Marmalade are a Scottish pop rock band originating from the east end of Gla… Read Full Bio ↴Marmalade are a Scottish pop rock band originating from the east end of Glasgow, originally formed in 1961 as The Gaylords, and then later billed as Dean Ford and The Gaylords, recording four singles for Columbia (EMI). In 1966 they changed the bandโs name to The Marmalade, and were credited as such on all of their subsequent recorded releases with CBS Records and Decca Records until 1972. Their greatest chart success was between 1968 and 1972, placing ten songs on the UK Singles Chart, and many overseas territories, including international hit "Reflections of My Life", which reached #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The original members began to drift away in the early 1970s, resulting in the band departing Decca in 1972. In 1973 the first evolved line up of the band rejoined EMI Records and with their first record release became known simply as Marmalade. All subsequent record releases are credited similarly.
Graham Knight (an ongoing member from the pre-Marmalade โDean Ford and The Gaylordsโ lineup) remained until September 2010. The band still exists, with many additional further evolved lineupโs including vocalist Sandy Newman, a member since 1975, touring the nostalgia circuit.
The Gaylords (named after the notorious post war Chicago Gaylords street gang) were originally formed by Pat Fairley and Billy Johnston in Baillieston, a suburb east of Glasgow, in 1961. Their initial line-up included Tommy Frew on drums and lead guitarist Pat McGovern, fronted by vocalist Wattie Rodgers. William Junior Campbell joined on his fourteenth birthday on 31 May 1961 replacing McGovern, and Rodgers was then himself replaced, initially by two new lead vocalists, Billy Reid and Tommy Scott, although Reid soon departed leaving Scott as the sole frontman. Bill Irving, from local Baillieston group the Cadillacs, then took over from Johnston on bass.
The group began gathering notice and in 1963 Pat Fairley and Junior Campbell spotted Thomas McAleese, singer with local group The Monarchs, at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, and it was not long before he replaced Scott as lead singer. Thomas then adopted the stage moniker Dean Ford, and they then became known as Dean Ford and The Gaylords. Raymond Duffy, from Glasgow group the Escorts, then came in on drums after Frew departed. For a few months, they had an organist, Davey Hunter. By early 1965, Graham Knight, from the local group the Vampires, had displaced Irving on bass.
Becoming popular in Scotland, and under the management of Billy Grainger, in early 1964 they were championed by Scottish music journalist Gordon Reid, which led to them being signed to Columbia (EMI) by Norrie Paramor after auditions at Glasgow's Locarno Ballroom. They went on to record four singles, including a cover of the 1963 Chubby Checker US hit "Twenty Miles", which was a big seller locally but failed to chart nationally. The Columbia releases, although uncredited, were all produced by Bob Barratt, EMI staff producer, with Norrie Paramor as executive. Paramor played the celesta on "What's The Matter With Me"; the b-side of "Twenty Miles". In 1965, they played a long stint in Germany at the Storyville in Cologne and also in Duisburg. By this time The Gaylords had attained status as one of the top groups in Scotland, borne out in music poll results, but were ambitious, and so on their return from Germany to London in early 1965, they decided to try for success in the UK as a whole, and remained in London, where they changed management and agency representation, as Billy Grainger wished to remain in Glasgow.
On the recommendation of the Tremeloes, who had played with them in Glasgow, The Gaylords were invited to join the London-based agency Starlite Artistes, owned and managed by Peter Walsh. They then began to build up a club reputation as a tight, close harmony band and in 1966, finding themselves in the middle of the 1960s swinging London scene, they decided to update their image and instrumentation. On the advice of their new manager, they changed the band name to The Marmalade. Unusually, they now had two bass players, Graham Knight on 4 string and Pat Fairley on 6 string (Fairley having dropped the standard rhythm guitar normally associated with rock groups of the early 1960s).
With their EMI Columbia contract at an end, Walsh, with the help of John Salter, Walsh's booking agent, was successful in signing the band to CBS Records with producer Mike Smith, who was having great success with the Tremeloes, now their agency stablemates. But their first few CBS singles also failed to chart in the UK.
Drummer Ray Duffy (who later played with Matthews Southern Comfort and Gallagher and Lyle and also on Junior Campbell's later solo recordings), decided to leave in 1966 to return to Scotland to get married just after their first CBS release, "Its All Leading up to Saturday Night". The band then placed adverts in the New Musical Express and Melody Maker, and after various auditions, former postman Alan Whitehead ex member of London outfit the Loose Ends became their new drummer, debuting on their next single, "Can't Stop Now", which failed to sell despite the group's performing it on a TV play, The Fantasist, written by Alun Owen, for the BBC Two Theatre 625 series.
Their third CBS single, the self penned "I See the Rain", written by Junior Campbell and Dean Ford, was praised by Jimi Hendrix as the 'best cut of 1967'. It became a chart-topper in the Netherlands the same year. Graham Nash of the Hollies contributed to the session, but it too flopped in the UK, although the track, with its distinct 1960s feel, has since attained a cult following and been resurrected recently by artists such as Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles and Matthew Sweet.
19 January 1967 proved to be a turning point in the band's progress when they made their debut at London's Marquee Club where they supported Pink Floyd. Two weeks later, on 3 February, they supported the Action. After that, they never supported anyone again at the Marquee and on 16 March 1967 they began a long residency which carried through to the autumn of the following year, building a reputation and following, including touring with the Who, Joe Cocker, Traffic, Gene Pitney and the Tremeloes. This culminated with summer appearances at the Windsor Jazz and Rock Festival, directly preceding Jerry Lee Lewis, and Festival of the Flower Children Woburn Abbey.
CBS, concerned at Marmalade's lack of commercial success, threatened to drop them if they did not have a hit. So after the failure of another self-penned single later that year, "Man in a Shop", they were urged to record more chart-orientated material. They rejected "Everlasting Love", which became a No. 1 for Love Affair, but later gave in to pressure and recorded "Lovin' Things" written by Artie Schroeck and Jet Loring in 1967 and arranged by Keith Mansfield for Marmalade. It reached No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart in the summer of 1968. This was covered by the Grass Roots in the US in 1969, using virtually the same arrangement. Marmalade's debut album, There's A Lot Of It About, featured a mix of some of their singles and cover versions of current popular tunes, and was released in 1968.
Marmalade made a cameo appearance on the big screen in the film Subterfuge that year.
After a lesser hit with their follow-up single "Wait For Me Mary-Anne" (written by Alan Blaikley and Ken Howard), which made No. 30, they enjoyed their biggest UK success with their cover of the Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", which topped the UK chart in January 1969, the group becoming the first ever Scottish group to top that chart. Their version of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" sold around half a million in the UK, and a million copies globally by April 1969.[4] This was followed by further success with "Baby Make It Soon" (written by Tony Macaulay), which reached No. 9 in the summer of 1969.
In February 1969 the band appeared on the BBC's flagship program Colour Me Pop, (precursor to The Old Grey Whistle Test) performing a halfhour slot. They also appeared on the BBC's review of the 1960s music scene, Pop Go The Sixties, performing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" live on the broadcast on BBC 1 on New Year's Eve 1969.
In November 1969 the band was signed to Decca Records by Decca head of A&R, Dick Rowe under a highly lucrative advance deal, allowing the band to write and produce their own songs, with no studio time restraints, and in their very first Decca recording session, they recorded โReflections of My Lifeโ, which would become their biggest worldwide hit, rewarding Decca's and Dick Rowe's faith in the band. Topping the charts in Europe (also Top 10 in United States and No. 1 in most of South America), it was written by Campbell and Ford, and featured a "backwards" (backmasking) guitar solo by Campbell.
"Reflections of My Life" has recorded over two million sales, and the writers were awarded a Special Citation of Achievement in 1998 by BMI in attaining radio broadcast performances in excess of one million in the US alone.
Other UK hits for Decca included "Rainbow" (UK No. 3 and US No. 51) and "My Little One" (UK No. 15), "Cousin Norman" and "Radancer" (both reaching UK No. 6).
Their manager, Peter Walsh, was a 1960s and 1970s pop entrepreneur whose portfolio also included the Tremeloes, Bay City Rollers, Billy Ocean, the Troggs and Blue Mink.
Their first Decca album, Reflections Of The Marmalade was released in the US as Reflections Of My Life on Decca's London Records subsidiary. Their US singles during this era likewise came out on London. But their manager, Walsh, turned down an offer to tour the US opening for Three Dog Night, thus blowing an opportunity for further exposure there.[citation needed] To be fair to Walsh, he did not much care for the fact that Marmalade would have had to pay a substantial dollar premium to do so, a practice common in the US but totally alien to Walsh's traditional UK management and agency style.
After Junior Campbell, who co-wrote most of the group's original material with Ford, left the band in March 1971 for a solo career, and to study orchestration and composition at the Royal College of Music, they began a series of line-up changes, including the loss of drummer Alan Whitehead.
Marmalade recruited guitarist Hugh Nicholson, an ex-member of the Poets, to replace Campbell, and after the first post Campbell release, "Cousin Norman", it was Nicholson who insisted on them sacking Whitehead and recruiting his friend and colleague from the Poets, Dougie Henderson. This caused Marmalade to suffer adverse publicity from the UK's News of the World after an embittered Whitehead gave them stories of the band's experiences with groupies.
Marmalade released Songs in November 1971, with Nicholson taking over most song compositions, which met with limited success. However, Nicholson penned two of their last hits, "Cousin Norman" (brass arranged by Junior Campbell) and "Radancer", as well as the lesser hit "Back on the Road", on which he sang lead vocal.
Pat Fairley quit the band circa 1972 to run the group's music publishing company, then Nicholson, who was discouraged over the failure of their Songs album, also left in 1973 to form Blue (not to be confused with a later boy band of the same name). Ford, Knight and Henderson carried on with Marmalade. Nicholson was eventually replaced by Mike Japp, a rock guitarist from the Welsh band, Thank You.
The group returned to EMI and released a new single, "Wishing Well", credited simply as Marmalade (dropping the "The"). But Knight left during the recording of their next album, Our House Is Rocking (which showcased a heavier rock sound and was delayed until the autumn of 1974) and the group was briefly a trio before Joe Breen (ex-Dream Police) came in on bass. Refusing to play most of the band's old hit records on stage, the group slowly came to a standstill.
In 1975 Knight linked up with former drummer Alan Whitehead to form 'Vintage Marmalade' with Sandy Newman (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Charlie Smith (guitar). They were reunited with their old manager, Peter Walsh, to play all the hits on stage and had a full date sheet.
Later in 1975, after Ford and the remaining members called it quits, Knight and Whitehead took over the name Marmalade with the new line-up, fronted by Newman. They signed a deal with Tony Macaulay's Target Records and in 1976, had what turned out to be their final Top 10 hit with the ominously entitled, Macaulay penned song, "Falling Apart at the Seams". The song also reached the easy listening charts in the U.S. and made the Top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group's last charting single on the U.S charts. Subsequent singles failed to chart. One of these was "Talking In Your Sleep", produced by Roger Greenaway and released in January 1978, six months ahead of the Crystal Gayle version of the same song, which became well known worldwide.
Sandy Newman (ex-Chris McClure Section, 1968โ1970) has continued to front Marmalade since 1975, releasing a further eleven singles in the UK (excluding re-releases), seven of which were via Target Records, none of which have charted in the UK or US, and today they continue to tour the nostalgia circuit performing the band's full hit repertoire.
Charlie Smith departed in 1977 to join Nicholson in Blue and Garth Watt-Roy came in briefly for Marmalade's Only Light On My Horizon Now album, before leaving for the Q-Tips in 1978. He was replaced by guitarist Ian Withington, who appeared alongside Knight, Newman and new drummer Stu Williamson for the next album Doing It All For You (1979).
Alan Whitehead left the band in 1978 to manage other pop groups and singers, which he has continued to do. He also appeared in the 2010 TV series Take Me Out and ran a lap dancing club.
Charlie Smith returned in 1980, as the band's drummer this time. Alan Holmes (vocals, guitars, keyboards), a former member of the Bristol-based band Federation, succeeded Withington. A 1980 US only album, Marmalade, on G&P Records, featured a re-recorded mix of their Decca, EMI and Target material, alongside some Junior Campbell-penned tracks. Another unsuccessful album, Heartbreaker, came out in the UK in 1982 on the Spectra label.
Graham Knight remained as the sole original band member touring the nostalgia circuit with Newman, Smith and Alan Holmes. In 1982, Glenn Taylor replaced Smith on drums, though Smith returned from 1989 to around 1998, before Taylor took over permanently.
Dave Dee began appearing as guest singer for Marmalade in 1987 and recorded a single with the band, "Scirocco", in 1989. He continued to make live guest appearances with them until his death in 2009.
In September 2010, Graham Knight, the last remaining member of the original band, departed. Drummer Taylor also left to join the Fortunes. The new players were drummer Damon Sawyer and bassist Mike Steed. In 2011, guitarist and vocalist John James Newman joined, making the band a quintet once again.
2013 saw the current Marmalade line-up release their first new studio album since 1979. Entitled Penultimate and released in CD and vinyl formats, it featured six new compositions, together with re-recordings of many Marmalade songs. The album was launched on 4 October 2013 to coincide with the start of a 52-date UK tour.
In 2015 Jan Robinson (vocals, bass) and Chris North (drums, percussion) were brought in as the new rhythm section, in place of Steed and Sawyer.
2011 saw the release of Fine CutsโThe Best Of Marmalade on the Union Square Music BMG Salvo label (SALVOMDCD26), a double album containing all of the Marmalade original studio recordings between 1966 and 1972, including all of their chart hits. The complete catalogue was made available via digital download.
Dean Ford was one of many lead vocalists contributing to the Alan Parsons Project. He is living in Los Angeles. Although for some years he withdrew from the music industry and battled alcoholism, settling in Los Angeles (after a brief spell in New York ), he has become active in music again and released a single called "Glasgow Road" with Joe Tansin (ex-Badfinger) in 2012. He has since recorded a poignant version of "Reflections Of My Life" and in 2016 released a PledgeMusic album entitled Feel My Heartbeat available for digital download.
Pat Fairley also moved to Los Angeles in the late 1970s having worked in music publishing for the RSO Group Robert Stigwood and for the band Yes. He retired from the music business many years ago and has a bar and music venue called The Scotland Yard Pub, in Los Angeles.
Alan Whitehead continues in artist management.
Graham Knight has retired and has homes in Sussex and Spain.
Junior Campbell became a successful solo recording artist, songwriter, television and film composer, record producer and music arranger, and lives in Sussex. He manages all of the master rights to the original band recordings on behalf of the whole band, which they retain, and their publishing rights.
Members
Original band
Patrick Fairley โ vocals, 6 string bass/rhythm guitars (1966โ1972)
William Junior Campbell โ vocals, guitars, keyboards (1966โ1971)
Dean Ford โ lead vocals, guitar, harmonica (1966โ1975; died January 2019)
Raymond Duffy โ drums (1966)
Graham Knight โ vocals, bass (1966โ1973, 1975โ2010)
Further members
Alan Whitehead โ drums (1966โ1971, 1975โ1978)
Dougie Henderson โ drums (1971โ1975)
Hugh Nicholson โ vocals, guitars (1971โ1973)
Joe Breen โ vocals, bass (1973โ1975)
Mike Japp โ vocals, guitars (1973โ1975; died 2012)
Sandy Newman โ lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards (1975โpresent) (b. 1950)
Charlie Smith โ vocals, guitar (1975โ1977; drums 1980โ1982 and 1989โ1998)
Ian Withington โ vocals, guitar (1978โ1980)
Stu Williamson โ drums (1978โ1980)
Garth Watt-Roy โ vocals, keyboards (1977โ1978)
Glenn Taylor โ drums (1982โ1989; 1998โ2010)
Dave Dee โ vocals (1987โ2009; died 2009)
Damon Sawyer โ drums (2010-2015)
Mike Steed โ vocals, bass (2010-2015)
Gaylords members
Patrick Fairley (1961โ1966)
William Junior Campbell (1961โ1966)
Tommy Frew โ drums (1961โ1963)
Billy Johnston โ bass (1961)
Wattie Rodgers โ vocals (1961)
Pat McGovern โ lead guitars (1961)
Tommy Scott โ vocals (1961โ1963)
Billy Reid โ vocals (1961)
Bill Irving โ bass (1961โ1964)
Davey Hunter โ organ (1963)
Dean Ford (1963โ1966)
Raymond Duffy (1963โ1966)
Graham Knight (1965โ1966)
Current members
Sandy Newman โ lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards (1975โpresent)
Alan Holmes โ vocals, acoustic/electric guitar, keyboards (1980โpresent)
Jan Robinson โ vocals, bass (2015โpresent)
Chris North โ drums, percussion (2015โpresent)
John James Newman โ vocals, acoustic guitar (2011โpresent)
Discography
Dean Ford and The Gaylords singles
Title Cat No. Release Date
"Twenty Miles" c/w "What's the Matter with Me" Columbia DB7264 April 1964
"Mr Heartbreak's Here Instead" c/w "I Won't" Columbia DB7402 November 1964
"The Name Game" c/w "That Lonely Feeling" Columbia DB7610 June 1965
"He's a Good Face (But He's Down and Out)" c/w "You Know It Too" Columbia DB7805 December 1965
Singles as The Marmalade
Year Title
(Songwriters) UK Singles Chart US Billboard Hot 100 Chart US Adult Contemporary
1966 "It's All Leading up to Saturday Night"
(Geoff Stephens)
โ
โ
โ
1966 "Can't Stop Now"
(Kelleher/Fitzpatrick/Wood)
โ
โ
โ
1967 "I See the Rain"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
โ
โ
โ
1967 "Man in a Shop"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
โ
โ
โ
1968 "Lovin' Things"
(Jet Loring/Artie Schroeck)
#6
โ
โ
1968 "Wait for Me Mary-Anne"
(Alan Blaikley/Ken Howard)
#30
โ
โ
1968/69 "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
(Lennon/McCartney)
#1
โ
โ
1969 "Baby Make It Soon"
(Tony Macaulay)
#9
โ
โ
1969 "Butterfly"
(Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb)
โ
โ
โ
1969 "Reflections of My Life"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
#3
#10
#21[14]
1970 "Rainbow"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
#3
#51
#7
1971 "My Little One"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
#15
โ
-#31
1971 "Cousin Norman"
(Hugh Nicholson)
#6
โ
โ
1971 "Back on the Road"
(Hugh Nicholson)
#35
โ
โ
1972 "Radancer"
(Hugh Nicholson)
#6
โ
โ
Singles as Marmalade
Year Title
(Songwriters) UK Singles Chart US Billboard Hot 100 Chart US Adult Contemporary
1973 "The Wishing Well"
(Thomas McAleese)
โ
โ
โ
1973 "Our House Is Rockin'"
(Thomas McAleese/Mike Japp)
โ
โ
โ
1974 "Come Back Jo"
(Thomas McAleese/Mike Japp)
โ
โ
โ
1976 "Falling Apart at the Seams"
(Tony Macaulay)
#9
#49
#34
1976 "Walking a Tightrope"
(Tony Macaulay)
โ
โ
โ
1976 "What You Need Is a Miracle"
(Sandy Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1976 "Hello Baby"
(Sandy Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1977 "The Only Light on My Horizon Now"
(Tony Macaulay/Geoff Stephens)
โ
โ
โ
1977 "Mystery Has Gone"
(Sandy Newman/Graham Knight)
โ
โ
โ
1978 "Talking in Your Sleep"
(Roger Cook/Bobby Wood)
โ
โ
โ
1978 "Heavens Above"
(W.A. Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1979 "Made in Germany"
(M. O'Brien)
โ
โ
โ
1984 "Heartbreaker"
(W.A. Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1985 "Golden Shreds"
(Medley of previous hits)
โ
โ
โ
Marmalade studio albums
Original band
There's a Lot of It About (1968) CBS
Best Of (1969) CBS
Reflections of the Marmalade (1970) Decca Records
Additional/ later line-ups
Songs (1971) Decca Records
Our House Is Rocking (1974)
The Only Light on My Horizon Now (1977)
Hello Baby (1978)
... Doing It All for You (1978)
Heavens Above (1979)
Marmalade (US only) (1980)
Heartbreaker (1982)
Penultimate (2013)
Graham Knight (an ongoing member from the pre-Marmalade โDean Ford and The Gaylordsโ lineup) remained until September 2010. The band still exists, with many additional further evolved lineupโs including vocalist Sandy Newman, a member since 1975, touring the nostalgia circuit.
The Gaylords (named after the notorious post war Chicago Gaylords street gang) were originally formed by Pat Fairley and Billy Johnston in Baillieston, a suburb east of Glasgow, in 1961. Their initial line-up included Tommy Frew on drums and lead guitarist Pat McGovern, fronted by vocalist Wattie Rodgers. William Junior Campbell joined on his fourteenth birthday on 31 May 1961 replacing McGovern, and Rodgers was then himself replaced, initially by two new lead vocalists, Billy Reid and Tommy Scott, although Reid soon departed leaving Scott as the sole frontman. Bill Irving, from local Baillieston group the Cadillacs, then took over from Johnston on bass.
The group began gathering notice and in 1963 Pat Fairley and Junior Campbell spotted Thomas McAleese, singer with local group The Monarchs, at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, and it was not long before he replaced Scott as lead singer. Thomas then adopted the stage moniker Dean Ford, and they then became known as Dean Ford and The Gaylords. Raymond Duffy, from Glasgow group the Escorts, then came in on drums after Frew departed. For a few months, they had an organist, Davey Hunter. By early 1965, Graham Knight, from the local group the Vampires, had displaced Irving on bass.
Becoming popular in Scotland, and under the management of Billy Grainger, in early 1964 they were championed by Scottish music journalist Gordon Reid, which led to them being signed to Columbia (EMI) by Norrie Paramor after auditions at Glasgow's Locarno Ballroom. They went on to record four singles, including a cover of the 1963 Chubby Checker US hit "Twenty Miles", which was a big seller locally but failed to chart nationally. The Columbia releases, although uncredited, were all produced by Bob Barratt, EMI staff producer, with Norrie Paramor as executive. Paramor played the celesta on "What's The Matter With Me"; the b-side of "Twenty Miles". In 1965, they played a long stint in Germany at the Storyville in Cologne and also in Duisburg. By this time The Gaylords had attained status as one of the top groups in Scotland, borne out in music poll results, but were ambitious, and so on their return from Germany to London in early 1965, they decided to try for success in the UK as a whole, and remained in London, where they changed management and agency representation, as Billy Grainger wished to remain in Glasgow.
On the recommendation of the Tremeloes, who had played with them in Glasgow, The Gaylords were invited to join the London-based agency Starlite Artistes, owned and managed by Peter Walsh. They then began to build up a club reputation as a tight, close harmony band and in 1966, finding themselves in the middle of the 1960s swinging London scene, they decided to update their image and instrumentation. On the advice of their new manager, they changed the band name to The Marmalade. Unusually, they now had two bass players, Graham Knight on 4 string and Pat Fairley on 6 string (Fairley having dropped the standard rhythm guitar normally associated with rock groups of the early 1960s).
With their EMI Columbia contract at an end, Walsh, with the help of John Salter, Walsh's booking agent, was successful in signing the band to CBS Records with producer Mike Smith, who was having great success with the Tremeloes, now their agency stablemates. But their first few CBS singles also failed to chart in the UK.
Drummer Ray Duffy (who later played with Matthews Southern Comfort and Gallagher and Lyle and also on Junior Campbell's later solo recordings), decided to leave in 1966 to return to Scotland to get married just after their first CBS release, "Its All Leading up to Saturday Night". The band then placed adverts in the New Musical Express and Melody Maker, and after various auditions, former postman Alan Whitehead ex member of London outfit the Loose Ends became their new drummer, debuting on their next single, "Can't Stop Now", which failed to sell despite the group's performing it on a TV play, The Fantasist, written by Alun Owen, for the BBC Two Theatre 625 series.
Their third CBS single, the self penned "I See the Rain", written by Junior Campbell and Dean Ford, was praised by Jimi Hendrix as the 'best cut of 1967'. It became a chart-topper in the Netherlands the same year. Graham Nash of the Hollies contributed to the session, but it too flopped in the UK, although the track, with its distinct 1960s feel, has since attained a cult following and been resurrected recently by artists such as Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles and Matthew Sweet.
19 January 1967 proved to be a turning point in the band's progress when they made their debut at London's Marquee Club where they supported Pink Floyd. Two weeks later, on 3 February, they supported the Action. After that, they never supported anyone again at the Marquee and on 16 March 1967 they began a long residency which carried through to the autumn of the following year, building a reputation and following, including touring with the Who, Joe Cocker, Traffic, Gene Pitney and the Tremeloes. This culminated with summer appearances at the Windsor Jazz and Rock Festival, directly preceding Jerry Lee Lewis, and Festival of the Flower Children Woburn Abbey.
CBS, concerned at Marmalade's lack of commercial success, threatened to drop them if they did not have a hit. So after the failure of another self-penned single later that year, "Man in a Shop", they were urged to record more chart-orientated material. They rejected "Everlasting Love", which became a No. 1 for Love Affair, but later gave in to pressure and recorded "Lovin' Things" written by Artie Schroeck and Jet Loring in 1967 and arranged by Keith Mansfield for Marmalade. It reached No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart in the summer of 1968. This was covered by the Grass Roots in the US in 1969, using virtually the same arrangement. Marmalade's debut album, There's A Lot Of It About, featured a mix of some of their singles and cover versions of current popular tunes, and was released in 1968.
Marmalade made a cameo appearance on the big screen in the film Subterfuge that year.
After a lesser hit with their follow-up single "Wait For Me Mary-Anne" (written by Alan Blaikley and Ken Howard), which made No. 30, they enjoyed their biggest UK success with their cover of the Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", which topped the UK chart in January 1969, the group becoming the first ever Scottish group to top that chart. Their version of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" sold around half a million in the UK, and a million copies globally by April 1969.[4] This was followed by further success with "Baby Make It Soon" (written by Tony Macaulay), which reached No. 9 in the summer of 1969.
In February 1969 the band appeared on the BBC's flagship program Colour Me Pop, (precursor to The Old Grey Whistle Test) performing a halfhour slot. They also appeared on the BBC's review of the 1960s music scene, Pop Go The Sixties, performing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" live on the broadcast on BBC 1 on New Year's Eve 1969.
In November 1969 the band was signed to Decca Records by Decca head of A&R, Dick Rowe under a highly lucrative advance deal, allowing the band to write and produce their own songs, with no studio time restraints, and in their very first Decca recording session, they recorded โReflections of My Lifeโ, which would become their biggest worldwide hit, rewarding Decca's and Dick Rowe's faith in the band. Topping the charts in Europe (also Top 10 in United States and No. 1 in most of South America), it was written by Campbell and Ford, and featured a "backwards" (backmasking) guitar solo by Campbell.
"Reflections of My Life" has recorded over two million sales, and the writers were awarded a Special Citation of Achievement in 1998 by BMI in attaining radio broadcast performances in excess of one million in the US alone.
Other UK hits for Decca included "Rainbow" (UK No. 3 and US No. 51) and "My Little One" (UK No. 15), "Cousin Norman" and "Radancer" (both reaching UK No. 6).
Their manager, Peter Walsh, was a 1960s and 1970s pop entrepreneur whose portfolio also included the Tremeloes, Bay City Rollers, Billy Ocean, the Troggs and Blue Mink.
Their first Decca album, Reflections Of The Marmalade was released in the US as Reflections Of My Life on Decca's London Records subsidiary. Their US singles during this era likewise came out on London. But their manager, Walsh, turned down an offer to tour the US opening for Three Dog Night, thus blowing an opportunity for further exposure there.[citation needed] To be fair to Walsh, he did not much care for the fact that Marmalade would have had to pay a substantial dollar premium to do so, a practice common in the US but totally alien to Walsh's traditional UK management and agency style.
After Junior Campbell, who co-wrote most of the group's original material with Ford, left the band in March 1971 for a solo career, and to study orchestration and composition at the Royal College of Music, they began a series of line-up changes, including the loss of drummer Alan Whitehead.
Marmalade recruited guitarist Hugh Nicholson, an ex-member of the Poets, to replace Campbell, and after the first post Campbell release, "Cousin Norman", it was Nicholson who insisted on them sacking Whitehead and recruiting his friend and colleague from the Poets, Dougie Henderson. This caused Marmalade to suffer adverse publicity from the UK's News of the World after an embittered Whitehead gave them stories of the band's experiences with groupies.
Marmalade released Songs in November 1971, with Nicholson taking over most song compositions, which met with limited success. However, Nicholson penned two of their last hits, "Cousin Norman" (brass arranged by Junior Campbell) and "Radancer", as well as the lesser hit "Back on the Road", on which he sang lead vocal.
Pat Fairley quit the band circa 1972 to run the group's music publishing company, then Nicholson, who was discouraged over the failure of their Songs album, also left in 1973 to form Blue (not to be confused with a later boy band of the same name). Ford, Knight and Henderson carried on with Marmalade. Nicholson was eventually replaced by Mike Japp, a rock guitarist from the Welsh band, Thank You.
The group returned to EMI and released a new single, "Wishing Well", credited simply as Marmalade (dropping the "The"). But Knight left during the recording of their next album, Our House Is Rocking (which showcased a heavier rock sound and was delayed until the autumn of 1974) and the group was briefly a trio before Joe Breen (ex-Dream Police) came in on bass. Refusing to play most of the band's old hit records on stage, the group slowly came to a standstill.
In 1975 Knight linked up with former drummer Alan Whitehead to form 'Vintage Marmalade' with Sandy Newman (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Charlie Smith (guitar). They were reunited with their old manager, Peter Walsh, to play all the hits on stage and had a full date sheet.
Later in 1975, after Ford and the remaining members called it quits, Knight and Whitehead took over the name Marmalade with the new line-up, fronted by Newman. They signed a deal with Tony Macaulay's Target Records and in 1976, had what turned out to be their final Top 10 hit with the ominously entitled, Macaulay penned song, "Falling Apart at the Seams". The song also reached the easy listening charts in the U.S. and made the Top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group's last charting single on the U.S charts. Subsequent singles failed to chart. One of these was "Talking In Your Sleep", produced by Roger Greenaway and released in January 1978, six months ahead of the Crystal Gayle version of the same song, which became well known worldwide.
Sandy Newman (ex-Chris McClure Section, 1968โ1970) has continued to front Marmalade since 1975, releasing a further eleven singles in the UK (excluding re-releases), seven of which were via Target Records, none of which have charted in the UK or US, and today they continue to tour the nostalgia circuit performing the band's full hit repertoire.
Charlie Smith departed in 1977 to join Nicholson in Blue and Garth Watt-Roy came in briefly for Marmalade's Only Light On My Horizon Now album, before leaving for the Q-Tips in 1978. He was replaced by guitarist Ian Withington, who appeared alongside Knight, Newman and new drummer Stu Williamson for the next album Doing It All For You (1979).
Alan Whitehead left the band in 1978 to manage other pop groups and singers, which he has continued to do. He also appeared in the 2010 TV series Take Me Out and ran a lap dancing club.
Charlie Smith returned in 1980, as the band's drummer this time. Alan Holmes (vocals, guitars, keyboards), a former member of the Bristol-based band Federation, succeeded Withington. A 1980 US only album, Marmalade, on G&P Records, featured a re-recorded mix of their Decca, EMI and Target material, alongside some Junior Campbell-penned tracks. Another unsuccessful album, Heartbreaker, came out in the UK in 1982 on the Spectra label.
Graham Knight remained as the sole original band member touring the nostalgia circuit with Newman, Smith and Alan Holmes. In 1982, Glenn Taylor replaced Smith on drums, though Smith returned from 1989 to around 1998, before Taylor took over permanently.
Dave Dee began appearing as guest singer for Marmalade in 1987 and recorded a single with the band, "Scirocco", in 1989. He continued to make live guest appearances with them until his death in 2009.
In September 2010, Graham Knight, the last remaining member of the original band, departed. Drummer Taylor also left to join the Fortunes. The new players were drummer Damon Sawyer and bassist Mike Steed. In 2011, guitarist and vocalist John James Newman joined, making the band a quintet once again.
2013 saw the current Marmalade line-up release their first new studio album since 1979. Entitled Penultimate and released in CD and vinyl formats, it featured six new compositions, together with re-recordings of many Marmalade songs. The album was launched on 4 October 2013 to coincide with the start of a 52-date UK tour.
In 2015 Jan Robinson (vocals, bass) and Chris North (drums, percussion) were brought in as the new rhythm section, in place of Steed and Sawyer.
2011 saw the release of Fine CutsโThe Best Of Marmalade on the Union Square Music BMG Salvo label (SALVOMDCD26), a double album containing all of the Marmalade original studio recordings between 1966 and 1972, including all of their chart hits. The complete catalogue was made available via digital download.
Dean Ford was one of many lead vocalists contributing to the Alan Parsons Project. He is living in Los Angeles. Although for some years he withdrew from the music industry and battled alcoholism, settling in Los Angeles (after a brief spell in New York ), he has become active in music again and released a single called "Glasgow Road" with Joe Tansin (ex-Badfinger) in 2012. He has since recorded a poignant version of "Reflections Of My Life" and in 2016 released a PledgeMusic album entitled Feel My Heartbeat available for digital download.
Pat Fairley also moved to Los Angeles in the late 1970s having worked in music publishing for the RSO Group Robert Stigwood and for the band Yes. He retired from the music business many years ago and has a bar and music venue called The Scotland Yard Pub, in Los Angeles.
Alan Whitehead continues in artist management.
Graham Knight has retired and has homes in Sussex and Spain.
Junior Campbell became a successful solo recording artist, songwriter, television and film composer, record producer and music arranger, and lives in Sussex. He manages all of the master rights to the original band recordings on behalf of the whole band, which they retain, and their publishing rights.
Members
Original band
Patrick Fairley โ vocals, 6 string bass/rhythm guitars (1966โ1972)
William Junior Campbell โ vocals, guitars, keyboards (1966โ1971)
Dean Ford โ lead vocals, guitar, harmonica (1966โ1975; died January 2019)
Raymond Duffy โ drums (1966)
Graham Knight โ vocals, bass (1966โ1973, 1975โ2010)
Further members
Alan Whitehead โ drums (1966โ1971, 1975โ1978)
Dougie Henderson โ drums (1971โ1975)
Hugh Nicholson โ vocals, guitars (1971โ1973)
Joe Breen โ vocals, bass (1973โ1975)
Mike Japp โ vocals, guitars (1973โ1975; died 2012)
Sandy Newman โ lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards (1975โpresent) (b. 1950)
Charlie Smith โ vocals, guitar (1975โ1977; drums 1980โ1982 and 1989โ1998)
Ian Withington โ vocals, guitar (1978โ1980)
Stu Williamson โ drums (1978โ1980)
Garth Watt-Roy โ vocals, keyboards (1977โ1978)
Glenn Taylor โ drums (1982โ1989; 1998โ2010)
Dave Dee โ vocals (1987โ2009; died 2009)
Damon Sawyer โ drums (2010-2015)
Mike Steed โ vocals, bass (2010-2015)
Gaylords members
Patrick Fairley (1961โ1966)
William Junior Campbell (1961โ1966)
Tommy Frew โ drums (1961โ1963)
Billy Johnston โ bass (1961)
Wattie Rodgers โ vocals (1961)
Pat McGovern โ lead guitars (1961)
Tommy Scott โ vocals (1961โ1963)
Billy Reid โ vocals (1961)
Bill Irving โ bass (1961โ1964)
Davey Hunter โ organ (1963)
Dean Ford (1963โ1966)
Raymond Duffy (1963โ1966)
Graham Knight (1965โ1966)
Current members
Sandy Newman โ lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards (1975โpresent)
Alan Holmes โ vocals, acoustic/electric guitar, keyboards (1980โpresent)
Jan Robinson โ vocals, bass (2015โpresent)
Chris North โ drums, percussion (2015โpresent)
John James Newman โ vocals, acoustic guitar (2011โpresent)
Discography
Dean Ford and The Gaylords singles
Title Cat No. Release Date
"Twenty Miles" c/w "What's the Matter with Me" Columbia DB7264 April 1964
"Mr Heartbreak's Here Instead" c/w "I Won't" Columbia DB7402 November 1964
"The Name Game" c/w "That Lonely Feeling" Columbia DB7610 June 1965
"He's a Good Face (But He's Down and Out)" c/w "You Know It Too" Columbia DB7805 December 1965
Singles as The Marmalade
Year Title
(Songwriters) UK Singles Chart US Billboard Hot 100 Chart US Adult Contemporary
1966 "It's All Leading up to Saturday Night"
(Geoff Stephens)
โ
โ
โ
1966 "Can't Stop Now"
(Kelleher/Fitzpatrick/Wood)
โ
โ
โ
1967 "I See the Rain"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
โ
โ
โ
1967 "Man in a Shop"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
โ
โ
โ
1968 "Lovin' Things"
(Jet Loring/Artie Schroeck)
#6
โ
โ
1968 "Wait for Me Mary-Anne"
(Alan Blaikley/Ken Howard)
#30
โ
โ
1968/69 "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
(Lennon/McCartney)
#1
โ
โ
1969 "Baby Make It Soon"
(Tony Macaulay)
#9
โ
โ
1969 "Butterfly"
(Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb)
โ
โ
โ
1969 "Reflections of My Life"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
#3
#10
#21[14]
1970 "Rainbow"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
#3
#51
#7
1971 "My Little One"
(William Campbell/Thomas McAleese)
#15
โ
-#31
1971 "Cousin Norman"
(Hugh Nicholson)
#6
โ
โ
1971 "Back on the Road"
(Hugh Nicholson)
#35
โ
โ
1972 "Radancer"
(Hugh Nicholson)
#6
โ
โ
Singles as Marmalade
Year Title
(Songwriters) UK Singles Chart US Billboard Hot 100 Chart US Adult Contemporary
1973 "The Wishing Well"
(Thomas McAleese)
โ
โ
โ
1973 "Our House Is Rockin'"
(Thomas McAleese/Mike Japp)
โ
โ
โ
1974 "Come Back Jo"
(Thomas McAleese/Mike Japp)
โ
โ
โ
1976 "Falling Apart at the Seams"
(Tony Macaulay)
#9
#49
#34
1976 "Walking a Tightrope"
(Tony Macaulay)
โ
โ
โ
1976 "What You Need Is a Miracle"
(Sandy Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1976 "Hello Baby"
(Sandy Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1977 "The Only Light on My Horizon Now"
(Tony Macaulay/Geoff Stephens)
โ
โ
โ
1977 "Mystery Has Gone"
(Sandy Newman/Graham Knight)
โ
โ
โ
1978 "Talking in Your Sleep"
(Roger Cook/Bobby Wood)
โ
โ
โ
1978 "Heavens Above"
(W.A. Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1979 "Made in Germany"
(M. O'Brien)
โ
โ
โ
1984 "Heartbreaker"
(W.A. Newman)
โ
โ
โ
1985 "Golden Shreds"
(Medley of previous hits)
โ
โ
โ
Marmalade studio albums
Original band
There's a Lot of It About (1968) CBS
Best Of (1969) CBS
Reflections of the Marmalade (1970) Decca Records
Additional/ later line-ups
Songs (1971) Decca Records
Our House Is Rocking (1974)
The Only Light on My Horizon Now (1977)
Hello Baby (1978)
... Doing It All for You (1978)
Heavens Above (1979)
Marmalade (US only) (1980)
Heartbreaker (1982)
Penultimate (2013)
Cousin Norman
Marmalade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the long grass, past the tall trees
There's a cabin that's a nestlin in the pines
Where my sweethearts catchin small fish
With a cane and a bent pin on a line
And if you happen to pass by, please
Come and join us join our company?
There's my daddy on the front porch
With a lazy hound lying by his feet
And my mommie's in the kitchen
With the table all ready set to eat
So if you happen to pass by, please
Come and join us join our company? and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky...and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise?
Dooya doodn doo doo doo Dooya doodn doo doo doo
Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Dooya doodn doo doo doo Dooya doodn doo doo doo
Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo doo, doo doo doo
Cousin Norman comes a courting
With the same girl every single day
Got a stammer,like a hammer
You can't understand a word that he s-says
So if you happen to pass by, please
Come and join us join our company?and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky... and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise?
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky... and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise? ?
There's a cabin that's a nestlin in the pines
Where my sweethearts catchin small fish
With a cane and a bent pin on a line
And if you happen to pass by, please
Come and join us join our company?
There's my daddy on the front porch
And my mommie's in the kitchen
With the table all ready set to eat
So if you happen to pass by, please
Come and join us join our company? and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky...and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise?
Dooya doodn doo doo doo Dooya doodn doo doo doo
Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Dooya doodn doo doo doo Dooya doodn doo doo doo
Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo doo, doo doo doo
Cousin Norman comes a courting
With the same girl every single day
Got a stammer,like a hammer
You can't understand a word that he s-says
So if you happen to pass by, please
Come and join us join our company?and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky... and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise?
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky... and
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise? ?
The lyrics of Marmalade's song "Cousin Norman" tell the story of a peaceful, idyllic setting where the singer and his family enjoy simple pleasures like fishing and spending time together. The first verse paints a picture of this cabin nestled in the woods, where the singer's sweetheart catches small fish with a cane and bent pin. The imagery of the "long grass" and "tall trees" evokes a feeling of being immersed in nature. The chorus expresses the singer's desire to be in this paradise-like setting, even in the rain.
The second verse introduces Cousin Norman, who comes to court the same girl every day, but he stammers so badly that he can't be understood. Despite his difficulty communicating, Norman is welcomed into the company of the family and any passersby who happen to wander in. The overall feeling conveyed in these lyrics is one of contentment, simplicity, and a love of nature and family.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the long grass, past the tall trees
Walking through the meadow, beyond the towering spruces
There's a cabin that's a nestlin in the pines
Hiding in the pine trees, stands a cozy cabin
Where my sweethearts catchin small fish
My beloved is fishing for minnows
With a cane and a bent pin on a line
A fishing rod made of a stick and a hook that is curved.
And if you happen to pass by, please
If you traverse this path, be a part of our gathering.
Come and join us join our company?
Will you in our group participate?
There's my daddy on the front porch
My father is on the veranda
With a lazy hound lying by his feet
By his legs is a snoozing canine
And my mommie's in the kitchen
My mother is cooking in the kitchen
With the table all ready set to eat
The table is prepared for a lovely meal
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
I long to reach that place.
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky...and
Beneath the sky's azure hue, basking under the sun.
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
I long to reach that place.
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise?
Is it not still paradise, even when it pours and rains?
Dooya doodn doo doo doo Dooya doodn doo doo doo
Musical interlude
Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo doo, doo doo doo
Musical interlude
Cousin Norman comes a courting
My cousin Norman is romancing
With the same girl every single day
Every day, he courts the same woman
Got a stammer, like a hammer
He has a stutter, as in the sound of the hammer
You can't understand a word that he s-says
His speech is incomprehensible.
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
I long to reach that place.
Underneath the sun and the deep, deep blue sky... and
Beneath the sky's azure hue, basking under the sun.
Oh Oh Oh I just want to be there
I long to reach that place.
Even when it rains and it pours it's a paradise?
Is it not still paradise, even when it pours and rains?
Lyrics ยฉ Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HUGH NICHOLSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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colindominy
A great, great song - by one of the best groups of its day. By God, that era just either side of 1970 (circa '69 to about '73) was truly one of the very best & most enjoyable in the context of creative, dynamic rock music.
Felix Felix
colindominy nothing more to say
Sandra Beatris Baltes
Eu nasci em 70 mas concordo plenamente com vocรช
eddyvideostar
Dear Colin Dominy: This is a pleasant song. I treasure the days of yore: Exposed to different styles of music; a connoisseur of the BBC, US, Luxembourg, and world charts. ------------------ Today's music polarizing is sad, separates and segregates society.
stpierreorama
Why is the cutoff '69? So much good mid 60s content.
Stephen Cummings
My favourite Marmalade song. Listening to Marmalade since the 60's. RIP Dean a truly great talent and singer.
Gene Smyth
Brilliant music and band . Scotland gave us such good artists . Reflections of my life is pure class and brings back a time when life seemed less chaotic
goldheartbadge
Scotland gave me my all-time favourite band: Gallagher & Lyle. I saw Marmalade live at Southport Theatre in 2013, when they were part of a Sixties Gold package. After the gig, I was snapped with their current lead singer Sandy Newman, who had the audience in the palm of his hand that night.
tumblerpigeon2
Thanks Gene, have a look at our Blue trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzz4CZTZ05w&ab_channel=tumblerpigeon2
Rebecca Ricketts
The happiest song that has ever existed! Still put it on now in 2019 to make me smile โบ