Shadows own compositions chart success

[Iain Purdon]

As we all know, the Shadows biggest hits were Jerry Lordan compositions. I thought it would be interesting to see which of the Shads' own numbers had done best in the UK Top 20.

1 - Foot Tapper: #1, 1963
2 - The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt: #5, 1964
3= FBI: #6, 1961
3= Shindig: #6, 1963
5 - Geronimo: #11, 1963
6 - Theme For Young Lovers: #12, 1964
7 - Genie With The Light Brown Lamp: #17, 1964

Source: The Guinness Book of Hit Singles

[Moderne]

They had quite a bit of success writing songs for Cliff Richard:

1. Please Don't Tease #1 1960
2. I Love You #1 1961
3. Gee Whiz It's You #4 1961
4. Bachelor Boy #1 1963 (co-written... Bruce + Cliff)
5. Summer Holiday #1 1963
6. Don't Talk to Him #2 (co-written... Bruce + Cliff)
7. On the Beach #7 1964
8. I Could Easily Fall #9 1965
9. Time Drags By #10 1966
10. In the Country #6 1967
11. The Day I Met Marie #10 1967
12. Don't Forget to Catch Me #21 1968
13. Throw Down a Line #7 1969
14. Joy of Living #25 1970
15. Silvery Rain #27 1971

(Sorry - have included top 30 hits!)

I wanted to add It's Only Me You Left Behind, but - unbelievably - it never made the charts! It's sad that The Shadows have never been spoken of as great songwriters. And when you think of all the B-sides, LP and EP tracks etc. Hank, in particular, I think is a very underrated writer. I wonder if they ever write songs now - just for their own entertainment...

[StuartD]

It's Only Me You've Left Behind is a great song!!

[anniv 63]

Never heard of above title Stuart. Which of Cliff's offerings is it on?

Mike

[Moderne]

It was a 1975 single, written by Hank and John Farrar and produced by Marvin, Welch and Farrar. The B-side (You're the One) was also good.

[anniv 63]

Ah yes, thanks Clive, I see it now listed in his discography!!!
A surprise non chart entry on this. Were his fans sleeping at the time?

Mike

[Fenderman]

I don't they ever got the credit they deserved as songwriters, the same goes for them as vocalists.
Some people also forget they wrote the entire score for 3(?) pantomimes and the whole Finders Keepers movie, later on they wrote songs for other people.

[alewis41]

There are also the songs that Bruce, Hank, John Rostill and John Farrar wrote for Olivia. Several Top Ten hits in the US and UK...

Andrew

[MikeAB]

To quote in 'American-speak' they don't get the recognition they deserve - period.

[StuartD]

HI

It's quite interesting that I saw Cliff at Leeds Town Hall on the 1973 tour. I was speaking to Bruce after the show and he said to me " You want to hear the song Hank and John have written for Eurovision." I asked him if it would win and he said "I doubt it but it will be by far the best song"!! As we know Power was chosen and It's Only Me was released later!!