 

4. My Singing Bird 

5. The Nightingale 

6. Once I Loved A Maiden Fair

7. The Killarney Boys Of Pleasure 

8. Lady In The Boat/Rosin The Bow/Timour The Tartar

9. Byker Hill [Side 2]

10. The Ace And The Deuce Of Pipering 

11. Hole In The Wall 

12. Ben Dorian 

13. The Hullichans/Chorus Jig

14. The 79th's Farewell To Gibraltar 

15. Arthur McBride/Snug In The Blanket

Tracks 1 to 15 are his second studio album "Swarbrick" - released November 1976 in the UK on Transatlantic TRA 337 (Produced by Bruce Rowland, not issued in the USA). 

CD2 (77:54 minutes):

1. The Athole Highlanders [Side 1]

2. Shannon Bells/Fairy Dance/Miss McLeod's Reel

3. The King Of The Fairies

4. Chief O'Neill's Favourite/Newcastle Hornpipe

5. Sheebeg And Sheemore 

6. The Rocky Road To Dublin/Sir Phillip McHugh 

7. Planxty Morgan Mawgan

8. The Swallows Tail/Rakes Of Kildare/Blackthorn Stick 

9. Sheagh Of The Rye/The Friar's Breeches [Side 2]

10. Derwentwater's Farewell/The Noble Squire Dacre

11. Teribus/Farewell To Aberdeen

12. Bonaparte's Retreat 

13. Shepherd's Hey 

14. Lord Inchiquin

15. The Coulin 

Tracks 1 to 15 are his third studio album "Swarbrick 2" - released April 1977 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 341 (Bruce Rowland produced, not issued in the USA).

16. Wat Ye Wah I Met The Streen/The Ribbons Of The Redhead Girl/Ril Gan Ainm [Side 1]

17. Sir Charles Coote/Smiths 

18. I Have A Wife Of My Own/Lady Mary Hay's Scotch Measure

19. Wishing/The Vicar's Return/The Gravel Walk 

20. When The Battle Is Over [Side 2]

21. Sword Dance/The Young Black Cow

22. Sean O'Dwyer Of The Glen/The Hag With The Money/Sleepy Maggie

23. It Suits Me Well 

Tracks 16 to 23 are his sixth studio album "Smiddyburn" – released July 1981 in the UK on Logo Records LOGO 1029 (Produced by John Woods). Guests include Dave Mattacks and Bruce Rowland on Drums with Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol on Guitars and Bob Pegg on Bass (all Fairport Convention) with Beryl and Roger Marriott on Piano and Harmonica (of The Ceilidh Band) and John McCormack (of The Spinners) on Double Bass. 

The debut album from 1967 "Rags, Reels & Airs" by New Malden and Surrey's favourite violin/fiddle player was shared with other British Folk luminaries Martin Carthy and Daz Disley - Bounty Records BY 6030 being a vinyl rarity that will set you back a few quid in 2020 (he also appeared on other Martin Carthy projects in 1967, 1968 and 1969). But along with Dave Mattacks, Swarbrick changed his life forever by joining Fairport Convention in the autumn twilight of the Sixties, just in time for the groundbreaking December 1969 release of the legendary LP "Liege & Lief" – Fairport's third album in that amazing year and a huge shot in the arm to the Folk-Rock genre. By the time he'd reached 1976 – it was sorely time for solo album number two. And that's where this twofer kicks in. 

The outer card slipcase always lends these BGO reissues a touch of presentation class and the 16-page booklet within features typically deep liner notes from long-time scribe for Beat Goes On – JOHN O'REGAN. The few photographs that were on the original LPs (him with ciggy in mouth and violin in hand) are all here as are the track-by-track playlists. The joining of Fairport looms large in the text, his contributions to FC albums like "Full House" and "Babbacombe Lee" is discussed, as is his incredibly productive brother-from-another-mother relationship with guitarist Martin Carthy. ANDREW THOMPSON did the Remasters from original tapes in 2011 and these albums sound gorgeous – acoustic instruments in the hands of virtuosos and a sympathetic and experienced Producer. 

The surname-titled debut "Swarbrick" opens with "The Heilanman/Drowsy Maggie" which sounds like Planxty on several tabs of Irish Folk fiddle speed. Things settle into jaunty Acoustic and Violin dancing territory with the likes of "The Nightingale" and the fun times of "The Ace And Deuce Of Pipering" - while Martin Carthy provides beautiful acoustic guitar accompaniment in an upbeat rendition of "Arthur McBride". Mellow comes in the shape of the lovely instrumental "Once I Loved A Maiden Fair" – probably the prettiest outing on a very Traditional Folk music first album for Transatlantic Records. 

Released only six months later in April 1977 as England grappled with the first flushes of New Wave and Punk - "Swarbrick 2" saw Bruce Rowland return as Producer and occasional Drummer, while the duo of Beryl and Roger Marriott of The Ceilidh Band lent a hand on Keyboards and Melodeon. Kate Graham also played fiddle while Dave Pegg offered his Bass playing talents. Opening with "The Athole Highlanders" – Martin Carthy on Guitar and Bruce Rowland on Drums – Swarbrick and his two buddies sounded like a great Folk Act in a bar in Connemara with a roaring fire on the go and the Guinness flowing from busy taps. Horslips would rock up "The King Of The Fairies" for their "Dancehall Sweethearts" album of 1974 (a single too) – here its just Swarbrick unaccompanied – his fiddle playing an altogether more dignified affair where the playfulness in the air somehow also contains sadness – yet you don't know why (he does the solo same on "Bonaparte's Retreat"). Simon Nicol does a gorgeous job on Acoustic Guitar accompanying Swarbrick for the pretty "Sheebeg And Sheemore". Number 2 ends with the lonesome near six minutes of "The Coulin" where Swarbrick is accompanied by Savourna Stevenson on a harp-like instrument called a 'clarsach'.   

The closest many got to a Fairport Convention Folk-Rock album, July 1981's "Smiddyburn" saw many of the gang proffer their chops - including Richard Thompson. The simplistic English fiddle reels and airs of the first two LPs presented here are replaced with a more filled-out 'band' sound. And yet when Thompson does a three-way Mandolin battle with Swarbrick and Dave Pegg on "Sir Charles Coote/Smiths" (all three on the same instrument), it feels like a multi-layered middle passage on Mike Oldfield's "Hergest Ridge" or "Ommadawn" - very cool (they repeat the Mandolin trio thing for "When The Battle Is Over". You are ever so slightly ill prepared for the beauty of "Sean O'Dwyer Of The Glen..." where Beryl Marriott plays a truly sweet piano intro before soon being joined by Swarbrick speeding things up with "The Hag With The Money" reel. The accomplished "Smiddyburn" album ends with both Thompson and Nicol providing guitars for "It Suits Me well" while Swarb puts in a rare lead vocal.

For sure both Swarbrick and these defiantly English Folk LPs will not be everyone's idea of Sunday afternoon chill or Saturday Night spandex pants. But they make me smile. 

And I still find it amazing that at the time, I got just as excited about The Bothy Band and the likes of Dave Swarbrick as I did about The Clash and The Sex Pistols both of whom would probably have nutted these stunning musicians with a concrete brick taken from a strike blockade. Great times indeed...

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