The Early Radio London Fab Forties
Sunday 21st Feb 1965
#19
#36

Last
This
 
Week
Week
2
1
I'll Never Find Another You Seekers
8
2
Funny How Love Can Be Ivy League
5
3
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Animals
9
4
It's Not Unusual Tom Jones
4
5
The Game Of Love Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders
10
6
It Hurts So Much Jim Reeves
20
7
Mary Anne Shadows
19
8
Goodnight Roy Orbison
3
9
Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow The Sun) Del Shannon
1
10
Tired Of Waiting For You Kinks
16
11
I Must Be Seeing Things Gene Pitney
6
12
The Special Years Val Doonican
34
13
Come And Stay With Me Marianne Faithfull
26
14
I'll Stop At Nothing Sandie Shaw
24
15
Silhouettes Herman's Hermits
12
16
Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself Adam Faith
14
17
Yes I Will Hollies
18
18
Your Hurtin' Kinda Love Dusty Springfield
19
Honey I Need Pretty Things
7
20
Come Tomorrow Manfred Mann
23
21
The 'In' Crowd Dobie Gray
39
22
Can't You Hear My Heartbeat Goldie & the Gingerbreads
40
23
Hold What You've Got Joe Tex
22
24
Hawaii Tattoo Waikikis
31
25
Concrete And Clay Unit 4 + 2
29
26
I Cry Alone Jackie Lee
27
I Apologise P J Proby
38
28
Diggin' My Potatoes Heinz
11
29
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' Righteous Brothers
37
30
Tell Her No Zombies
31
Do What You Do Do Well Ned Miller
21
32
The Name Game Shirley Ellis
27
33
Paper Tiger Sue Thompson
25
34
Leader Of The Pack Shangri-Las
13
35
Baby Please Don't Go Them
36
Goodbye My Love Searchers
37
I Belong Kathy Kirby
17
38
Go Now! Moody Blues
39
The Birds And The Bees Jewel Akens
40
The Boy From New York City Ad Libs


Keen gardener Heinz is still harvesting his King Edwards while climbing ten places.


27
33
Paper Tiger Sue Thompson Hickory 1284

Paper Tiger is synonymous with the early sound of Radio London, when the station had only a limited number of records and it was heard quite frequently.

Sue Thompson was born Eva Sue McKee in Nevada, Missouri, where she made her mark as a singing cowgirl, aged only seven. When her family moved to California, she appeared regularly on Dude Martin's country television show in San Francisco.

Paper Tiger came from the pen of prolific songwriter John D Loudermilk (d September 2016, aged 82) who was responsible for writing most of the Nashville Teens releases.

(Right) Sue, looking glamorous at her 90th birthday party in 2015

Sue was in her mid-thirties when she achieved two US million-sellers. In 1961, she enjoyed a top five success with Loudermilk's Sad Movies, but the simultaneous release of Brit Carol Deene's cover meant that both versions made only minor dents in the UK chart. Sue's follow-up and greatest US hit (#3) Norman (another Loudermilk song) was also covered by Carol Deene. Sadly for Sue, the Brit version was the one that conquered the UK top 30.

Three years later, Paper Tiger (undoubtedly assisted by offshore exposure) gave Sue her second and final (but biggest) UK hit, #30 in the Nationals.

In the Seventies, Sue left the pop scene to return to country music.

Wikipedia entry

Russ and Gary's tribute page, with video and audio clips, including Paper Tiger.

Paper Tiger lyrics here.

Paper Tiger and all of Sue's hits are on the 26-track CD, Suzie: The Hickory Anthology.

Click on the photo for full track listing.

Climbers:  
Where Am I Sundowners
The Last Time Rolling Stones
If I Can Help Somebody Frenesi Watson
Disc of the Week:  
She's Lost You Zephyrs


She's Lost You Zephyrs Columbia DB 7481

The London-based ZephyrsJohn 'Chip' Carpenter (drums) John Hinde (vocals/bass), Meic (Mike) Lease (organ) and John Bebby (or Peeby) (guitar) - had, rather wisely, changed their name from the Clee-shays.

She's Lost You (produced by Shel Talmy) fared far better on Radio London than elsewhere. It spent just one week at #48 in the National Top Fifty, although it appears the Zephyrs also achieved minuscule British Invasion success, occupying the lower reaches of New York's WMCA Good Guys survey for a fortnight.

The group's final single, I Just Can't Take it, released in May 65, was written by Mike Lease and was the first A-side to be published by Radio London's publishing company, Pall Mall Music. However, unlike many Pall Mall releases, it never appeared in the Fab Forty. The band was seen playing the B-side, She Laughed, in the Rank film Be My Guest. Most of the artists appeared under their own names, but the unfortunate Zephyrs were given the ghastly sobriquet Slash Wildly & the Cut-Throats.

Be My Guest starred David Hemmings, with a young Steve Marriott. This was Steve's third film and a sequel to 1963's Live it Up, involving a very similar plot. Musically, the film also showcases performances by Jerry Lee Lewis, the Nashville Teens, the Niteshades, the Plebs and Kenny and the Wranglers. (see Fab Forty 160565)

During the filming, organist Mike Lease became friendly with Steve Marriot and later, Steve called him to invite him to join the Small Faces. Mike feared Steve was not sufficiently musically competent and turned the job down! From an interview by Vinyl Vulture).

WMCA Good Guys survey info from the brilliant Airheads Radio Survey where you will learn that Airheads is the US equivalent of Anoraks - i.e. radio trivia buffs.

Click on the Be My Guest photo (right) for information on buying the DVD, or left, VHS.


Drama on the Galaxy
Aboard this week were Pete Brady, Earl Richmond, Dave Dennis, Dave Cash and Kenny Everett, while Duncan Johnson, Tony Windsor and Paul Kaye were on shore leave. On April 23rd, Earl Richmond was taken ill with gastric flu, necessitating an emergency call-out to Walton-on-the Naze's Elizabth Elson Lifeboat.


Tune in next week for another Big L Fab 40!

The Caroline Chart for this week is here


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