Stoney Ground (song)

Last updated
"Stoney Ground"
Song by The Foundations
A-side "Stoney Ground"
B-side "I'll Give You Love"
PublishedSouthern Music Pub. Co., Inc. ASCAP
ReleasedJanuary 1972
Label Uni 55210
Composer(s) Conan Byrne-Warren Davis
USA chronology
"Take a Girl Like You"
(1970)		"Stoney Ground"
(1972)		"Build Me Up Buttercup"
(1974)

Stoney Ground was the last charting single for UK soul group The Foundations. It made it on to the US Billboard chart in 1972.

Contents

Background

"Stoney Ground" was composed by Conan Byrne and Warren Davis. Backed with I'll Give You Love", a Colin Young composition, it was released in the United States on Uni 55315. [1] [2]

Following the break up of the band in 1970, this was their last single issued. [3] It was noted by Record World in the November 13, 1971 issue that the single was due for a release. The magazine referred it is as a comeback record for The Foundations. MCA Records MD Derek Everett had entered into a deal with Barry Class of Trend Records which he had described as unique. This was the first record issued by the group since they had finished their contract with Pye Records. [4]

The single was reviewed by Billboard in the January 22, 1972 issue. Noting the group's return to the disc scene and calling the song a potent swinger, Billboard said it had the potential of "Baby, Now that I've Found You". [5] A week later it was in the Cash Box Picks of the Week. The reviewer said it carried itself along like a Grassroots breeze, and was their most commercial effort since "Baby, Now That I've Found You". [6] It was also reviewed by Record World that week with the reviewer saying that they were back with more of the pop rock sounds that took them to the top of the Top 40. [7]

It was released in the UK on MCA MKS 5075 in 1971. [8] [9] In Holland and Australia, it was released on Trend 6099 0106. [10] [11] It also saw a release in New Zealand on MCA MC/S 5525. [12]

Airplay

USA

For the week of February 5, 1972, Cash Box reported that it was a Primary Market addition, and along with "Precious and Few" by Climax, added to the playlist of WTIX in New Orleans. [13] It was also reported by Cash Box that it was a Secondary Market addition and now on the playlist of WLOF in Orlando. [14]

Canada

For the week of March 4, 1972, it was in the Secondary Market category, on the playlist of CHOO in Ajax. [15] Still in the secondary market category, it was on the playlist of Red Deer station, CKRD for the week of March 18. [16]

Charts

For the week of January 29, along with Santana, Rod Stewart, The Hillside Singers and BJ Thomas etc., they were on the pop section of the Cash Box Juke Box Programming Guide. [17]

For the week ending February 26, the single made its debut on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart. Spending a week in the chart it peaked at no. 113. [18] [19] [20]

Later years

In later years, the song has achieved a level of popularity on the Northern Soul scene. [21] [22] [23]

The track was included on Varese Sarabande compilation The Very Best of The Foundations which was released in 2017. [24] In In a review of the compilation, Goldmine said that the songs "Solomon Grundy" and the "last gasp" single "Stoney Ground" were enough to make one forget about the handful of songs on the single sounding similar to "Build Me Up Buttercup" or "Baby, Now That I’ve Found You." [25]

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References

  1. ↑ Billboard, January 22, 1972 - Page 63 TOP 60 POP SPOTLIGHT, Spotlights Predicted to reach the top 60 of the HOT 100 Chart
  2. ↑ 45Cat - The Foundations - Discography, USA, The Foundations, A: Stoney Ground
  3. ↑ White Plains Chronicles, May 01, 2018 - Brian Johnston The Foundations (1973)
  4. ↑ Record World, November 13, 1971 - RECORD WORLD ENGLAND By RON McCREIGHT, * LONDON
  5. ↑ Billboard, January 22, 1972 - Page 63 TOP 60 POP SPOTLIGHT, Spotlights Predicted to reach the top 60 of the HOT 100 Chart
  6. ↑ Cash Box, January 29, 1972 - Page 20 cash box / singles reviews, Picks of the Week, THE FOUNDATIONS (Uni 55315)
  7. ↑ Record World, January 29, 1972 - Page 8 SINGLE PICKS
  8. ↑ 45Cat - The Foundations - Discography, UK, The Foundations, Stoney Ground
  9. ↑ Popsike - Foundations - Stoney Ground / I'll Give You Love - MCA Demo MKS 5075 - Northern
  10. ↑ 45Cat - The Foundations - Discography, Netherlands, Foundations, Stoney Ground
  11. ↑ 45Cat - The Foundations - Discography, Australia, The Foundations, Stoney Ground
  12. ↑ 45Cat - The Foundations - Discography, New Zealand, Foundations, Stoney Ground
  13. ↑ Cash Box, February 5, 1972 - Page 18 Additions To Radio Playlists Secondary Markets, WLOF-ORLANDO
  14. ↑ Cash Box, February 5, 1972 -Page 20 Additions To Radio Playlists, Secondary Markets, WLOF-ORLANDO
  15. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 17 No. 3 March 4, 1972 - Page 23 The Programmers NEW ON PLAYLISTS, SECONDARY MARKETS, CHOO AJAX
  16. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 17 No. 5 March 18, 1972 - Page 20 The Programmers NEW ON PLAYLISTS, SECONDARY MARKETS, CKRD RED DEER
  17. ↑ Cash Box, January 29, 1972 - Page 56 JUKEBOX PROGRAMMING GUIDE, Pop
  18. ↑ Billboard, February 19, 1972 - Page 50 Bubbling Under The HOT 100
  19. ↑ Billboard, February 26, 1972 - Page 33 Bubbling Under The HOT 100, 113
  20. ↑ MusicVF.com - The Foundations Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography, 1972, 8. 02/1972 Stoney Ground by The Foundations
  21. ↑ Northern Soul Music - MUSIC 11
  22. ↑ Cameron K's Blog, Sunday, January 30, 2022 - The Foundations
  23. ↑ Popsike - Foundations - Stoney Ground / I'll Give You Love - MCA Demo MKS 5075 - Northern
  24. ↑ The Second Disc, August 18, 2020 - NEWS, It's Magic: Crimson Collects "Gold" from Doris Day, Neil Sedaka, Tammy Wynette, The Foundations BY JOE MARCHESE
  25. ↑ Goldmine, Apr 17, 2018 - Music Reviews: March 2018 issue, THE FOUNDATIONSTHE BEST OF THE FOUNDATIONS, Varese Sarabande (CD)
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