This band only existed from 1966 to 1969, but it had four top ten hits in Britain ("Bend Me, Shape Me," "High in the Sky," "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice," and "Hello Susie"), plus one that came close ("Gin House Blues"). "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" made it all the way to number one. But they had no success at all in the US. The band's lead singer was Andy Fairweather Low. He would have a couple of solo hits in the 1970s before becoming a session musician.
This BBC album serves as a nice de facto "best of " album because it contains all their best known songs. Plus, as these sessions from this time period usually do, you get some interesting covers that the band never put on record: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Knock on Wood," "Day Tripper," and "The Duck."
In 1970, the band broke up when one member left. But the rest of them, including Andy Fairweather Low, continued for one album with the new name "Fair Weather." They had a top ten hit in Britain with the song "Natural Sinner." It so happens I found two BBC sessions that band did with that song plus two others, so I've added those to the end of this album.
As usual, BBC DJs talked over a bunch of their songs, the ones with "[Edit]" in their titles. That happened to 15 out of the 21 songs here. Sigh. Also as usual, I used the audio editing program X-Minus to wipe that talking while keeping the underlying music.
The sound quality is all the songs is excellent. None of these performances have been officially released, except on unauthorized "grey market" releases.
This album is an hour and one minute long.
UPDATE: On June 6, 2022, I updated the mp3 download file with one song I'd missed, "God Cried Mother." Thanks to Marley for sharing that one.
01 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Edit] (Amen Corner)
02 Gin House Blues (Amen Corner)
03 Knock on Wood [Edit] (Amen Corner)
04 Our Love [Is in the Pocket] [Edit] (Amen Corner)
05 The World of Broken Hearts (Amen Corner)
06 Day Tripper [Edit] (Amen Corner)
07 I Don't Want to Discuss It [Edit] (Amen Corner)
08 Bend Me, Shape Me (Amen Corner)
09 The Duck [Edit] (Amen Corner)
10 Satisnek the Job's Worth [Edit] (Amen Corner)
11 Shake a Tail Feather [Edit] (Amen Corner)
12 High in the Sky [Edit] (Amen Corner)
13 So Fine [Edit] (Amen Corner)
14 Baby Do the Philly Dog [Edit] (Amen Corner)
15 [If Paradise Is] Half as Nice [Edit] (Amen Corner)
16 Proud Mary (Amen Corner)
17 Things Ain't What They Used to Be [Edit] (Amen Corner)
18 Hello Susie [Edit] (Amen Corner)
19 Lady Riga [Edit] (Amen Corner)
20 Natural Sinner (Fair Weather)
21 Road to Freedom (Fair Weather)
22 God Cried Mother [Edit] (Fair Weather)
https://www.upload.ee/files/15123534/AmenCorn_1967-1970_BBSessions_atse.zip.html
I don't know where or when the cover photo is from. But it was one of very few good color photos I was able to find at all, so there ya go.
Hi Paul Thanks for this great collection of Amen Corner tracks, they seem to have recorded an additional track as Fair Weather called 'God Cried Mother' in late 1970 for BBC. Were you aware of this track.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware. If you have it, can you send it to me please?
DeleteHi Paul Yes I have a copy but it's part of the Top Of The Pops transcription show 321. It's not split by individual songs but only as 4 tracks, Trailer, Side A, Side B (with Fair Weather track), Dave Edmunds interview. I can send you MP3's if you are able to split what you want, how do I get it to you ?
ReplyDeleteYou have Top of the Pops transcriptions?! That's great! How many?! I have most of them, but only up to about 270. I can't find ANY after that. If you have those, I'd love 'em, more than just this one. I'm turning my attention to the early 1970s BBC stuff, so having that would be ideal. For instance, I'm looking for some Bee Gees BBC songs from 1972 and 1973 that I can't find. Or, speaking of Dave Edmunds, I know he did "I Hear You Knocking" for the BBC in 1970 and I can't find that anywhere. There's lots more stuff like that I'm looking for.
DeleteYou can email me and send me what you've got. I'm able to split those transcription files into individual mp3s no problem.
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DeleteBy the way, for further clarification, the Bee Gees did some songs for the BBC in 1972 on transcription discs 404, 406, and 422. (I can look these things up at discogs.com, even though I can't get the music.) And they did "Wouldn't I Be Someone" at some point in 1973. Oh, and it looks like "Mr. Natural," "Dogs," and "Down the Road" in 1974 with discs 494 and 509.
DeleteAs for Dave Edmunds, he did "I Hear You Knocking" for disc 317, but I just noticed he also did shows for 434, 520... and beyond! I don't know about later ones because discogs doesn't clearly label them as being from the "Top of the Pops" TV or show radio, but he possibly has more sessions going into the early 1980s.
I have even more artists I'd love to find more BBC stuff for in the early 1970s. I can see what exists at discogs, but I can't get any of it, so it's been frustrating.