Don Charles
Encyclopedia
Don Charles was a popular
English
ballad
singer, and record producer
, and later in his life, a writer
of a self-help
book. He is best known for his recordings
of "Walk With Me My Angel" and "Bring Your Love to Me". He also produced several of The Tornados
' tracks including "Space Walk" and "Goodbye Joe". The latter title referred his original mentor and producer, Joe Meek
. Meek regarded Charles highly. "You are my only legit artist", Meek once informed Charles. "All the others are yugga-dugs". Standing at , and weighing around seventeen stone (108 kilograms, 238 pounds), Charles stood out in more ways than one from his fellow performers.
, East Yorkshire
, England
. His father died when the youngster was aged four, and using his childhood nickname
of Don he later adopted his stepfather's surname, becoming for a while Don Bennett.
He spent ten years in the Royal Navy
, leaving at 25 years old with ambitions to become a professional singer. By 1960, after settling in London, he was signed to Parlophone
by George Martin
who produced
his debut single
, "Paintbox Lover". His stay with the label was short-lived, and he was signed by Joe Meek to Decca
in 1961. He was renamed Don Charles to avoid potential confusion with Tony Bennett
, and released his biggest seller "Walk With Me My Angel" in January 1962. Written by Geoff Goddard
, and produced by Meek, the single
just made the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart
. Not that he knew it at the time, but lack of further chart
activity, would leave Charles with the one-hit wonder
tag. He appeared on several teen based television program
mes, and released a cover version
of Ben E. King
's hit
"The Hermit of Misty Mountain" in 1962, and the country music
influenced novelty "It's My Way of Loving You" the same year.
Ill fortune followed when the BBC
refused to play his 1963 follow-up "Angel of Love". This was because of the 'death song' styled lyric
, "Everyone has an angel of love/Way up in the heavens above". This, combined with the all-pervading appearance of The Beatles
, dealt a hammer blow to his career. The hastily released "Heart's Ice Cold" failed to find any buyers, and when Meek fell out with Decca, he took Charles with him to HMV.
Charles released seven singles for HMV between 1963 and 1966, which included "Tower Tall", "Big Talk from a Little Man" (written by Alan Klein
) and "Dream On Little Dreamer", but commercial success continued to elude him. In 1965, Charles produced The Tornados' numbers, "Space Walk" and "Goodbye Joe". In an unusual move Charles returned to Parlophone in 1967, and released the Northern soul
favourite, "Bring Your Love to Me", and several other unsuccessful singles. He then retired from the music industry, and jointly bought a nightclub
in Malta
with Rolf Harris
. When that venture fell flat, Charles became a used car salesman and, in 1989, he penned a successful book based upon his experiences, entitled How to Buy a Used Car (And Save Money).
Four times married with five daughters, Charles died in December 2005, in Herstmonceux
, East Sussex
, less than a week away from his 72nd birthday.
He is not to be confused with another Don Charles, a Scandinavia
n based record producer behind the musical recording project, The Singing Dogs
.
† Billed as Don Bennett
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
singer, and record producer
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...
, and later in his life, a writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
of a self-help
Self-help
Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
book. He is best known for his recordings
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...
of "Walk With Me My Angel" and "Bring Your Love to Me". He also produced several of The Tornados
The Tornados
The Tornados were an English instrumental group of the 1960s that acted as backing group for many of record producer Joe Meek's productions and also for singer Billy Fury. They enjoyed several chart hits in their own right, including the UK and U.S. Number One "Telstar" , the first U.S...
' tracks including "Space Walk" and "Goodbye Joe". The latter title referred his original mentor and producer, Joe Meek
Joe Meek
Robert George "Joe" Meek was a pioneering English record producer and songwriter....
. Meek regarded Charles highly. "You are my only legit artist", Meek once informed Charles. "All the others are yugga-dugs". Standing at , and weighing around seventeen stone (108 kilograms, 238 pounds), Charles stood out in more ways than one from his fellow performers.
Life and career
He was born Walter Stanley Scuffham in Kingston upon HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, East Yorkshire
East Yorkshire
East Yorkshire could be:*East Yorkshire Motor Services*An alternative name for the East Riding of Yorkshire*East Yorkshire , a former district of Humberside*East Yorkshire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His father died when the youngster was aged four, and using his childhood nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
of Don he later adopted his stepfather's surname, becoming for a while Don Bennett.
He spent ten years in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, leaving at 25 years old with ambitions to become a professional singer. By 1960, after settling in London, he was signed to Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
by George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
who produced
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 debut 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...
, "Paintbox Lover". His stay with the label was short-lived, and he was signed by Joe Meek to Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in 1961. He was renamed Don Charles to avoid potential confusion with Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, and released his biggest seller "Walk With Me My Angel" in January 1962. Written by Geoff Goddard
Geoff Goddard
Geoff Goddard was an English songwriter. Working for Joe Meek in the early 1960s, he wrote songs for Heinz, Mike Berry, Gerry Temple, The Tornados, Kenny Hollywood, The Outlaws, Freddie Starr, Screaming Lord Sutch, Gunilla Thorne, The Ramblers, Carter-Lewis and the Southerners and John...
, and produced by Meek, the 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...
just made the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Not that he knew it at the time, but lack of further chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
activity, would leave Charles with the one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
tag. He appeared on several teen based television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
mes, and released 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 Ben E. King
Ben E. King
Benjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S...
's hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
"The Hermit of Misty Mountain" in 1962, and the country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
influenced novelty "It's My Way of Loving You" the same year.
Ill fortune followed when the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
refused to play his 1963 follow-up "Angel of Love". This was because of the 'death song' styled lyric
Lyric
Lyric may refer to:* Lyric poetry is a form of poetry that expresses a subjective, personal point of view* Lyric, from the Greek language, a song sung with a lyre* Lyrics, the composition in verse which is sung to a melody to constitute a song...
, "Everyone has an angel of love/Way up in the heavens above". This, combined with the all-pervading appearance of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, dealt a hammer blow to his career. The hastily released "Heart's Ice Cold" failed to find any buyers, and when Meek fell out with Decca, he took Charles with him to HMV.
Charles released seven singles for HMV between 1963 and 1966, which included "Tower Tall", "Big Talk from a Little Man" (written by Alan Klein
Alan Klein
Alan Klein is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He wrote the soundtrack for the stage play and film, What a Crazy World...
) and "Dream On Little Dreamer", but commercial success continued to elude him. In 1965, Charles produced The Tornados' numbers, "Space Walk" and "Goodbye Joe". In an unusual move Charles returned to Parlophone in 1967, and released the Northern soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
favourite, "Bring Your Love to Me", and several other unsuccessful singles. He then retired from the music industry, and jointly bought a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
with Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris, CBE, AM is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, painter and television personality.Born in Perth, Western Australia, Harris was a champion swimmer before studying art. He moved to England in 1952, where he started to appear on television programmes on which he drew the...
. When that venture fell flat, Charles became a used car salesman and, in 1989, he penned a successful book based upon his experiences, entitled How to Buy a Used Car (And Save Money).
Four times married with five daughters, Charles died in December 2005, in Herstmonceux
Herstmonceux
Herstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets.-History:...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, less than a week away from his 72nd birthday.
He is not to be confused with another Don Charles, a Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n based record producer behind the musical recording project, The Singing Dogs
The Singing Dogs
The Singing Dogs was a musical recording project under whose name two 45rpm singles were released in the 1950s.The idea for the Singing Dogs came from Don Charles, a record producer working in Copenhagen, Denmark...
.
Singles
| Year | A-side A-side and B-side A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or... |
B-side A-side and B-side A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or... |
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
Label / Catalogue reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | "Paintbox Lover" † | "Teach Me Tonight" † | - | Parlophone Parlophone Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which... R4811 |
| 1962 | "Walk With Me My Angel" | "Crazy Man" | #39 | Decca Decca Records Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades.... F11424 |
| 1962 | "The Hermit of Misty Mountain" | "Moonlight Rendezvous" | - | Decca F11464 |
| 1962 | "It's My Way of Loving You" | "Guess That's the Way It Goes" | - | Decca F11528 |
| 1963 | "Angel of Love" | "Lucky Star" | - | Decca F11602 |
| 1963 | "Heart's Ice Cold" | "Daybreak" | - | Decca F11645 |
| 1963 | "Tower Tall" | "Look Before You Love" | - | HMV POP 1271 |
| 1964 | "Big Talk from a Little Man" | "She's Mine" | - | HMV POP 1332 |
| 1964 | "If You Don't Know I Ain't Gonna Tell Ya" | "Voice On The Phone" | - | HMV POP 1307 |
| 1965 | "Forgetting Me, Loving Him" | "A Long Time Ago" | - | HMV POP 1382 |
| 1965 | "Dream On Little Dreamer" | "We Only Live Once" | - | HMV POP 1420 |
| 1965 | "I Could Conquer The World" | "Time Will Tell" | - | HMV POP 1478 |
| 1966 | "Out Of This Cold" | "From The Beginning" | - | HMV POP 1542 |
| 1967 | "Bring Your Love to Me" | "So Let It Be" | - | Parlophone R5564 |
| 1967 | "Have I Told You Lately" | "Time Waits For Nobody" | - | Parlophone R5596 |
| 1968 | "If I Had The Chance" | "(I've Got Everything) I've Got You" | - | Parlophone R5659 |
| 1968 | "The Drifter" | "Great To Be Livin'" | - | Parlophone R5688 |
| 1968 | "Your Name is on My Heart" | "How Can I" | - | Parlophone R5712 |
† Billed as Don Bennett
EPs
| Release date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| June 1963 | Don Charles | Decca |