Don't Make My Baby Blue, not by The Shads

[donna plasky]

As far as The Move are concerned Donna, they produced some great singles which probably didn't make it over the Atlantic. I think I am safe in saying that they would be instantly recognised as a British band in their style and vocals.

Look on YouTube for Fire Brigade, California Man, Ball Park Incident, 10538 Overture, the 8 minute version of Roll Over Beethoven, early ELO (1st two albums). Some very different songs. They are worth giving a listen.

Thank you so much (to you and the other people who replied) for the information. I will check out YouTube for the songs you referenced. I did not realise The Move was an established group, so I didn't mean to criticise them.

I think I might have figured out the "Shazam" part of the equation. In the 1970's, there was an American TV show (or maybe it was a recurring skit on an American TV show, not sure) with a "super hero" guy. Just as Clark Kent becomes Superman by going inside a telephone booth and putting on the Superman costume, the guy in this show was named Billy and when there was a damsel in distress or whatever, he'd sort of stand still, concentrate, and say "Shazam!" and he would morph into a superhero with the Superman-looking costume, etc. And I remember Rick Springfield had an album called Comic Book Heroes with similar artwork on the cover, so I guess we all liked super heroes in the 1970s.

Best wishes,
Donna

[George Geddes]

<nerd alert>
When Billy Batson utters the word Shazam, he turns into Captain Marvel...

</nerd alert>

George

[donna plasky]

Uh oh, I would need a promotion to even qualify as a nerd.

I'll go back to reading my little book now.

[img]GuitarForDummies.jpg[/img]

[JimN]

I think that Dave's got it right when he said the Flowers In The Rain was credited as being the first "pop" song played on Radio 1. Up until 0700 that morning there wasn't a Radio 1 to speak of; it would have been either the light programme or the home service.

Was it Flowers In The Rain? Ah well... I Can Hear The Grass Grow was a better record.

You could argue therefore that the first "record" played on Radio 1 was Tony Blackburn's theme tune, Beefeaters by John Dankworth.

You might, but you'd be wrong. Theme One by George Martin was a record and it was played before either of them.

This is an old argument and was won by the George Martin camp years ago, I'm afraid. Here's the record:



That's my personal copy, by the way, and it is given prominence on this page:

http://www.45cat.com/record/up1194&rc=22921#22921

FITR was definitely the first record from the playlist that was played on the station.

Yes, but that's a contrived claim and is quite watered down from the original "first record played on Radio One" assertion (which simply isn't true).

As far as The Move are concerned Donna, they produced some great singles which probably didn't make it over the Atlantic. I think I am safe in saying that they would be instantly recognised as a British band in their style and vocals.

Absolutely. They were one of the best groups to emerge in the mid-60s.

JN

[JimN]

<nerd alert>
When Billy Batson utters the word Shazam, he turns into Captain Marvel...

</nerd alert>

George

And for an extra point, George, which hero had the similar magic word "Kimota"? And what is its connection with a Shads recording?

JN

[RayL]

Hi Jim

Does your single of Theme 1 include the footsteps, the church door and the noodling prior to the main theme, or is that only on the album version?

Ray

[JimN]

Hi Jim
Does your single of Theme 1 include the footsteps, the church door and the noodling prior to the main theme, or is that only on the album version?
Ray

Hi, Ray,

That's only on the album version. I have the post-EMI Liberty/Sunset LP ("By George!"; SLS 50182 (stereo)), which I naturally bought - around 1974 - in order to acquire the track in stereo, and was surprised by the footsteps and the slamming door.

On the 1996 EMI CD "The Sound Gallery Vol 2" (EMI 8 52990 2), the footsteps, etc, are appended to the previous track (number 26, Brian Fahey's iconic At The Sign Of The Swinging Cymbal) and selecting track 27 (the last on the disc) takes you straight to the keyboard intro, like on the single.

JN

[George Geddes]

Kimota?

Turned Micky Mason into Marvelman...

George

[RayL]

I have the post-EMI Liberty/Sunset LP ("By George!"; SLS 50182 (stereo)), which I naturally bought - around 1974 - in order to acquire the track in stereo, and was surprised by the footsteps and the slamming door.
JN

Ah, that explains why the EMI 6-CD box set called 'Produced by George Martin' (2001) has (disappointingly) the single version. Incidentally. the booklet that goes with the box set mentions that although the track was recorded at Abbey Road, the "mighty pipe organ of Central Hall, Westminster" was overdubbed before the flanging effect was added.

Ray

[Iain Purdon]

You could argue therefore that the first "record" played on Radio 1 was Tony Blackburn's theme tune, Beefeaters by John Dankworth.

You might, but you'd be wrong. Theme One by George Martin was a record and it was played before either of them.
JN

I love this. I am reminded of the Gretsch debate. It shows how easy it is to be right and wrong at the same time. As Bruce might put it, I was listening and I know what I heard. Fortunately a recording is available too!



You hear the voice of Robin Scott (the first C.R1&2 as the BBC knew him.) He is speaking a few seconds before 0700 on 30th September 1967 on the BBC Light Programme as it disappears for ever.

The transmission routing is switched at 0700 and, while Radio 2 starts on 1500m LW and VHF, you hear Radio 1 start on 247 metres MW.

The first music is a PAMS jingle, from a series that had been used on pirate Radio London and updated, enhanced and resung for the BBC.

Then the Dankworth sig tune, the version Blackburn had used on Radio London and on Radio Caroline before it.

Then Flowers in the Rain by the Move.

NB Although not the first music, this was the first record to be played in full on Radio 1. In this clip, the record has been mixed in afterwards but it is the same track that Blackburn played.

What you don't hear is the music that was played before Robin Scott's handover. That was Theme One by the George Martin Orchestra and takes its place in radio history as the last record ever played on the BBC Light Programme.

Footnotes

I began my 18th birthday listening live to this bit of radio history.
C.R1&2 was BBCspeak for "Controller, Radio 1 and 2"
I later became the last Pres.Ed.R1&2 at the BBC, a role that closed in the mid-80s.

Iain