The Days of Pearly Spencer

[George 1978]

I actually thought that the original McWilliams version with the "lyrics sung down the phoneline" was originally due to technical reasons that they kept in to save time and money back then.

[BlitzKid_Returned]

Absolutely stunning song. I'm a huge Marc Almond fan and got into his version when I was very young, but as much as I love that version I think nothing quite beats the original.

[ranzysur]

David McWilliams was born on July 4th, 1945, in the Cregagh area of Belfast, one of eight children of Sam and Molly McWilliams. When he was three, the family moved to Ballymena where he attended the Model School and then the local technical school after which he began an apprenticeship at an engineering works in Antrim town that manufactured torpedoes. tellculvers com survey taco bell breakfast hours

[ranzysur]

The Days Of Pearly Spencer was based on a homeless man in Ballymena who was befriended by David McWilliams. The song reflected the writer's deep humanity and his empathy with those who live on the margins of society.

[mueller0ne]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

Amazing song. Love it

[Semi42]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

Marc Almond's cover didn't try this effect.

a great song and Almonds cover does use a distortion effect in the chorus but not to the extent of the original, there’s a point where he sings the chorus twice and the second time, the distortion isn’t present.
You can distinctly hear the change

theres also a David Bowie version but, as much as I like Bowie , I don’t rate it as much as McWilliams or Almonds version

[George 1978]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

Sorry George are you thinking of Kites or The days of Pearly spencer?

The latter.

[George 1978]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

Thinking about it, I am sure I saw the video for the song, probably on YouTube, where McWilliams goes into a phone box and sings the chorus.

[George 1978]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

I was around for the latter.

[tex]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

No, I am saying that the original version sounds too modern to be a 1960s hit - in other words, it sounded ahead of its time.

However, as Richard and HG have both just reminded me, there was that Marc Almond cover version which didn't have that on - I couldn't quite remember who had that version of it.

Ah, so you were refering to the latter....i was refering to kites

[George 1978]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

Sorry George are you thinking of Kites or The days of Pearly spencer?

No, I am saying that the original version sounds too modern to be a 1960s hit - in other words, it sounded ahead of its time.

However, as Richard and HG have both just reminded me, there was that Marc Almond cover version which didn't have that on - I couldn't quite remember who had that version of it.

[Richard1978]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

The original wasn't a hit partially because the BBC refused to play it due to David McWilliams having connections to Radio Caroline.

[HG]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

It was covered by Marc Almond in 1991 which is the version I know

[tex]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

It sounds too modern to be a 1960s hit to be honest.

Sorry George are you thinking of Kites or The days of Pearly spencer?

[George 1978]

Re: The Days of Pearly Spencer

It sounds too modern to be a 1960s hit to be honest.