Offered With Very Little Comment #6 - Dora Hall, Dick James, Afro Akino, Tony Hatch, Chamber of Kommerce

Five 45s from the back of the box

Once again, readers, it's time to delve deep into the dusty crevices of my 45 collection and focus on a load of weird and occasionally wonderful cuts.

As usual, I've uploaded these en masse purely because I've ummed and ahhed over the contents of the recordings and researched the groups in question and can't really think of much to say beyond the observations you see below. Sometimes less is more (and anyway, you didn't seriously expect me to write a sixth Dora Hall blog entry, did you? I really don't want any of my friends to feel they need to stage an intervention).

If any of you feel you want to discuss the contents in more depth or highlight something I might not know, feel free to comment away.

(And remember, readers - simply refresh the page if Box is deciding to be an arse today).

Artist: Dora Hall

Single: Hello Faithless/ You've Got Me Cryin' Again

Label: King

Year of Release: 1964

And here she is, as I live and breathe! Anyone wanting more information on Dora Hall should track back to the first entry I wrote about her in 2012.

"Hello Faithless" appears to have been the only effort in her career that wasn't solely a vanity release. It would seem that the British independent label King decided that it was just the kind of hot sound its punters wanted, and they made it one of their first four commercial releases. Her husband, meanwhile, put it out on his own label in the USA as usual. 

There weren't many takers, but recordman46 on the 45cat forum was kind enough to point out to me that the single got a good review in the Radnor Times and Brecon Gazette. In fairness, it's one of her stronger efforts, the moody, swinging, finger-wagging nature of the song suiting her husky tones well. The B-side, on the other hand, is weak and full of the wobbles you'd expect. 

Artist: Dick James

Single: Sing A Song Of Beatles (Medley)

Label: Parlophone

Year of Release: 1964

Dick James was known for two things at this point - firstly, being a moderately successful singer  who sang the "Robin Hood" theme, and secondly, handling the publishing rights for The Beatles songs via Northern Songs. He and the group eventually fell out when he sold the company in 1969 without offering them a chance to own the publishing rights to their work.

This is a cash-in disc from the golden era of Beatles cash-in discs, and consists of James and some schoolchildren cheering the Fabs and singing a party pops styled medley. It's hard to understand why anyone would have wanted or needed to own it, but I can only presume its function was primarily for knees-up parties involving all the family. The Beatles opinions on the contents are not recorded.

Artist: Afro Akino

Single: Maria/ Hwe Anna

Label: AfroDisc

Year of Release: 1974

Now here's an interesting one. Afrodisc was set up to promote West African music in London in 1974, way ahead of any World Music trends in the eighties. It was owned by Akie Deen, who occasionally dabbled in mixing reggae and African styles together - you can hear an experiment of that nature on the flipside here.

This is a lovely little 45, but sadly I can't tell you that much about the Ghanan group behind it. Afro Akino were also known as the African Brothers and were lead by Nana Kwame Ampadu who is something of a legend in his homeland, composing over 800 songs. His track "Some Are Well Seated" was deemed to be somewhat critical of the National Liberation Council and he went AWOL from Ghanan airwaves until military rule was finished. 

I'm really not an expert on this genre, though, and I'm going to come horribly unstuck if I try to analyse either Ampadu's career or this record in more depth. It's worth a listen, though.

Artist: Tony Hatch Sound

Single: Live For Life/ Finito

Label: Pye

Year of Release: 1967

We all know Tony Hatch, of course - producer of numerous very worthy sixties artists and some not-so-worthy ones, composer of the theme tunes to both "Crossroads" and "Neighbours" (and "Mr & Mrs")... his career, while largely behind the scenes, has been unbelievably successful.

This version of "Live For Life" didn't chart but is respectfully arranged, and the flip is pure Swinging London, the perfect soundtrack for the next time you nip to Carnaby Street to buy a new suit. 

Artist: Chamber of Kommerce

Single: Free To Live

Label: Cloud One

Year of Release: 1974

And finally, this one-sided promo I picked up a few years ago and have not managed to find out a single thing about. It's a great bit of Philly disco, though, whose only crime is its very short running time - no sooner are you seduced by its charms than it fades out and sods off into the night. There again, we've all met people like that.