Tuesday, August 4, 2009

smile a little smile



Delightful schmaltz from the UK production / songwriting partnership between Tony Macaulay and Geoff Stevens; better known through their association with The Foundations - "Build Me Up, Buttercup" - and Pinkerton's Assorted Colours.

Owing a massive one farthing debt to "Penny Lane" era woodwind flourishes and cow lashed McCartney-isms, one also harbors a secret admiration for the way the middle eight almost meanders off through the overspill of trash cans from Ray Davies' "Dead End Street". A little piece of uniquely shameless English whimsy.

Tony Newman: vocals, guitars;

Steve Jones: guitars, vocals; Sam Kempe: vocals;
Stewart Coleman: bass;
Paul Wilkinson: drums.

Written by Geoff Stevens and Tony Macaulay.
Produced by Tony McCauley.

photograph by alex waterford hayward.

THE FLYING MACHINE: SMILE A LITTLE SMILE FOR ME (MONO) from "Smile A Little Smile For Me b/w Maybe We've Been Loving Too Long" 45 (PYE) 1969 (UK)

1 comment:

ib said...

Apologies for the nazi emblem which formed the basis for the eagle motif; I have not joined the Nazi Low Riders or the AB... I just kind of liked the strength of the design, and felt a bit too lazy to conjure up my own.

The badge logo was the result of my footering about some time ago with a font to grace the non existent cover art for 1969's self-titled Flying Machine LP release. I have no idea whether a button badge for FM was ever put into production.