THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,145) Fuchsia — “Me and My Kite”
A whimsical British prog delight, the song, “a favourite amongst fans of the album and group, is a gorgeously twee pop-charmer with a sweet and achingly simple chorus”. (Aussie-Byrd-Brother, https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662) It “could have easily been a Moodys song, a completely unaffected and simple ditty about a guy and his kite just meandering through the day without a care” (ClemofNazareth, https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662), and it is “about actually flying a kite. It doesn’t get better than that as a slice of English whimsy without the smarminess of a Caravan or Stackridge.” (kenethlevine, https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662) bencolemanart writes:
Love [“Kite”], particularly the proggy time signature of the verses and the chunky rhythm section on the chorus. It’s so hard to write a song like this and pull it off without being fey or twee, this one does it playfully and with nonchalance. Fuchsia were a superb band, the album is simply great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-4Wuz6a8M4
The album is “a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music and a shining example folk-founded rock music.” (BrufordFreak, https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662) “Fuchsia only produced this one album, exploring the netherlands between folk, psych, prog and light classical. I enjoy the distinctly English flavour that saturates the disk, and the groundedness of the tunes and lyrics that favourably distinguishes this band from many of that era.” (Kenethlevine, https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662) “Dramatic or joyous or anything in between, a unique Prog/Chamber/Psych/Pop/FolkRock sound!” (music_emporium, https://www.discogs.com/release/2246292-Fuchsia-Fuchsia#:~:text=The%20concept%20for%20Fuchsia%20the,)%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9C(%E2%80%A6)
Apps79 tells us about the album and the band:
Named after the fictional character of Fuchsia Groan from the Titus Groan novel this short-lived British band was found[ed] by guitarist/singer Tony Durant in early-70’s, while he was a student at Exeter University, along with bassist Michael Day and drummer Michael Gregory. Attracted by the use of string instruments, Durant recruited a three-piece female string section for the first Fuchsia release . . . . The self-titled debut was . . . released in summer 1971 by Pegasus. The same album was released a year later in France by Kingdom label.
https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662
Aussie-Byrd-Brother adds:
Fuchsia were a British progressive-folk group made up of students who delivered a single cherished little album that has since picked up quite a legendary underground status over the last few decades. Comprised of charming and sprightly folk tunes with lush orchestrated instrumentation and keen pop melodies, it almost sounds like a cross between early Pink Floyd and the Syd Barrett solo albums, Electric Light Orchestra and a pinch of Gentle Giant, Caravan and Fruupp, making for a whimsical, energetic and sweet psych-lite folk gem. The group is directed by lead singer and guitarist Tony Durant, who fleshes out Fuchsia’s acoustic/electric sound with a predominantly female band on violin, cello, viola, harmonium and piano.
https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662
But then, as Aussie-Byrd-Brother relates:
Sadly, sparse advertising and failed touring opportunities lead to the premature demise of the group soon after, until a compilation of unreleased and related pieces entitled `Fuchsia, Mahogany and Other Gems’ emerged in 2005, and more excitingly a revamped modern line-up assembled by Mr Durant, now based in Australia, delivering a well-received proper follow-up `Fuchsia II: From Psychedelia…To a Distant Place’ in 2013. But for over forty years now, this charming self-titled work has been Fuchsia’s defining musical statement, one that holds an effortlessly melodic crossover quality that would also likely appeal to non-folk fans, and it has retained its infectious and precious charm ever since.
https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=12662
Tony Durant himself writes:
Surprised – an understatement to be sure, when I found that after 35 years the Fuchsia album had not actually disappeared without a trace as I had first thought. It had gone on to make a life of its own. John O’Regan, music journalist for Mojo discovered the 1971 release in a vintage record store in the 80s, and triggered a resurgence when he declared the album “a masterpiece of art rock.”
https://fuchsiamusic.com
Here is a documentary on the band and the album:
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