The New Seekers released 29 singles in the UK. Lyn Paul sings on 16 of them, including all six of their Top 10 hits.
Most of the singles from the New Seekers' hey day were also released in the USA, Europe, the Far East and Australia. However, these singles appeared on different record labels from the UK releases: early US releases were on Elektra, later ones on MGM / Verve; European releases were on Philips. Some featured different tracks on the B-side and a few were not released in the UK at all. To find out more about the New Seekers' singles releases in different parts of the world, select one of the following options:
Billed as the New Seekers featuring Marty, Come Softly To Me was originally a Top 10 hit for the The Fleetwoods in 1959. Marty explained how he got star billing in an interview with Gordon Coxhill: "I'm only featured on the single because MGM - our label in America - dreamed up the idea. They are having such fantastic success with The Osmonds and in particular Donny's and little Jimmy's solo records, they thought it might be worth putting each of us out and giving us a chance to shine individually." (Music Scene, March 1973, page 35) The New Seekers' manager David Joseph told the press: "This is the start of a deliberate plan to bring out and showcase individual stars in the group via both singles and separate albums, but the last thing anyone should read into the policy is any hint of a plan to disband the group."
Commenting on the song in a radio interview in 2009, Lyn pointed out that although Marty had star billing - "It was his single; he loved it" - the record "actually showcases the fact that Eve and I have the most wonderful belnd." (Ready Steady Sunday, Bay Radio, 7th June 2009)
The New Seekers took two songs from Pete Townshend's rock opera Tommy and combined them as a medley. The group often included medleys in their stage act and on their albums but this was the only occasion on which a medley was released as a single. The single, which Paul Layton counts among his favourites ("because it allowed us to be more expressive with some of our 'rock & roll' roots"), attracted Pete Townshend's attention. As Paul recalls:
"We received a telegram from him at that time sincerely congratulating us for our medley version of the two songs from his show. We were delighted."
Interviewed by Michael Parkinson in 1981, Townshend described Tommy as:
"Something pompous, crazy, ridiculous; a deaf, dumb and blind boy who's given drugs by an acid queen, is raped by his own uncle, and then becomes the Messiah."
(Geoffrey Giuliano, Behind Blue Eyes: A Life of Pete Townshend, page 87)
Although Townshend had originally claimed that his inspiration for Tommy had come from the Herman Hesse novel Siddhartha, he later admitted that he had drawn upon his own life: The lyrics to See Me, Feel Me are "completely autobiographical". As a boy Townshend was sent by his parents to live for two years with his grandmother, whom he hated.
"'See me, feel me, touch me.' Where did that come from? It came from that little four-and-a-half year old boy... in a house with a madwoman. That's where it came from."
(Geoffrey Giuliano, Behind Blue Eyes: A Life of Pete Townshend, pages 3-4)
Townshend was reportedly dissatisfied with the lyrics of See Me, Feel Me, particularly the lines "Listening to you I get the music, Gazing at you I get the heat."
"It's meant to be extremely serious and plaintive, but words fail so miserably to represent emotions unless you skirt around the outside, and I didn't do it enough there. This one fails because it actually comes out and says it"
(Geoffrey Giuliano, Behind Blue Eyes: A Life of Pete Townshend, page 91)
The Who began recording Tommy at London's IBC Studios in January 1969. Pinball Wizard was released as a single on 7th March. It entered the UK Singles Chart on 19th March and peaked at number 4. See Me, Feel Me was released as a single on 10th October 1970 but was not a hit.
Pinball Wizard has also been recorded by Petula Clark, David Essex, Elton John and Rod Stewart. See Me, Feel Me has been covered by Richie Havens. The two songs have also been recorded as a medley by the London Symphony Orchestra and the Shadows.
Pinball Wizard and Tommy have continued to fascinate journalists. Check out the following press articles:
Billed as Eve Graham and New Seekers, Nevertheless was an old-time smoocher perfectly suited to Eve Graham's voice.
Lyricist Bert Kalmar (1884-1947) and composer Harry Ruby (1895-1974) wrote hit songs for Hollywood movies. They also contributed to several Broadway shows, including Helen Of Troy, The Ramblers and Animal Crackers. Their first big hit was Who's Sorry Now? (1923), which Lyn Paul recorded in 1974. This was followed by I Wanna Be Loved By You (a hit for Helen Kane in 1928), Three Little Words (a hit for Bing Crosby in 1930) and Nevertheless, which was first a hit for Jack Denny in 1931, then for Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallée.
Nevertheless became a favourite with the crooners and was covered by Fred Astaire, Frankie Laine, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Other notable recordings include versions by the Mills Brothers (1950), Liza Minnelli (1970), Anne Murray (1980), Harry Nilsson (1973), Mel Tormé (1962) and Frankie Vaughan (1968).
This single was released as the news broke that Peter Doyle was leaving the New Seekers. The lyrics of this song provided a fitting farewell to one of the group's most talented members.
Reviewing the single in Record Mirror, Peter Jones wrote: "A fine melody song (by Lobo), with Eve Graham singing lead in an authoritative voice, and the right amount of sadness coming through. Circles was the last in this vein." (Record Mirror, 9th June 1973, page 21)
A huge hit at the end of 1973, You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me knocked Slade'sMerry Xmas Everybody off the number 1 spot in January 1974 and became the New Seekers' second single to top the UK charts (their third if you read the NME charts). It was also the second of their singles to win an Ivor Novello Award.
The review in Record Song Book summed it up exactly: "Best and most commercial single the New Seekers have recorded to date! ... Great lead singing from Lyn Paul."
"It really is the sort of song you can imagine everyone joining in with - especially after a drink or ten... Lyn Paul does a nice job of the vocals - if this is your sort of music." (Disc, 17th November 1973)
The review in Record Mirror described the song as "a slab of Tony Macaulay and Geoff Stephens writing at their most blatant and unashamed commercial best... It's a bit vaudevillian, and the vaudevillian of the piece is Lyn who growls along in fine old style." (Record Mirror, 24th November 1973, page 22)
At the time it was recorded, Lyn Paul wanted to leave the New Seekers. The group's Management hoped that by giving her this song they could persuade her to stay. In that respect at least, the song failed. As Paul Layton told it on the BBC's programme I Love 1972: "Lyn then got her break with a song called 'You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me' which she delivered impeccably and it went to number 1 ... We were disappointed at the time but the girls wanted to get on and be stars, perhaps we all did... It was a winning formula broken up, and it was a great shame."
Following the success of You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me the New Seekers released another single written by Tony Macaulay and Geoff Stephens, again with Lyn Paul on lead vocal. Described by one reviewer as "pop with a good-natured glint in its eye", the single was a "chart cert". It became the New Seekers' last Top 10 hit.
