Label: Bumble
Year of Release: 1972
Bumble was a short-lived and rather strange label in the seventies, issuing all manner of styles and genres, from bubblegum to middle-of-the-road pop to - most bafflingly - a live album by the Flying Burrito Brothers. Its incoherent identity was pronounced enough that it was even gently criticised in the trade press, and may have been one small reason the label limped to its death after an uneventful and hitless few years.
A lot of the artists who recorded for it released one record and were never heard from again, and Glory in this case are no exception. Who are they? Sorry, I can't help you there, chief.
What I can tell you for a fact is that the song "Annabella" is perhaps best known as the B-side of Cliff Richard's "Silvery Rain". Given that "Silvery Rain" climbed to number 27 in 1971, a distinctly underpowered performance by Cliff's usual standards, that's not really saying a great deal - but it's all I've got.
The song itself is a gentle, chiming ballad with lyrics which tilt towards the twee end of the songsmith's spectrum. Once the almost Christmassy intro slips to one side, the song reveals itself to be an attempt at yet another powerful but wistful ballad with an anthemic chorus. "Annabella, um-ber-rella!/ Standing on the corner when the rain comes down/ that's the way I'll always think of you... Annabella/ umbrella CHILD!" they sing, perhaps taking a few cues from The Hollies' "Bus Stop".
The public were clearly not impressed by this attempt to fetishise rain and umbrellas in such a strident fashion - the songwriters might have got further with PVC raincoats, perhaps - and this single barely sold at all, proving to be one of the harder to trace aspects of the Bumble back catalogue. My copy has obviously been very well loved as it suffers from some needle-wear, but it's the best you're going to get for now.
The B-side "It's The Way That You Feel It" is a little groovier, but still doesn't quite have the degree of power required to convince feet on to the dancefloor.
If the previews below aren't working properly, please go right to the source.
3 comments:
Taken from the bespoke 7tt77 website, Bumble also released an album by The Byrds!
A number of Bumble singles had involvement from Barry Green, who changed colour to Barry Blue and became more successful.
I think the Consortium version from 1971 is more sonically pleasing, especially in the chorus;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ADHaEkQSEs
I agree with you Gaz - of all the versions I've heard, that one seems to flatter the song most.
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