The Gallants - Man From U.N.C.L.E/ The Vagabond

David Axelrod and HB Barnum with a groovy instro take on the classic theme

Label: Capitol

Year of Release: 1965

While digging around in my record boxes a couple of weeks ago, I found this one dozing forgotten and unloved in front of the Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera 45s. I bought it in a job-lot auction 15 years ago and had just allowed it to fester there in the meantime, never entertaining the idea of either DJ'ing with it or uploading it here.

This is proof that I'm not always the most organised cookie when it comes to these things, and the obvious gems in job lot auctions sometimes blind me to the charms of the other candidates in the batch. Both sides of this are worth a spin - the A-side is not the actual "Man From U.N.C.L.E." theme, but a more guitar-heavy approximation of it pulled together by the legendary arranger HB Barnum. The spindly guitar riffs intertwine with a driving beat and sinister organ lines to create a slightly menacing, clippy affair. 

For dancefloor movers, though, the B-side "The Vagabond" is where the action is. This is a Barnum composition which shakes with verve and sassiness. It's apparently found its way on to a number of mod night playlists over the years, although I have to confess I never did hear it blasting its way across the floor at any night I attended in London. 

Barnum probably needs little introduction, but began his career in doo-wop groups before gradually shifting over to arrangement and songwriting work, which saw him collaborate with Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Chubby Checker and numerous other legends besides. As a songwriter, his most credible outing is probably Judy Street's "What". 

Nestling uncredited on this label (but firmly credited on the US pressing) is also another production king David Axelrod, for whom The Gallants appeared to be a commercial "themes" project rather than anything more artistically significant. Their other US singles included The Batman Theme and The Theme From Laurel and Hardy, proving that Axelrod was just trying to produce popular hits from familiar themes, and little more - but it's proof that even when given such a factory line task, he could infuse it with a certain spark. 

Perhaps not entirely coincidentally, Axelrod and Barnum also worked with "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." actor David McCallum on a series of instrumental albums. His father had worked as a commercial arranger and was also principal first violinist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and McCallum was an aspiring oboe player before becoming an actor. His numerous LPs vary in quality but definitely have some moments... but we're veering off-topic now towards a completely different story. 

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