Acrobat Music

The 1961 Embassy British Hit Parade
The 1961 Embassy British Hit Parade

Various Artists
Styles: Embassy Label
Catalogue Number: ACQCD7045
Acrobat Music’s series of British Hit Parade collections has become an essential annual purchase for a significant number of collectors and enthusiasts who wish to hear and own every record that entered the British record charts during each year. This year, we are introducing another innovation into our annual trawl of the songs that the great British record-buying public was spending their hard-earned shillings on. This collection comprises every 45rpm single that was released in 1961 on the Embassy label, the cover versions that were sold exclusively in Woolworths stores from 1954 to 1965. Obviously, they were highly selective about the tracks they recorded – they were generally already guaranteed hits – although they did do one or two pre-emptive recordings of things they expected to chart which didn’t make it. For those who began their record-buying lives in the ‘50s and ‘60s the Embassy label provided a variety of different perceptions. For the purist, it was anathema – the idea of buying anything other than the version of a hit that was in the charts by the star artist was unconscionable (although people would happily buy a watered-down British cover of a stonking and original US hit if that was what was being pushed at them on the radio). For others, the chance to buy a halfway-decent version of two different hits on one 45 for not much more than half the price of a regular single – and from a shop they were probably in most Saturdays – looked like a sensible deal, especially if you weren’t a dyed-in-the-wool NME or MM-reading aficionado. There were also those who were genuinely interested in the music, and saw it as an interesting parallel world, buying either or both of the original and the sound-alike version. Half a century and more distant, in the world of collectors, enthusiasts and nostalgia, even the prejudices about the presumed naffness of Embassy recordings have gone out of the window as fans of ‘50s and ‘60s pop are happy to revisit the music of the times in all its forms in a happy voyage of rediscovery, and people can hear them for what they really are. In addition, the artists who made the cover versions have a story of their own to tell, and still command a hard core of fans, and so this collection provides an eclectic slice of nostalgia that will appeal at a number of levels. We are sure that in addition to the enthusiasts with a special interest in Embassy, many purchasers of our main British Hit Parade sets will also be keen to acquire the ‘B’ sides to ensure the completeness of their collection.

Disk 1:
Track Title Artist
1 Counting Teardrops Bobby Stevens
2 Sway Bobby Stevens
3 Portrait Of My Love Rikki Henderson
4 Strawberry Blonde (The Band Rocked On) Rikki Henderson
5 Are You Lonesome Tonight Rikki Henderson
6 Stay Rikki Henderson
7 Pepe Steve Stannard & His Group
8 Perfidia Steve Stannard & His Group
9 Many Tears Ago Jean Campbell
10 Sailor Jean Campbell
11 Rubber Ball Bobby Stevens
12 You're Sixteen Bobby Stevens
13 F.B.I. Bud Ashton
14 Wheels Bud Ashton
15 Calendar Girl Don Duke
16 Walk Right Back Don Duke
17 Who Am I Bobby Stevens
18 Wooden Heart Bobby Stevens
19 Are You Sure Don Duke & Bobby Stevens
20 Theme For A Dream Don Duke
21 Where The Boys Are Jean Campbell
22 Will You Love Me Tomorrow Jean Campbell
23 Riders In The Sky Steve Stannard & His Group
24 Ja-Da Steve Stannard & His Group
25 Goodnight My Someone Leoni Page
Disk 2:
Track Title Artist
1 76 Trombones Michael Bond
2 Calcutta Jacques Leroy and his Orchestra
3 Theme From 'Exodus' Jacques Leroy and his Orchestra
4 Lazy River Don Duke
5 Pony Time Don Duke
6 And The Heavens Cried Rikki Henderson
7 My Kind Of Girl Rikki Henderson
8 Gee Whiz It's You Don Duke
9 You're Driving Me Crazy Don Duke
10 Blue Moon Bobby Stevens
11 Warpaint Don Duke
12 A Hundred Pounds Of Clay (Original Version) Paul Rich
13 On The Rebound Turk Ellis
14 Don't Treat Me Like A Child Jean Campbell
15 Theme From Dixie Bud Ashton
16 Runaway Rikki Henderson
17 Surrender Rikki Henderson
18 The Frightened City Bud Ashton
19 You'll Never Know Doris Lee
20 Hello Mary Lou Don Duke & Bobby Stevens
21 More Than I Can Say Don Duke & Bobby Stevens
22 But I Do Bobby Stevens
23 Mother-In-Law Bobby Stevens
24 I've Told Every Little Star Kim Davey
25 Pasadena Gerry Stevens & Group with Don Duke
Disk 3:
Track Title Artist
1 Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart Jean Campbell
2 Temptation Don Duke
3 A Girl Like You Bobby Stevens
4 Halfway To Paradise Bobby Stevens
5 Running Scared Paul Rich
6 Well I Ask You Paul Rich
7 Don't You Know It Hal Munro
8 You Always Hurt The One You Love Hal Munro
9 Romeo Jean Campbell
10 You Don't Know Jean Campbell
11 Johnny Remember Me Bobby Stevens
12 Time Bobby Stevens
13 Reach For The Stars Jean Campbell
14 Together Jean Campbell
15 Kon-Tiki Bud Ashton
16 That's My Home Happy Knights Jazz Band
17 A Little Bit Of Soap Rikki Henderson
18 Wild In The Country Rikki Henderson
19 Michael Row The Boat Ashore Bobby Stevens
20 Who Put The Bomp Bobby Stevens
21 Hats Off To Larry Russ Vincent
22 Jealousy Russ Vincent
23 Get Lost Don Duke
24 Walkin' Back To Happiness Jean Campbell
Disk 4:
Track Title Artist
1 When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart Don Duke
2 Wild Wind Don Duke
3 Sucu Sucu James Wright & Orchestra
4 You'll Answer To Me Jean Campbell
5 Hit The Road Jack Paul Rich
6 Tower Of Strength Paul Rich
7 Big Bad John Bobby Stevens
8 His Latest Flame Bobby Stevens
9 Moon River Bobbie Britton
10 The Time Has Come Bobbie Britton
11 Take Five Gordon Peters Quartet
12 Take Good Care Of My Baby Bobby Stevens
13 Give Us A Kiss For Christmas Paul Rich
14 The Savage Bud Ashton
15 Runaround Sue Paul Rich
16 The Twist Paul Rich
17 Bless This House James Wright & Orchestra
18 The Baby Boy Kenny Bardell
19 Johnny Will Charles Young
20 My Friend The Sea Kay Barry
21 Let There Be Drums Steve Stannard & His Orchestra
22 Stranger On The Shore Steve Stannard & His Orchestra
23 Don't Bring Lulu Kay Barry
24 I Wanna Be Loved By You Kay Barry
©2008 Acrobat Music