The early Lennon & McCartney cover album

The Stars Sing Lennon & McCartney

Yesterday we blogged about the 1979 album, “The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away” and its Swedish predecessor “Northern Songs”. Now, in the Wikipedia entry of the former, it is said that the album was first released in 1971, and updated in 1979 by including one more track from 1973. We told you we could find no information on the internet about this earlier incarnation of the album and doubted its existence. Then we received a commentary by Popper, who pointed us in the direction of the album which likely is the culprit of the story. “The Stars Sing Lennon & McCartney” was released in the UK and the Netherlands in 1970 on the MFP (Music for Pleasure) budget label. Although some of the songs fit the bill, this is really quite a different album, but still interesting. Here is the track list:

Side 1:

1. Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas: Bad To Me

2. Peter & Gordon: World Without Love

3. The Fourmost: Hello Little Girl

4. Bernard Cribbins: When I’m 64

5. Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas: I’ll Be On My Way

6. David & Jonathan: She’s Leaving Home

Side 2:

1: Cilla Black: Love Of The Loved

2: Peter & Gordon: Nobody I Know

3: Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas: I’ll Keep You Satisfied

4: Kenny Lynch: Misery

5: Peter & Gordon: I Don’t Want To See You Again

6: The Fourmost: I’m In Love

Most of the tracks ended up on the 1979 album, but there were a few that didn’t fit the concept:

– Bernard Cribbins: When I’m 64, released in June 1967 on Parlophone R5603

– David & Jonathan: She’s Leaving Home, released June 2, 1967 on Columbia DB 8208

– Kenny Lynch: Misery, released in March 1963 on His Master’s Voice POP 1136

These were all simply cover versions, but as singles released at the same time as the Beatles original appeared on an album.

A simlarly titled album expanded on the theme in 1986.