“Under the Moon of Love” Single by Showaddywaddy
B-side “Lookin’ Back”
Released 15 October 1976
Label Bell Records
Songwriter Curtis Lee, Tommy Boyce
Producer Mike Hurst
Charted No.1 in UK; No.6 in Ireland
“Under the Moon of Love” is a song written by Tommy Boyce and Curtis Lee, and first recorded in 1961 by Curtis Lee.
In 1976 the song was revived by rock and roll revival act Showaddywaddy and became a major hit in the UK. The Mike Hurst-produced version went on to spend three weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart in December that year, and has since sold over a million copies in the UK. It was the band’s last song to be released on Bell Records, before it became Arista.
In 1973, two 4-piece bands from the English town of Leicester, The Hammers and The Choice, decided to merge to become an 8-piece rock and roll group called Showaddywaddy. As a result, the new band had two of everything: vocalists Dave Bartram and Buddy Gask; guitarists Trevor Oakes and Russ Fields; bassists Rod Deas and Al James; and drummers Romeo Challenger and Malcolm Allured. They achieved their big break on the UK talent show New Faces and a recording contract with Bell soon followed. After achieving six Top 20 singles, Showaddywaddy had become recognized as Britain’s most successful rock revivalist. In 1976, their cover of Curtis Lee’s “Under The Moon Of Love” became their one and only UK #1.
Showaddywaddy:
Vocals: Dave Bartram
Guitar: Russ Field
Bass: Rod Deas
Drums: Malcolm Allured
Timpani: Romeo Challenger
Trumpet: Mike Davis
Saxophone: Jeff Daly
