Johnny Farnham - Everybody Oughta Sing A Song

 

 

 
 

 

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