(Howard Blaikley)
New
Zealand
#2 NZ
Single on Polydor September 1969, the second by band from Upper Hutt formed 1967, disbanded 1970 after three singles and a self-titled album (1969).
Two members of The Dedikation, guitarist Ray Ahipene-Mercer and keyboardist Graeme Collins, had been in a schoolboy band called The Crescendos at Upper Hutt College. When The Dedikation was formed in 1967, they were joined by Graham Harvey on bass guitar and Michael Parlane – later Bruce Whitelaw – on drums.
Their first single covered Saturday Morning Cartoon Show’s US single Hayride, covered in Australia by The Flying Circus and in the USA by Gary Lewis (see song history), and their third was a cover of The Rolling Stones’ Ruby Tuesday (1970,#12 NZ).
Sources: 1. The Dedikation by Graham Reid at AudioCulture is a detailed account of the band and its members. 2. Bruce Sergeant’s history of The Dedikation.
The Dedikation pumped up the original and – with horns arranged by Wellington jazz saxophonist Don Richardson, and phasing courtesy of producer Rob Robinson – in their hands, Wait For Me Mary-Anne was a strong slice of upbeat pop-rock.
Graham Reid at AudioCulture on Wait For Me Mary-Anne
(Howard Blaikley)
UK
Original version
#39 UK
Single on CBS September 1968 by Scottish band originally formed in Glasgow in 1961 as Dean Ford and The Gaylords (see Twenty Miles).
Marmalade are much admired for such original material as Reflections Of My Life (1968 #3 UK) and Rainbow (1970, #3 UK) but their biggest hit was a cover of a current Beatles track Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (1968 #1 UK).
See under Australian cover versions of Reflections Of My Life by Flake and Rainbow by Elm Tree.
Further reading: Marmalade Biography by Bruce Eder at All Music.
The writer(s)
“Howard Blaikley” is the name used by prolific and successful British songwriters Ken Howard (1939-2024) and Alan Blaikley (1940-2022). Their collaborations
ranged widely, taking in stage musicals, TV and film themes, concept albums, and many charting pop songs from the 1960s including:
• The Honeycombs’ Have I the Right? (#1 UK);
• Several hits by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich including Hold Tight (#4 UK),
Bend It (#2), Zabadak! (#3), The Legend of Xanadu (#1);
• Lulu – Boy (#15 UK);
• The Tremeloes’ My Little Lady (#6 UK), Call Me Number One (#2), Me
And My Life (#4), others;
• The Herd’s From The Underworld (#6 UK), Paradise Lost (#15), I
Don’t Want Our Loving To Die (#5);
• Elvis Presley – I’ve Lost You (#9 UK, #32 USA).
Further reading:
1. The Guardian’s Alan Blaikley obituary.
2. Biography page at the Howard and Blaikley website.
Pop Archives
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2024. Chart positions courtesy of Gavin Ryan’s Australian Chart Books and Dean Scapolo’s Complete NZ Music Charts. Special thanks to Terry Stacey for information, corrections and suggestions. Thanks also to Tony Watson, Philippe Edouard, Dave Overett.., More…