THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,661) The Executives — “Summer Hill Road”
This “glistening bauble of psych-pop whimsy” (Paul Culnane, http://www.milesago.com/artists/executives.htm) was a #15 hit in Perth and #35 in Sydney. (AussieOldies, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOChDAbGQkI)
Carole King (no, not that Carole King!) and her husband Brian founded the Executives (see #971), “widely regarded as . . . Australia’s most sophisticated pop group.” (Paul Culnane, http://www.milesago.com/artists/executives.htm) Paul Culnane writes in the authoritative Milesago: Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964-1975 that:
[N]ot enough recognition has been accorded to The Executives. They . . . scored several Top 40 hits, including two consecutive Top 5 singles in Sydney . . . . They are also notable as one of the very first Australian groups to produce their own recordings. This polished sextet was founded by husband and wife Brian and Carole King in Sydney in late 1966, quickly gaining ‘must-see’ status around inner-city venues. Their musical expertise and versatility was unequalled for the time, and between them the six members could play thirty-one instruments, ranging from violin to harpsichord. In January 1967 they released their debut single, “Wander Boy” [see #452 for Bruno’s original version] backed by a cover of The Addrisi Brothers’ “You’re Bad”. . . . It was the one-two punch of follow-up 45s in mid-’67 that cemented The Executives’ reputation. “My Aim Is To Please You” was a beautifully arranged and recorded mid-paced ballad . . . . [that] became a sizeable national hit, peaking at #26 . . . . It paved the way for their biggest seller, the lush, majestic Steven Stills song “Sit Down I Think I Love You” . . . [in which they followed the arrangement of the Mojo Men (see #84)]. It was a Top 30 hit on most capital city charts . . . especially successful in Sydney, where it peaked at #4, and it reached #28 on the Go-Set chart in December. During 1968 they released a trio of self-produced singles, making them one of the very first Australian bands to produce their own recordings. The first was the brisk and catchy “It’s A Happening World” (March) written by . . . Barry Mann & Cynthia Weill, which made the Top 40 in Sydney and Brisbane [with “Moving in a Circle (see #971) the B-side]. The second was an irresistible slice of pure pop called “Windy Day” (June); originally recorded by US band The Lewis & Clark Expedition [see #427, 1,109], it . . . reached #7 [in Sydney]. The third single was . . . “Summerhill Road” (December) . . . . All . . . were respectable national sellers. . . . Shortly after the early-1968 release of their eponymous debut LP, The Executives made the first of two forays to the USA, where they attracted encouraging industry scrutiny. . . . [and] signed to the Buddha label . . . . Unfortunately nothing came of the Buddah deal, so they eventually returned to Australia. . . . [A] further bunch of singles, EPs and another album fared well on the charts, and they remained a popular live draw. . . . A second trip to America in late 1969 saw them absorbing the prevailing psychedelic-progressive trends [and] they changed their name to The Inner Sense, adopting a heavier musical style but still retaining their trademark vocal polish. The Mark 1 line-up of the group lasted until late 1969. . . . The Executive should be remembered for their sophisticated and inventive sound, those gorgeous vocal harmonies, their accomplished musicianship and their mastery of the three-minute pop single idiom.
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