One of my relatively rare eBay acquisitions is this Nostalgia Postcard from England, reproducing a magazine cover from late 1949 with Petula Clark, just turned 17. Picturegoer called itself The National Film Weekly, and Petula was a movie star, and not yet a chart-topping hit singles singer. Of course in America we knew nothing of Pet’s 20+ year career when she hit it big here, stateside.
URK, excuse me, gotta lose my breakfast! “Sugar, Sugar!” OK, OK, I agree, it IS the ultimate bubblegum song.
Say, doesn’t that picture of Pet up there look a bit like a young Mary Martin? It also begs the question: Did Pet ever get her nose tweaked? I say no. With those incredible cheekbones and strong jawline, she’s been able to age (unfairly!) well into her 70s and will continue into her 90s, no doubt!
Hi Jean! Yeah, I know, PBS does have on alot of one hit wonders-but as a kid I loved Bubble gum pop from everyone like 1910 Fruitgum Co.,Tommy Roe, Ohio Express, The Archies (Ron Dante)-still have my cereal box copy of “Sugar Sugar”, and I loved people like Pet, Bobby Sherman, Beach Boys, Isley Bros., Cowsills, and O.H.W’s like Edison Lighthouse, Oliver, Flaming Ember, The Jaggerz-ad infinitum. As a kid I liked pop-rock and just didn’t get into serious, political and harder rock until late-junior and senior high. Now I like music from the 1920’s to the present.
Andy Kim actually had a few hits in the late 60’s and early 70’s on Jeff Barry’s “Steed” label, prior to his 1974 monster hit, “Rock Me Gently”. The two biggest were bubblegum-style remakes of the Ronettes hits – “Baby, I Love You” (#9) and “Be My Baby” (#17). But in my book, his main claim to fame is that he and Jeff Barry co-wrote the ultimate Bubblegum classic – “Sugar, Sugar”!
Andy KIM? I always thought he was trying to sound like Neil Diamond. He only had one hit here in the states.
Hi Doug! I LUV Petula Clark! Her music was the soundtrack of my childhood. In my early elementary school days I was always singing “Downtown” and “Don’t Sleep In The Subway”. They were my favorite songs and my cousins and I loved the British pop singers of the ’60’s and ’70’s. If Petula is 75 or 76-she looks great! I saw her on “The British Beat” too. I knew she was near my mom’s age-and Pet is 2 years older. I’m glad Pet is still performing-alot of the original performers on those PBS shows look good-Andy Kim, Yvonne Elliman Maxine Nightingale, K.C. and Rob Parissi of Wild Cherry among others. Hope I look as good as Pet when in my 70’s! 🙂