Handbags and Gladrags

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"Handbags and Gladrags"
Handbags and Gladrags Farlowe single.jpg
Stateside (Australia) record cover
Single by Chris Farlowe
B-side "Everyone Makes a Mistake"
Released17 November 1967 (1967-11-17)
RecordedEarly 1967
Genre Rhythm and blues, blue-eyed soul
Length3:30
Label Immediate
Songwriter(s) Mike d'Abo
Producer(s) Mike d'Abo
Chris Farlowe singles chronology
"Moanin'"
(1967)
"Handbags and Gladrags"
(1967)
"The Last Goodbye"
(1968)

"Handbags and Gladrags" is a song written in 1967 by Mike d'Abo, who was then the lead singer of Manfred Mann. D'Abo describes the song as "saying to a teenage girl that the way to happiness is not through being trendy. There are deeper values." [1]

Contents

The first released version of the song was by Chris Farlowe in 1967, and later interpretations by Rod Stewart (1969) and Stereophonics (2001) were also commercially successful. An arrangement by Big George was the theme for The Office starting in July 2001.

The demo tape of the original version of the song was discovered in 2004 in a closet belonging to bassist Mo Foster. It was amongst a collection of studio recordings d'Abo had recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The collection was eventually released in 2004, on the Angel Air label, under the title Hidden Gems & Treasured Friends. [2]

Chris Farlowe version

In November 1967, singer Chris Farlowe was the first to release a version of the song, produced by Mike d'Abo. [3] It became a #33 hit in the United Kingdom for Immediate Records. This arrangement of the song included Dave Greenslade's piano blues-scale riff. The song was included as track 13 (of 14) on Farlowe's 1969 compilation album The Last Goodbye. [4]

Rod Stewart version

"Handbags and Gladrags"
Handbags and Gladrags Stewart single.jpg
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down
B-side "Man of Constant Sorrow"
ReleasedMay 1970 (US)
Recorded1969
Length4:24
Label Mercury
Songwriter(s) Mike d'Abo
Producer(s) Lou Reizner
Rod Stewart singles chronology
"Dirty Old Town"
(1971)
"Handbags and Gladrags"
(1970)
"You Wear It Well"
(1972)
Audio sample

In 1969, Rod Stewart recorded a version for the album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down . This version of the song was arranged by Mike d'Abo, who also played piano on the recording. The song failed to garner significant sales or airplay in the United States, but when it was re-released as a single in 1972, it charted on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 42 in March. [5] In 1993, Stewart recorded a live version of the song during his session for MTV Unplugged . This version was included on the album Unplugged...and Seated .

Although it was never a hit single for Stewart in the UK, in recognition of its renewed popularity following its use for television series The Office and Stereophonics returning it to the charts, he performed "Handbags and Gladrags" (backed by Phil Collins on drums) as his only song at the Party at the Palace in 2002.

The original record arrangement includes a "plaintive oboe phrasing". [6]

Record World said Stewart "sounds fabulous." [7]

In 1989, Rod Stewart's version of the song was used in the Season One episode of the TV series Midnight Caller entitled "No Exit".

Chase version

In 1971, Bill Chase and his jazz/rock fusion group Chase recorded a version as a single. It was included on their 1971 debut album Chase . It was sung by Ted Piercefield.

Jon English version

In 1973, English-born Australian musician Jon English released his version as his debut single, from his debut studio album Wine Dark Sea .

Stereophonics version

"Handbags and Gladrags"
Handbags and Gladrags Stereophonics single.JPG
Single by Stereophonics
from the album Just Enough Education to Perform
B-side
Released3 December 2001 (2001-12-03)
Length4:46
Label V2
Songwriter(s) Mike d'Abo
Producer(s)
  • Laurie Latham
  • Stereophonics
Stereophonics singles chronology
"Step on My Old Size Nines"
(2001)
"Handbags and Gladrags"
(2001)
"Vegas Two Times"
(2002)
Music video
"Handbags and Gladrags" on YouTube

In 2001, Welsh rock band Stereophonics released a version of the song on single. It was subsequently added to their previous album's re-release Just Enough Education to Perform as track seven and on their first compilation album as the final track. [8] [9] The band originally recorded their version as a demo "for a laugh", but after the record company heard it they saw the potential of it being a single and subsequently had it commissioned as one. [10] Despite receiving criticism, it became one of their most successful singles; in Ireland it peaked at number three and was certified gold in the UK.

Release and reception

The song was released as a single on 3 December 2001. [11] Four different releases were made available to the public, this included: two CDs, [12] [13] 7-inch vinyl, [14] and cassette. [15] The first CD released included two more covers, Ewan MacColl's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and John Lennon's "How?". [12] The second CD contained a live version of "Caravan Holiday" and "Nice to be Out", both from Just Enough Education to Perform. [13] The 7-inch vinyl only had "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" for a B-side, [14] as did the cassette format. [15] A maxi-CD, released in Europe and Australia, includes all five songs but not the live version of "Handbags and Gladrags". [16]

Following on from the "Mr. Writer" critical backlash, the song received a negative review from Drowned in Sound reviewer Anita Bhagwandas. [17] Bhagwandas described it as the "final drop in the Stereophonics' inevitable descent into pop mediocrity" and criticised the group for "selling out." [17]

Track listings

UK CD 1 [12]
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Handbags and Gladrags"d'Abo 
2."First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Ewan MacColl  
3."How?" John Lennon  
UK CD 2 [13]
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Handbags and Gladrags" (live acoustic version)d'Abo 
2."Caravan Holiday" (live acoustic version) Kelly Jones  
3."Nice to Be Out" (live acoustic version)Jones 
UK 7-inch vinyl and cassette single [14] [15]
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Handbags and Gladrags"d'Abo 
2."First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"MacColl 
European and Australian maxi-CD [16]
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Handbags and Gladrags"d'Abo 
2."First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"MacColl 
3."How?"Lennon 
4."Caravan Holiday" (live acoustic version)Jones 
5."Nice to Be Out" (live acoustic version)Jones 

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [30] Platinum600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

The Office theme song

In 2000, a version of "Handbags and Gladrags" was specifically arranged by Big George as the theme song on the BBC series The Office. Three versions were recorded:

Both vocal versions were sung by Waysted vocalist Fin Muir.

In Episode Four of Series One, a version performed by Ricky Gervais (in character as David Brent) was played over the end credits.

Version release history

YearArtistType
1967 Chris Farlowe Single
1967Double FeatureSingle
1968 Love Affair Album
1969 Kate Taylor Album & single
1969 The Rationals Album (CREWE CR-1334)
1969 Rod Stewart Album
1971 Chase Album & single
1971 Gary Burton Album
1971 Jimmy Witherspoon Album
1973 Jon English Single
1974 Mike d'Abo Album
1975 Chris Farlowe Album (Live recording)
1977 Kirka Babitzin Album
1992 Mary Coughlan Album
1993 Rod Stewart Album (Acoustic recording)
2001 Stereophonics Single
2002 Rod Stewart Album (Live recording)
2003 Manfred Mann Album
2004 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Album
2005 Chris Farlowe Album (Live recording)
2005Dark One LiteAlbum
2007 Engelbert Humperdinck Album
2007 Waysted Album
2007 Jonathan Sass Album
2008 Jackie Trent Album
2008Ol' Cheeky BastardsAlbum
2008 Karl Jenkins Album

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