Roger Greenaway
born on 23/8/1938 in Bristol, South West England, United Kingdom
Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway (born Roger John Reginald Greenaway, 23 August 1938,[1] Fishponds, Bristol), is a popular English songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roger Cook.
Career
Both were members of the close harmony group The Kestrels, whose line-up also included Tony Burrows, and while on tour they decided to begin writing songs together. Their first, "You've Got Your Troubles", a No. 2 UK hit single for The Fortunes, in 1965, was the first of several successes they enjoyed thus during the next few years. Later that year they began recording together as David and Jonathan. Their first single "Laughing Fit To Cry" did not chart, but they scored hits in 1966 with The Beatles' "Michelle" and their own "Lovers of the World Unite". Their final single, "Softly Whispering I Love You", in 1967, was not a success at the time, but became a hit in 1972 for Congregation. In 1968 Cook and Greenaway announced that they would no longer be recording as a duo but would continue as songwriters.
Their hits as writers for other acts, sometimes with other collaborators, include: "Home Lovin' Man" (Andy Williams); "Blame It On The Pony Express" (Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon); "Hallejuah" (Deep Purple); "Doctor's Orders" (Sunny); "It Makes No Difference" (Joe Dolan); "Something Tells Me Something's Gonna Happen Tonight" (Cilla Black); "I've Got You On My Mind", "When You Are a King", "My Baby Loves Lovin'" (White Plains); "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress", "Gasoline Alley Bred", (The Hollies); "You've Got Your Troubles", "Freedom Come, Freedom Go" (The Fortunes); "Melting Pot", "Good Morning Freedom" (Blue Mink); "Green Grass" (Gary Lewis); and "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" (Gene Pitney).
They also wrote "High And Dry" (Cliff Richard), which was the runner-up for the UK Eurovision Song Contest entry in 1968.
When Blue Mink were formed in 1969, Greenaway was asked to be lead vocalist alongside Madeline Bell; he declined the offer and recommended Cook, who accepted. The following year Greenaway teamed up for a while with singer Tony Burrows to form The Pipkins, a duo who had a Top 10 novelty hit in 1970 with "Gimme Dat Ding".
The New Seekers' "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" began life as a Cook-Greenaway collaboration called "True Love and Apple Pie", recorded by Susan Shirley. The song was then rewritten by Cook, Greenaway, Coca-Cola account executive Bill Backer, and Billy Davis, and recorded as a Coca-Cola radio commercial, with the lyric "I'd like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company." First aired on American radio in 1970, it was also used as a TV commercial a year later, sparking public demand for its release as a single. Reworked, again, to remove the references to the brand name, the single climbed to UK #1 and U.S. #7 in 1972.
After Cook moved to the U.S. in 1975, Greenaway worked with other partners, notably Geoff Stephens, both being jointly responsible for Crystal Gayles 1980 No. 1 country song, "Its Like We Never Said Goodbye".
Greenaway took an increasing role in business administration, becoming Chairman of the Performing Right Society in 1983 and in 1995 taking charge of the European ASCAP office. He also wrote advertising jingles for Allied Carpets, Asda and British Gas.
See also
References
- http://www.secondhandsongs.com/artist/4237
Sources
- Songwriters' Hall of Fame
External links
- Roger Greenaway at Discogs.com
- Roger Greenaway at the Internet Movie Database
Brotherhood of Man | |
---|---|
Martin Lee Lee Sheriden Nicky Stevens Sandra Stevens | |
Singles | Love One Another · United We Stand · Where are You Going To My Love · This Boy · Reach Out Your Hand · You and I · California Sunday Morning · Say A Prayer · Happy Ever After · Our World of Love · When Love Catches Up On You · Lady · Lady Lady Lady Lay · Spring of 1912 · Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby · Save Your Kisses For Me · My Sweet Rosalie · Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In) · Angelo · Highwayman · Figaro · Beautiful Lover · Middle Of The Night · Goodbye Goodbye · Papa Louis · Taxi · Honey Don't Throw Our Love Away · Will You Love Me Tomorrow · Lightning Flash · Cry Baby Cry · When The Kissing Stops |
Albums | United We Stand · We're the Brotherhood of Man · The World of the Brotherhood of Man · Good Things Happening · Love and Kisses from Brotherhood of Man · Oh Boy! · Images · B for Brotherhood · Twenty Greatest · Higher Than High · Singing a Song · Good Fortune · Sing 20 Number One Hits · 20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs · Lightning Flash · The Butterfly Children · Greenhouse · The Seventies Story · |
Related pages | Brotherhood of Man discography · Tony Hiller · Congratulations (Eurovision) · Eurovision Song Contest 1976 · United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest · |
Record Labels | Pye Records · Deram Records · Dawn Records · EMI · Warwick Records · Dazzle Records |
This article uses material from the article Roger Greenaway from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.