New Seekers: singles

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:

• Asia
  
• Australia and New Zealand
  
• Europe
  
• United Kingdom
  
• USA and Canada
  

If any of the New Seekers' singles are missing from your collection, then why not try finding them using our On the Net guide to record collecting?

• Meet My Lord
• What Have They Done To My Song, Ma
• When There's No Love Left
• Nickel Song
• Never Ending Song Of Love
• Good Old Fashioned Music
• I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)
• Beg, Steal Or Borrow
• Circles
• Come Softly To Me
• Pinball Wizard / See Me, Feel Me
• Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
• Goodbye Is Just Another Word
• We've Got To Do It Now
• You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me
• I Get A Little Sentimental Over You
• Sing Hallelujah
  
  
• It's So Nice (To Have You Home)
• I Wanna Go Back
• Give Me Love Your Way
• Flashback
• Do You Wanna Make Love
• Anthem
  
  
• You Needed Me
• Don't Stop The Music
• Love Is A Song
• Tell Me
• California Nights
• Let The Bells Ring Out Forever

Check the other Sound and Vision pages for information on the New Seekers' other recordings.

Written by: A. Bygraves / D. Reilly
Produced by: Paul Layton / Marty Kristian
Arranged by: Paul Layton / Marty Kristian

This was the first of three singles the New Seekers recorded for EMI. Kathy Ann Rae had now departed the group and was replaced by Caitriona Walsh.

B-side: Collision Of Love

Written by: Paul Layton / Marty Kristian
Produced by: Paul Layton / Marty Kristian
Arranged by: Paul Layton / Marty Kristian

Label / Catalogue Number: EMI 5010
Released: 26th October 1979

Written by: Marty Kristian / Brian Engel
Produced by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton

Entered in the 1980 Song For Europe, the New Seekers were the hot favourites to win the contest and represent the UK for the second time in the Eurovision Song Contest - but it was not to be. The New Seekers had already performed Tell Me on television, and so found themselves to be in breach of the secrecy rules that surround the competition. Paul Layton remembers being "very disappointed" when the group was asked to withdraw:

"We thought we had a really good chance with that song at least in the 'Song For Europe' contest. We hadn't remembered that we had used an early version back track of the song to perform on a regional (I think it was Border TV) show some time previously."

Interviewed at the time on Radio 1's Newsbeat, Marty Kristian described it as "one of the worst shocks I think we've had in our long careers."

"It was a complete shock to us. We did a television show round about June of last year. In the show we included a couple of compositions that we'd just done (demo'd) and one of them happened to be 'Tell Me'. Come the Eurovision time, which is about eight months later, we entered three or four songs between the guys in the group, and 'Tell Me' happened to come up. We'd totally forgotten about it. I mean, you don't enter a song that you think would automatically be banned."

The Song For Europe took place on 26th March. EMI had originally planned to release Tell Me on 27th but when the New Seekers withdrew from the Contest the release date was brought forward by a week. The New Seekers promoted the single with TV appearances on Rolf On Saturday, OK? and Cheggers Plays Pop.

In retrospect the title of the B-side seems somewhat ironic...

B-side: What've You Got To Lose

Written by: Paul Layton / Marty Kristian
Produced by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton

Label / Catalogue Number: EMI 5050
Released: 21st March 1980

Written by: Brian Engel
Produced by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton
Arranged by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton

The New Seekers third and last single for the EMI label.

B-side: One Step Closer To Heaven

Written by: Brian Engel / Marty Kristian / Paul Layton
Produced by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton
Arranged by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton

Label / Catalogue Number: EMI 5055
Released: 18th July 1980

Written by: Dave Hewson / Brian Engel
Produced by: Dave Hewson / Brian Engel

A single released in time for Christmas, the A-side was co-written and co-produced by a former member of the New Seekers, Brian Engel. The New Seekers had joked about making a Christmas record in an interview on Radio Leeds in 1979. Responding to the interviewer's mention of "Christmas with the New Seekers," Brian quipped: "Sounds like a classic album, doesn't it? 'Christmas With The New Seekers' - all standing round a blazing fire with Fair Isle jumpers on!" to which Marty then replied: "Hey, what a great idea! You do the cover... and if we can start writing the songs now we should have one out by next Christmas!" Six years later...

The group was down to just four members at the time this was released - Marty Kristian, Paul Layton, Mick Flinn and Donna Jones. The four of them made a video to promote the single which featured members of all their families. The video was featured on a Welsh TV programme as part of the BBC's annual 'Children In Need' appeal. The New Seekers also appeared on a Tyne Tees TV programme, 'Night Line' and were interviewed on Radio 2.

B-side: It Won't Be The Same

Written by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton
Produced by: Marty Kristian / Paul Layton
Featured on the album (cassette only): Greatest Hits... Vol.1 and Vol. 2.

Label / Catalogue Number: Tomcat Records TNS1
Released: December 1985

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