THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,741) Georgie Fame — “Pass It Around”
Here Georgie transforms a horrible ‘70 A-side by the Troggs (written by Valerie Avon and Harold “Little Games” Spiro) into a mellow masterpiece that goes down sooooo easy.
I like to think I was named in honor of Georgie Fame (see #103, 169, 634, 695, 721, 1,044) Hey, my mother used to call me Georgie, and we share the same initials (along with gluten-free items!). If only I were so cool! As Oregano Rathbone has said, “[i]t’s imperative not to trust anyone who doesn’t love Georgie Fame, though we can’t begin to imagine what kind of monster such a person would have to be.” (https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/whole-worlds-shaking-complete-recordings-1963-66)
Of the LP Going Home, Dusty Groove writes:
Going Home is an album that’s far more soulful and laidback than some of Fame’s earlier sets, and filled with wonderful tunes that really sparkle with warmth and imagination! Georgie didn’t write the tunes himself, but he’s done a great job here of pulling them together – picking out work that’s more mature and a bit less gimmicky than his early hits – and singing them alongside gentle backings from Keith Mansfield [see #599] that often include a bit of electric piano, used in a way that further emphasizes the adult soul side of the tracks . . . .
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/469900/Georgie-Fame:Seventh-Son-Going-Home
Jason Ankeny adds:
Going Home boasts a maturity and subtlety often missing from Georgie Fame’s previous LPs. Its simple approach strips away some of the more gimmicky elements of his earlier efforts, emphasizing the increasingly honest soulfulness of his vocals. Keith Mansfield’s thoughtful arrangements likewise eschew excess in favor of a wonderfully mellow sound that perfectly underscores Fame’s natural warmth and grace. Electric piano grooves further establish the set’s smoky, jazzy atmosphere. Best of all are the songs, each of them covers and impeccably chosen.
As to Georgie, Max Bell says:
Georgie Fame . . . is one of British R&B music’s founding fathers. . . . [with immense] cultural influence. . . . The black music he championed with his band The Blue Flames brought new sounds to Swinging London and bossed venues like the Flamingo Club and the Marquee where he turned the English mod movement on to a whole bag of soul and authentic US urban and country sounds and also the ska and early reggae he heard in the Jamaican cafes and clubs in the Ladbroke Grove area of London. . . .
Steve Huey adds that:
Georgie Fame’s swinging, surprisingly credible blend of jazz and American R&B earned him a substantial following in his native U.K., where he scored three number one singles during the ’60s. . . . Early in his career, he . . . peppered his repertoire with Jamaican ska and bluebeat tunes, helping to popularize that genre in England; during his later years, he was one of the few jazz singers of any stripe to take an interest in the vanishing art of vocalese, and earned much general respect from jazz critics on both sides of the Atlantic.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/georgie-fame-mn0000543055/biography
As to Fame’s early history, Bell tells us that:
[He] depart[ed] to London aged 16 to seek his fortune. He touted his talents up and down the legendary Tin Pan Alley area of Denmark Street just off Soho where he was spotted by impresarios Lionel Bart and Larry Parnes who christened him Georgie Fame – somewhat against his will. Working with touring rock and rollers like Joe Brown, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran young Fame became battle-hardened and was snapped up by Billy Fury in 1961 to lead his backing band The Blue Flames for whom he arranged and sang. The Blue Flames and Fury parted company and so Georgie took over . . . .
Steve Huey again:
The[ Flames’] budding reputation landed them a residency at the West End jazz club the Flamingo, and thanks to the American servicemen who frequented the club and lent Fame their records, [Fame] discovered the Hammond B-3 organ, becoming one of the very few British musicians to adopt the instrument in late 1962. From there, the Blue Flames became one of the most popular live bands in London. In 1963, they signed with EMI Columbia, and in early 1964 released their acclaimed debut LP, Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo. It wasn’t a hot seller at first, and likewise their first three singles all flopped, but word of the group was spreading. Finally, in early 1965, Fame hit the charts with “Yeh Yeh,” . . . . [which] went all the way to number one on the British charts . . . . His 1965 LP Fame at Last reached the British Top 20, and after several more minor hits, he had another British number one with “Getaway” in 1966. After one more LP with the original Blue Flames, 1966’s Sweet Thing, Fame broke up the band and recorded solo . . . .
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/georgie-fame-mn0000543055/biography
The Troggs:
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