Label: Decca
Year of Release: 1969
Here's an obscure little single. Sky were from Aldershot and boasted Sparks' future drummer Dinky Diamond in their line-up, but beyond that details of their personnel are sketchy.
Whoever they were, these are two very different sides. The A-side "On Our Way" is a Spanish holiday flavoured, anthemic pub singalong which is a bit too simple for its own good - I've been known to lift a flagon of booze and "la la la" my way to oblivion with the best and worst of them, but this track falls under the category of "not quite subtle enough for Chas & Dave", and would have become impossibly irritating if it had actually become a hit.
The flip "The Singer Is Singing His Song", on the other hand, is a vaguely popsikey effort with a similar anthemic feel, but has vague shades of the Moody Blues about it and has subtle flowery frills and melodic diversions to offer. When I first bought this single, I assumed this was the A-side and "On Our Way" was the throwaway flip, but every source I've looked at disagrees with me, so I can only assume Decca heard some commercial potential with the plug side that I just can't.
After this single failed the band would jump ship to Bell to release "Long, Long Gone", but that also stiffed and the band were long, long gone themselves shortly afterwards. If anyone can provide more information about the line-up, please let me know.
7 comments:
Sounds like Sir Henry & His Butlers - Camp (1968) but faster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSox3EbpnLk
"On Our Way" is actually a version/variation of "Camp" (Rolo Sensation)the 1968 Euro-smash done by Sir Henry & his Butlers
Well, this is embarrassing, as I'd actually already covered that record on the blog here: http://left-and-to-the-back.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/sir-henry-and-his-butlers-camp-pretty.html
Must admit that I hadn't really listened to it from that day to this, however, which is probably how I totally failed to recognise the tune in this incarnation.
Thanks for spotting it, folks.
I dug around and found that they were previously known as Mike Raynor and the Condors, and they had released three singles in Denmark. More interesting (and unconfirmed) is that I think Raynor was Philip Bailey aka Pheon Bear, based on songwriting credits and someone's comment on another blog.
No, Mike Raynor was Mike Bigg in reality, brother of the guitarist Bob. Three more singles were 'Turn your Head', 'Wonderful Day' and 'Is she a woman now'. Other band members Keith Barnard droms, Paddy Lavelle bass guitar, Laurie Jenkins trumpet, saxophone, flute, euphonioum.
"jhendrix110 said...
I dug around and found that they were previously known as Mike Raynor and the Condors, and they had released three singles in Denmark. More interesting (and unconfirmed) is that I think Raynor was Philip Bailey aka Pheon Bear, based on songwriting credits and someone's comment on another blog."
Unfortunately, your conclusion is in error. Mike Raynor is the stage name of Mike Bigg. Mike Raynor And The Condors were Mike on lead vocal, Bob Bigg on lead guitar, Patrick Lavelle on bass, Laurie Jenkins on horns and Keith Barnard on drums. They released 3 singles in 1967/68, which did rather well in Denmark. Sky was formed from Mike Raynor And The Condors for a little while with little change. As Sky, they only released one 45", "On Our Way/The Singer Is Singing His Song".
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