Evie Sands,
the blue-eyed soul
the blue-eyed soul
singer, songwriter
and guitarist you
met in the two
previous posts,
and guitarist you
met in the two
previous posts,
was first to record
"Billy Sunshine"
and "Angel Of
The Morning."
"Billy Sunshine"
and "Angel Of
The Morning."
Both of those songs were covered by UK vocalist Billie Davis,
one of the leading female voices of the 60s Mod Scene.
Today I begin a two-part series dedicated to the
lovely and talented miss Davis.
one of the leading female voices of the 60s Mod Scene.
Today I begin a two-part series dedicated to the
lovely and talented miss Davis.
"Billy Sunshine" - Billie Davis
(from 1970 album Billie Davis & Mar. 2005
album Tell Him: The Decca Years)
Influenced by American girl groups and soul singers,
UK thrush Carol Hedges derived her stage name
Billie Davis from two famous American artists -
jazz legend Billie Holiday and entertainer
Sammy Davis Jr.
In 1962 Billie Davis released her first single, a duet with Mike Sarne.
novelty ditty entitled "Will I What?"
"Will I What?" - Mike Sarne featuring Billie Davis
(Aug. 1962, highest chart pos. #18 UK)
With her bobbed hair and trend setting fashions, Billie Davis
exemplified the London Mod Scene subculture of the early to mid 60s.
exemplified the London Mod Scene subculture of the early to mid 60s.
She toured with The Beatles
and Rolling Stones and
appeared with Herman's
Hermits, The Animals
and other British Invasion
recording acts in the 1965
UK movie Pop Gear...
U.S. title Go Go Mania.
From 1963 through 1965,
Billie released a series of
solo singles. in 1964 she
waxed "Whatcha' Gonna
Do," a song written and
originally recorded in
1956 by American blues
and R&B star Chuck Willis.
The LeRoys are credited as
the background vocalists
on Billie's single.
In this beautifully restored HD film clip, Billie performs
"Whatcha' Gonna Do" in a scene from Pop Gear. Follow the
melody and you'll understand why Billie gives me fever!
"Whatcha' Gonna Do" - Billie Davis & the LeRoys
(Sept. 1964, uncharted, scene from 1965 UK
film Pop Gear aka Go Go Mania)
film Pop Gear aka Go Go Mania)
Billie is best known for her covers of two other American hits.
One is a rendition of
"Tell Him," originally recorded by the Exciters.
The other is a jump blues number entitled "I Want You to be My Baby,"
originally a 1953 R&B hit for Louis Jordan and a top 20 pop chart
hit in 1955 for Lillian Briggs. The Billie Davis version was
given an updated Northern Soul arrangement. You are
about to witness Billie's electrifying performance
of the song on Spanish TV in early 1969.
hit in 1955 for Lillian Briggs. The Billie Davis version was
given an updated Northern Soul arrangement. You are
about to witness Billie's electrifying performance
of the song on Spanish TV in early 1969.
Katy bar the door - Billie KILLS!
"I Want You to Be My Baby" - Billie Davis
(Oct./Nov. 1968, highest chart pos. #33 UK,
early 1969 perf. on Spanish TV )
Eng-uh-lund
Swings Like a
Pendulum Do.
Billie's Makin'
Great Records
Two by Two!
At the beginning of 1966,
Billie formed a duo with
Keith Powell, an act billed
as Keith & Billie. Keith
Powell was an underrated
Billie formed a duo with
Keith Powell, an act billed
as Keith & Billie. Keith
Powell was an underrated
blue-eyed soul man from
Birmingham, England,
who possessed a deep,
rich voice that reminds
me of Bill Medley of
Birmingham, England,
who possessed a deep,
rich voice that reminds
me of Bill Medley of
the Righteous Brothers
and of Jerry Butler.
and of Jerry Butler.
Keith & Billie released three Northern Soul singles that covered classic
soul and R&B hits originally waxed by American artists. For their first
release, Keith Powell and Billie Davis mined the Stax catalog
with a cover of the 1965 Rufus and Carla (Thomas)
recording "When You Move You Lose."
"When You Move You Lose" - Keith Powell And Billie Davis
(Jan. 1966, uncharted)
Flip the disc and you've got a killer bee, honey, the sweet soulful sound
of "Tastes Sour Don't It" aka "Taste Sour Don't It," a song written by
Jimmy Radcliffe and recorded in 1966 by Barbara Jean English,
former lead singer of a New Jersey girl group called the
Clickettes. Barbara's version remained unreleased
at the time, but Keith and Billie did a nice job
of resurrecting it on the B side of their
Piccadilly platter. Question:
of "Tastes Sour Don't It" aka "Taste Sour Don't It," a song written by
Jimmy Radcliffe and recorded in 1966 by Barbara Jean English,
former lead singer of a New Jersey girl group called the
Clickettes. Barbara's version remained unreleased
at the time, but Keith and Billie did a nice job
of resurrecting it on the B side of their
Piccadilly platter. Question:
Ever taste a sour donut?
"Tastes Sour Don't It" - Keith Powell And Billie Davis
(Jan. 1966, uncharted B side of
"When You Move You Lose")
Checking the scoreboard, Keith and Billie released 3 duet singles -
a total of 6 sides, all excellent - yet not a single one reached
the chart! Yep, it's par for the course in a world that tends
to overlook greatness and rewards mediocrity.
a total of 6 sides, all excellent - yet not a single one reached
the chart! Yep, it's par for the course in a world that tends
to overlook greatness and rewards mediocrity.
In the fall of 1967, Billie gained
a UK solo hit with her version
of "Angel of the Morning."
a UK solo hit with her version
of "Angel of the Morning."
This, as you recall from an
earlier post, is the song
written by Chip Taylor,
first waxed by Evie Sands
and successfully covered
by Merrilee Rush, Juice
Newton and other artists
in the U.S. and the UK.
earlier post, is the song
written by Chip Taylor,
first waxed by Evie Sands
and successfully covered
by Merrilee Rush, Juice
Newton and other artists
in the U.S. and the UK.
"Angel of the Morning"
- Billie Davis
(Nov./Dec. 1967)
Stay tuned. Coming up in my next post...
more great English pop and soul in
Part 2 of my salute to Brit bird
BILLIE DAVIS!
more great English pop and soul in
Part 2 of my salute to Brit bird
BILLIE DAVIS!
Have a Shady day!
Good-morning, Tom!
ReplyDeleteAs you probably knew beforehand, Billie Davis is an artist that never crossed my ears until now. I enjoyed sampling her mewsic. Billie and Evie have different style. As solo artists Evie is a better suit for my listening pleasure. I think Billie does better as a duet artist with Keith Powell. I like their voices paired together. Incidentally, Evie's "Angel Of The Morning" recording I like better than Billie's. I appreciated the introduction to the UK 60s Mod scene singer. I know I'm always in for a treat when I stop by to see you, my friend. Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you for coming over in the pre-dawn darkness to claim early bird honors, dear friend!
English sparrow Billie Davis has a little girl voice and big talent. A style icon as well as a zinger, Billie has tremendous appeal to lovers of the 60s British mod scene. I remember using a song recorded by Billie years ago in my very first BOTB post. Perhaps you and I had not yet become acquainted at that time.
I'm glad you enjoyed Billie's soulful collaborations as a duo act with English blue-eyed soul man Keith Powell. As was the case with Evie Sands, the high quality Keith & Billie recordings failed to chart.
This is another two-part series. I hope by the time it is concluded you will have decided to join the Billie Club. :) Thanks again for coming, dear friend Cathy, and have a wonderful day!
Tom,
DeleteI've been doing BoTB since 2014 I think. It's been a long time. I do recall you playing but I can't recall the showdown you're referring to. I was wondering if you had ever used her on your site before, though. I look forward to sampling more of Billie's songs. Thanks for helping to expand my mewsic education. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteIt's nice to see you again, dear friend! I just looked on my old blog to make sure my memory is intact. Sure enough, in my very first BOTB post more than five years ago, Billie Davis competed against two other female vocalists in a three-way spin-off. Moreover, you and I did indeed know each other by that time. You visited SDMM, left a nice long comment and voted in the contest. Isn't it funny how we forget as time goes by? It just so happens that I am repeating that Billie Davis recording in Part 2 of my tribute which begins on Monday, so you will get to hear it again. At that time I will give you the link to my BOTB post so that you can read what you wrote more than five years ago. It should be fun and help you remember my first battle and how you voted. It was very interesting for me to see all the people who commented on that 2015 post. There are 80 comments in all. Out of all the bloggers who were following me back then, only three regulars remain - YaYa, Birgit and you. Can you imagine how much I appreciate your loyal friendship all these years, Cathy?
Thanks again for stopping by and have a super weekend, dear friend!
Interesting note about how she came up with her stage name! She certainly did tour with some big name acts. Thanks for this introduction to Billie Davis and I look forward to hearing more from her in your next post.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteThanks for dropping in as an invited guest member of the Billie Club, dear friend!
I'm happy that you appreciated this introduction to British Northern Soul thrush Billie Davis, a much loved UK artist who is little known stateside. What I like most about Billie is that she started her career doing Brit girl pop and graduated to maximum credibility singing soulful covers of songs originally waxed by U.S. artists.
Thanks again for joining me, dear friend Kelly. I hope to see you back here at Shady's Place for Billie Part 2 next Monday!
I love her voice which can do some soul even though you wouldn't think her voice could do it. I never heard of her...big surprise, but it shows how popular she was in Europe as opposed to here. I had to look her up and felt bad that she suffered a bad car accident and then got blamed for an affair. I bet the married man she was with got off (sorry) clean free. Poor thing was only 17 and this happens often. I also read she lost her son which is tragic. I have no clue how it happened but I hope it wasn't suicide or drugs not that it matters much.
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteWelcome welcome welcome, dear friend! Thanks a lot for catching Part 1 of the Billie Davis show here at Shady's Place.
Yessum, with her little girl voice, you'd think Billie would have stuck to recording lightweight pop ditties. Instead she gained cred as a singer who injected soul into her covers of American recordings. This will become especially clear when you hear the selections in Part 2 coming up next Monday.
Thanks for doing some extra research. Yessum, in 1963, at the age of 17, Billie was in a terrible car crash that broke her jaw and stalled her recording and touring career. She was riding in a limo with an unhappily married man, former Shadows' bass player Jet Harris, and rumors of their affair also hindered Billie's career. Like a champion, Billie bounced back to peak form and made her finest recordings in the years after the mishap. Yessum, it is a shame that Billie also lost her son a few years ago. I don't know the back story. Maybe someone else can fill in the blanks.
Thanks again for coming, dear friend BB. I'll see you tamale at your place!
Hi Shady! Glad I didn't miss this post. I think Billie has a different voice but it reminds me of the sound of the 60's and being from the UK seals that deal. She certainly toured with the cream of the 60's British invasion! It'll be fun to see the next post and learn more about her. You do find the most interesting and talented artists! I know Fall cooler weather has gone south so I hope you're enjoying the change! Take care Shady!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThanks for joining the Billie (Davis) Club and listening to Part 1 of my tribute to this great UK artist who is not very well known in the U.S.
Yessum, Billie has a distinctive voice. At first it might seem better suited to simple teen pop ditties. However Billie proved herself to be the real deal - a white vocalist like Evie Sands who brings forth soulful feeling in her performances, and she has covered the work of many different American artists and bands. I first got interested in Brit girls around 2011 and collected numerous rare various artists CDs. I discovered a Billie Davis song on one of those compilations and that led to me purchasing her extraordinary best of collection Tell Him: The Decca Years. You'll hear more songs from that CD next time in Part 2.
Yessum, when I went outside at 5 am to feed the stray cat that lives on our lanai, the temperature was much cooler than it has been in a long time. Thanks for sending a cool front down our way!
Thanks again for joining the fun and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend YaYa!
Hello Shady. Billie Davis is a reall cutie, and you have some pretty neat photos and record covers photos for her. I enjoyed all of her songs, except not so much that goofy one "Will I What" with Mike Sarne.
ReplyDeleteKeith Powell really does have a deep voice, and their "Tastes Sour Don't It" is a pretty good song. I think she does well enough on her own.
She is such a pretty and "mod" girl as you say, Shady! I like "Whatcha Gonna Do" a lot. This song reminded me of Peggy Lee and "Fever". Billie really has a way of adding new rhythm and tones to each song. "I Want You to Be My Baby" is truly a great soulful 'pop' song.
I have to say, Shady, that I am pleasantly impressed with Billie's "Angel of The Morning"! I rate it 2nd to Merrilee Rush above all others! She does it so beautifully and with a different attitude!
This has been a very great post, Shady! Kudos for finding these powerful young singers who are the "unsung" female heroines of the 60's!
It has been hot today, and I am a bit under the weather, so I will bow out for now. Thank you for sending a new lady our way...she is a real treat, Shady! Take care, dear friend!
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteI'm happy to see you, dear friend. Thanks for coming! I am very sorry to learn that you are a bit under the weather. I hope you feel better hour by hour and that tomorrow will be a much better day for you.
I'm excited that you appreciate the singing voice and style of my featured artist, UK songbird Billie Davis. This is another two-parter, because Billie gave us a wealth of great recordings, too many for just one post. Wait until you hear what she sings in Part 2!
Yessum, I was happy to find so many good, large size pics of Miss Photogenic - Billie Davis. I'm pleased that you enjoyed her recordings with Keith Powell, a duo that was known simply as Keith & Billie. None of their soulful sides charted. Can you believe it? I included that goofy novelty number simply because of it represents the kind of material Billie was recording early in her career. As you recall, I also posted a very early single by Evie Sands to begin her two-parter.
I was thrilled to find that brilliantly restored clip of Billie appearing in the British musical film Pop Gear aka Go Go Mania. As you and I both pointed out, the song she sings sounds an awful lot like Peggy Lee's hit "Fever."
My Pick To Click is another song you mentioned - "I Want You To Be My Baby." That late 60s Billie Davis performance on Spanish TV is one of the hottest I've ever witnessed. Billie really rocks the song and the dancers add to the excitement.
Wow, I am pleasantly surprised that you fancy Billie's version of "Angel" and place it second to Merrillee Rush's major U.S. hit. I'm not about to argue with you.
We had a delightfully cooler day over here, but I'm sure the heat will soon creep back in. Again, thank you so much for making time for a visit and for your superb comment, dear friend Suzanne. Feel better soon and join me next Monday for Billie Club Part 2!
I don’t remember Billie or her music, but I enjoyed listening to her “sound”.
ReplyDeleteShady, I want to thank you for always celebrating women, who, we all know, had a harder time making their way in the music industry. We lost Helen Reddy today and I remember how I felt when her song , I am Woman, came out. She empowered many women with her music. I raised my daughters to always know their worth and not to let their gender hold them back from pursuing their dreams. I encouraged them to be the stuff, not the fluff. There are all very successful in their work and they grew up to be wonderful, kind women who make things happen.
Hi, Arleen!
DeleteHow goes it, dear friend? Thanks for dropping in to experience the sights and sounds of Brit girl Billie Davis, well known in her native country for her singing, her beauty and for her influential fashion sense, a true style icon of the 1960s Mod scene.
Thank you for mentioning the passing of recording artist Helen Reddy. I was saddened to read the news of her death earlier today, but the article about her life and musical legacy flashed me back to a much more optimistic period in American history. The words of Helen's signature song, the anthem of the women’s liberation movement "I Am Woman (Hear Me Roar)," are immortal. You can always count on me to celebrate women, minorities and diversity here at Shady's Place. Let us hope that in the November election, women across this land will rise up and roar "in numbers too big to ignore." Thank you, dear Arleen, for sharing how Helen Reddy's song had an impact on you and other women of the time, and how you raised your daughters to be strong, proud and independent, enabling them to take their rightful places as productive members of society. Clearly you were and are a fine mother, the kind we desperately need in today's America if we are to successfully combat the forces that seek to strip women of their hard fought rights.
Thank you again for coming over for Part 1 of Billie Davis. Stay tuned for the second and final part of my salute coming up next Monday. Until then enjoy the rest of your week and have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Arleen!
Thank you for your presentations, friend Shady. Not much change here regarding work. Gown, glove, shield, mask trying hard to do good. Spent 2 days in Banff, Alberta in order to recover and driving and enjoying trees in fall colours. Mountains have no snow caps yet, but nights are frosty. I booked X Mas/ Birthday/ Celebration of retirement in PV,Mexico in spite of covid ... Much love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteI've been missing you, dear friend, and happy to see you! Thanks so much for coming down to meet and greet Miss Billie Davis, one of the great British recording artists and fashion influencers of the 1960s.
Thanks for updating me on the precautions you take as you place yourself at risk to do your job and help people on the front lines of the medical field. I admire you more than you know, dear friend.
So you have booked a holiday getaway to Puerto Vallarta again this year? I'm very happy to know it. I hope you have a wonderful time and stay virus free. Mrs. Shady and I are already planning a second trip to Mexico ourselves. I'm glad you were able to take a mini vacation to another part of Alberta and observe the beauty of the fall leaves. I'm sure it won't be long before the snow is flying up your way.
Thank you again for your kind visit and comment dear friend cat. Please smooch Theo for me and come back and see me again soon!
She has a fun sound. Thanks for introducing me to yet another artist I hadn't heard of. Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteThanks for coming, dear friend!
It's always a pleasure to introduce friends to artists and songs I think are well worth knowing. English singer Billie Davis produced an abundance of great recordings, many of them covers of songs famously waxed by U.S. artists. I'll bring you more of them in Part 2 on Monday.
Thanks again for being here, dear friend Sherry!
Hi Shady!
ReplyDeleteI really dig Billie's sound. I've never heard of her before either, and it's a pity I never have.
Work has been hectic for the past few days; one of the Florida groups got let go and while the PA group is hiring, I'm keeping a lookout for signs of layoffs. I've been keeping focused on my work - t's crossed, I's dotted, and today was a bit of breather and I could listen to your wonderful post.
Tomorrow I am taking the Autumn Walk for Prevention and as I walk for Prevention, I'll give this playlist a listen again. I think Billie will make a good walking soundtrack.
Have a great evening, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI am delighted that you dig the sound of Billie Davis. Part 1 covered some of the best recordings from earlier in her career. Coming up on Monday in Part 2 you will hear Billie a little later in her peak period singing with more maturity as she covers some great songs by U.S. and British artists. I'm glad you will be taking Billie's music along with you on your Autumn Walk for Prevention. Music is medicine.
Thanks again for stopping in. Good night and have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI dig how she combined the names of two American greats; I bet that is what made her career such a success! I've always loved the mod scene and Billie really pulled it off.
Whatcha Gonna Do and Angel of Morning were my favourites, they also really added to my walk this morning. :) Her voice is lovely and I can't wait until you post Part II. I can't wait to hear how she matured.
Have a great Saturday, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for coming by on a Saturday, dear friend!
What I love most about Billie's performance in that scene from Pop Gear is the clear, sharp picture and brilliant color. The musical number looks like it was shot last week instead of 1964. To me that's amazing. I'm glad you enjoyed the song "Whatcha Gonna Do." Listen to Peggy Lee's hit "Fever" and you will note how similar the two songs sound in places.
Thanks again for coming by, dear friend JM, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
While she doesn't particularly remind me of either Billie Holiday or Sammy Davis Jr, this young (well, young back then) woman has a really unique voice, at least to my ears, kind of a mixture of Diana Ross and Cyndi Lauper, or maybe Madonna before her voice deepened. She also had a rather unique appearance, a cartoon-like prettiness. Obviously that might make a producer want to give her just funny songs to do, but she proves here that she can do non-comical songs. I love her version of "Angel in the Morning". It may be the best version I've heard yet.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for being here for Part 1 of Billie Davis, good buddy!
I agree that Billie's singing voice sounds somewhat like Cyndi Lauper's. I also think she sounds a lot like U.S. country-pop singer Sue Thompson. Yes indeed, Billie's beauty and style were cartoon-like. Achieving that type of look was surely a common goal among many Brit birds of the 60s Mod movement.
It's a good thing for Billie and for us that she switched from novelty ditties to more serious material. Wait until you hear the polished, sophisticated sounds of her recordings in Part 2. All my favorites are in that batch.
Thanks again for joining the Billie Club, good buddy Kirk. Have a great week and stick around for Part 2 coming tomorrow morning!