| |
The Eyes of Dawn
Little by Little / Kaleidoscope - 7 Sir John A - 1967
Michael Panontin
|
After the modest success of their debut seven-inch 'Time to Be Going', which had seen some local chart action earlier in the year, the Eyes of Dawn lost their lead singer Wayne McQuaid to fellow labelmates Those Naughty Boys and had to regroup somewhat. As well, their big moment in the sun, a back-up slot for Eric Burdon and the Animals at the Ottawa Coliseum, ended in infamy when the Animals balked at playing until they were paid, and the crowd erupted in violence.
On their second and final single, released in December of 1967, the guys wisely stuck to covers, updating Procol Harum's 'Kaleidoscope' on the b-side, and tarting up Dusty Springfield's wonderful 1966 ditty 'Little by Little' over on the topside. On 'Kaleidoscope', what is originally a fierce proto-psych stormer becomes a lithe pop song in the boys' hands, with the Hammond organ toned down a notch and Gary Booker's usually throaty bellows replaced here by the Eyes' almost Byrds-like harmonies and AM-friendly backing cries of "doooo do do doo". Turn the record over and Dusty's hook-filled classic is of course joyous and upbeat, reaching the #9 position with the added heft of distribution by RCA...though really, how could you mess up a song as lovely as this?
|
|
Suggestions
Thee Deuces You Gotta Try / Hung Up on You - 7" Sir John A
Don Norman and the Other Four Low Man / Mustang Sally - 7" Sir John A
The Paper Dream My Mind's Eye / She's No Good - 7" Sir John A
The Five D Baby Boy / Good Time Music - 7" Sir John A
Jack Hennig and the Breaking Point Group Busy People / Maybe Tomorrow - 7" Cupid
The Mike Jones Group Each and Every Day / Funny Feeling - 7" Jet
Our Generation I'm a Man / Run Down Every Street - 7" Barry
Mini Robin Pourras-tu me pardonner / Personne - 7" RCA Canada International
|