Interview for Melody Maker • Saturday, February 19, 1966

Interview

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In this Melody Maker article, Paul McCartney shared his views on new songs from other artists.

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HOLLIES: “I Can’t Let Go” (Parlophone)

It’s the Hollies (During sung falsetto note) that’s great. It’s a very commercial record. I love the high trumpet note, if it was a trumpet, especially. Very well arranged.

GENE PITNEY: “Back stage” (Stateside)

Gene Pitney! Again, it’s commercial. But I don’t like particularly. I like to hear him sing a different type of song – this is his single type.

THE NEW FACES: “Like A Man” (Pye)

It’s a girl – she’s white, British, 5 feet 5 inches tall and has blonde hair. But I don’t know what her name is. I can’t tell with this one [unreadable] personally. I don’t really like it.

ADAM FAITH: “To Make A Big Man Cry” (Parlophone)

(During into) British! It’s Adam Faith. It may be one of those records that grows on you after a bit, but it doesn’t seem very distinguished at the moment.

PADDY, KLAUS & GIBSON: “No Good Without You, Baby” (Pye)

It’s great – bound to be a hit. I’ve got my publicity man leaning over my shoulder and he’s their publicity man, too. But it is a great song and I think they have done it well. Hit!

ACTION: “I’ll Keep Holding On” (Parlophone).

The Action: I like this record but I think I like the original version a bit better. I saw the Action rehearsing at the Marquee and they are a good group. This is a medium hit.

FOUR PENNIES: “Trouble Is My Middle Name” (Philips).

British: Is it Pinkerton’s Various Bassett’s Assortment? The tune sounds so, like “Mirror, Mirror On The Wall”. Wait a minute, it’s the Four Pennies. Again, I can’t really tell about this one. It may be a hit, but it doesn’t sound like it on first hearing. However, I hope it is, lads!

BILLY J. KRAMER: “We’re Doing Fine” (Parlophone).

It’s Billy J’s new one, I heard it last night. It’s all down to whoever has got the following – Dee Dee Warwick or Billy J. I think Dee Dee’s is a bit better, but Billy’s male and will have the birds on his side.

MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS: “My Baby Loves Me” (Tamla Motown).

Who is this? Is it Martha? I don’t think it’s as good as the rest of her records. The backing is so ordinary. Still, it’s better than a lot of the records out at the moment.

KIKI DEE: “Why Don’t I Run Away From You?” (Fontana).

British! To the core! She sounds as though she has a great voice but the song isn’t good enough to make a big impression: Chartwise, flipside, dig daddy! That is one of the records that Martha’s is better than.

GRAHAM BOND ORGANISATION: “St. James Infirmary” (Columbia).

Normally Graham Bond sounds American, but the speed of this makes him sound a lot more English. The trouble is I have never liked the song anyway. I like his moustache.

STATLER BROTHERS: “Flowers On The Wall” (CBS).

I don’t like it at all, but I think a few people probably will. It sounds a bit like “All My Loving On The Wall”, which sounds like a million others. The only good thing is it’s different. But so is Eamonn Andrews.

JUNIOR WALKER ALL STARS: “Cleo’s Mood” (Tamla Motown). 

It’s Junior Walker. The best thing about them is Junior Walker’s voice and there is no singing on this. He has had a great thing on his last couple of records but this sounds like somebody trying to cash in on them. It’s just about the most stupid way of cashing in because it’s got nothing that the other records have. Down with cashing-in, I say!

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Last updated on October 25, 2023