Back in November of 1968, LILY The PINK by The SCAFFOLD was released, becoming the number one record in Britain for four weeks over the Christmas period. My brother bought the single, which I enjoyed, but I found myself irresistibly drawn to the haunting B side, BUTTONS Of YOUR MIND, with 'vocals' by ROGER McGOUGH, who also wrote the lyrics.
It was a romantic spoken ballad, and I remember 'singing' it to myself many years later as I saw a young lady off on her coach trip to Edinburgh, realizing the time we'd shared together was now over. However, my main recollection with which I associate the track is sitting on the floor in front of the record player in the living-room of one of the houses I'd lived in when I was a lad.
The original record disappeared sometime around 1976 or '77, but I acquired a replacement in a second-hand music shop in Buckland (or Fratton) in Portsmouth in 1978, which I still have, over 35 years later. However, whenever I hear it, I'm once again a ten-year-old boy, sitting on the floor of the house that I lived in over 41 years ago. Give it a listen - I reckon you'll enjoy it.
And it goes without saying that if you have any memories associated with the single yourself (including the A side), feel free to share them with the rest of us in the comments section.
19 comments:
Plus, the Scaffold included Paul McCartney's brother, Mike!
John@popculturesafari
Wasn't he his half-brother, or step-brother or something? Mike McGear, wasn't it? (Can't be bothered digging my CD out.)
Got a feeling I have told this story before (on here as well so apologies for repeating myself but I forget) but "Lilly the Pink" along with the Marmalades "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" were the fist singles I ever bought (my brother and myself pooling some birthday or holiday money to get them) and still to this day I can recall the day we got them ( purchasing a single was a major thing then they were expensive) vividly in Lewis' store in Glasgow -I still have both singles somewhere (sadly no sleeves) but I do remember the flip sides and have too say my "young ears" I didn't like the Scaffold flip side but I loved the MARMALADE flip side "Chains" (and still do) However, on this hearing I have to say I appreciate it more now as an old git - I know its because a lot of the people on here are around the same age and obviously visiting your blog have similar interests (and maybe even because you and myself grew up in same area) but I still find it amazing that we all share so many of the same specific (rather than general) purchase type memories McS
By coincidence Mike McCartney has just been born in the Beatles biography that I'm reading just now. He used McGear as his stage name, so as not to trade on his big brother's success. I remember Roger McGough used to appear regularly on TV back then, quite often reading his poetry. He was a funny bloke.
McScotty, what's also amazing is that Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da was written by Lennon & McCartney (I think), so there's yet another Beatles connection. I'm also pretty sure that I bought my replacement single for the one my brother used to have in Southsea in 1981. Still got it, too.
******
GB, that'll teach me to believe everything I read (or hear). I'm sure that I once read (or someone told me) that they were half-brothers, but I just Googled him and such is not the case.
Regarding Roger McGough, these days he presents Poetry Please on Radio 4 every week, and has quite a few books of poems available. John Gorman, also in the Scaffold, later appeared on TISWAS, as I'm sure everyone knows.
Also by coincidence, in regard to McScotty's comment, I was going to say that my older brother would bring new singles into the house every week, and he would play both sides of the record constantly for a while. Lily The Pink was one of them, although its B-side didn't make a big impression at that time.
Being younger meant I didn't differentiate between an A-side and a B-side, and just liked them if they were good songs. Chains, for instance, meant more to me than Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da - it's still the first track on my Marmalade compilation in the car. Likewise Raw Ramp, the B-side of Get It On by T Rex or the B-side of Fleetwood Mac's Man Of The World, along with countless others. I'm always thrilled when I meet someone nowadays who knows what I'm talking about when I mention these records.
Something I just heard for the first time recently: on the outtakes from Let It Be, The Beatles have a jokey run through of Ob-La-Di and use the line that Marmalade used in their version - "If you want some jam, sing Ob-La-Do-Bla-Da."
I'll have to dig out my Marmalade single and listen to the B side - I don't think I remember it. (Will probably recognise it once I hear it 'though.)
Junior Campbell sang lead vocal on Chains, I believe, rather than the usual singer, Dean Ford. He went on to write the music for Thomas the Tank Engine, so there's another Beatles connection for you.
I had a listen to the song on YouTube, GB - surprisingly, I didn't recognise it. Thomas the Tank Engine, eh? Surely Ringo Starr's finest moment.
I wasn't aware that Junior Campbell sang "Chains" I just assumed (incorrectly ) it was Dean Ford. Actually I never even realised till much later,that Junior Campbell of Marmalade was the same guy that sang "Hallelujah Freedom" and for some reason ( its not a common name) used to think it was an American singer instead of a Glasgow boy. Marmalade were a brilliant band a handful of really good solid pop songs that are more than worth a listen too if you haven't heard them. Flip sides more than not used to be good in the 70s and I recall feeling "done" if it was a filler used - B sides like Mudd's "Do it all over again" (A side; Dynamite) and 10CCs "Waterfall" (A side; Rubber bullets) were great - I also remember a Cliff Richard single in the 60s thats flip side "High and dry" was good - right I'm off to try find my 45 singles box and check out the B sided! McS
One of the good things about record companies reissuing old CDs is that they often include the B-sides as bonus tracks. As well as Marmalade I recently got some by Pilot, T Rex and 10CC - they're not all great, but it's good to get the chance to hear them again.
Although Marmalade's dress sense could be a bit dubious, 'Reflections Of My Life' was one of the classic sixties singles, with over one million plays on US radio alone - apparently it was popular with their soldiers in Vietnam, and has remained a favourite ever since.
Although I remember Lily the Pink, I was a bit young for it to make much of an impression on me. The one song I recall really grabbing me like that and causing me to go track down a copy of it years later was Gary Gilmore's Eyes by the Adverts.
I'll be looking that up on You Tube, Marionette - ta much.
I think one of the reasons it made such an impact on me at the time was that Garry Gilmore was a real person, and the song prompted by actual events.
Probably not the third verse, though.
Interestingly, M, Lily the Pink was also a real person, although I doubt that the song was an entirely accurate account of events in her life. I haven't looked up 'your' song yet, but I'll get around to it.
It seems everyone is going down associated alleys with this question, so I will give my two penn'orth and stick to the point. Born in 1963 I listened to Lily when my dad bought it in the day. We used to mess about on the gramophone and play B sides for fun. And Buttons really stuck in my young mind. After the A side this seemed so serious and sad which can play heavy on a six year old. Never forgot it and I inherited it with many other 7"ers and played it to my Uni buddies in the early 80s. We loved it and it became a bit of an anthem and we would sing the dabba dee di chorus heartily. Now in 2024 I have just remembered it (still have the original) and will remind my old mate John Blackledge about it when I see him after about 30 years.
Your 'two penn'orth' is worth a few pounds in my estimation. I still have the replacement single I bought in 1978, and have recently (last few months) acquired a better condition one - though I'll be keeping the other one as well. I've also got it on CD, The Best Of The Scaffold, so I'm now well covered in that department. Whichever side I listen to on the single, I'm a boy again, and still living in the house we flitted from 52 years ago.
Sorry add to my previous comment, just listened to your post forgot to say how great Buttons is it literally makes my hair stand on end. Beautiful guitar work shame it is totally forgotten now.
Not by you or me it isn't though, eh?
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