Fortunes, The - The Complete Decca Singles 1963-1967 and More '2015

Tracks list

Tracklist

01. Caroline
02. If You Dont Want Me Now
03. Come On Girl
04. I Like The Look Of You
05. Look Homeward Angel
06. Ill Have My Tears To Remind Me
07. Youve Got Your Troubles
08. Ive Got To Go
09. Looking Through The Eyes Of Love
10. Wont You Give Him (One More Chance)
11. This Empty Place
12. Im Still Alone
13. If We Lived On Top Of A Mountain
14. Laughing Fit To Cry
15. Coloured Lights
16. All Cried Out
17. Voice Your Choice
18. Time To Be Going
19. Here It Comes Again
20. Things I Should Have Known
21. This Golden Ring
22. Someone To Care
23. You Gave Me Someone To Love
24. Silent Street
25. Gone From My Mind
26. Is It Really Worth Your While
27. Am I Losing My Touch
28. Our Love Has Gone
29. Truly Yours
30. Summertime Summertime
31. I Love Her Still

A fairly typical British Invasion quintet inspired by the bouncy, harmony-driven
sound of Merseybeat, the Fortunes are probably best-known in the U.S. for their
oldies-radio staple Youve Got Your Troubles. Formed in Birmingham, England, in
1963 as the Cliftones, the group was originally a vocal trio consisting of Rod
Allen (bass, lead vocals), Glen Dale (guitar, vocals), and Barry Pritchard
(guitar, vocals) (born April 3, 1944). However, with the explosion of the
Beatles and the Merseybeat sound, the group quickly rethought its direction,
adding keyboardist David Carr and drummer Andy Brown, and changing their name to
the Fortunes (though their first single, Summertime, Summertime, was oddly
credited to both groups). The group found its niche crafting melancholy,
orchestrated ballads similar to Peter & Gordon, the Moody Blues, or the Zombies
(and in fact toured with the former two). Their second single for Decca,
Caroline, was adopted as theme music by the famed U.K. pirate station Radio
Caroline upon its release in early 1964, yet never charted despite all the heavy
airplay. Two more non-charting singles followed, but the group hit its stride in
1965 with Youve Got Your Troubles, which hit the U.S. Top Ten and went all the
way to number two in the U.K. Their self-titled debut album was released that
year, and the follow-up single Here It Comes Again duplicated its predecessors
success in Britain, though not in the States. This Golden Ring, the follow-up to
Here It Comes Again, was a decent-sized hit in the U.K. (though it didnt reach
the Top Ten), but problems set in after that. Glen Dale left the band in the
summer of 1966 seeking a solo career, and was replaced by Scottish guitarist
Shel McCrae. Unfortunately for the reconstituted band, psychedelia was becoming
the dominant sound of British pop music and the squeaky-clean Fortunes were
unable to make the transition. A pair of 1966 singles flopped, and the group
lost their contract with Decca the following year. They switched over to United
Artists and continued recording singles, paying the bills by singing an American
Coca-Cola jingle. David Carr elected to leave the band in summer 1968, which
continued undeterred as a four-piece. Surprisingly, the groups 1970 single That
Same Old Feeling (a cover of a Pickettywitch number) hit the lower reaches of
the charts in America. The Fortunes switched labels again, this time to Capitol,
where they hooked up with producers/songwriters Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook.
The Fortunes staged an unexpected comeback in 1971 with the single Here Comes
That Rainy Day Feeling Again, which hit the U.S. Top 20. The follow-up Freedom
Come, Freedom Go flopped stateside, but returned the group to the British Top
Ten, a feat repeated by its follow-up, Storm in a Teacup. George McAllister made
the Fortunes a quintet once again, but no further singles-chart success was
upcoming, and the group eventually contented themselves with simply playing the
British club circuit. Rod Allen continues to lead a nostalgia-oriented version
of the Fortunes featuring guitarist Michael Smitham, drummer Paul Hooper, and
ex-Badfinger keyboardist Bob Jackson. Barry Pritchard passed away on January 11,
1999.

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