1. Everybody Oughta Sing a Song
2. Jamie
3. There is no Season to my Love
4. Two-Bit Manchild
5. The Last Thing on my Mind
6. Strollin'
7. Scratchin' Ma Head
8. I Don't Want to Love You
9. Confidentially
10.Rose Coloured Glasses
11.Grand Unspeakable Passion
12.Sunday Will Never Be the Same
13.You Can Write a Song
(Review by Ed Nimmervoll, GO-SET Magazine, Wednesday
Oct 16, 1968 p9)
"Rose Coloured Glasses"/"Scratchin' Ma Head" (Columbia Records)
At first I hated this! I had visions of writing all sorts of nasty
things. Then I played both sides a few more times and discovered
that actually this is quite good stuff. I noticed the variety and
thought in the arrangement, the fine instrumental work which drives
along with Johnny's sometimes strained vocal. The conclusion is that
this could be Johnny's biggest since "Sadie" and thankfully, both
sides are completely opposite to that record. I doubt whether
Johnny's vocal does justice to Hans Poulsen's "Rose Coloured
Glasses" but the forceful feel of the whole arrangement more than
makes up for this. Johnny does a very good job of both sides,
particular in "Scratchin' Me Back" a faster side which suits him to
a tee, but I can't help wondering just how much Johnny is moulded by
producer David Mackay.
Note: Nimmervoll couldn't seem to get the title of the B-Side track
correct in his article, and "Scratchin' Ma Head" is the correct
title.
Johnny Farnham's first commercially successful solo recording was
the novelty song entitled "Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)", his manager,
Darryl Sambell had disliked it as the lyrics were so persistent.
However, EMI's in house producer, David Mackay, insisted and so the
single was released in November 1967. "Sadie" hit No. 1 on the
Go-Set National Singles Charts in January 1968 and remained there
for five weeks.
Selling 180 000 copies in Australia, "Sadie" was the highest selling
single by an Australian artist of the decade. Farnham's first album,
Sadie, produced by Mackay was released in April. Almost immediately, Farnham was recording his
second album, Everybody Oughta Sing A Song with Mackay producing.
The first single from the album was released in July, the double
A-sided, "Jamie" / "I Don't Want To Love You" which peaked at No. 8.
It was followed by the second single, "Rose Coloured Glasses" which
peaked at No. 16. while the album itself was released in November
1968.
Writers on the album
included Hans Poulson, Neil Diamond and Quincy Jones. The album was
re-released in 1974 with a different cover, it shows Farnham
performing live on stage, whereas the initial 1968 release had him
leaning against a Holden Monaro.
Alternative Cover for 1974 re-release