In The 1970s Blue Mink

This group only lasted five years, but are fondly remembered all their songs with such love. This English group consisted of Roger Coulam and Madeline Bell. Madeline was from the U.S. and once worked with the great Dusty Springfield.

But perhaps the most famous member of the group was Roger Cook. Roger born in 1940 was also a big song writer, and with his co-write Roger Greenaway they wrote some of the 1970 classics like I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing In Perfect Harmony by New Seekers, this of course started life as a Coca Cola commercial in 1971.

Other 1970 hits, including Blame It On The Pony Express by Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon Doctors Orders by Sunny, and Like Sister And Brother by the Drifters. Roger moved to the states in the mid-1970s and had a hit with Talking In My Sleep by Crystal Gayle. He originally wrote that for the Scottish group Marmalade.

The bassist for Blue Mink was no less than Herbie Flowers who also worked with Bowie, T.Rex, Lou Reed and Jeff Wayne on his classic The War Of The Worlds concept album. Herbie also as a joke and a bet at a party was approached by Clive Dunn the TV star in Dad’s Army (played Corp Jones) and was asked to write a record for Clive. He did. Granddad by Clive Dunn went on to be a huge No.1 in the UK charts, and is much remembered even to today.

Barry Morgan the drummer for Blue Mink died in 2007. Alan Parker was the guitarist and he studied at the London Academy of Music before joining the group. Alan was also the guitarist on the Walker Brothers No Regrets single in the 1970s, as well as playing on the Top of the Pops theme, which was a cover of CCS Whole Lotta Love.

The groups first hit was Melting Pot in 1969.

In 1970 was the great Good Morning Freedom.

Good morning world it's a brand new day I'm packin' my bags and I'm getting away I'm movin' my legs and my city type bones I gotta get away from the busy man's 'phones.

The very next hit was Our World again in 1970. But the bigger hits came in 1971 with the fast paced Banner Man that got as high as No. 3 in the UK charts. Surprisingly the only song to chart in the U.S. was Our World which only managed to sneak in at No. 64 of the Billboard 100.

1972 the group came out with the very laid back Stay With Me. Again the groups harmonies were perfect here, and in part it was a much more rocky sound then before. The single managed to get to No. 11 and had perfect repeating lyrics.

“Stay with me, lay with me, love me for longer than just your goodbye. I need a friend at the end of a long lonely day. All my tomorrows, my yesterday sorrows have blown to the wind. Stay with me, lay with me, love let your loving begin”

It was 1973 that saw the last year for the group and their last hits in the 1970s. The first hit single was By The Devil I Was Tempted on their new EMI label. The song managed to get to No. 26. The group was now definitely underperforming.

“ Open your eyes, my friend

I ask you not to pretend

I know you're lonely and blue

No doubt I probably am too

Our time has come to end

So please don't try and pretend

Now come on, let's both walk away

We really have nothing to say”

The group’s very last song was perhaps their finest. The song called Randy made people listen just because of its title. Randy in the 70s was a little cheeky to say the least. The song was a very well put together single, again the harmonies were perfect and it gave the group a deserve No.9 hit to go out on.

The group had half a dozen albums in the 70s, including a very successful compilation album in 1978 simply called Collection; Blue Mink.