Don Partridge

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Don Partridge (born 27 October 1944, in Bournemouth, Dorset, England) is an English busker, one-man band and singer-songwriter, who found fleeting fame in the mid to late 1960s.

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Instant success 1.2 Accolade 1.3 After the limelight 1.4 Later recognition 2 Discography 2.1 Singles 2.2 Albums 2.2.1 Solo studio 2.2.2 Soundtracks and compilations 2.2.3 Accolade 3 Trivia 4 Published references 5 External links 6 See also

[edit] Career

[edit] Instant success

Partridge travelled around Europe in the early 1960s as a solo entertainer, perfecting his one-man band persona. Discovered by Don Paul of The Viscounts, and plucked from relative obscurity, Partridge found himself in the limelight when his debut recording for Columbia Records reached the Top Ten of the UK Singles Chart. The self penned song, "Rosie", rose to number 4 in the midst of an otherwise pop dominated Top Ten in March 1968.

On 5 April 1968, Partridge appeared alongside Amen Corner, Gene Pitney, Status Quo and Simon Dupree and the Big Sound at The Odeon Theatre, Lewisham, London, on the first night as part of a twice nightly UK tour. [1]. His second hit quickly followed when "Blue Eyes" reached number 3 in June 1968.

In February 1969, Partridge appeared before 3,700 paying punters at the Royal Albert Hall. [2]. Around this time, Partridge announced his intention of creating a package tour of himself, and other itinerant buskers and street singers. Within months the idea, and Partridge’s career had collapsed.

With diminishing solo returns, Partridge again partially switched his musical allegiance and help form Accolade.

[edit] Accolade

Accolade [3] were a light acoustic band, formed in 1969 who completely eschewed electric instruments, as they developed a folk / jazz fusion. Notable, perhaps only for the inclusion of Partridge and fellow singer Gordon Giltrap, although the latter remained for only one album. The group recorded two albums and one single, before going their separate ways in 1971.

[edit] After the limelight

As musical tastes changed, and the novelty value of a folk music singing, one man band, paled, Partridge retreated to his well-worn path of busking for a living. He had made a big impression in Scandinavia, and moved to live in Sweden in the early 1970s. He made two unsuccessful albums there, before ultimately returning to his homeland. However, he resurfaced to a wider public showing by recording a full album in 2004, entitled; The Highwayman. Musical accompaniment of the work was supplied by Herbie Flowers, Nick Pynn (violin) [4] and Richard Durrant. The album contained tracks inspired by Partridge's experiences of life on the road, including the autobiographical song "The Night I Met Elton John".[5]

[edit] Later recognition

By 2004, veteran Irish DJ Terry Wogan was musing about Partridge’s existence on his daily breakfast BBC Radio 2 programme. [6]. The belated revival of interest in Partridge’s work was given a further boost by the inclusion of his song "Breakfast on Pluto", in the soundtrack to the 2005 film, Breakfast on Pluto.

In the same year Partridge undertook a UK tour as support for the indie pop / trip hop duo, known as Lemon Jelly. [7]. Reviews of their performances on 11 and 16 March 2005 at the Brixton Academy, London are given here [8] & [9]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

• "Rosie" (Don Partridge) b/w "Going Back to London" (Don Partridge) - (1968) - UK No. 4
• "Blue Eyes" (Richard Kerr [10] and Joan Maitland)

b/w "I’ve Got Something For You" (Don Partridge) - UK No. 3

• "Top Man" (R. Kerr and J. Maitland) b/w "We Have Ways of Making You Laugh" (Don Partridge) - (1968)
• "Breakfast on Pluto" - (Don Partridge / Alan Young) b/w "Stealin’" (Trad. Arr. Don Partridge) - (1969) - UK No. 26
• "Going To Germany" (Trad. Arr. Don Partridge) b/w "Ask Me Why" (Don Partridge) - (1969)
• "Colour My World" (Peel-Kerr) b/w "Homeless Bones" (Myers-Partridge) - (1969)
• "We’re All Happy Together" (Don Partridge) b/w "Following Your Fancy" (Don Partridge) - (1970)
• "Grand Slam Boogie" (Don Partridge) b/w "Barb Wire" (Don Partridge) - (1982)

[edit] Albums

[edit] Solo studio

• Don Partridge - (1968) - (Columbia Records)
  • "Following Your Fancy" (Don Partridge)
  • "Keep Your Hands Off Her" (Leadbelly)
  • "7 Days Chokey" (R. Kerr and J. Maitland)
  • "The Wayward Boy" (Oscar Brand)
  • "St. James Infirmary" (J. Primrose)
  • "I’m A Goin’ Away" (Don Partridge)
  • "Blue Eyes" (R. Kerr and J. Maitland)
  • "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay" (S. Cropper and O. Redding)
  • "Old Joe Clark" (Trad. Arr. Don Partridge)
  • "First Girl I Loved" (Robin Williamson)
  • "Candy Man" (Arr. and adapt. Donovan)
  • "Black, Brown & White Blues" (Bill Broonzy)
  • "Mona’s Song" (Don Partridge)
  • "Rosie" (Don Partridge)

• The Highwayman - (2004) - (LongMan Records)

[edit] Soundtracks and compilations

• Popdown - (1967) - (film soundtrack - Partridge actually appeared as himself in the movie, alongside Julie Driscoll, Zoot Money, Andy Summers, Brenton Wood and Tony Hicks) [11]
• Otley - (1968) - (film soundtrack includes the song "Homeless Bones" - co-composed and sung by Partridge)
• Rosie and Other Hits - (1995) - (compilation of first solo album and single releases) - (Oxford Records)
• Breakfast on Pluto - (2005) - (film soundtrack includes the song "Breakfast on Pluto" written by Partridge and Alan Young, and sung by Partridge)

[edit] Accolade

• Accolade - (1970) - Capitol Records
• Accolade 2 - (1971) - Regal Zonophone Records

[edit] Trivia

• Partridge has appeared twice on the BBC Television comedy music quiz show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks. [12]
• Partridge currently lives in Seaford, East Sussex.

[edit] Published references

• Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 14th Edition - ISBN 0-85156-156-X
• Guinness Book of British Hit Albums - 7th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-619-7

[edit] External links

• Quirky fansite
• “Breakfast on Pluto” lyrics
• “Rosie” lyrics
• “Blue Eyes” lyrics
• Mini Don Partridge biography

[edit] See also

One-man band