SLS: Cross Your Heart

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It is Sunday, and you know what that means, don’t you? Yup, it’s time for Song Lyric Sunday, and this week, as he tells us in his post Subvocalization, Jim is inviting us to play a song that gets stuck in your head. He gives a scientific explanation of what this means but for me it boils down to one thing: it’s welcome to ‘Create An Earworm Week,’ everyone!

I had to think about this one a bit, as these days I consume most of my music through Apple Music and YouTube, so the chances of hearing something on the radio that then stays with me all day are zero. But back in my teen years my little transistor radio was a cherished possession, and I would listen at every opportunity. This included having the radio on in my bedroom while I was getting ready for school, and I’m playing two of the tunes which always had that impact for me back then.

 

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In 1967 the UK Government passed an Act of Parliament which outlawed the pirate radio stations that I had grown up with. The BBC rescheduled its programming as a result, giving us the new Radio 1, which began broadcasting on 30 September 1967. They recruited many of the DJs from the pirate stations so it felt a bit like plus ça change, but that was what I was tuned into when this first song became a big hit here in early 1968:

John Fred Gourrier originally formed his band John Fred and the Playboys in 1956, and after a couple of name changes, to avoid any confusion with Gary Lewis and the Playboys, John Fred & His Playboy Band came into being. Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) was written by John Fred and bandmate Andrew Bernard. You might have difficulty picking them all out but they threw loads of instruments at the record, which features strings, brass, a sitar, piano, bass, guitar, drums, breathing sounds, and just for good measure some dissonant string sounds. Its title is a play on, and a mondegreen of, the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which Fred believed was “Lucy in disguise with diamonds” when he first heard it.

In January 1968 the song reached #1 in the US and became a gold record, selling more than 1m copies. It also hit #1 in Germany, Switzerland, and Australia, and #3 in both Canada and, in February, the UK. If this came on the radio before I left for school I was stuck with it all day – it is a very difficult song to shift from your head! The success of the single led to John Fred & His Playboy Band being branded as a novelty act, and as a result they never had another major success. The follow-up single, Hey, Hey, Bunny, peaked at #57 on the Billboard chart, and the band never again hit the Hot 100 – and neither did they here. Maybe as an homage, Gary Lewis recorded a cover of the song for his 1968 album Gary Lewis Now!, but as that only made #150 in the US I guess the royalties didn’t do much for John Fred’s bank balance! Novelty song or not, it includes one of my all time favourite lines, the one about a heavily advertised product of the time which I have borrowed in part for my title.

 

 

I didn’t buy that one, but I did add my second earworm for today to my collection:

The Move released Fire Brigade as a single in January 1968, and it peaked at #3 in the UK a month after John Fred achieved the same placing. I have played this one often, as it is in my sets of ‘fire’ songs each November, but this is its debut on SLS. It is a typical 60s English pop song, from a band which eventually morphed into two parts – Jeff Lynne (who joined after this song) turned his bit into the ELO, and Roy Wood turned his into Wizzard. This is nutty but I have always loved it, and am still word-perfect on it now, even to my timing for Carl Wayne’s ‘oohs!’ The song was written by Roy Wood, who takes lead vocal, and if you want to see the lyrics you can find them on musixmatch.

That’s my job done for today. Two short songs which may last longer in your head than you might wish, but they are fun and that is one of the delights of music for me. I’m off to see what others are playing for this theme, and if you’d also like to know just follow the link at the top to Jim’s post.

Thanks as always to Jim for running the show, and I’ll see you again for some Tuesday Tunes, I trust. Stay safe and well 😊

56 thoughts on “SLS: Cross Your Heart”

  3. As my dad worked for Pye Records from 1959, I had a free copy of ‘Judy In Disguise’ at the time. Just as well, as I wouldn’t have bought it. I never had ‘Fire Brigade, though I quite liked The Move. But I did buy ‘Blackberry Way’ and ‘Flowers In The Rain’ when they were released. Thanks for the memories, Clive.

    Best wishes, Pete.

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  5. Always liked ‘Judy’ and the vid of John Fred as a long lean lanky bestriped trouser freak always makes me smile. ‘Fire Brigade’ is one that evokes a certain moment in time for me, but ain’t that what music does best? The clanging fire bell intro and talk of ‘If I put my hand upon her leg she’d hit me with a rule’ now all sound so much of the time. (Wanders off, nostalgic smile on his dreamy face…)

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    • I went for the lyric video, but the one of the band performance is good, isn’t it. These were both from the same time, so that doubles your memories!

      I doubt they’d get away with that lyric these days…

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  10. Don’t you just love it when people say “this is a new one for me” when we play songs from our youth? It’s a real eye-opener! 😳
    I loved your two choices, Clive, and really appreciate you going with them this week. Truly great memories here, my friend! 😊

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  11. Even though I am not Judy that song reminded me of my wild and crazy days as a teenager. Imagine a girl coming at you wiht huge, blue-tinted, bubble-like sunglasses; you had to think she was in disguise for some reason. I loved those glasses; my mom thought I was out of my mind. LOL

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  12. Clive, while not a top-of- mind song, “Judy in Disguise” just makes me smile any time I hear it. I would not call it a gimmick song as it is much better than that, but it does have a hook which lures one in. Keith

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  14. In 1969, John Fred met John Fogerty at a rehearsal, and he took him out to a real bayou, because Fogerty never saw one despite writing the song Born on the Bayou. The Move song was new to me, Clive but I did enjoy it a lot, especially those bass notes at the end.

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  17. I now know I have been singing the wrong lyrics to Judy jn Disguise all these years, so thanks for that Clive! 🤣. While I am here do I also thank you for putting Fire Brigade in my ears for another few decades?!!! It’s interesting to see what lives in our heads. Great post! ☺️

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  21. The Move were on the first album I ever bought, which was a Decca compilation called World of Hits II, with a good pop song of the time called Night of Fear. And you’re right, Fire Brigade it is a nutty song, but quite complex harmonies! Some great bands have come out of Birmingham.

    My favourite earworm song of that period was Rosemary Goes from Edison Lighthouse. It wouldn’t surprise me if Carl Wayne was on that too.

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    • I had some of those, they were good value. I think Night Of Fear was their first hit – a good start.

      I couldn’t stand that one. It was made worse for me when my sister bought it, as if hearing it all over the radio wasn’t enough! I don’t think we can blame Carl Wayne for it, though 🤣

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