Sharon Tandy — “Daughter of the Sun”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 6, 2025

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD

1,485) Sharon Tandy — “Daughter of the Sun”

This incredible ’68 B-side by the incredible Sharon Tandy (see #371, 441, 442, 741) with her “delightfully twisted vocal” (Vintage Vinyl Via Valves, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9PqjxiB7_0), captures her “in full [Julie] Driscoll-styled [see #1,032, 1,033, 1,312] psychedelic priestess mode” (Alec Palao, liner notes to the CD comp You Gotta Believe It’s . . . Sharon Tandy) where “she plays the part of something like a psychedelic witch”. (Richie Unterberger, https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-gotta-believe-its-mw0000741620) The song is “a lost near-classic with witchy vocals and sinister psychedelic guitar” (Richie Unterberger, https://www.allmusic.com/album/reflections-mw0000601140), “heavy psych [that] slaps so hard!![, an a]mazing gem” (lord_chardak, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuB5zt6ujyY). The “Heavy Psych Rock sound” (Vintage Vinyl Via Valves, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9PqjxiB7_0) is courtesy of Les Fleur De Lys’ (see #32, 122). Some people “hear[] the early Sabbath in this” (tonystephen6312, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKZxJuKLzVA), “Black Sabbath meets Nancy Sinatra” (unadin, ), others hear a “Proto-Amy Winehouse” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKZxJuKLzVA (lilSnubby, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKZxJuKLzVA).

As to Sharon Tandy, Steve Leggett explains:

South African singer Sharon Tandy had a brief career as a blue-eyed soul singer in Britain in the 1960s, and although her recorded legacy doesn’t contain any big commercial hits, her unique phrasing and passionate vocal style suggest things could easily have been different. . . . Tandy already had a career as a singer and performer in South Africa before relocating to England in 1964 at the suggestion of Frank Fenter, then the U.K. head of Atlantic Records and soon to be her mentor, manager, and husband. Pairing her with the British mod group Fleur de Lys, Fenter used his clout to land her an opening slot on the 1967 Stax-Volt U.K. tour and, also convinced Stax to sign her as an artist, which led to Tandy recording several tracks at the label’s famed McLemore Avenue studio with Booker T. & the MG’s and Isaac Hayes. Tandy’ relationship with Fenter faltered, however, and she returned to South Africa in 1970 where she continued to sing and perform. Her output during the U.K. years, which saw her delivering sides that were mod-tinged and sometimes lightly psychedelic pop-soul, and sounding at times like a hipper, tougher version of Dusty Springfield, remain at the heart of her legacy.

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sharon-tandy-mn0000010390

As to Les Fleur de Lys, Richie Unterberger writes:

Although several of their singles are coveted by collectors of ’60s British rock, Les Fleur de Lys remain obscure even by cult standards. That’s partly because they never came close to getting a hit, but also because their furious pace of lineup changes makes their history very difficult to trace, and also precluded any sense of consistent style or identity. The group did release a number of fine singles in the mod-psychedelic style that has become known as “freakbeat,” with more of a soul music influence than most such British acts. Les Fleur de Lys changed lineups about half-a-dozen times during their recording career, which roughly spanned 1965-1969. . . . [S]ome of the musicians passing through went on to commercial success with Journey and Jefferson Starship (keyboardist Pete Sears) and King Crimson (bassist Gordon Haskell). At the outset, they recorded a couple of singles for the Immediate label that were produced by Jimmy Page (there remains some controversy about whether he played guitar on these as well). A cover of the Who’s “Circles” [see #122] featured the fluid, slightly distorted guitar lines that would become Fleur de Lys’ most distinguishing characteristic. The 45s made no commercial impact, however, and Fleur de Lys helped sustain themselves in the late ’60s by backing relocated South African singer Sharon Tandy. Continuing to record intermittently on the side, the band managed a few decent slabs of freakbeat with “Hold On,” “Mud in Your Eye,” [see #32] and their most psychedelic outing, the memorably titled “Gong with the Luminous Nose.

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/les-fleur-de-lys-mn0000798843#biography

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