St. Louis (Easybeats song)

"St. Louis"
Singapore single cover
Single by The Easybeats
from the album Friends
B-side"Can't Find Love"
Released27 June 1969 (UK)
17 July 1969 (Australia)
9 September 1969 (USA)
RecordedApril 1969
Olympic Studios, London
Genre
Length3:12
LabelPolydor, Rare Earth Records (USA)
Songwriter(s)Harry Vanda, George Young
Producer(s)Ray Singer
Australian singles chronology
"Lay Me Down and Die"
(1968) 		"St. Louis"
(1969) 		"Peculiar Hole in the Sky"
(1969)
UK singles chronology
"Good Times"
(1968) 		"St. Louis"
(1968) 		"Who Are My Friends"
(1969)
U.S. singles chronology
"Gonna Have a Good Time (Good Times)"
(1968) 		"St. Louis"
(1968)

"St. Louis" is a song by Australian rock group the Easybeats, which was released in June 1969. It was co-written by its members Harry Vanda and George Young and recorded as their first single after signing to Polydor Records.[1]

Reception

The NME gave the song a positive review, saying: "It drives along at breathtaking pace and will knock you into submission so that you’ll be forced to buy it. I hope."[2]

The single peaked at #21 in Australia[3] and #57 in Canada. In the United States, it peaked at #72 on the Cash Box Top 100[4] and #100 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It failed to chart in the UK.

During the 1969 Australian tour, band members told Go-Set they were disappointed in Ray Singer's production work. Lead singer Stevie Wright stated they "wanted it (more) funky with a lot of ad-lib(s)."[5] He also cited a rumour that Paul McCartney had heard the song on his car radio and stopped to ask the station to "play it again" (this story is often attributed to another Easybeats' song, "Good Times").[5]

Track listing

  1. "St. Louis"
  2. "Can't Find Love"

Charts

Chart (1969) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 21
Canada (RPM) Top Singles [6] 57
US Cash Box Top 100[7] 72
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] 100

Little River Band version

"St. Louis"
Single by Little River Band
from the album Greatest Hits Vol. 2
B-side"Easy Money"
ReleasedNovember 1982
Recorded1982
Length3:35
LabelCapitol Records
Producer(s)Little River Band, Ernie Ross
Little River Band singles chronology
"Down on the Border"
(1981) 		"St. Louis"
(1982) 		"The Other Guy"
(1982)

Australian rock music group Little River Band recorded a cover version which was released in November 1982 as the second single from their album Greatest Hits Vol. 2. The song peaked at number 43 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart.[9]

Track listing

Australian 7" (Capitol CP-867)
A. "St. Louis" - 3:35
B. "Easy Money" - 4:00

Charts

Chart (1982-83) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 43

References

  1. ^ Tait, John (2010). Vanda & Young: Inside Australia's Hit Factory. New South. ISBN 978-1-74223-217-1.
  2. ^ Tait, John (2010). Vanda & Young : inside Australia's hit factory. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-74223-218-8. OCLC 704282515.
  3. ^ a b Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940 - 1969. Turramurra, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  4. ^ Tait, John (2010). Vanda & Young : inside Australia's hit factory. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. p. 120. ISBN 978-1-74223-218-8. OCLC 704282515.
  5. ^ a b O'Driscoll, Michele (October 1969). "In Depth: George and Stevie of The Easybeats talk to Mitch". No. October 1969. Go-Set Publications. Go-Set.
  6. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - January 31, 1970" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Cash Box Top 100". Cash Box. 31 (17). November 22, 1969.
  8. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  9. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 179. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.