Geoff Stephens
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey 'Geoff' Stephens (born 1 October 1934 in New Southgate
, North London
), was one of the top British
songwriter
s of the 1960s and 1970s.
s and sketch
es for musical revues presented by his own company, the Four Arts Society, while working as a school teacher, air traffic controller
and silk screen printer. This led to BBC Radio
accepting some of his satirical sketches for their Monday Night At Home programme.
Subsequently becoming involved with music
, in 1964 he had his first hit
"Tell Me When
", co-written with Les Reed
, a Top 10 hit for The Applejacks
. That year he and Peter Eden discovered and managed
Donovan
, producing
his first hit single
and debut album
, What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid
.
In 1964, Stephens wrote the haunting "The Crying Game
", a Top 5 hit for Dave Berry
(and later the title song of the film
and a hit for Boy George
). In 1966 he formed The New Vaudeville Band
, writing and recording
songs in a 1920s musical style. Their debut single "Winchester Cathedral
" was a No. 1 hit in the U.S., and covered
by others including Dizzy Gillespie
and Frank Sinatra
. It was followed by further hits for the band
, "Peek A Boo", "Finchley Central" and "Green Street Green".
With John Carter
, Stephens wrote "Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. James" for Manfred Mann
and, with Les Reed
, "There's a Kind of Hush
" for The New Vaudeville Band. A year later, a cover version
of "There's a Kind of Hush" was a hit for Herman's Hermits
, and it was also later a hit for The Carpenters
. Over the next few years he wrote, or co-wrote, hits for The Hollies
("Sorry Suzanne"), Ken Dodd
("Tears Won’t Wash Away These Heartaches"), Cliff Richard
("Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha"), Tom Jones
("Daughter of Darkness"), Mary Hopkin
("Knock Knock, Who's There" - the 1970 UK
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest
), Scott Walker
("The Lights of Cincinnati"), Dana
("It's Gonna Be a Cold Cold Christmas"), The Drifters
("Like Sister And Brother"), Crystal Gayle
("It's Like We Never Said Goodbye
"), Hot Chocolate ("I'll Put You Together Again") and, most successfully of all, UK
number one hits for David Soul
, ("Silver Lady
"); and The New Seekers
(the Ivor Novello Award-winning, "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me
").
In 1983 Stephens and Don Black
composed the songs for the West End
musical
Dear Anyone, followed a year later by The Magic Castle with Les Reed. He received a BASCA Gold Badge award in 1995 and the Jimmy Kennedy
Ivor Novello Award
for Services to British Songwriting in 2000. More recently he wrote "To All My Loved Ones", to be featured as the centrepiece of the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall
.
New Southgate
New Southgate is a residential suburb in the south-east corner of the London Borough of Barnet and the south-west corner of the London Borough of Enfield in North London, England....
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
), was one of the top British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
s of the 1960s and 1970s.
Career
He began this career during his amateur theatrical days when he wrote songSong
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s and sketch
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
es for musical revues presented by his own company, the Four Arts Society, while working as a school teacher, air traffic controller
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
and silk screen printer. This led to BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
accepting some of his satirical sketches for their Monday Night At Home programme.
Subsequently becoming involved with music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, in 1964 he had his first hit
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
"Tell Me When
Tell Me When
"Tell Me When" is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League. Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and Paul C. Beckett, it was recorded at 'Human League Studios', Sheffield in 1994...
", co-written with Les Reed
Les Reed
Les Reed O.B.E. is an English songwriter, musician and light orchestra leader.-Career:...
, a Top 10 hit for The Applejacks
The Applejacks
The Applejacks were a UK pop and beat group of the 1960s. They were the first "Brumbeat" group to reach the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart, and were unusual for having a female bass guitarist, Megan Davies....
. That year he and Peter Eden discovered and managed
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, producing
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
his first hit single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid
What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid
What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid is the debut album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United Kingdom four days after Donovan's 19th birthday on 14 May 1965, through Pye Records . Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden, and Geoff Stephens produced the album...
.
In 1964, Stephens wrote the haunting "The Crying Game
The Crying Game (song)
"The Crying Game" is a song written by Geoff Stephens. It was first released by Dave Berry in July 1964. It reached #5 on the UK Singles Chart. Then-unknown session guitarist Jimmy Page and Big Jim Sullivan played guitar in this song.-Song history:...
", a Top 5 hit for Dave Berry
Dave Berry (musician)
Not to be confused with English 1960s singer Mike Berry.Dave Berry is a British pop singer and former teen idol of the 1960s...
(and later the title song of the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and a hit for Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
). In 1966 he formed The New Vaudeville Band
The New Vaudeville Band
The New Vaudeville Band was a group created by songwriter Geoff Stephens in 1966 to record his novelty composition "Winchester Cathedral", a song inspired by the dance bands of the 1920s and a Rudy Vallee megaphone style vocal...
, writing and recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
songs in a 1920s musical style. Their debut single "Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral (song)
"Winchester Cathedral" is a song released in late 1966 by Fontana Records, whereupon it shot to the No. 1 spot in Canada on the RPM 100 national singles charts and shortly thereafter in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was released by The New Vaudeville Band, a novelty group established...
" was a No. 1 hit in the U.S., and covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by others including Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. It was followed by further hits for the band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, "Peek A Boo", "Finchley Central" and "Green Street Green".
With John Carter
John Carter (musician)
For the jazz clarinet player John Carter, see John Carter .John Carter is an English singer, songwriter and record producer.-Overview:...
, Stephens wrote "Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. James" for Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
and, with Les Reed
Les Reed
Les Reed O.B.E. is an English songwriter, musician and light orchestra leader.-Career:...
, "There's a Kind of Hush
There's A Kind Of Hush
"There's a Kind of Hush" is a popular song written by Les Reed and Geoff Stephens which was a hit in 1967 for Herman's Hermits and again in 1976 for the Carpenters.-First recordings:...
" for The New Vaudeville Band. A year later, a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "There's a Kind of Hush" was a hit for Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits are an English beat band, formed in Manchester in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most , emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B numbers...
, and it was also later a hit for The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
. Over the next few years he wrote, or co-wrote, hits for The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
("Sorry Suzanne"), Ken Dodd
Ken Dodd
Kenneth Arthur Dodd OBE is a British comedian and singer songwriter, famous for his frizzy hair or “fluff dom” and buck teeth or “denchers”, his favourite cleaner, the feather duster and his greeting "How tickled I am!", as well as his send-off “Lots and Lots of Happiness!”...
("Tears Won’t Wash Away These Heartaches"), Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
("Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha"), Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
("Daughter of Darkness"), Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin , credited on some recordings as Mary Visconti, is a Welsh folk singer best known for her 1968 UK number one single "Those Were The Days". She was one of the first musicians to sign to The Beatles' Apple label....
("Knock Knock, Who's There" - the 1970 UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
entry in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
), Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
("The Lights of Cincinnati"), Dana
Dana Rosemary Scallon
Dana Rosemary Scallon , known in her singing career simply as Dana, is an Irish singer and former Member of the European Parliament ....
("It's Gonna Be a Cold Cold Christmas"), The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
("Like Sister And Brother"), Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle is an American country music singer best known for her 1977 country-pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". An award-winning singer, she accumulated 18 number one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...
("It's Like We Never Said Goodbye
It's Like We Never Said Goodbye
"It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" is a song made famous by country music singer Crystal Gayle.-Historic week:The song was part of a historic week on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in the week it reached number one...
"), Hot Chocolate ("I'll Put You Together Again") and, most successfully of all, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
number one hits for David Soul
David Soul
David Soul is an American-British actor and singer, best known for his role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the television programme Starsky and Hutch . He gained British citizenship in 2004.-Early life:...
, ("Silver Lady
Silver Lady (song)
"Silver Lady" was a popular single by David Soul.Written by Tony Macaulay and Geoff Stephens and produced by Macaulay, Silver Lady was the second and final number one single in the UK for David Soul spending three weeks at the top in October 1977. The single fared less well in his homeland peaking...
"); and The New Seekers
The New Seekers
The New Seekers are a British-based pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music had rock as well as folk influences...
(the Ivor Novello Award-winning, "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me
You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me
"You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me is a 1973 single by The New Seekers. Written by Tony Macaulay and Geoff Stephens, arranged by Gerry Shury and produced by Tommy Oliver....
").
In 1983 Stephens and Don Black
Don Black (musician)
Don Black, OBE is an English lyricist. His works have included numerous musicals, movie themes and hit songs. He has provided lyrics for John Barry, Charles Strouse, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Quincy Jones, Jule Styne, Henry Mancini, Michael Jackson, Elmer Bernstein, Michel Legrand, Hayley Westenra,...
composed the songs for the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Dear Anyone, followed a year later by The Magic Castle with Les Reed. He received a BASCA Gold Badge award in 1995 and the Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy OBE was an Irish songwriter, predominantly a lyricist, putting words to existing music such as "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and "My Prayer", or co-writing with the composers Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz and Nat Simon amongst others.-Biography:Kennedy was born near Omagh...
Ivor Novello Award
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
for Services to British Songwriting in 2000. More recently he wrote "To All My Loved Ones", to be featured as the centrepiece of the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
.
External links
- [ Geoff Stephens' penned song list] a Allmusic websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
- Picture and Biography at Peermusic.com