THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,427) The Spencer Davis Group — “Time Seller”
This was the band’s first A-side post-Steve Winwood, and reached #30 in the UK and #100 in the U.S. It is a “stunningly beautiful song” (783nata, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_zgi91D5Ow) and “was quite innovative and progressive sounding for the time with a heavy cello backing and seemed to indicate a new and promising musical direction for the group.” (John Woodhouse, http://www.brumbeat.net/sdgroup.htm) More double bass!
The CD comp Acid Drops, Spacedust & Flying Saucers: Psychedelic Confectionery tells us that:
When Spencer Davis rebuilt The Spencer Davis Group after the loss of the Winwood brothers early in 1967, he chose organist Eddie Hardin [see #1,187] . . . and guitarist Phil Sawyer [see #32, 122]. “Time Seller”, their first single, was pieced together over various sessions, with the likes of Graham Nash dropping in to . . . add some high vocals. In fact, many have noted the influence of “Time Seller” on The Hollies’ “King Midas in Reverse”. . . . Ray Fenwick replaced Sawyer in December 1967 and when the LP With Their New Face On appeared . . . new vocals by Davis and Hardin had been overdubbed onto the track [replacing Sawyer’s vocals on the 45].
liner notes to the CD comp Acid Drops, Spacedust & Flying Saucers: Psychedelic Confectionery from the UK Underground 1965-69
“Time Seller” was written by Davis, Hardin and Sawyer. (45cat.com, https://www.45cat.com/record/tf854)
David Wells adds that:
[The song was] inspired, according to Davis, by the fact that “people always say ‘I wish I could buy time’ . . . the line ‘they live in a land where the clocks grow on trees’ was inspired by Salvador Dali. Total surrealism! Graham Nash came to the session, he said it was a remarkable song.” Recorded . . . with Hollies producer Ron Richards, the track was elevated by a rococo string arrangement from Johnny Scott that featured four double basses and four violas, bowed and played pizzicato. . . .
liner notes to the CD comp Come Join My Orchestra: The British Baroque Pop Sound 1967-73
Here is Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory”:
Here is the LP version:
Here is a video:
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