GEORGIE FAME AND THE BLUE FLAMES – "Yeh Yeh"

I used to have an old video of Ready Steady Go – this was on it, nestled between the brooding Van Morrison and Them, and the Stones. It intrigued me, seeming strangely out of place, an impossible young looking Georgie Fame, far too young to be able to play in smokey jazz clubs, gasping out the almost gabbled lyrics, too posh for rock n roll.

Catchy tune though. I’d give it more than 5.

More than a five to me too. I first heard this as a child (not having been born til 10 years later than this was number one) on a reel-to-reel tape recording, and I loved it then. It still conjures up memories of Sunday evening hot bathtime and I guess just the general comfort of childhood. (A long way from smokey jazz clubs or not? Same mellowness is imnplied, I suppose) It’s a fun song, great backing, an arrangement that is clever but not lifelessly or pedantically so and a tune that climbs when it should climb and does the odd unexpected thing too.

It’s not a rotten song, but it’s way too pleased with itself. I’d guess it’s the first hit to use the word “groovy”. Georgie isn’t quite the laidback dude the backing suggests – he clearly can’t wait to get his end away while being gauche enough to mention all his other girlfriends (“I’m even ready to leave those others alone”). The girl just wants a night in with “supper” (probably the first hit to use that word, too), a kiss and a cuddle.

I find this a slightly painful listen because Georgie fails to hit so many notes, struggles to cram all the words in, and only sounds comfortable on the bridge.

Copies exist without the jazzbo spelling – presumably EMI weren’t as hip to the lip as Georgie.

#5. The word “supper” (or suppertime?) features in the 1958 hit “Sugertime”, a US number one by the McGuire Sisters but probably better remembered in the UK for the Alma Cogan cover version. I’m surprised that Alma doesn’t feature more frequently in these charts in the immediate pre-rock’n’roll era when she seemed to be heard everywhere. Everything she did seemed to be a cover version, which was typical of British singers at that time.

after several stomping Number 1s in 1964 I find it refreshing to hear something that swings as enjoyably as this. I went back and listened to the original Mongo Santamaria instrumental and then the tune with lyrics added by Jon Hendricks (of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross) and to my ears it sounds as if Georgie Fame has streamlined the jazzy qualities for a poppier sound. This sounds like music aimed at a slightly older crowd than the teens and pre-teens who were screaming at the Beatles. Interesting to see that Wikipedia makes a link between this and the French ‘yé-yé’ scene.

Never dug Georgie. Bought a second hand 7″ with this and Get Away on as I was intrigued there was a guy I’d never heard of who’d had three #1s during the mid 60s.

I can’t get past the feel of this as Austin Powers music: a vaguely hip background soundtrack for space-age shagadelic bachelor pads. Like a 60s equivalent to Texas or Morcheeba in the sense of mainly being played in the background by people who are old enough to sit out the latest Pop Trends (c.f. Sean Connery’s quip about listening to The Beatles without earmuffs in Goldfinger (or is it FRWL?)) but young enough to want some contemporary sounds for chilling to.

This is based purely on his hits mind, I understand he was an absolute demon on the live circuit.

I should check out Stereolab, a few people have recommended them to me now.