Lovely bit of Orbison-influenced beat from a performer who went AWOL
Label: Piccadilly
Year of Release: 1964
Over the years, "Left and to the Back" has paid host to the work of a number of recording artists who have just disappeared into the shadows. This is odder than it sounds - most performers, however obscure, are known as the "bloke who was nearly a pop star" or "the woman who still does a turn at the local club" to their local communities at least. Some, on the other hand, just evaporate to the extent that their ex-band members are reduced to starting webpages trying to trace them.
Paul Conway (real name Roger Newell) had also worked under the name Vern Rogers, and issued four singles on Oriole under that name from 1962-64 ("Be Everything To Anyone You Love", "He's New To You", "I Will" and "Anna (Go To Him)". All these records failed to chart, and he clearly decided to change his name to Paul Conway to ensure he was no longer saddled with the "flop artist" tag.
A new contract with the Pye subsidiary Piccadilly delivered two additional records, "Don't Make Fun of Me" and this effort. The former release is a fairly slow paced pop stroller which doesn't advance significantly from his twee teen pop beginnings, but this is a lovely piece of old-school beat drama about a likely lady, filled with quivering vocals, dramatic brass lines and a neat, pounding chorus. The track had previously been recorded by Jay and The Americans who had issued it as a successful 45 in the USA a few months before - this version has a bit more darkness about it, though, and may end up becoming your favourite.
