Days of Pearly Spencer

Last updated

"Days of Pearly Spencer"
David McWilliams' Days of Pearly Spencer.jpg
Single by David McWilliams
from the album David McWilliams Vol. 2
A-side "Harlem Lady"
Released6 October 1967
Genre
Label Major Minor
Songwriter(s) David McWilliams
Producer(s) Mike Leander
David McWilliams singles chronology
"God and My Country"
(1967)		"Days of Pearly Spencer"
(1967)		"This Side of Heaven"
(1968)
Official audio
"Days of Pearly Spencer" on YouTube

"Days of Pearly Spencer" (or in later releases "The Days of Pearly Spencer") is a 1967 song written and originally performed by Northern Irish singer-songwriter David McWilliams, [1] [2] and included on his second album David McWilliams Vol. 2. [3] Although it charted in several countries in continental Europe and in Australia, the original version was not a chart success in either the United Kingdom or Ireland. The song was rerecorded by McWilliams with a new arrangement in his album Working for the Government (1987). In 1992, a cover version by English pop singer Marc Almond reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and number eight in Ireland.

Contents

Background

Having his first single, "God and My Country", flop, McWilliams entered a Belfast recording studio to record some demos. Around that time, Mervyn Solomon overheard his tapes, and was impressed enough to telephone his brother Phil Solomon. Because McWilliams was already signed to CBS, who manufactured Major Minor's recordings, Phil Solomon offered to take McWilliams off their hands. The offer was accepted, and Solomon took McWilliams with him to London to record the song. Originally, the song was a poignant ballad. [3] The title was presumably a play of words on a line from the Victorian hymn, "We rest on thee", "the gates of pearly splendour".

The song had, according to Stuart Bailie of BBC Radio Ulster, a "flickering, almost documentary style" in which it took listeners to the more run-down parts of Ballymena where people walked through rubble bare-foot looking old beyond their years. Due to the title of the song, many listeners believed that the song pertained to an individual harrowed by a poor lifestyle and poor-quality alcohol; McWilliams said he had written the song about a homeless man encountered in Ballymena. Some of those close to McWilliams, however, claimed he was writing about two ladies from his hometown. [4]

Recording and release

The recording was produced by Mike Leander who formed a sweeping orchestral arrangement for the song. Leander had previously provided arrangements for such records as "She's Leaving Home" by The Beatles and Marianne Faithfull's "As Tears Go By." [4]

Some of McWilliams' vocals were recorded using a telephone line from a phone box near the studio, generating a low-tech effect, and giving the song a 'strange "phoned-in" chorus'. [3] The record was originally released in October 1967 as the B-side of "Harlem Lady", [5] but "Days of Pearly Spencer" received considerable exposure on Radio Caroline, of which Solomon was an executive, and in adverts in the UK music press. Double-page adverts were taken out in all the major music newspapers and the New Musical Express front page featured it, calling it "the single that will blow your mind" [6] and the accompanying album, David McWilliams, "the album that will change the course of music". [3] Adverts for it were plastered everywhere, and in 2012 Stuart Bailie of Radio Ulster remarked that "there was no getting away from David McWilliams". Advertisements for the song even appeared on double-decker buses, yet McWilliams "was walking around London without the pocket money to get on one of those buses", [4] and one publication put the total cost of promotion at close to £20,000 (equivalent to £460,000 in 2023). [7] [4]

The BBC refused to play the record, however, because of Solomon's involvement in the offshore radio station Radio Caroline, and thus the record failed to chart in either the UK or the Republic of Ireland. [3] In continental Europe, the song topped the French Singles Chart, reached number two on the Belgian Singles Chart, and reached number eight on the Dutch Singles Chart. [4] In Australia, the song spent two weeks at number 32 on Go-Set's national top 40, [8] reaching number 10 in Brisbane. [9] The song was rereleased on three occasions and remains a staple of "oldies" radio stations. [3]

The video clip created for the song contains footage of the singer playing his guitar on the wharf close to the Oudegracht, the main canal in the centre of Utrecht, the Netherlands, easily recognizable for those who live(d) in that city.

Legacy

Richie Unterberger described the song as "[McWilliams's] best song, with a dark edge, swirling violins, and an effective dab of psychedelia in the megaphone-distorted vocals on the song's chorus." [10] In 2002, The Independent called the song "dreamy". [3] In 2012, Stuart Bailie of Radio Ulster called "Harlem Lady", the A-side, a "quality tune" and "Pearly Spencer" a "remarkable record". [4]

Charts

Chart (1967–1968)Peak
position
Australia ( Go-Set ) [11] 32
Australia (Kent Music Report) [12] 42
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [13] 10
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [14] 2
France (IFOP) [15] 1
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [16] 14
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [17] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [18] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [19] 4
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard) [20] 34
Chart (1976)Peak
position
West Germany (Official German Charts) [21] 47

Marc Almond version

"The Days of Pearly Spencer"
Single by Marc Almond
from the album Tenement Symphony
B-side "Bruises"
ReleasedApril 1992
Length4:23
Label WEA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Trevor Horn
Marc Almond singles chronology
"My Hand Over My Heart"
(1992)		"The Days of Pearly Spencer"
(1992)		"What Makes a Man (Live)"
(1993)

A recording by English singer Marc Almond titled "The Days of Pearly Spencer", with an additional verse written by Almond giving the song a more optimistic tone, [22] reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and number eight in Ireland in 1992. In a review from the parent album Tenement Symphony , Ned Raggett of AllMusic called it 'the surprise U.K. hit single of the bunch, the gentle and (for Trevor Horn) understated "The Days of Pearly Spencer", another '60s cover given the Almond treatment to good effect'. [23]

Charts

Chart (1992)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [24] 193
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [25] 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [26] 32
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [27] 14
Germany (Official German Charts) [28] 21
Ireland (IRMA) [29] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [30] 44
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [31] 31
UK Singles (OCC) [32] 4

Other cover versions

In 1968, French composer Franck Pourcel arranged an upbeat instrumental version of "Days of Pearly Spencer", the first track on his album The Franck Pourcel Sound. [33] This track was used as background music for The Kenny Lynn Show on BBC Radio 1. These recordings were probably not heard for half a century, but were featured in a Techmoan video about broadcast tapes, which sparked a curiosity over what the music was. [34]

New Zealand band the Avengers had a number-four hit in that country in December 1968 with a cover version of the song; [35] in Italy, the song was also very successfully covered in 1968 by Caterina Caselli as "Il Volto Della Vita" (with an unrelated text [36] ) reaching number four on the Italian chart. In the U.S., the Grass Roots covered the song on their 1969 album Lovin' Things . A Spanish version called "Vuelo blanco de gaviota" was recorded in 1979 by Ana Belén. Successful later versions of the song included a disco version which reached number one in Belgium in the 1980s, [6] and a cover version in 1988 by the French psychedelic band The Vietnam Veterans and their album The Days of Pearly Spencer . [37] A version by French singer Rodolphe Burger was used in the 2012 French film "Louise Wimmer" and a French duo consisting of brothers Georges and Michel Costa as 'Trade Mark' in 1978 released a disco version (including a 12" extended mix). [38]

Finnish rock musician Hector made a Finnish language version in 2014 titled "Jos lehmät osais lentää", contemplating the impossibility of resolving the problems of world.

A French language version also exists by French 1960s singer Frank Alamo titled "Je connais une chanson" about an impossible love.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soft Cell</span> English synthpop duo

Soft Cell are an English synth-pop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. The duo consists of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The band are primarily known for their 1981 hit version of "Tainted Love" and their platinum-selling debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Almond</span> English singer (born 1957)

Peter Mark "Marc" Almond is an English singer best known from the synth-pop/new wave duo Soft Cell and for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. He has also had a diverse career as a solo artist. His collaborations include a duet with Gene Pitney on the 1989 UK number one single "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". Almond's career spanning over four decades has enjoyed critical and commercial acclaim, and he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. He spent a month in a coma after a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2004 and later became a patron of the brain trauma charity Headway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tainted Love</span> 1964 song by Ed Cobb

"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964. Renowned session musician and virtuoso guitarist Glen Campbell played lead guitar. In 1981, the song attained worldwide fame after being covered and reworked by British synth-pop duo Soft Cell; it has since been covered by numerous groups and artists. A version by Impedance reached #14 on the Canadian Dance charts, April 14, 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Classical Gas</span> 1968 instrumental musical piece

"Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by American guitarist Mason Williams with instrumental backing by members of the Wrecking Crew. Originally released in 1968 on the album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, it has been rerecorded and rereleased numerous times since by Williams. One later version served as the title track of a 1987 album by Williams and the band Mannheim Steamroller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Only You (And You Alone)</span> Pop song composed by Buck Ram

"Only You (And You Alone)" (often shortened to "Only You") is a pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was originally recorded by The Platters with lead vocals by Tony Williams in 1955.

Major Minor Records was a Northern Irish record label started by Phil Solomon in 1966. It had a distribution deal with Decca Records. Artists on the label included the Dubliners and Johnny Nash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venus (Shocking Blue song)</span> 1969 song by Shocking Blue

"Venus" is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue, released as a single in the Netherlands in the summer of 1969. Written by Robbie van Leeuwen, the song topped the charts in nine countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David McWilliams (musician)</span> Northern Irish musician (1945–2002)

David Samuel McWilliams was a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Northern Ireland, best known for his 1967 song "Days of Pearly Spencer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Will Follow Him</span> 1963 single by Little Peggy March

"I Will Follow Him" is a popular song that was first recorded in 1961 by Franck Pourcel, as an instrumental titled "Chariot". The song achieved its widest success when it was recorded by American singer Little Peggy March with English lyrics in 1963. The music was written by Franck Pourcel and Paul Mauriat. It was adapted by Arthur Altman. The completely new English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel.

"For Once in My Life" is a song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Stein & Van Stock publishing company, and first recorded in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everything I Own</span> 1972 single by Bread

"Everything I Own" is a song written by American singer-songwriter David Gates. It was originally recorded by Gates's soft rock band Bread for their 1972 album Baby I'm-a Want You. The original reached No. 5 on the American Billboard Hot 100. Billboard ranked it as the No. 52 song for 1972. "Everything I Own" also reached No. 5 in Canada and No. 12 in Australia.

"Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" is a song written by Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Show Me Heaven</span> 1990 single by Maria McKee

"Show Me Heaven" is a song written by American singer and songwriter Maria McKee, Eric Rackin and Jay Rifkin, and recorded by McKee for the soundtrack to the Tom Cruise film Days of Thunder, released in June 1990. Produced by Peter Asher, the power ballad received favorable reviews from most music critics, reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks and became the sixth-highest-selling single of 1990 in the UK. Additionally, the song became a worldwide hit, topping the charts of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway and becoming a top-five hit in Australia, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland. It has since been covered by numerous other artists, including Tina Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Rowles</span> New Zealand singer (born 1947)

Sir John Edward Rowles is a New Zealand singer. He was most popular in the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, and he is best known in New Zealand for his song from 1970, "Cheryl Moana Marie", which he wrote about his younger sister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say Hello, Wave Goodbye</span> 1982 single by Soft Cell

"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" is a song from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret by English synth-pop duo Soft Cell that was released as a single in January 1982 and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart.

"Release Me" is a popular song written by Eddie "Piano" Miller and Robert Yount in 1949. Four years later it was recorded by Jimmy Heap & the Melody Masters, and with even better success by Patti Page (1954), Ray Price (1954), and Kitty Wells (1954). Jivin' Gene [Bourgeois] & the Jokers recorded the tune in 1960, and that version served as an inspiration for Little Esther Phillips, who reached number one on the R&B chart and number eight on the pop chart with her big-selling cover. The Everly Brothers followed in 1963, along with Lucille Starr including a translation in French (1964), Jerry Wallace (1966), Dean Martin (1967), Engelbert Humperdinck (1967) who was number one on the UK Singles Chart and many others in the years after such as Jewels Renauld (2022).

<i>Tenement Symphony</i> (Marc Almond album) 1991 studio album by Marc Almond

Tenement Symphony is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in October 1991 and reached number 39 on the UK Albums Chart. Tenement Symphony includes three UK top 40 hit singles: "Jacky", "My Hand Over My Heart" and "The Days of Pearly Spencer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacky (Jacques Brel song)</span> 1966 single by Jacques Brel

"Jacky" (La chanson de Jacky) is a song written by the Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel and Gérard Jouannest. Brel recorded the song on 2 November 1965, and it was released on his 1966 album Ces gens-là. The song was translated from French into English and retitled "Jackie".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is This Love? (Alison Moyet song)</span> 1986 single by Alison Moyet

"Is This Love?" is a song by British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, released in November 1986 as the first single from her second studio album Raindancing (1987). The song was written by Moyet and Dave Stewart, who used the pseudonym Jean Guiot for his involvement with the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Solomon (music executive)</span> Musical artist

Philip Raymond Solomon was a music executive and businessman from Northern Ireland. He managed artists like The Bachelors, Them and The Dubliners, founded Major Minor Records and was co-director of Radio Caroline.

References

  1. ↑ "DISK Days of Pearly Spencer PARLOPHONE.jpg (697x684)". Davidmcwilliams.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "A tribute to Irish singer/songwriter David McWilliams". Davidmcwilliams.com. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "David McWilliams – Obituaries, News – The Independent". Independent.co.uk . Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Stuart Bailie. "Stuart Bailie: The Great Northern Songbook – 3. The Days of Pearly Spencer". BBC. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  5. ↑ "Harlem Lady"/"Days of Pearly Spencer" at 45cat.com. Retrieved 22 June 2014
  6. 1 2 "biography". Davidmcwilliams.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  7. ↑ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth . Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "Go Set National - Top 40". 31 July 1968.
  9. ↑ "David McWilliams - Harlem Lady".
  10. ↑ Richie Unterberger, Biography of David McWilliams, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2014
  11. ↑ "Go-Set Australian charts - 24 July 1968". www.poparchives.com.au.
  12. ↑ Grant. "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1968" . Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ↑ "David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  15. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 80, no. 9. 2 March 1968. p. 44. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  16. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 80, no. 17. 27 April 1968. p. 53. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  17. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – David McWilliams" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  18. ↑ "David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  19. ↑ "David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer". Swiss Singles Chart.
  20. ↑ "Days of Pearly Spencer (song by David McWilliams) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  21. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON David McWilliams"
  22. ↑ Tenement Symphony (Media notes). Marc Almond. WEA. 4 October 1991.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ↑ Ned Raggett (29 October 1991). "Tenement Symphony – Marc Almond". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 22 June 1992". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  25. ↑ "Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  26. ↑ "Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  27. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 20. 16 May 1992. p. 27. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  28. ↑ "Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  29. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Days of Pearly Spencer". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  30. ↑ "Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  31. ↑ "Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  32. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  33. ↑ "Franck Pourcel - The Franck Pourcel Sound | Releases | Discogs". Discogs . 1968.
  34. ↑ "Techmoan on YouTube checks out broadcast carts".
  35. ↑ "Avengers". www.sergent.com.au.
  36. ↑ "Musica & Memoria / Caterina Caselli - Il volto della vita".
  37. ↑ The Days of Pearly Spencer (inlay). The Vietnam Veterans. Music Maniac Records. 1988.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  38. ↑ "Left and to the Back: Trade Mark - The Days of Pearly Spencer/ Baby, You Make It Real, Retrieved 26 Oct 2018". www.blogspot.com. 3 June 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.