The Singing Sheep : 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' : Virgin ~ '82
Not as bad as you might imagine as the sheep sing
sweetly and in key, although they are no doubt in a
field of their own with this kind of record.
The B side features their unique take on the old Bill Haley
classic 'Flock Around The Clock' and I also herd rumours
there was a going to be an LP but they unfortunately got
the chop from their label before recording it, shame.
Transacord Recording : 'Gresley Pacifics' : Argo ~ '64
Train recordings have always held a peculiar
fascination with me and these particular ones are
no exception. The Class A4 Pacific was a beautiful
steam engine and once held the land speed record but
this single captures them puffing up hills and hurtling
over level crossings in the 1950's at a more gentle pace.
Palitoy Presents : 'Action Man Is Here!' : Lyntone ~ 60's
If you bought an Action Man doll in the 60's you were
treated to a single which featured some stirring marching
music courtesy of Cliff Adams on one side and "authentic
battle sounds" on the flip. These sounds don't feature the
cries of soldiers having their limbs blown off but you can
use your own imagination with the continual barrage of
mortar and whizzing shell explosions.
Tommy Cooper : 'Don't Jump Off The Roof Dad' : Palette '61
Brilliant comedian & magician Tommy Cooper only made
2 records and this is one of em' or at least the B side of it.
The A side was titled 'How Come There's No Dog Day'
which never bothered the charts of 1961 but it's this
side which is the better of the two anyway.
Tommy's repeated cry of "Hang on, I'll get it in a minute"
which opens this song is reason to track it down alone.
Jeff Astle : 'Summer Sadness' : RCA Victor ~ 1971
Impossibly rare 7" by one of West Bromich Albion and England's
greatest footballers and it's even signed ! He isn't all that bad
a singer as regular viewers to his TV appearances will attest,
but it's his piano playing on the flip that's the revelation.
The gentle 'Sweet Water' is nearly as good as the legendary
Richard Clayderman, but perhaps that's down to the production
credit of The Move's own Carl Wayne.
A. Uttley : 'How Many Miles To Babylon?' : Delyse ~ 1964
These adventures of Sam The Pig are about as far removed
from Jamaica and Jah as it's possible to get. Still, the creepy
narration by David Davis is enough to give children nightmares
and put a stop to their minds wondering how many miles there
are indeed to Babylon.
The Actual Roar Of Niagra Falls : 'This Is Niagra' ~ 60's
Yes, it does exactly what it says on the sleeve ! It sounds a bit
like a recording of a ton of bricks falling down the stairs, at a
Merzbow concert, played backwards. No year of actual release
available but it has probably sounded like this for some time.
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch and Friends :
'Things Go Better With Coke' : Coca Cola Records ~ 60's
This garish sleeve housed a late 60's German EP featuring
The Supremes, Ray Charles, Petula Clark AND DDDBM&T all
singing a selection of Coke inspired ditties with saccharin
sweet sincerity. Not as tasty as that sounds!
Robert Maxwell 'New Name & Symbol' : Hannibal ~ 80's
Ex local MP to the Milton Keynes area in the 60's as well as
press baron, gangster and all round bad egg, Robert Maxwell
is the star of this picture disc. Here he is showing us how big
the pension fund that got away was or maybe it's something
to do with fishing off the side of boats...
Various : 'Nice Clean Petrol' : Amoco Records ~ 70's
Two songs on this red vinyl flexidisc, one by Sharon Redd
and Groove Myers singing their delightful ode to petrol,
'Where The Mind Can Breathe'. Whilst On the flip is the quite
nauseating 'A Preferential Matter' sung with utter, utter sincerity by Allan Johnston. It's enough to give you gas!
Johnny Johnston : 'That Wonderful Worthingtons Taste' 1960
An unusual postcard-record from the with a great song about getting drunk on
fine ale. Johnny Johnston wrote this tune and was a prolific jingle writer and
penned many familiar tv & radio adverts in the 60's and 70's from coffee
and chocolate to paraffin.
Thunderbird 2 : End Of The Road : Century 21 ~ 1966
T2 was always my personal favourite with its belly opening
underneath to reveal Thunderbird 4 ahhh... This was one of a
series of mini album EP's which included Captain Scarlet and
Lady Penelope and were issued to cash in on the huge success
of the TV shows. The rarest one of the 37 EP's issued featured
The Daleks and is worth well over £50 in good condition as many
were often used as frisbees by them pesky kids.
Sounds Of HM Tower Of London : Ceremony Of The Keys
1078 Records ~ 1968
Introduced by Yeoman Quartermaster H. T. Johns, this lavish
gatefold single featured the sounds of the Tower Ravens as
well as various doors being opened and slammed shut!
Unfortunately doesn't feature any beheading but is indeed
a right Royal treat from London taaahn.
Rolf Harris : The Stylophone Record Dubreq ~ 1970
Rolf Harris helped you learn to play a selection of simple tunes
like 'Jingle Bells' and 'Drink To Me Only'on the latest electronic
toy of 1970. This useful EP is housed in a smart gatefold sleeve
and inside, handy numbers alongside the notes so you knew
you were pressing the right metal pad but still couldn't stop it
sounding totally crap.. tsk..
Vic Hammett : Bambi Demo Record : Livingstone ~ 60's
"Keyboard wizard Vic Hammett captures some of the magic
of the Bambi Organ" {it sez on the reverse of sleeve}
The reality is actually far from the truth as his keyboard
skills give off wafts of cheese and an organic odour not fit
for human consumption.
Real Train Sounds : On The Footplate : Dandy ~ 60's
Featuring the legendary Flying Scotsman train and the
sounds from the locomotive Foot-plate, this is a treat for
all rail enthusiasts. Most copies I have seen of this are on
black vinyl but I am proud of this lovely mottled red one.
Standard Triumph : Triumph Herald : Lyntone ~ 1959
This is a picture disc featuring music 'specially composed' for
the Triumph Herald motor car presentation at Royal Albert Hall
in April 1959. Nice romantic Romeo & Juliet setting on the cover
but tis dodgy classical music within them there grooves.
Michelin Presents : A Gramophone Record Lyntone ~ 60's
I don't think I have ever got tyred of listening to this,
a very handy tyre pressure ditty on an embossed flexi
which you can hum while sitting in a layby on the A5
perhaps while waiting for your man, from the AA...
EXOTICA SINGLES
This page will hopefully be of interest to anyone
with a curiosity for more unusual 7" singles.
I have been collecting records for many years not only for their bizarre sleeves and I would like to
share some of their strange pleasures with you.
There will be more of these curios posted up in
Spring 06 when I've finished sorting out the shed.
also available
