"Days of Pearly Spencer"(or in later releases"The Days of Pearly Spencer") is a 1967 song written and originally performed byNorthern Irishsinger-songwriterDavid McWilliams,[1][2]and included on his second albumDavid McWilliams Vol. 2.[3]Although it charted in several countries in continental Europe and in Australia, the original version was not a chart success in either the United Kingdom or Ireland. The song was rerecorded by McWilliams with a new arrangement in his albumWorking for the Government(1987). In 1992, a cover version by English pop singerMarc Almondreached number four on theUK Singles Chartand number eight in Ireland.
| "Days of Pearly Spencer" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyDavid McWilliams | ||||
| from the albumDavid McWilliams Vol. 2 | ||||
| A-side | "Harlem Lady" | |||
| Released | 6 October 1967 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Major Minor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | David McWilliams | |||
| Producer(s) | Mike Leander | |||
| David McWilliamssingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Days of Pearly Spencer"onYouTube | ||||
Background
editHaving his first single, "God and My Country", flop, McWilliams entered aBelfastrecording studio to record some demos. Around that time, Mervyn Solomon overheard his tapes, and was impressed enough to telephone his brotherPhil Solomon.Because McWilliams was already signed toCBS,who manufacturedMajor Minor's recordings, Phil Solomon offered to take McWilliams off their hands. The offer was accepted, and Solomon took McWilliams with him to London to record the song. Originally, the song was a poignant ballad.[3]The title was presumably a play of words on a line from the Victorian hymn,"We rest on thee","the gates of pearly splendour".
The song had, according to Stuart Bailie ofBBC Radio Ulster,a "flickering, almost documentary style" in which it took listeners to the more run-down parts ofBallymenawhere people walked through rubble bare-foot looking old beyond their years. Due to the title of the song, many listeners believed that the song pertained to an individual harrowed by a poor lifestyle and poor-quality alcohol; McWilliams said he had written the song about a homeless man encountered in Ballymena. Some of those close to McWilliams, however, claimed he was writing about two ladies from his hometown.[4]
Recording and release
editThe recording was produced byMike Leanderwho formed a sweeping orchestral arrangement for the song. Leander had previously provided arrangements for such records as "She's Leaving Home"byThe BeatlesandMarianne Faithfull's "As Tears Go By."[4]
Some of McWilliams' vocals were recorded using a telephone line from aphone boxnear the studio, generating alow-tech effect,and giving the song a 'strange "phoned-in" chorus'.[3]The record was originally released in October 1967 as theB-sideof "Harlem Lady",[5]but "Days of Pearly Spencer" received considerable exposure onRadio Caroline,of which Solomon was an executive, and in adverts in the UKmusic press.Double-page adverts were taken out in all the majormusic newspapersand theNew Musical Expressfront page featured it, calling it "the single that will blow your mind"[6]and the accompanying album,David McWilliams,"the album that will change the course of music".[3]Adverts for it were plastered everywhere, and in 2012 Stuart Bailie of Radio Ulster remarked that "there was no getting away from David McWilliams". Advertisements for the song even appeared ondouble-decker buses,yet McWilliams "was walking around London without the pocket money to get on one of those buses",[4]and one publication put the total cost of promotion at close to £20,000 (equivalent to £460,000 in 2023).[7][4]
TheBBCrefused to play the record, however, because of Solomon's involvement in theoffshore radiostationRadio Caroline,and thus the record failed to chart in either the UK or the Republic of Ireland.[3]Incontinental Europe,the song topped theFrench Singles Chart,reached number two on theBelgian Singles Chart,and reached number eight on theDutch Singles Chart.[4]In Australia, the song spent two weeks at number 32 onGo-Set's national top 40,[8]reaching number 10 in Brisbane.[9]The song was rereleased on three occasions and remains a staple of "oldies" radio stations.[3]
The video clip created for the song contains footage of the singer playing his guitar on the wharf close to the Oudegracht, the main canal in the centre ofUtrecht,the Netherlands, easily recognizable for those who live(d) in that city.
Legacy
editRichie Unterbergerdescribed the song as "[McWilliams's] best song, with a dark edge, swirling violins, and an effective dab of psychedelia in the megaphone-distorted vocals on the song's chorus."[10]In 2002,The Independentcalled the song "dreamy".[3]In 2012, Stuart Bailie of Radio Ulster called "Harlem Lady", the A-side, a "quality tune" and "Pearly Spencer" a "remarkable record".[4]
Charts
edit| Chart (1967–1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Go-Set)[11] | 32 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] | 42 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50Flanders)[13] | 10 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50Wallonia)[14] | 2 |
| France (IFOP)[15] | 1 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[16] | 14 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] | 8 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] | 6 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] | 4 |
| USBubbling Under Hot 100 Singles(Billboard)[20] | 34 |
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| West Germany (GfK)[21] | 47 |
Marc Almond version
edit| "The Days of Pearly Spencer" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SinglebyMarc Almond | ||||
| from the albumTenement Symphony | ||||
| B-side | "Bruises" | |||
| Released | April 1992 | |||
| Length | 4:23 | |||
| Label | WEA | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Trevor Horn | |||
| Marc Almondsingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
A recording by English singerMarc Almondtitled "The Days of Pearly Spencer",with an additional verse written by Almond giving the song a more optimistic tone,[22]reached number four on theUK Singles Chartand number eight in Ireland in 1992. In a review from the parent albumTenement Symphony,Ned Raggett ofAllMusiccalled it 'the surprise U.K. hit single of the bunch, the gentle and (forTrevor Horn) understated "The Days of Pearly Spencer", another '60s cover given the Almond treatment to good effect'.[23]
Charts
edit| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[24] | 193 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[25] | 16 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50Flanders)[26] | 32 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[27] | 14 |
| Germany (GfK)[28] | 21 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[29] | 8 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] | 44 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[31] | 31 |
| UK Singles(OCC)[32] | 4 |
Other cover versions
editIn 1968, French composerFranck Pourcelarranged an upbeat instrumental version of "Days of Pearly Spencer", the first track on his albumThe Franck Pourcel Sound.[33]
New Zealand bandthe Avengershad a number-four hit in that country in December 1968 with acover versionof the song;[34]in Italy, the song was also very successfully covered in 1968 byCaterina Casellias "Il Volto Della Vita" (with an unrelated text[35]) reaching number four on the Italian chart. In the U.S.,the Grass Rootscovered the song on their 1969 albumLovin' Things.A Spanish version called "Vuelo blanco de gaviota" was recorded in 1979 byAna Belén.Successful later versions of the song included adiscoversion which reached number one in Belgium in the 1980s,[6]and acover versionin 1988 by the FrenchpsychedelicbandThe Vietnam Veteransand their albumThe Days of Pearly Spencer.[36]A version by French singer Rodolphe Burger was used in the 2012 French film "Louise Wimmer"and a French duo consisting of brothers Georges and Michel Costa as 'Trade Mark' in 1978 released adiscoversion (including a 12 "extended mix).[37]
Finnish rock musicianHectormade a Finnish language version in 2014 titled "Jos lehmät osais lentää", contemplating the impossibility of resolving the problems of world.
A French language version also exists by French 1960s singerFrank Alamotitled "Je connais une chanson" about an impossible love.
References
edit- ^"DISK Days of Pearly Spencer PARLOPHONE.jpg (697x684)".Davidmcwilliams.com. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved20 June2014.
- ^"A tribute to Irish singer/songwriter David McWilliams".Davidmcwilliams.com.Retrieved19 June2014.
- ^abcdefg"David McWilliams – Obituaries, News – The Independent".Independent.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 6 June 2011.Retrieved1 June2014.
- ^abcdefStuart Bailie."Stuart Bailie: The Great Northern Songbook – 3. The Days of Pearly Spencer".BBC.Retrieved22 June2014.
- ^"Harlem Lady" / "Days of Pearly Spencer" at 45cat.com.Retrieved 22 June 2014
- ^ab"biography".Davidmcwilliams.com. Archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2006.Retrieved1 June2014.
- ^UKRetail Price Indexinflation figures are based on data fromClark, Gregory (2017)."The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)".MeasuringWorth.Retrieved7 May2024.
- ^"Go Set National - Top 40".31 July 1968.
- ^"David McWilliams - Harlem Lady".
- ^Richie Unterberger, Biography of David McWilliams,Allmusic.com.Retrieved 24 June 2014
- ^"Go-Set Australian charts - 24 July 1968".www.poparchives.com.au.
- ^Grant."Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1968".Retrieved12 September2020.
- ^"David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer "(in Dutch).Ultratop 50.
- ^"David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer "(in French).Ultratop 50.
- ^"Hits of the World"(PDF).Billboard.Vol. 80, no. 9. 2 March 1968. p. 44.Retrieved13 September2020.
- ^"Hits of the World"(PDF).Billboard.Vol. 80, no. 17. 27 April 1968. p. 53.Retrieved13 September2020.
- ^"Nederlandse Top 40 – David McWilliams "(in Dutch).Dutch Top 40.
- ^"David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer "(in Dutch).Single Top 100.
- ^"David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer ".Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^"Days of Pearly Spencer (song by David McWilliams) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts".www.musicvf.com.Retrieved12 September2020.
- ^"Offiziellecharts.de – David McWilliams – Days of Pearly Spencer "(in German).GfK Entertainment charts.To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON David McWilliams"
- ^Tenement Symphony(Media notes).Marc Almond.WEA.4 October 1991.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Ned Raggett (29 October 1991)."Tenement Symphony – Marc Almond".AllMusic.Retrieved1 June2014.
- ^"Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 22 June 1992".Bubbling Down Under.Retrieved22 June2024.
- ^"Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer "(in German).Ö3 Austria Top 40.Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^"Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer "(in Dutch).Ultratop 50.Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^"Eurochart Hot 100 Singles"(PDF).Music & Media.Vol. 9, no. 20. 16 May 1992. p. 27.Retrieved31 January2020.
- ^"Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer "(in German).GfK Entertainment charts.Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^"The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Days of Pearly Spencer ".Irish Singles Chart.Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^"Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer "(in Dutch).Single Top 100.Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^"Marc Almond – The Days of Pearly Spencer ".Singles Top 100.Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^"Franck Pourcel - The Franck Pourcel Sound | Releases | Discogs".Discogs.1968.
- ^"Avengers".www.sergent.com.au.
- ^"Musica & Memoria / Caterina Caselli - Il volto della vita".
- ^The Days of Pearly Spencer(inlay). The Vietnam Veterans. Music Maniac Records. 1988.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^"Left and to the Back: Trade Mark - The Days of Pearly Spencer/ Baby, You Make It Real, Retrieved 26 Oct 2018".www.blogspot.com.3 June 2015.
