THE STARGAZERS - “Broken Wings”
(10th April 1953)
Pretty much all the interest here is in the instrumentation, the now-expected orchestration replaced by a fragile electric organ and a break played on what might be a cracked cornet. The production makes for an effective bit of slush, which as a bare song doesn’t hold the interest for longer than its premise (”With broken wings no bird can fly”). The plug on the organ is pretty much all that separates this from the earliest slow songs I’ve heard, dance ballads from the 20s or even before. The singles chart was now several months old but listening to this I get the - probably na’ve - idea that there was still a lot more luck than judgement in fashioning a hit. 4
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intothefireuk on November 4th, 2007
I have no idea who the stargazers were but they sound far too much like the Mike Samms Singers for my liking. The MSS featured in the hellish radio series ‘Sing Something Simple’ which blighted my Sunday nghts for some years (thanks Mum !). The addition of a crappy organ and depressing muted trumpet solo only adds to the misery. Into Room 101 it goes.
Marcello Carlin on November 5th, 2007
Actually Sing Something Simple featured the Cliff Adams Singers, who evolved from the Stargazers. They appeared as one of three regular musical acts in the very early series of The Goon Show (when it was still called Crazy People and Michael Bentine was in it).
Meanwhile the Mike Sammes Singers were responsible for the assorted “whoooh”s and “oompah oompah stick it up yer jumpah”s on “I Am The Walrus.”
jeff w on November 5th, 2007
yes, don’t be doing down Mike Sammes. His singers appear uncredited on more British pop classics than you might think.
Check out also the sad story behind the recently issued Music For Biscuits.
intothefireuk on November 5th, 2007
Ok fair enough - the Cliff Adams singers it was - the Mike Sammes singers are repreived.
Marcello Carlin on November 6th, 2007
That is a sad story about Mike Sammes. Blimey. I must check that CD out.
One of the Stargazers is the dad of the lead singer out of Johnny Hates Jazz.
DJ Punctum on May 29th, 2008
In case I haven’t already mentioned it somewhere else, the Mike Sammes Singers’ Music For Biscuits compilation is urgent and key listening. Brilliant and inventive, especially “Dulux Super Three” (most of the track titles do resemble a Stereolab album tracklisting, it has to be said).