The Vibrants - My Prayer (1967)

P. J. Proby - My Prayer (1966)

(Georges Boulanger - Jerry Kennedy)
 UK

Single on Liberty (UK), B-side of the Beatles giveaway That Means A Lot, produced at Abbey Road, London by Ron Richards.

Texas-born James Marcus Smith, who changed his name initially to Jett Powers and then to P. J. Proby, had worked in the LA pop scene from 1957 as a versatile singer and songwriter. His deep, mannered vocals, often on reworkings of standard songs, benefited from skilful arrangements and production by the likes of Jack Nitzsche. Proby was always more popular in the UK – where he was based for some time in the mid-60s – and in Australia than in his home country.

References: 1. P. J. Proby page from British Beat Boom [archived page]. 2. P. J. Proby at Wikipedia (partly unsourced).
Further reading: 1. My post Only in Oz (2) P.J. Proby – Mission Bell at PopArchives: The Blog. 2. Michael Lane Heath, Get Hip to My Conflagration from Perfect Sound Forever [archived page].
Thanks to Terry Stacey for version alert and links.

Digger Revell - My Prayer (1965)

(Georges Boulanger - Jerry Kennedy)
 Australia
#7 Sydney #6 Brisbane #13 Adelaide

In the same year Digger Revell charted with another song associated with The Platters, Twilight Time.

Digger Revell (born Gary Hildred) had a number of hits in 1963-64 as lead singer of Digger Revell & the Denvermen, including My Little Rocker’s Turned Surfie (1964). The Denvermen charted in their own right with a series of surf instrumentals in 1963, including Avalon Stomp and Surfside (#1 Sydney, #6 Melbourne). Digger Revell went on to a successful solo career, moving eventually into the country music scene.

Further reading: Article at TE Online about a 2003 appearance by Digger Revell in the Hunter Valley, NSW.

Peter Wright - My Prayer (1965)

(Georges Boulanger - Jerry Kennedy)
 Australia

Second single on HMV (#EA-4717) by singer-songwriter from Toowoomba in Queensland, a Latin-styled arrangement recorded in Sydney with orchestra directed by Franz Conde.

Peter Wright is still known for his 1967 Festival single House Of Bamboo, his own composition, backed by The Questions, anthologised on Ace Records’ 2002 CD Peculiar Hole In The Sky.

Further reading: 1. Jeff Black’s site on Peter Wright and Chapter III is comprehensive and definitive, and sourced from several of the participants. 2. The YouTube channel Peter Wright Writes and Sings has video of Wright’s 1966 composition The Rose Has A Thorn.

Thanks to Jeff Black.

Version alert from Terry Stacey. (How did I miss this one?)

The Four Pennies - My Prayer (1964)

(Georges Boulanger - Jerry Kennedy)
 UK

On Philips EP Spin With The Pennies by band from Blackburn, Lancashire who topped the British charts in 1964 with Juliet.

This is another example of how the repertoires of Australian artists often echoed those of British beat bands, especially when it came to reviving old songs.

Further reading: Four Pennies page from British Beat Boom [archived page].

Version alert and inference from Terry Stacey.