You Can Walk Across It on the Grass: The Boutique Sounds of Swinging London

Overview

There's absolutely no doubt that London was one swinging town in the mid-'60s. The fashion, films, and especially music of the era reflected the changes ripping through society as well as helping to push them forward. You Can Walk Across It on the Grass: The Boutique Sounds of Swinging London is Grapefruit Records' attempt at creating a soundtrack for what one might have heard on a day out hitting the shops on Carnaby Street or a night spent club-hopping. Over the course of three discs, the label does a fantastic job collecting all sorts of songs that range from snappy easy listening tracks to gritty blues rave-ups, mod freak-outs to sultry girl group ballads, and a variety of great tracks by bands both world-famous and familiar only to obsessives. It may not be an exhaustive survey of every avenue of sound artists traveled down during the decade, but it does send the listener back in time quite convincingly in ways that are both pleasingly obvious and excitingly obscure. In the former category are tracks by big names like the Who, the Kinks, David Bowie, Tom Jones, the Moody Blues, the Yardbirds, and Dusty Springfield along with appearances by the kind of bands -- the Action, Manfred Mann, Petula Clark, the Animals -- that a set like this would feel unfinished without. The songs chosen are properly obscure or at least not the same old hits that always get aired. More excitingly to anyone without an advanced degree in mid-'60s Brit-pop are the myriad of selections that satisfy the latter half of the equation previously mentioned. The set is loaded with gems like Peanut's girl group dramatic take on the Beach Boys' "I'm Waiting for the Day," the Odyssey's super-dramatic slice of MOR pop "How Long Is Time," Les & Paul Barrett's charmingly twee bubblegum nugget "Julie Brown Loves Captain Cook," Jimmy James & the Vagabonds' grooving "I Wanna Be (Your Everything)," and loads more of the kind of tracks that often elude compilations. Also mixed in are swinging orchestral interludes, paeans to mod icons and pirate radio, the theme song to The Avengers, goofy novelty tunes, and an appearance by one of the scene's most famous faces, Twiggy. Her contribution, "When I Think of You," is a storming girl group rocker featuring strings, jangling guitars, and, amazingly, what sounds like a distorted bassoon taking front and center. It's exactly the kind of sparkling, surprising, and gloriously strange song that typifies the era, and it's just one of many tracks that help make this set a delight. The compilation balances nostalgia, discovery, and fun perfectly while serving as a reminder of just how excitingly flashy and stylish the sounds that made up the time and place could be when at their best. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	01/19/2024
Label:	Grapefruit
UPC:	5013929194007
Rank:	5097

Tracks

Disc 1

1. A Touch of Velvet-A String of Brass  - Patrick MacNee  -  Mood Mosaic  - Michael Sinclair  -  Twiggy
2. Hold Tight!  -  Beaky  - Howard Blaikley  - Dave Dee  -  Dozy  - Patrick MacNee  -  Mick  -  Tich  -  Twiggy
3. Why Don't I Run Away From You  - Bert Berns  - Kiki Dee  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
4. I Wanna Be (Your Everything)  -  James  - Winfred "Blue" Lovett  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
5. When I Think of You  - Peter Law  - Patrick MacNee  - Tommy Scott  -  Twiggy
6. Theme From 'The Avengers'  - Laurie Johnson  -  Johnson  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
7. Kinky Boots  - Honor Blackman  - Herbert Kretzmer  - Dave Lee  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
8. Emergency 999  -  Bown  - Paul Korda  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
9. Invitation  -  Band of Angels  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy  - Mike d'Abo
10. 5-4-3-2-1  - Mike Hugg  - Paul Jones  - Patrick MacNee  -  Manfred Mann  -  Twiggy
11. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl  - Don Level  - Bob Love  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy  -  Yardbirds
12. That Little Old Heartbreaker Me  -  David John & the Mood  - Patrick MacNee  - Willie Stewart  -  Twiggy
13. Girl Don't Tell Me  - Patrick MacNee  -  Rivers  -  Twiggy  - Brian Wilson
14. Dolly Catcher Man  - Paul Gurvitz  -  Knack  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
15. Little by Little  - Buddy Kaye  - Patrick MacNee  - Dusty Springfield  -  Twiggy  - Bea Verdi
16. She Shot a Hole in My Soul  - Mac Gayden  - Patrick MacNee  -  Ram Jam Band  -  Twiggy  - Geno Washington
17. I Don't Wanna Know  - John Beecham  -  Cotton  - Patrick MacNee  - Dave Rowberry  -  Twiggy
18. You Better Believe It Baby  -  End  - Patrick MacNee  - Joe Tex  -  Twiggy
19. In My Lonely Room  -  Action  - Lamont Dozier  - Brian Holland  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
20. I Really Learnt How to Cry  - Patrick MacNee  - Zoot Money  -  Money  - Andy Summers  -  Twiggy
21. Mockingbird  - Glenda Collins  - Inez Foxx  - Patrick MacNee  -  Riot Squad  -  Twiggy
22. On the Ball (Theme for the World Cup)  - Patrick MacNee  - John Schroeder  -  Schroeder  - Alan Tew  -  Twiggy
23. She Said Yeah  -  Christian  - Mike Dallon  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
24. London Look  - Graham Gouldman  -  Hi-Fi's  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy
25. Walking Down the Street  -  Electric Banana  - Patrick MacNee  - Phil May  - Dick Taylor  -  Twiggy  - Wally Waller
26. Winchester Cathedral  - John Carter  - Patrick MacNee  - Geoff Stephens  -  Twiggy
27. I'm Gonna Put Some Hurt on You  - Phillip Goodhand-Tait  - Raymond Lewis  - Patrick MacNee  -  Stormsville Shakers  -  Twiggy
28. Christine  - Jaime De Mora Y Aragon  - Leslie Bricusse  - Patrick MacNee  -  Miss X  -  Twiggy
29. You've Got What It Takes  - Billy Davis  - Berry Jr. Gordy  - Patrick MacNee  - Mandy Rice-Davies  -  Twiggy
30. Don't Blow Your Cool  -  Caravelles  - Patrick MacNee  -  Twiggy  - Lois Wilkinson

Disc 2

31. I Can't Control Myself  - Tom Jones  - Reg Presley  - Chris Spooner  -  Troggs
32. Can't Help Thinking About Me  - David Bowie  - Tom Jones  -  Lower Third  - Chris Spooner
33. Try and Stop Me  -  Creation  - Tom Jones  - Eddie Phillips  - Wilson Pickett  - Chris Spooner
34. Viva la Tamla Motown  - John Coleman  - Tom Jones  - Basil Kirchin  -  London Studio Group  - Chris Spooner
35. New Directions  - Mike Hugg  - Tom Jones  -  Manfred Mann  -  Moods  - Chris Spooner
36. Dedicated Follower of Fashion  - Ray Davies  - Tom Jones  -  Kinks  - Chris Spooner
37. She's a Liar  - Geoff Gill  - Tom Jones  - John Lund  - Mick Rowley  -  Shots  - Chris Spooner
38. Caroline  - Perry Ford  -  Fortunes  - Tony Hiller  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner
39. A Man in a Suitcase  - Ron Grainer  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner
40. Help Me Girl  -  Animals  - Scott English  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner  - Larry Weiss
41. I Like What I'm Trying to Do  - Graham Dee  - Waygood Ellis  - Tom Jones  - Brian Potter  - Chris Spooner
42. Wade in the Water  - Paul Getty  -  Graham Bond Organisation  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner  -  Traditional
43. I'm a Boy  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner  - Pete Townshend  -  Who
44. Red White and You  - Tom Jones  - John Pantry  -  Sounds Around  - Chris Spooner
45. Put Yourself in My Place  - Allan Clarke  -  Episode Six  - Tony Hicks  - Tom Jones  - Graham Nash  - Chris Spooner
46. Mr. Frantic  -  Bluesology  - Reg Dwight  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner
47. Little Games  -  Des James  - Tom Jones  - Harold Spiro  - Chris Spooner  - Phil Wainman
48. Chills and Fever  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner
49. Take Me to the Dance  - Tom Jones  - Tommy Scott  - Chris Spooner  -  Twinkle
50. I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman  - Roger Cook  - Roger Greenaway  - Tom Jones  - Whistling Jack Smith  - Chris Spooner
51. Big City  -  Artwoods  - Tom Jones  - Jon Lord  - Chris Spooner
52. Little Girl  - Eric Clapton  - Tom Jones  - John Mayall  -  Mayall  - Chris Spooner
53. Looking Back [Single Version]  - Billy Davis  -  Davis  - Tom Jones  - Phil Sawyer  - Chris Spooner
54. Because I Love You (Aka I Do Love You)  - Tom Jones  -  Mickey Finn  - Chris Spooner  - Willie Stewart
55. Sorrow [Demo Version]  - Richard Gottehrer  - Tom Jones  -  Merseys  - Chris Spooner
56. If Trees Could Talk  - Tom Jones  -  Juste  - Chris Spooner  - Pierre Tubbs
57. Portobello Road  - Tom Jones  - John Marsh  -  Spectrum  - Chris Spooner  - Andrew Veal
58. Julie Brown Loves Captain Cook  - Paul Barrett  - Tom Jones  -  Les  - Chris Spooner  - Geoff Stephens
59. Morningtown Ride  - Stan Butcher  - Tom Jones  - Stan Reynolds  - Chris Spooner
60. What'cha Gonna Do About It  - Gregory Carroll  - Rex Garvin  - Tom Jones  -  Mirage  - Doris Payne  - Chris Spooner
61. London-My Home Town  - Euel Box  -  Chantelles  - Tom Jones  - Chris Spooner

Disc 3

62. Friday on My Mind  -  Easybeats  - Harry Vanda  - George Young
63. The Cost of Living  - Peter Cowap  -  Downliners Sect  - Graham Gouldman  - Harvey Lisberg
64. The Hustle  - John Coleman  - John Coleman  - Basil Kirchin
65. Crazy Feeling  -  Carl Douglas and the Big Stampede  - Carl Douglas  - Pierre Tubbs
66. Do the Dog  -  Fame  - Rufus Thomas
67. I'll Go Crazy  - James Brown  -  Untamed
68. I Get Excited  - Peter Gosling  -  Moon's Train  - Bill Wyman
69. I'm Out  - Ian Starr  - Richard Kent Style
70. Henry's Panter  - William Birch  - Billy Davis  - Wynder K. Frog
71. Whatcha Gonna Do About It  - Brian Potter  - Ian Samwell  -  Small Faces
72. I'm Following You  - Andrew Pryce Jackman  - Steve Nardelli  -  Syn
73. I'm Gettin' Tired (Of Drinkin' and Gamblin' Etc)  - Jack Bruce
74. Town Walk  - Eddie Phillips  -  Woodman
75. If You Need Me  - Robert Bateman  - Wilson Pickett  - Sonny Sanders  -  Union
76. I'm Out of My Own  -  Roll Movement  - Cliff Wade
77. Where Did My Herat Go  -  Good Time Losers  - Barry Murray
78. Get Out of My Way  - Mike Brancaccio  -  Drag Set  - Terry Schindler
79. Don't You Ignore Me  -  Extreem  - Jimmy Powell
80. Don't Stop and Stare  -  Farr  - Andy McKechnie  - Stu Parks  - Winston Weatherill
81. Lose Your Money (But Don't Lose Your Mind)  - Denny Laine  -  Moody Blues  - Mike Pinder
82. Cheat and Lie  - Mike Dallon  - Miki Dallon
83. Haven't They Got Better Things to Do  - Ora Diamond  - Roger Joyce  -  Profile
84. She's a Raver  - Dana Gillespie
85. I'm Waiting for the Day  - Bob Love  -  Peanut  - Brian Wilson
86. I'm Back  -  Good Things
87. Not the Sort of Girl You Take to Bed [Alternative Version]  - Andy Ellison  - John Hewlett  -  John's Children
88. How Long Is Time  -  Odyssey  - Ken Smart
89. The Music Goes Round  -  Jeeps  - Pierre Tubbs
90. We Love the Pirates  - John Carter  - Terry Kennedy  -  Roaring 60's  - Geoff Stephens
91. Pageing Sullivan  - John Coleman  - Basil Kirchin  -  London Studio Group
92. Love Ya Illya  -  Angela & The Fans  - Stephen Forest  - Al Western
93. England Swings  - Petula Clark  - Roger Miller

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Miki Dallon   Primary Artist
Miss X   Primary Artist
The Chantelles   Primary Artist
Samantha Juste   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
The Shots   Primary Artist
Tom Jones   Primary Artist
The Alan Bown Set   Primary Artist
The Caravelles   Primary Artist
Glenda Collins   Primary Artist
Episode Six   Primary Artist
Manfred Mann   Primary Artist
The Animals   Primary Artist
The End   Primary Artist
Basil Kirchin   Primary Artist
Laurie Johnson Orchestra   Primary Artist
Graham Bond Organisation   Primary Artist
Twiggy   Primary Artist
The Syn   Primary Artist
The Action   Primary Artist
The Artwoods   Primary Artist
Angela & The Fans   Primary Artist
The Fortunes   Primary Artist
Dave Anthony's Moods   Primary Artist
Kiki Dee   Primary Artist
The Kinks   Primary Artist
The Creation   Primary Artist
The Mike Cotton Sound   Primary Artist
A Band of Angels   Primary Artist
The Downliners Sect   Primary Artist
The Easybeats   Primary Artist
Jack Bruce   Primary Artist
Geno Washington   Primary Artist
Union   Primary Artist
David John & the Mood   Primary Artist
John Carter   Primary Artist
Zoot Money's Big Roll Band   Primary Artist
Ron Grainer   Primary Artist
The John Schroeder Orchestra   Primary Artist
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers   Primary Artist
John's Children   Primary Artist
Waygood Ellis   Primary Artist
Richard Kent Style   Primary Artist
Gary Farr & the T-Bones   Primary Artist
John Coleman   Primary Artist
The Spectrum   Primary Artist
Neil Christian & the Crusaders   Primary Artist
Whistling Jack Smith   Primary Artist
Moon's Train   Primary Artist
The Mirage   Primary Artist
Mick   Primary Artist
Ram Jam Band   Primary Artist
Peanut   Primary Artist
Sounds Around   Primary Artist
Paul Barrett   Primary Artist
London Studio Group   Primary Artist
The Hi-Fi's   Primary Artist
David Bowie   Primary Artist
Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames   Primary Artist
The Troggs   Primary Artist
The Who   Primary Artist
Jeeps   Primary Artist
Mandy Rice-Davies   Primary Artist
Les   Primary Artist
The Profile   Primary Artist
Les Barrett   Primary Artist
The Extreem   Primary Artist
Carl Douglas and the Big Stampede   Primary Artist
The Good Time Losers   Primary Artist
The Roaring 60's   Primary Artist
The Roll Movement   Primary Artist
The Merseys   Primary Artist
Phillip Goodhand-Tait   Primary Artist
Stan Butcher   Primary Artist
Dana Gillespie   Primary Artist
Wynder K. Frog   Primary Artist
Des James   Primary Artist
Stormsville Shakers   Primary Artist
Honor Blackman   Primary Artist
Patrick MacNee   Primary Artist
Dusty Springfield   Primary Artist
Twinkle   Primary Artist
Tich   Primary Artist
Beaky   Primary Artist
Tony Rivers & The Castaways   Primary Artist
Mickey Finn   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
The Knack   Primary Artist
Dozy   Primary Artist
The Drag Set   Primary Artist
Ken Woodman's Piccadilly Brass   Primary Artist
Dave Dee   Primary Artist
Mood Mosaic   Primary Artist
The Good Things   Primary Artist
Electric Banana   Primary Artist
Bluesology   Primary Artist
Petula Clark   Primary Artist
Jimmy James & the Vagabonds   Primary Artist
Odyssey   Primary Artist
The Moody Blues   Primary Artist
Small Faces   Primary Artist
The Untamed   Primary Artist
The Spencer Davis Group   Primary Artist
The Yardbirds   Primary Artist
The Lower Third   Featured Artist
Riot Squad   Featured Artist
David Wells   Compiled
Eric Clapton   Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Geoffrey Stephens   Composer
Bob Love   Composer
Don Level   Composer
Reg Dwight   Composer
Bea Verdi   Composer
Terry Schindler   Composer
Lois Wilkinson   Composer
Steve Nardelli   Composer
Andy McKechnie   Composer
Winston Weatherill   Composer
The Spectrum   Composer
Harold Spiro   Composer
Chris Spooner   Cover Photo
Stan Reynolds   Composer
Carl Smith   Composer
Willie Stewart   Composer
Andy Morten   Design
George Young   Composer
Howard Blaikley   Composer
Gregory Carroll   Composer
Al Western   Composer
Stephen Forest   Composer
Jaime De Mora Y Aragon   Composer
Buddy Kaye   Composer
Gwen Fuqua   Composer
Harry Vanda   Composer
Herbert Kretzmer   Composer
John Coleman   Composer
William Birch   Composer
Mike Dallon   Composer
John Marsh   Composer
Ora Diamond   Composer
Peter Law   Composer,Composer
Ken Smart   Composer
Paul Getty   Composer
Andrew Veal   Composer
David Wells   Liner Notes,Project Manager,Annotation
Denny Laine   Composer
Jon Lord   Composer
Roger Joyce   Composer
Pete Townshend   Composer
Mark Wirtz   Composer
Richard Gottehrer   Composer
Rex Garvin   Composer
Mick Rowley   Composer
Mike Pinder   Composer
Dana Gillespie   Composer
Andrew Pryce Jackman   Composer
Phil Phillips   Composer
Patrick MacNee   Cover Photo
Graham Gouldman   Composer
Cliff Wade   Composer
Graham Nash   Composer
Charlie Foxx   Composer
Eddie Phillips   Composer
Carl Douglas   Composer
Harvey Lisberg   Composer
Terry Clark   Composer
Mike Brancaccio   Composer
Tommy Scott   Composer,Composer
Perry Ford   Composer
Michael Sinclair   Composer
Peter Cowap   Composer
Simon Murphy   Mastering
Geoff Gill   Composer
John Lund   Composer
Mike d'Abo   Composer
Euel Box   Composer
John Hewlett   Composer
Stu Parks   Composer
Phil Sawyer   Composer
Scott English   Composer
Rufus Thomas   Composer
Jerry Goldstein   Composer
Phil May   Composer
Phil Wainman   Composer
Pierre Tubbs   Composer
Ray Davies   Composer
Raymond Lewis   Composer
Reg Presley   Composer
Raynard Miner   Composer
Peter Gosling   Composer
Graham Dee   Composer
Mike Hugg   Composer
Mike Love   Composer
Miki Dallon   Composer
Alan Tew   Composer
Brian Holland   Composer
John Schroeder   Composer
David Bowie   Composer
Tom Jones   Cover Photo
Brian Potter   Composer
Brian Wilson   Composer
Manfred Mann   Composer
Winfred "Blue" Lovett   Composer
Wilson Pickett   Composer
Dave Lee   Composer
Tony Hiller   Composer
Sly Stewart   Composer
Bert Berns   Composer
Dave Rowberry   Composer
Jimmy Powell   Composer
Ian Samwell   Composer
Inez Foxx   Composer
Basil Kirchin   Composer
Doris Payne   Composer
Twiggy   Cover Photo
Allan Clarke   Composer
Spencer Davis   Composer
Tony Hicks   Composer
Paul Jones   Composer
Paul Gurvitz   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Paul Korda   Composer
Andy Ellison   Composer
Andy Summers   Composer
Terry Kennedy   Composer
Sonny Sanders   Composer
Berry Gordy, Jr.   Composer
Wally Waller   Composer
Bob Feldman   Composer
Ian Starr   Composer
Bill Wyman   Composer
Billy Davis   Composer
Billy Stewart   Composer
Andrew Jackman   Composer
Lamont Dozier   Composer
Barry Murray   Composer
James Brown   Composer
Larry Weiss   Composer
Laurie Johnson   Composer
Roger Miller   Composer
Jack Bruce   Composer
John Beecham   Composer
Mac Gayden   Composer
Geoff Stephens   Composer
Joe Tex   Composer
John Carter   Composer
Zoot Money   Composer
John Pantry   Composer
Robert Bateman   Composer
Ron Grainer   Composer
John Mayall   Composer
Leslie Bricusse   Composer
Dick Taylor   Composer
Roger Cook   Composer
Roger Greenaway   Composer