(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Australian band recorded in UK
#6 UK #16 USA #1 Sydney #3 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #2 Adelaide #2 Perth #2 NZ #39 Canada #13 Ireland #13 Denmark #13 Sweden #1 Netherlands #6 France #17 Spain #10
West Germany #16 Belgium
Recorded in London, produced by Chicago-born Shel Talmy (b.1937), major producer and arranger of The Who, The Kinks and many other major artists in the 60s and 70s Britain.
Single on United Artists UK (Oct 1966), Parlophone Australia (Nov 1966), United Artists USA (Dec 1966), Parlophone New Zealand (Mar 1967) and in many other countries. On the charts 1966-67.
The Easybeats were Australia’s greatest pop export of the 60s, famous worldwide for Friday On My Mind. In the rest of the world they were known as one hit wonders, but back in Australia they had already topped the charts with an impressive repertoire of original pop songs, and set off a wave of popularity known locally as Easyfever.
Vanda and Young went on to continued success as producers, songwriters and performers (Flash and the Pan): see Magnus Holmgren’s Vanda-Young discography at his Australian Rock Database [archived page].
Further reading: 1. Easybeats page at Aussie music site Milesago. 2. Richie Unterberger: interview with Shel Talmy.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Netherlands
Later version
#1 Netherlands
Single on Decca, with original English lyrics, by Dutch band from Nijmegen (1962-1970). Co-charted in the Netherlands with the original by The Easybeats.
Further reading: The Dukes at Nederpop: sleeve
shot, personnel and singles discography.
Thanks to Joop Jansen.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Sweden
Later version
B -side on Platina by popular and prolific British-beat influenced band from Gothenburg, Sweden. YouTube
For more about Tages, see their version of Leaving Here at this site (also recorded by Australia’s Vacant Lot).
Further reading: English Wikipedia’s Tages article seems to be a solid introduction to the band.
The group name is simply Tages. It is incorrect to use The before their name as it is not a plural noun as in, say, The Kinks.
The -s in Tages indicates possession (genitive case). In English it would be Tage’s. This was a common naming convention for Swedish bands, using the name of a band member, in this case guitarist-vocalist Danne Tage Larsson. (See Swedish Wikipedia’s Tages article on this.)
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
Instrumental version on album Jigsaw, aka Shadows’ 67.
Further reading: Review by Dave Thompson at All music Guide: Friday On My Mind, the Easybeats chestnut so beloved of the garage band revival, is positively nasty and so accurately predicts David Bowie's later version that one has no doubt what he was doing during this halcyon year.
(Harry Vanda - George Young - Mogol [Giulio Rapetti] - V. Pallavicini)
Italy
Later version
Italian-language version of Friday On My Mind (La follia – "madness") by guitar and sax rock group of the 1960s ("The Rebels").
Other writer credits for lyricist Giulio Rapetti [Mogol] include the Italian originals of I (Who Have Nothing) (Ben E. King, Normie Rowe), (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice (Amen Corner, Toby Jugg) and Help Yourself (Tom Jones).
Further reading: 1. Official site of I Ribelli 2. Brief Wikipedia entry.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Germany
Later version
c.1967
Popular West German psychedelic band formed in 1961 as The Magic Stompers in Steinatal, west-central Germany. By 1964 they had taken on beat music and become The Petards. They broke up in 1972 after releasing five albums and fourteen singles. They also recorded under the aliases of Zonk and Flitter Mouse.
Further reading (all in German): 1. The Petards (fansite). 2. The Petards official site. 3. The Petards entry at de.wikipedia.
(George Young - Georges Aber)
Canada
Later version
French version first recorded in France by Erick Saint-Laurent.
Single on Apex by beat band from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. For a while at the height of Beatlemania they dyed their moptops blonde and were known as Les Tetes Blanches.
Further reading (in French): 1. Discography and brief biography at RetroJeunesse60.com. 2. Les Hou-lops/Les Tetes Blanches at Centre d’histoire de Saint-Hyacinthe.
(George Young - Georges Aber)
France
Later version
Track on EP on Barclay, recorded in London with arrangement and musical direction by Reg Guest. The title is a fair translation of Friday On My Mind: “Friday obsesses/haunts me“. Also recorded in Canada by Les Hou-lops.
Reference: Sleeve shots at encyclopedisque.fr.
Version alert from Philippe: merci encore une fois.
(George Young - Georges Aber)
France
Later version
On EP on Vogue label by Toulouse singer, real name Michel Simonet (b. 1945), better known as Mike Shannon, lead singer of popular French rock’n’roll band Les Chats Sauvages 1962-1964, replacing Dick Rivers.
References, further reading: 1. EP details at EncyclopeDisque.fr. 2. Mike Shannon at French Wikipedia.
Merci à Philippe de me signaler cette version.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Romania
Later version
On EP Vremuri ("Old Times") by covers and original band combining Western rock with traditional folk sounds, formed in Timisoara in 1962.
Further reading: 1. Official site at Transsylvania-Phoenix.net. 2. Transsylvania Phoenix entry at Wikipedia
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Australia
Later version
On Columbia album Out Front, presumably an instrumental version. Orchestra leader and arranger Johnny Hawker worked on many Australian recordings, including Grantley Dee’s Wild One. See also Cinderella Rockefella, the 1968 hit by Johnny and his wife Anne, a cover version of the Esther & Abi Ofarim hit.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
c.1970
On Music For Radio, Television and Films, an LP of library music (ready made theme and background music) in United Artists’ Recorded Music Library series. Personnel included Roger Dean, ex-John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers guitarist.
Vernon Joynson, in The Tapestry of Delights, confirms that this is the same trumpeter-vocalist Bobby Patrick of Bobby Patrick’s Big Six, a band that also included Roger Dean. Alex Young, saxophonist brother of the Easybeats’ George Young, was also in The Big Six, but he was not part of Flash-back.
Further reading: 1. Bobby Patrick’s Big Six entry in Vernon Joynson, The Tapestry of Delights (shop) 2. Roger Dean discography and interview at Rock of Ages (Kollektionist.net).
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Germany
Later version
Single on United Artists by progressive band from Munich. Only the B-side, Kids Hunting, was on Missing Link’s 1972 album Evergreen, but Friday On my Mind appears as a bonus track on the CD reissue.
Not to be confused with Australian 60s band The Missing Links.
Further reading (in German): Review of Evergreen at German progrock site Babyblauen Seiten.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
On Pinups, David Bowie’s tribute to the songs of the 60s. (See also Everything's Alright.)
Further reading: Album review by Bruce Eder at All Music Guide.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
On album One Of Those Dreams. John Kincade was the name adopted by John Knowles after he was recruited to front a touring version of songwriter John Carter’s studio band Kincade (Dreams Are Ten a Penny, 1973, a hit in parts of Europe and Australia).
Further reading: For the full complicated story, see Alex Gitlin’s Kincade page and the Wikipedia entry.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
USA
Later version
Single on Beserkley (the label’s first) by power pop band formed 1966 who had previously released two albums for major label A&M 1971-72. Also on Earth Quake's album Rockin' The World and on compilation Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1.
Beserkley was an independent label formed in Berkeley, California by Matthew King Kaufman, manager of Earth Quake. Other label artists included Jonathan Richman (who played on this Earth Quake track) and the Modern Lovers, The Rubinoos, and Greg Kihn.
Further reading: 1. Beserkley album discography at BSN. 2. The Beserkley Story at BC Music 3. Beserkley at Wikipedia.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Germany
Later version
Instrumental version on album Flute Power by German flautist (real name Friedemann M. Leinert) in the jazz-Latin-ambient area with electronic back-up, based in Stuttgart, Germany. See Discogs.com.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
Single on RCA (UK) YouTube by Australian singer Peter Doyle, by this time working in the UK. This was his first single after leaving the New Seekers, produced by David Mackay and Tarney & Spencer.
For Peter Doyle's Australian career see, for example, Peter Doyle – Stupidity, Grandma's Tonic – Hi Hi Hazel and The Virgil Brothers – Temptation 'Bout To Get Me.
(An) amazing rendition of the Easybeats' hit… Why it never got sufficient airplay to allow it to become a hit will remain a mystery to all those who ever hear it. – Details and commentary on Friday On My Mind at The Peter Doyle Website.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
Single on
Sol-doon (through Pye) by Portsmouth group. Friday On My Mind was arranged and produced by their manager Allan
Heather of ATV Music. Threshold’s 1976 line-up was John
Wilson, Trevor Price, George Allen and
Paul Russell.
Reference: Label shot, other details at 45cat.
♫ Listen at YouTube. The B-side is here.
Thanks to John Wilson.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
On EP Summer Of Love on MCA label by punk/new wave band managed and produced by Simon Napier-Bell.
Further reading: 1. Miles Tredinnick’s London page 2. London's page at MySpace 3. Simon Napier-Bell at All Music Guide 4. SimonNapierBell.com
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Australia
Later version
Melbourne pop band who had a hit in 1973 with the double entendre novelty The Marrow Song. Track from Tribute to Australian Rock And Roll, an album of remakes of Australian hits from the 60s and 70s. See also The Real Thing.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
On Five Live Kursaals, final album by eclectic pub rock band of the mid- to late-70s whose members went on to Eddie & The Hot Rods (Graeme Douglas) and The Records (Will Birch and John Wicks).
Further reading: 1. Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s band bio at all Music Guide. 2. Kursaal Flyers at Wikipedia 3. Kursaal Flyers' MySpace page.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
7” single on Sawmills (“from Sonet Records”) by British punk or new wave band, produced by Tony Cox. Also on MFP punk compilation We Do ‘Em Our Way (1980).
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Germany
Later version
From album Come To LA by German disco group formed 1978.
This was a #2 hit in South Africa.
Further reading: Chilly entry at Wikipedia. Thanks to Terry Stacey.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
On A&M album Breaking All The Rules (1981), also on Shows The Way (1998)
British singer-guitarist from Kent Peter Frampton (b.1950) had been in The Herd and then in Humble Pie with Steve Marriott. He embarked on a solo career which led to brief superstardom in the 70s with his best-selling albums Frampton Comes Alive! (1976) and I’m In You (1977).
Further reading: Peter Frampton biography and album review by Joe Viglione at All Music Guide.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Norway
Later version
On 2003 album Vanguards Special – The Vanguards 1963-2003, live track recorded 1982 by Norwegian band active throughout the 60s.
Further reading: Vanguards discography at Instromania.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
7" single on KRL label.
Single on Platinum #E-838. Filed under punk at record dealers’ websites.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
USA
Later version
12” single on Allegiance by Southern Californian pop-rock band produced by Richie Wise, also on The Curves’ second album.
Further reading: MySpace page of Curves guitarist Tom Boxwell.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
Released in two versions on 7” and 12” singles. Mod band from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, active throughout the 1980s, released nine singles and two albums. Not to be confused with numerous other bands called The Gents.
Further reading: For everything Gents, see Simon’s Gents site at TheGents.org.uk which includes commentary on Friday On My Mind.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
USA
Later version
On album The Space Negros Do Generic Ethnic Muzak Versions Of All Your Favorite Punk/Psychedelic Songs From The Sixties. No further commentary needed?
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
#26 UK #18 Ireland #30 Sydney #9 Melbourne #3 Adelaide #30 NZ
On Wild Frontier, album by distinguished Irish blues-rock guitarist and composer. Among the bands Gary Moore has played with on tour and in the studio is Thin Lizzy, whose frontman Phil Lynott was in Moore's early band Skid Row for a time.
Further reading: Biography and album review at All Music Guide.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
France
Later version
c. 1989
Single produced by Serge Mazeres, mixed by Herve Volme & Gabri, arranged
by Mario Santangeli.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Australia
Later version
Parody
Single on Avenue. Deadpan version by deadpan comedian, a persona of Jack Levi.
Further reading: 1. ElliotGoblet.com.au 2. Brief Wikipedia entry.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
USA
Later version
Track on CD single of Satellites, also on 12" vinyl.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Germany
Later version
Instrumental version on album Dingdingding on Null Vier Null label. Tatara is a big, brassy, theatrical street band from Hamburg.
Further reading: 1. Tatara’s website and MySpace page. 2. Alternative Bands 101 at RelevantMusic.org.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Germany
Later version
On album Stompede by German post-ska band.
Further reading: Busters' official site.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
USA
Later version
On solo album In My Own Way on One Way label by Alice Cooper’s guitarist-keyboardist.
Further reading: Michael Bruce biography and review of the album by Donald A. Guarisco at All Music Guide.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
USA
Later version
On album Little Victories by New York classic rock band.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Australia
Later version
Theme song for Nine Network’s Friday Night Football, recorded by two well-known Australian artists, chart-topping pop singer-songwriter Vanessa Amorosi and major country music star Lee Kernaghan.
Further reading: 1. Official sites: VanessaAmorosi.com and LeKernaghan.com. 2. Wikipedia: Vanessa Amorosi and Lee Kernaghan. 3. All Music Guide; Amorosi and Kernaghan.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Australia
Later version
CD single on Trauma by Sydney rock band, also on album Remote Controller. Also heard on the soundtrack of US film A Walk To Remember (2002).
Listen to Friday On my Mind at Noogie’s otherwise neglected MySpace page.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Belgium
Later version
On album Forever Young by Belgian singer-songwriter (b. 1948), previously with Purple Bus, Octopus and Soulsister.
Further reading: 1. Brief biography at last.fm. 2. Official site at PaulMichiels.be
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
On album Ghetto Blaster by London punk-rock-indie band led by Frankie Flame.
Further reading: Official site at Superyob.com.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Germany
Later version
CD single on Spectre. This seems to some kind of spin-off from the 2000 film Coyote Ugly, though the soundtrack offers no clues.
Further reading: Coyote Girlz page at Spectre Media
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
USA
Later version
On instrumental album Hey Everybody, Let’s Fall In Love by musicians
Jim Hoke and Randy Leago.
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
UK
Later version
On 1000 Years of Popular Music, CD-DVD concert recording of the songs of the millennium chosen and performed by British folk legend.
Further reading: Review by Mark Deming at All Music Guide 
(Harry Vanda - George Young)
Australia
Later version
Track by Sydney singer-songwriter-actor on the album Easy Fever: A tribute to the Easybeats and Stevie Wright (various artists, October 2008).
Harry Vanda commented on Ben Lee’s version to The Weekend Australian’s Iain Shedden:
I thought Ben did the smart thing. He even put a beat into the song. The original Friday On My Mind… you try and dance to that and you fall over your feet…
And on composing the song:
You don’t think at the time that ‘this is rather clever’, but when you dissect it years later you realise it is rather clever. I liked to squeeze a chorus in A into an E minor verse. That worked, but I can assure you it wasn’t as calculated as that.
Reference: Iain Shedden, “Sounds of Then”, The Weekend Australian, 27-28 September 2008
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