Cry to Me / Get a Buzz (1965)

A Solomon Burke original is the “A” side of the newie by the Pretty Things. It has much more melody than any of their previous waxings, which can’t be bad chartwise. The guitar of Dick Taylor is featured in place of the normal harmonica, and the only description you can give this song is to call it a plaintive beat ballad.

The production was mainly supervised by B.I.’s columnist Bobbie Graham. Towards the end of the session, Fontana’s Jack Baverstock popped in to give a helping hand, and between them they have produced a really good disc.

Says Jack Baverstock—“For a long while we have been trying to find a more melodic number for the Pretty Things to record. This has proved very difficult, because the boys didn’t want to break away from their accepted style. One day someone suggested we try this Solomon Burke number, and the result seems very promising”.

The session was held at Phillip’s Marble Arch studios, and the only dubbing was an extra drum passage, and an added vocal backing.

The “B” side is an original by all the group called “Get A Buzz”. Wonder what that means?

Beat Instrumental, juillet 1965

“Cry To Me” opens with Phil May’s fascinating hoarse voice and a faint Latin tinge, then swells into a pounding mid-tempo shaker, as the title is repeated over and over, with the rest of the Pretty Things joining in.

It didn’t hit me strongly at first, but after three spins I found I was singing along with it. The sound is enveloping, the material insistent and repetitive. Should climb fairly high.

Compelling drive and novelty lyric for “Get A Buzz,” written by the boys. Phil solos throughout, and there’s a harmonica interlude. On Fontana.

Derek Johnson, New Musical Express, 2 juillet 1965

Bass notes first, walking-rhythm, then Phil May emerges in a rather quiet way at first on this Solomon Burke oldie. It speeds up imperceptibly, then the others join in and it varies between wild-ish and subdued. Nice beat all the way, with some chunky guitar phrases. A hit all the way… and worth the waiting for. Flip is by the Pretty Ones themselves. Wildie to the extreme, with interestingly strained solo vocal notes. Nice and easy tempo.

Norman Jopling et Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 3 juillet 1965

One of the few groups in the country who can afford to put their feet up and spend money even when they aren’t in the charts are THE PRETTY THINGS. Certainly they have had a long, long haul to the point where they can do that. But just about every group in the country would like to be in the same position. I don’t blame them either. However, The Pretty Things, as everyone knows, are back in the charts and are heading for the Top Twenty with everything they’ve got. Cry To Me is one of their better numbers but from the sales point of view I should have thought it would go higher.

Don Crisp, Pop Weekly, 7 août 1965