(Jackie Lomax)
Australia
Original version
#15 Adelaide
The single has the title as You Better Get Going Now but the EP release has You’d Better Get Going Now.
This Australian record counts as the original version, since Jackie Lomax’s own recording of it remained unreleased until many years later.
Single on Columbia, the first by band formed in Adelaide in 1966, originally named Down The Line, also on EP 4 Shades of Pink. John D’Arcy and Beeb Birtles (Gerard Bertelkamp), who had also been in a high school band together, were joined by Darryl Cotton and Ted Higgins.
Their biggest hit was a pumped-up version of Eleanor Rigby (1971). By then, Zoot was working out of Melbourne with original members Beeb Birtles and Darryl Cotton remaining, along with singer-guitarist Rick Springfield and drummer Rick Brewer.
Later, Beeb Birtles was prominent in Little River Band and other music projects, Darryl Cotton built a successful solo career on television, stage and record, and Rick Springfield became well-known as a solo artist and TV actor based in the US.
The full story is much longer, and is covered in detail at Milesago.
On 27 July 2012 Australian news media reported the passing of Darryl Cotton, aged 62, and carried numerous tributes.
Further reading: 1. Beeb Birtles: official site at BeebBirtles.com. 2. Darryl Cotton at Wikipedia. 3. Rick Springfield: official site at RickSpringfield.com. 4. Zoot at Wikipedia.
UK 1966/67
Original unreleased version
Recorded in 1966 or ’67, released in 2010 on Jackie Lomax’s Lost Soul: Lomax Alliance & Solo Singles & Demos 1966-1967. It probably appeared earlier though, on the 1995 compilation of unreleased rarities Purple Heart Surgery Vol. 1, credited there to Unknown Artist. YouTube
From 1962, guitarist and singer-songwriter Jackie Lomax (1944-2013) had been in The Undertakers, a highly regarded and experienced Liverpool band who released some singles that never fulfilled the promise of their live work. Their 1964 single Just A Little Bit charted at #49.
They tried their luck in the US before breaking up there, leaving Lomax and drummer Bugs Pemberton to join New York band The Lost Souls, later renamed The Lomax Alliance. Taken up by Beatles manager Brian Epstein, they recorded some tracks in New York and then in London that remained unreleased at the time.
Lomax was later signed as a solo artist for the Beatles’ new Apple label. His single of George Harrison’s Sour Milk Sea, with George producing and the participation of Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton, was among the first batch of singles released on the label in August 1968 (catalogue no. Apple 3 in the UK). It was followed by an Apple album Is This What You Want? in March 1969.
See also Little Yellow Pills, another Jackie Lomax song, recorded in Australia by Aesops Fables.
Thanks to Mod Zeb at YouTube and 45Cat’s notes for insights.
References, further reading: 1. Detailed history of The Undertakers, The Lomax Alliance and the solo Lomax at jackielomax.com. 2. The Undertakers at British Beat Boom [archived]. 3. Undertakers line-up, bio and discography at 45-rpm.org.uk.
Other Australian connections: The Undertakers’ singles included at least three other (American) songs also recorded by Australian artists: see Mashed Potatoes, Just A Little Bit and Stupidity at this site.
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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…