Tony Christie - C/D, S/D

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So then, I've been listening to the Banzai soundtrack a lot lately, and Avenues And Alleyways has somehow become my favourite song ever. Is he actually any good? I've got the All Seeing I album, but is any of his solo stuff worth a pop?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 13 October 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

In the 1970s, Tony Christie was a bit of a superstar, with no less than 9 top-20 hits, here in New Zealand, anyway. They were... I Did What I Did For Maria, Amarillo, Don't go Down to Reno, Avenues and Alleyways, Love and Rainy Weather, You Just Don't Have the Magic Anymore, Lover's Question, Happy Birthday Baby and Drive Safely Darling. Definitely worth a listen.

― Dennis Wells, Sunday, 8 February 2004 01:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I always get him confused with Britgum Powerhouse Tony Burrows of Edison Lighthouse/White Plains/First Class/Brotherhood of Man fame.

― Arthur (Arthur), Sunday, 8 February 2004 16:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Um - my Dad loves him. I loved Avenues and Alleyways when I was a little kid and now that I think about it I have a craving to hear it. Limewire, here I come...

― David Nolan (David N.), Sunday, 8 February 2004 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

very big in Germany, as well - "Is This The Way To Amarillo" is ace.

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Sunday, 8 February 2004 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

There are a multitude of cheap best of albums - we have The Best of Tony Christie on MCA which has the best ones (Is this the way to Amarillo, Avenues and Alleyways, I Did What I Did for Maria) but bizarrely only one other of the singles mentioned upthread. There appear to be totally different tracklistings for the other best ofs that are around, but as long as you have those three, you're laughing.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 8 February 2004 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Nice to see the new Definitive Tony Christie compilation in the top three, even if it is down to an unlikely combination of Peter Kay and Mother's Day. Throughout his career he's always tended to suffer from the "tonight Matthew I'm going to be Tom Jones" syndrome but I reckon he's much better than boring old Jones the Groans and handled his critical rehabilitation with much more dignity.

His work on the All Seeing I album is astonishing, especially on "Happy Birthday Nicola" where you can hear the resentment and hatred oozing from his voice.

Incidentally William, apropos your Stylus piece, Christie certainly did go on TOTP to perform "Walk Like A Panther," and did so with what DLT used to call "total class."

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 11 March 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

I thought he couldn't do TOTP and Jarvis Cocker did it in his place?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 11 March 2005 11:12 (twenty years ago)

OK, I've just googled and they did a week each.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 11 March 2005 11:13 (twenty years ago)

Really? Oh. Well, to be honest, I don't remember seeing it on either occasion, only that my friends were all mithering about how rubbish Jarvis was the week after he did it.

I do remember seeing them do 'First Man In Space' with Phil Oakey on TOTP, though. My friends all thought that was rubbish too, but they were definitely wrong about that one.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 11 March 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

The Jarvis/ASI performance of Walk Like A Panther was FANTASTIC. One of the few times I made sure I watched the week-delayed TOTP on the pay-TV UK channel.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 11 March 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

I used to think that there was something powerfully sexy about "Is This The Way To Amarillo". I think it was the "sha la la, la la, la la la, BOOM! THWACK!" bit - the musical equivalent of one ginormous pelvic thrust. (Hey, I was too young for Elvis.)

Also loved the way that "sweet Marie who waits for me" (for whom he Did What He Did) was referenced again in "Walk Like A Panther".

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 11 March 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

Actually, there's a 'Drive Safely Darling' on Pickled Eggs & Sherbet too, isn't there? Is it the same one? I know it's sung by Jarvis this time, but is it a cover?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 11 March 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

Different song, but related thematically to the TC original.

The "la la la" hook in "Amarillo" is down to the fact that its author, Neil Sedaka, hadn't quite finished the song when he demoed it to Christie, but TC said no, keep it like that, that's one hell of a hook!

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 11 March 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

I actually woke up this morning with the "sha la la" hook from "Amarillo" running through my head. Pelvic thrusting all round the bathroom, I was. Sorry, too much information?

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 11 March 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

six years pass...

.. tonys cover of louise (human league classic) is a thing of supreme wonder.

― mark e, Wednesday, 5 October 2011 15:28 (fourteen years ago)

They sent him a tape of the backing for "Walk like a panther" ahead of the session, at which point he nearly sacked it, and had to be persuaded that it was a good idea by his agent.

Of course, the completed track is a wonderful thing.

― Mark G, Wednesday, 5 October 2011 15:31 (fourteen years ago)

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