It's January so it must be yet another series of Call the Midwife. Although we gave up watching a couple of seasons ago, I will still persevere with my listing of the songs with the help of Tunefind, together with the odd anecdote. I could only find one song from the Christmas Special shown on 25th December 2021 and that was Tulips from Amsterdam sung by Max Bygraves. The 1958 recording was a translation of the original 1953 German production.
Now I have found some more songs courtesy of Tunefind:
Sha La La La Lee by The Small Faces. Released in January 1966, it was written by Kenny Lynch and Mort Shuman. It reached number 3 in the UK charts.
Mahalia I want back my Dollar by Lord Invader and His Calypso Quintet. Don't ask.
Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin. This is the English language version of Charles Trenet's La Mer. It was released in late 1959 and reached number 8 in the UK charts.
Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Vee. Originally released by Bobby Helms in 1957, it was written by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe. They have been many cover versions and I would never have found the Bobby Vee recording if it were not for Tunefind.
I do not include carols or hymns in my lists.
Episode 1
Tunefind failed to acknowledge the one song at the end of this episode. It's 1967 and the cast gather to watch the Eurovision Song Contest on a black and white TV. And sure enough here is Sandy Shaw singing the winning Puppet on a String. Written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter, it became a UK number one in April. (Tunefind have now included this song).
Episode 2
Last Train to Clarksville by The Monkees. Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, the band's debut single did far better in the USA than in the UK where it only reached number 23 on the charts. It's Beatles inspired tune was recorded with other instrumentalists.
Little Bit of Soul by The Music Explosion. I have never heard of the song (written in 1964 by British songwriters John Carter and Ken Lewis) and never heard of the American band who took it to number 2 in the USA charts. So thanks to Tunefind. In the UK it was recorded by the Coventry group The Little Darlings but that sunk without trace, as must have the band.
Exclusive Blend by Keith Mansfield. This British composer wrote many TV theme tunes. Check out the KPM Big Band on YouTube.
Episode 3
My Love by Petula Clark. We can't go a whole series without a song from Petula. A 1965 release written by Tony Hatch. Although it reached number 1 in the USA, it only made number 4 in the UK.
I have ignored Tunefind's listing of Cry Me a River (sung by one of the cast) and the instrumental Peerie's Air by the Hudson Swan Band recorded in 2008?
Episode 4
Don't Sleep in the Subway by Petula Clark. What is it about this singer, she appears so often on the soundtrack. Is she related to someone in the production team? And yes, another Tony Hatch composition, this time with Jackie Trent. Released in April 1967, it only reached number twelve in the UK charts despite it's popularity.
Episode 5
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me by Dusty Springfield (or according to the late Terry Wogan, Rusty Springboard). Originally a 1965 Italian song by Pino Donaggio and Vito Pallavinci, it was recorded by Dusty in 1966 and made it to number one in the UK. The English lyrics ( by Vicki Wickham and Simon Napier-Bell) bear little resemblance to the Italian version, but are a perfect fit for the gorgeous melody. And Dusty sings with that wonderful voice. The live version is on YouTube and on this weeks episode it backs a montage of characters so we can hear it all with no voice over. I cannot remember a better song, singer and presentation on any episode of Call the Midwife over the years.
Episode 6
What has just happened? Who picked these three obscure numbers? Are they trying to test Tunefind? I would never have found them. Here we go:
I Want You by T-Boones. This is a 1967 recording by a Swedish group led by Kenny Hakasson. Not to be confused by T-Bones (not the American band of that name but it's British counterpart who I must have seen in Brighton in the sixties. The name sounds so familiar..... And there they were. On the same bill as David Bowie at Brighton University on 22nd October 1966. Blog posting of 27th February 2010). T-Boones were apparently a pre-punk band of whom I had never heard. I cannot find the composers.
Baluba Shake by Brunetta. She is an Italian singer and this track from 1966 is apparently a dance favourite. It sounds to me like something Tarantino would include in one of his movies. It was written by Gorni Kramer and Alberto Testa.
In The Deep End by The Atwoods. A 1967 single from Ronnie Wood's older brother Art's band and written by Paul Gump. Despite releasing a few recordings, they never troubled the charts.
Episode 7
Back to some less rare songs. Perhaps not for the first.
You're Too Much A Part Of Me by Patti Austin. Written by F Tanner and T Ponte, this was a 1967 recording from Belgium.
Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks. At last an iconic single from 1967, written of course by Ray Davies, that reached number 2 in the UK charts.
The Dr Who Theme composed by Ron Grainger and realised by Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1963. The electronic soundtrack was created well before synthesisers. It has been used on every series, albeit in different recordings.
Episode 8
Elusive Butterfly by Val Doonican. Written by American folk singer Bob Lind, his recording in 1965 went to number 5 in the USA. In the UK it was simultaneously released by Val Doonican and both records reached, again, number five in the charts in 1966. It has subsequently been covered many times.
That is the end of Series 11.
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