This Liverpool-born pop and R&B star was 18 years old when she performed this classic, originally done in the USA by soul singer Irma Thomas and later a hit for Tracey Ullman.
Ms. Mardsen's cover of the song was not a big success. She had other hits, though, and sang in several bands, including one called '"Shotgun" with a couple young guys named Rod Stewart and Mick Fleetwood. She toured with the Beatles on one of their last tours in England and earlier paid her dues playing in the Cavern Club in Liverpool and also gigs in the clubs of Hamburg, Germany.
Today, Ms. Mardsen still tours. She released a album this very month with four new songs! I really like this cover so I thought I'd share a bit of "Merseybeat" here!
Here's her current website: http://www.beryl.moonfruit.com/
Tipical sixties sound and cover lol ... a great oldie by this artist thanks for the share Rosiex
ReplyDeletePowerful voice!
ReplyDeleteHere Ms. Marsden is performing a year later witrh Johnny B and the Quotations.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Rosie.
ReplyDeleteYes she sure does Rev...
ReplyDeletewow haha like stepping back in time Doug I love it !!! thanks
ReplyDeleteThats' one of the things I love about this music, Mike.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I've ever encountered Beryl before Doug, she sounds like a one-woman Shangri La to me, I also hear bits of Helen Shapiro there too, very pleasant song , definitely a new one on me. Thanks for finding it and posting it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you find them from Doug, I'd never heard of Beryl or the band prior to this.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of her either, AA, Prior to this if someone had said, "Beryl Marsden" I would have said "Is she an MP from the Channel Islands?" "Or that avitrix-writer who crossed the Atlantic back in the 1930s?")
ReplyDeleteLucky for me a friend of mine from San Fran--knowing my enthusiam for Sixties British pop hits--sent me this CD, "Am I Dreaming?"
http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Babes-Vol-Am-Dreaming/dp/B00000A4CK
None of these ladies (Cindy Williams, Samantha Jones, Beryl Marsden, et al) were on my radar, either and that version of "Breakwaway" was the only record I had even heard. The compilation as a whole is rather good, and there are some samples of the songs on this link.
It pays to have a friend with access to some good big city second-hand CD stores.
My pleasure, AA. She does have a great voice, and there's some good arrangements on many of these tracs so I'm surprised they didn't get more air play over here.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check to see what there is on Helen Shapiro.
Helen Shapiro also has a great sound! I can see why she had her share of chart-songs and is still well-liked in England. And, also, she also toured with The Beatles, almost did a record cover of a Lennon-McCartney song in 1963, and apparently had a crush on John. They toured on the same bus, singing together a bit, and she recommended or inspired John and Paul to record their next song, "Please Please Me", after one of their first UK hits, according to one source.
ReplyDeleteIf there was mutual attraction, what was John thinking? Helen was too young--14 when she had her first hit song-- I'll grant you. But if John had waited a couple years--like Elvis did with his 14-year old girlfriend, Priscilla--he could had Helen Shapiro as his second wife and she could have taken the blame for breaking up The Beatles!
Imagine the career boost she could have got! ;-)
She also did an album in Nashville in 1963, which is pretty amazing since, once again, here's some great talent that didn't catch on over here. I admire your taste on this singer, AA. Anyway, here she is.