Mike Furber And The Bowery Boys - Just A Poor Boy (1965)

(Paul Wade - Robbie van Delft - Neville Peard)
 Australia
Original version
#25 Melbourne #21 Brisbane #5 Adelaide #42 Perth

The writers are three members of The Bowery Boys.

Single on Sunshine label, also released on Kommotion. Its main chart action was in early 1966, but it appears to have been released at the end of 1965.

The Bowery Boys were formed in Brisbane in 1965. Lead singer Mike Furber (1948-1973) was given top billing after they were signed to Ivan Dayman’s Sunshine label and management. After the band broke up in 1966, Mike Furber pursued an under-appreciated solo career, but in the early 70s he appeared to good notices in the gospel rock musical Godspell.

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Some sources have wrongly credited Just A Poor Boy to songwriter Graham Gouldman, probably because of confusion around the Bowery Boys’ second single, the Gouldman-composed You Stole My Love.

Thanks to researcher David Johnston who confirmed through Graham Gouldman and Kevin Godley that this is not a Gouldman composition.

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Further reading: Milesago’s Mike Furber page by Paul Culnane.
Listen to Just A Poor Boy and other Mike Furber tracks at MPH.