House of Cards (Lynsey de Paul song)

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"House of Cards" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Barry Blue and is one of their most covered songs. It was first released as a single by Chris Kelly (who went on to become the lead singer for Blackwater Junction and then became "Hollywood" with his wife Lynda Clarke) on the CBS label on 7 April 1972, credited as being written by Rubin (de Paul) and Green (Blue). [1] [2] The song was a radio hit in Italy, receiving multiple plays on national radio stations. [3] [4] [5] [6]

A few weeks later a second version of the song was also released as a single by the UK artist Heart, produced by Phil Swern and Johnny Arthey on RCA. [7] [8] [9] The UK born but New Zealand based singer, Rob Guest, also released his version of "House of Cards" as his first solo single on Polydor in 1972. [10] [11] It also appeared as the lead track on Guest's album Sing. [12] The song was also covered by the BBC Radio 1 DJ Tony Blackburn and appeared as a track on the self-named album released in 1972 on RCA [13] which received favourable reviews. [14] Blackburn performed his version of the song on the ITV prime time programme 2G's & The Pop People on 17 June 1972. [15] When reviewing the single released by "Heart" in Disc and Music Echo, John Peel wrote ""This sounds very much like Tony Blackburn singing under a pseudonym and if so puts me in a certain amount of difficulty". It was released for the first time on CD in 2012 on the Tony Blackburn compilation album The Singles Collection 1965-1980. [16]

In 1975, the Australian singer/pianist composer, John Christie, released a more uptempo, rockier version of the song, in contrast to the previous versions all of which had been ballads. Christie's version was produced by his mentor Dave Clark, as a single on Polydor. [17] This version reached No. 15 on the Hessen chart, [18] securing it a listing on the Hessen chart's year end listing. [19] Christie and Clark went on to co-write “Time,” for the musical of the same name and performed by Freddie Mercury. [20] The song was also recorded by Gil Montana and featured as the B-side to his soul single "I Can't Live In The Dark Anymore", produced by Blue and arranged by Graham Preskett. [21]

Barry Blue recorded the song with new lyrics and the title "Billy", which was released as a single on 4 February 1977 in the UK on the Private Stock Records label and credited to Blue, de Paul and Stephen Worth. [22] It was also released in Germany on EMI Electrola, [23] and in France on Sonopresse. [24] Promotion for the single included a full page featured in the industry magazine Music Week , together with the lyrics to the song. [25] The track appeared on CD for the first time on Blue's Singles Collection compilation album released in 2002. [26]

According to the CD information booklet that was part of the Lynsey de Paul 2013 CD anthology release, Sugar and Beyond: Anthology 1972-1974, her version of the song was originally recorded in 1972 as a demo for possible inclusion on her debut album, Surprise , but it was not included. Thus the de Paul version had its first official release on Sugar and Beyond: Anthology 1972-1974. [27] However, a live version of "House of Cards", along with "Sugar Me" by de Paul, as well as an interview with her, was released on the BBC Transcription Services album, issued to radio stations around the world in September 1972. [28]

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<i>Surprise</i> (Lynsey de Paul album) 1973 studio album by Lynsey de Paul

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"Sugar Me" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Barry Green. The first version of this song to be released was recorded by de Paul as her first single on MAM Records in 1972. It was produced by Gordon Mills and the B-side was de Paul's version of "Storm in a Teacup", a song she had co-written and had been a hit for the Fortunes earlier that year.

"Papa Do" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Barry Blue, who are credited as Rubin and Green. The song was released as a single performed by Barry Green in 1972 backed with "Boomerang" on the Decca label and had a modicum of chart success in Spain, France and Sweden. The Dutch group, Cardinal Point, recorded a version which was similar in style to that recorded by Green, as a track on their self-named album, and the Greek group, The Daltons, also released a version of the song as a single. The song was re-titled "Mama Do" and the text slightly modified for de Paul's own jazzed up version, that served as the opening track for her debut album, Surprise, which was released in 1973. In January 1974, Decca Records re-released the single to capitalize on Barry Blue's chart success and it received positive reviews.

"You Give Me Those Feelings" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul, and produced by de Paul and Jon Kelly. It was released as a non-album single, with the B-side "Beautiful" also composed by de Paul, on Polydor in August 1977, as the follow-up to the European hit single "Rock Bottom". The German and French releases of the single both had picture sleeves. The romantic song makes clever use of vocal overdubbing and has a false ending making the shorter version more radio friendly that the whole song, which clocks in at over four minutes. The song was play listed by a number of British radio stations. It is listed as one of the songs of 1977 in a German music database as one of the songs of the year 1977.

"Beautiful" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul. It first appeared as the B-side to her 1977 single "You Give Me Those Feelings" on the Polydor record label and reflected her real life philosophy that all forms of life are beautiful, including household flies. This recording was co-produced by de Paul and Jon Kelly. An extended and reworked version of the song with snatches of songs from de Paul's 1979 Tigers and Fireflies album as a reprise that was produced by Rupert Holmes, was featured as the last track on this album. The latter version of the song was finally released on CD on Lynsey's 2013 double CD anthology Into My Music, whereas the original version has yet to be released on CD.

"Hollywood Romance" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and David Jordan. It was released as a single on Polydor Records on 20 October 1978 in a picture sleeve, almost six years to the day after the release of their last hit collaboration "Getting a Drag", and it was play-listed on BBC Radio 1. The record label for this single was unusual in that it was printed in silver instead of the usual Polydor red label. The release was announced in a full page advert "Hollywood Romance - a new single from a very special lady" published in Music Week. In Japan, it was released in February 1979 in the same picture sleeve cover with the title in Japanese added, plus the lyrics were included on the back cover. It was listed as a major release in Hong Kong. It was also released as a track on the 1978 BBC transcription album Servicio Latinoamericano de la BBC vol. 44 together with "Don't Take Love for Granted" by Lulu and "Got To Get You Into My Life" by Earth, Wind and Fire.

"Tip of My Tongue" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Barry Blue. It was first released as the fifth single by Brotherly Love with the song "I Love Everything About You" as the flip side on CBS Records on 27 April 1973. and was produced by Phil Wainman. According to music journalist James Craig, de Paul was in the audience for a Brotherly Love performance at Gulliver's and was so impressed with them that she co-penned "Tip of My Tongue" for them. The trio performed the song on the Granada TV programme Lift Off With Ayshea on 22 June 1973. The song received positive reviews from the British music press, and the brothers were interviewed about the single It made the UK chart breakers on 23 May 1973 but did not manage to enter the UK Singles Chart. Barry Blue was credited as "Barry Green" on this release.

"So Good to You" is a song that was written by Lynsey de Paul, and first released by Zakatek as the B-side to his 1973 single, "I Gotcha Now", which also penned by de Paul. The single was released on 2 March 1973 and both songs were produced and arranged by de Paul. Her own version appeared in October 1973 as the B-side to her award-winning single "Won't Somebody Dance with Me", which was arranged by Christopher Gunning and produced by de Paul. In Japan and some South American countries, however, "So Good to You" was released as the A-side of the single release with "Won't Somebody Dance with Me" being relegated to the B-side on its release in 1974. AllMusic lists "So Good to You" as one of De Paul's song highlights. It was also a radio hit in Italy and ranks as one of de Paul's biggest songs there according to Radiocorriere magazine. It is still played on radio stations around the world.

<i>Love Bomb</i> (Lynsey de Paul album) 1975 studio album by Lynsey de Paul

Love Bomb is the fourth album released in 1975 by the British singer-songwriter Lynsey de Paul, and her second album released on Jet Records in the UK and Polydor in Germany, Australia and Japan. In the US and Canada, it was released in January 1976 on Mercury Records. The album was recorded at the Marquee Studios, London, England, produced by de Paul and arranged by Tony Hymas, with Terry Cox playing drums, John Dean percussion, Chris Rea guitar and Frank McDonald bass. The striking sleeve cover photo of de Paul in U.S. military style clothing was taken by Brian Aris.

Just a Little Time is an album by Lynsey de Paul. It was originally released on 30 September 1994 on the Music Deluxe label but has since been released on the Tring International PLC label and on Arc Records/The Magic Collection. All of the songs on the album are written or co-written by de Paul.

"My One and Only" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and first recorded by the female vocal trio Bones. It was released as a single in 1974 in the UK on Jet Records, and on Polydor in France, Germany and Italy. The recording was produced by de Paul. The song is about a summer holiday romance and is influenced by the style of 1960s girl groups such as the Shangri-Las. Bones performed the song on British television as guests on the Granada TV programme, Rock On With 45, on 16 January 1975. The B-side of the single, “Baby Don’t Make Me Cry”, was a doo-wop sounding song co-written by de Paul and Barry Blue, and again it was produced by de Paul.

"Hot Shot" is a song written by Barry Blue and Lynsey de Paul, that was released as a single on 2 September 1974 on the Bell Record label by Barry Blue. It was Blue's last chart entry with an original song, reaching no. 23 on the UK Singles Chart. Despite this, it is considered as one of Blue's best songs. The song was also his biggest hit in Sweden where it reached no. 1 on the Poporama singles chart, and in Zimbabwe where it peaked at no. 3. "Hot Shot" also reached no. 8 on the Hessischer Rundfunk Hitparade, and spent three weeks on the Dutch Tipparade in 1975.

"All Night" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Ron Roker. De Paul released her version of the song on 27 April 1973 as her third single released on MAM Records, with arrangements by Martyn Ford and John Bell and produced by de Paul. The song is listed in the U.S. Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries. It features an uncredited male vocal. A slinky, sexy song, it compares a love relationship to that of the spider and a fly. The single is backed by the more socially aware song "Blind Leading the Blind", composed and produced by de Paul. The song was an unusual release since neither the A-side or the B-side featured as tracks on her debut album. "Surprise" had been released a little more than a month earlier and this song was in a different style.

"Taking It On" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Ron Roker, and originally published by ATV Music. Although de Paul recorded her own demo version of the song in 1972, her version of the song was not released until 2013 on her Anthology CD album Sugar and Beyond. De Paul also arranged and produced this recording.

References

  1. ↑ "Chris Kelly (15) - House Of Cards (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 7 April 1972. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "Chris Kelly - House Of Cards / San Diego - CBS - UK - CBS 7958". 45cat.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Radiocorriere, p. 75, 12 November 1972
  4. ↑ Radiocorriere, p. 75, 26 November, 1972
  5. ↑ Radiocorriere, p. 99, 3 December, 1972
  6. ↑ "45 mania - Editoriale del 28 Novembre 2009". 45mania.it. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Heart (6) - House of Cards (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 28 April 1972. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  8. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Heart [US II] - House Of Cards". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "Heart [UK] - House Of Cards / Someday Man - RCA Victor - UK - RCA 2205". 45cat.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Rob Guest - House Of Cards (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
    - House of cards (Music, 1972). 8 February 2017. OCLC   152718067 . Retrieved 6 March 2017.
    - "Apparition". Sergent.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
    - "Rob Guest Albums: songs, discography, biography, and listening guide". Rate Your Music . Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Rob Guest - House Of Cards / Poor Little Fool - Polydor - New Zealand - 2069 022". 45cat.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Sing - Rob Guest | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  13. ↑ "Tony Blackburn - Tony Backburn (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
    - "Record Reviews, Streaming Songs, Genres & Bands". AllMusic . Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  14. ↑ Hi-fi News & Record Review (1972), Volume 18, Issues 1-6, Page 357
  15. ↑ "2G's and The Pop People". Nostalgicmusictv.x10host.com. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  16. ↑ "Tony Blackburn - The Singles Collection 1965-1980 (CD)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  17. ↑ "John Christie - House Of Cards (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
    - "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2016-12-08.
    - "John Christie - House Of Cards / That's Enough - Polydor - UK - 2058 540". 45cat.com. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  18. ↑ "Schlagerrallye". Hessencharts.de. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "Schlagerrallye". Hessencharts.de. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  20. ↑ Chilton, Martin (27 June 2021). "'Time Waits For No One': Freddie Mercury Was 'Magical' Says Dave Clark". Udiscovermusic.com. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  21. ↑ "Gil Montana - I Can't Live In The Dark Anymore (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 6 June 1975. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  22. ↑ "Barry Blue - Billy (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
    - "Barry Blue - Billy / Sitting On A Corner (Of A Love Affair) - Private Stock - UK - PVT 86". 45cat.com. 11 February 1977. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  23. ↑ "Barry Blue - Billy". Discogs.com. 8 July 1977. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  24. ↑ "Barry Blue - Billy". Discogs.com. 8 July 1977. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  25. ↑ Music Week , p. 19, 5 February 1977
  26. ↑ "Billy - Barry Blue | Song Info". AllMusic. 3 December 2002. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  27. ↑ "Lynsey de Paul - Sugar And Beyond Anthology 1972-1974 (CD)". Discogs.com. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
    - "Sugar & Beyond: Anthology 1972-1974 - Lynsey de Paul | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 25 October 2016.
    - "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  28. ↑ "BBC Transcription Services". Discogs. Retrieved 9 July 2018.



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