Search - Four Pennies :: Very Best of

Harmony group topped the UK charts with Juliet

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 01/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Chart history records that the Four Pennies had six hits but the only one that they are widely remembered for is Juliet, a plaintive ballad that made number one in the UK charts in 1964. On the chart now most widely used, Juliet only stayed at the top for one week, being knocked off the top by Cilla Black's You're my world.



The line-up was Lionel Morton (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Fritz Fryer (vocals, guitar), Mike Wilsh (vocals, bass) and Alan Buck (drums). A complete chronological list of their UK hits reads Do you want me to, Juliet, I found out the hard way, Black girl, Until it's time for you to go, Trouble is my middle name.



Juliet was the best song they ever recorded, but the rest of the CD is certainly worth a listen. The Four Pennies wrote most of their own material (including Juliet) but they also recorded a few covers, three of which were hits for them. On this collection, you can hear their versions of Black girl (Leadbelly), If you love me (Edith Piaf), Running scared (Roy Orbison), No sad songs for me (written by Tom Springfield - Dusty's brother who achieved success as producer of the Seekers - this song will be familiar to Sandy Denny fans), Trouble is my middle name (Bobby Vinton) and Until it's time for you to go (Buffy Sainte-Marie), together with three other songs (Keep the freeway open, San Francisco Bay, Sweeter than you) whose origin escapes me. The other songs are all originals.



After the group disbanded, Lionel Morton maintained a public profile of sorts (at least for a while) by marrying actress Julia Foster, by presenting the BBC children's TV show Playschool and by performing in local productions of musicals such as Hair, Owl and the Pussycat, Jesus Christ Superstar and West Side Story. Despite all this, I don't think the name Lionel Morton would register with many people these days.



People think of the Four Pennies as a one-hit wonder. With six hits, four of which made the UK top twenty, they were more than that, so if you are a committed fan of sixties music, give them a listen. But if you only want Juliet, that song appears regularly on British various artist compilations of sixties music."

Decent Comp of Under-Rated UK Beat Group!

Frank M. Young III | Seattle, WA USA | 01/16/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Four Pennies were one of the most talented UK beat groups that never made it in America, despite having an international #1 with 1964's ballad "Juliet." This decent set contains most of the A-sides to their 9 singles, two EP-only tracks, plus some tracks from their first LP, "2 Sides of the 4 Pennies."
Some of their best sides are here... the stunning, stirring folk-rock powerhouse "'Til Another Day," the Bacharach-esque "You Went Away," the intense "Keep The Freeway Open" and its Byrds-y B-side, the prison ballad "Square Peg," and their storming cover version of Leadbelly's "Black Girl."
There are several indifferent tracks here, alas, and the set does not really convey what this band was capable of. I'm amazed that they left off both sides of the finest single the Pennies issued: "The Way of Love"/"The Place Where No-One Goes." It wasn't a hit, but it was the best work they ever did. You can find the scarce 1965 single on gemm.com, if you're lucky, and if you are even mildly fond of this band, you owe it to yourself to seek it out.
Fans of British Invasion music will seriously dig this CD, despite its indifferent track selection."

GREAT COMPILATION,WORTH EVERY PENNY.

GIL RAMIREZ | SUN VALLEY,CA.USA.PLANET EARTH | 03/13/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"GOOD SOUND QUALITY,GREAT BIO INSERT.ALL THE HITS THIS BAND HAD IN THE UK.IF YOU LIKE HONEY BUS,ASSOCIATION,COWSILLS YOULL DIG THIS."