Song:I See The Rain
Album:The Very Best Of The Marmalade
The Marmalade were a Scottish band very popular in the late 60s in England. They never really crossed the Atlantic successfully and are virtually unknown in North America. They're very much influenced by The Beatles mixed with psychedelia. Their biggest hit was a cover of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. The lead singer of The Marmalade was Dean Ford (born Thomas McAleese Sept. 5, 1945 in Coatbridge, Scotland). The lead guitarist and arranger was William "Junior" Campbell (born May 31, 1947 in Glasgow, Scotland). They had two bassists, Graham Knight and Pat Fairley along with drummer Alan Whitehead. They started out in 1961 as Dean Ford & The Gaylords. They recorded for EMI's Columbia label in 1964. When they switched to CBS in 1966, manager Peter Walsh got the idea to change their name to The Marmalade over breakfast. The Tremeloes producer Mike Smith also produced The Marmalade. The Ford/Campbell song I See The Rain was their third single in 1967. It didn't chart in England but hit #1 in The Netherlands and The Marmalade went on a European tour. Jimi Hendrix said it was his favourite song of 1967. But they weren't having much chart success in England and CBS was getting impatient. They finally did chart with Lovin' Things in 1968 and had their biggest hit with Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da in 1968. Apparently the group didn't know it was a Beatles song as The White Album was yet to be released. They moved to Decca in 1969 and though they had their one US top ten hit with Reflections Of My Life in 1969, the band was having problems and Campbell left for a solo career in 1971. This comp from Sanctuary is a good intro to their music. Campbell had some solo success in England and now writes music for film and TV. Ford quit the music business and moved to Los Angeles. Graham Knight leads a version of The Marmalade today. Fans of late 60s psychedelia should check them out. Here's The Marmalade performing I See The Rain on Dutch TV 1967.
Very good band.
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