world of hits vol. 4

Coming back from the dog park this morning I was thinking about Brotherhood of Man and their song 'United We Stand'. As a child - I'm surprised at the diversity of my tastes at that age tbh - I liked their song 'Save Your Kisses for Me', as well, which was let's face undeniably sugar syrup sludge. It was  not really the same band (no common members) but it was the same franchise and to their credit the Brotherhood of Man who hit it big at the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Save Your Kisses for Me' (Christ, it was like punk hadn't yet happened) have been together ever since (!!!!!!!!!!). 

Anyway according to wikipedia, this album of theirs from I think 1980 was only released in Australia and NZ, and I am confident I have never seen it because if I had seen it - fuckin' hell what a cover! - I'd have bought it. Or at least remembered. 

I don't know why I took to Brotherhood of Man (or at least two of their songs, one from the late 60s and one from the mid-70s) (they're very different songs - I mean 'United We Stand' is sentimental claptrap too but it's a rousing anthem, not a moron's ditty like 'Save Your Kisses for Me') but it might have had something to do with the context provided by this:

I bought this album for probably tuppence in probably about 1975 in the op shop in Auburn Road not far from the corner of Riversdale Road (shop's still there, barely changed really) and 'United We Stand' was absolutely not the best song on it, but not bad. 

Marmalade– Reflections Of My Life; Arrival – Friends; Amen Corner– High In The Sky; White Plains– My Baby Loves Lovin'; Small Faces– My Mind's Eye; Dana – All Kinds Of Everything; Frijid Pink– The House Of The Rising Sun; Jonathan King– Let It All Hang Out; Alan Price– Hi-lili, Hi-lo; Cat Stevens– A Bad Night; Chris Andrews – To Whom It Concerns; Brotherhood Of Man– United We Stand.

I mean to be honest the only really, truly great song on here is 'My Mind's Eye'. But 'Let it All Hang Out' is a crazy bit of sixties madness, and 'Hi-lili, Hi-lo' is fun. 'A Bad Night' is about as good as Cat Stevens gets - it's a bunch of songs stuck together in a weird way. 'Reflections of My Life' is pretty decent. The Amen Corner and White Plains tracks aren't bad either (I should be more purist and at least not put those two - a real live (and Welsh!) pop group with members that went on to amazing things and a shabby if monstrously successful 52 years ago studio concoction -  in the same sentence but whatever, feeling reckless). The Dana track is grotesque and the Chris Andrews is, whatever. Arrival and Frijid Pink are differently stupid. OK sorry Arrival isn't that bad, but you know. Didn't add much to civilisation. Unlike Jonathan King lol.