If you listened to AM Radio back in the ’70s, you were always rewarded with a bag full of mixed styles of music. there was Pop, Rock, Jazz, Country, even Classical blends that held your rapt attention to the music hits of the ’70s. One of those were The First Class, whose Top 20 hit worldwide, “Beach Baby” was heard widely in 1974. The band itself lasted for only two years with only two albums made.
On January 27, Grapefruit Records (Cherry Red UK) will release a 3CD set that will blend together both of the band’s albums, and add in unreleased tracks. The booklet contains a large essay on the evolution of the short-lived John Carter vehicle, photos, and more.
Remember the popular “Beach Baby” track below.
Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings – The First Class
CD1 (The First Class/Bonus Tracks)
01 Beach Baby
02 Won’t Somebody Help Me
03 What Became Of Me
04 Surfer Queen
05 The First Day Of Your Life
06 Long Time Gone
07 Funny How Love Can Be
08 Dreams Are Ten A Penny
09 Bobby Dazzler
10 The Disco Kid
11 I Was Always A Joker
Bonus Tracks
12 Beach Baby (single version, full-length)
13 Both Sides Of The Story
14 Lavender Man
15 One Good Time
16 Born To Be A Rebel
17 Baby Doll Love
18 Chinese Christmas
19 Going On
20 A Quiet Life
21 Loving
22 Beach Baby (single version, edit)
CD2 (SST [not issued in US] /Bonus Tracks)
01 I Was A Star
02 Ain’t No Love
03 Child’s Play
04 Old Time Love
05 Baby Blue
06 Life Is Whatever You Want It To Be
07 Carry On Singing My Song
08 Smiles On A Summer Night
09 Seven Ten To Nowhere
10 Autumn Love
11 And She Cried
Bonus Tracks
12 Brook Street (jingle)
13 Too Many Golden Oldies (single version)
14 Make It My Own
15 Broken Toy
16 Lisa (I Always Loved You)
17 Birds Dream Topping (jingle)
18 Songs On The Wind
19 The Saddest Word
20 Ocean Of Glass
21 Bienvenido
22 Sunlight Detergent (jingle)
23 Gimme Little Sign
24 Average Rainfall
25 Please Yourself (Rowntrees Tots)* (jingle)
CD3 (Extras and Bonus Tracks)
01 We Like To Dance (Milk Is Our Way)* (jingle)
02 Disco Kid
03 Midnite Music
04 Singer Sewing Machines (jingle)
05 Oh California
06 I’m In Love Again
07 Kit-E-Kat Munchies (jingle)
08 The Sound of Summer
09 Let’s Go British Caledonian (jingle)
10 Sidewalk Johnny
11 Midnite Music
12 Vauxhall Chevette (Whatever You Want It To Be ) #1* (jingle)
13 Crawfords Cheddars (jingle)
14 If I Don’t Have You
15 Birds Eye Cod (jingle)
16 Sunday Child
17 Greasy Dollar Bill
18 Ever Ready Batteries (jingle)
19 Top Forty Angel
20 Typhoo 1 (jingle)
21 Typhoo 2 (jingle)
22 Silver Surfer
23 Silvikrin (jingle)
24 Coney Island
25 Malibu (jingle)
26 I Can’t Believe My Eyes
27 Wake Up America
28 Right Guard Deodorant (jingle)
29 The Song Was Wrong
30 Woman Magazine (jingle)
31 Shine On Me Woman
32 One More Mile To Freedom
33 Cracker Jack Popcorn (jingle)
34 Vauxhall Chevette (Whatever You Want It To Be) #2 (jingle)
35 Too Many Golden Oldies (Full Length Version)