John Carter: My World Fell Down - The John Carter Story, 4CD

• First-ever complete career anthology of one of British pop's most enduring backroom figures
John Carter

• 4CD set containing his biggest hits and some fascinating misses

• Also includes a clutch of late ‘60s songwriting demos, several of which now receive their first physical release

First coming to prominence with his songwriting and vocal partner Ken Lewis, John Carter was a fixture on the mid-‘60s British pop scene, penning hits for the likes of Brenda Lee and Herman's Hermits, singing backing vocals for The Who and finding success with his own group, vocal trio The Ivy League.

Frustrated with the rigours of life on the road, Carter quit touring in mid-1966 to concentrate on studio work (a decision also being made around the same time by Brian Wilson and The Beatles).

He continued to excel in a number of disciplines, providing the lead vocal on The New Vaudeville Band's huge success 'Winchester Cathedral', writing for numerous groups (The Troggs, Manfred Mann, etc) and creating Summer-Of-Love hippie anthem 'Let's Go To San Francisco' under the pseudonym The Flower Pot Men.

After recording a number of obscure psychedelic pop nuggets that are now highly regarded by genre aficionados, John moved on to record under various one-off aliases before settling on Stamford Bridge and then Kincade, who hit big on the continent with 'Dreams Are Ten A Penny'.

He then made some of the most ambitious recordings of his entire career as The First Class, who debuted in 1974 with the instant classic 'Beach Baby', a harmony pop extravaganza that became a Top Five single in America.

The first-ever complete career overview of his prodigious career, ‘My World Fell Down’ anthologises the cream of John's work, stretching from the dawn of the ‘60s (when Carter, Lewis & The Southerners contained a mild-mannered young guitarist by the name of Jimmy Page) to the end of the ‘70s. With a new 5,000 word note and more than five hours of music, it's an essential purchase for anyone interested in the career of one of British pop's leading backroom auteurs.

Track Listing:

DISCO ONE

1 Back On The Scene CARTER, LEWIS & THE SOUTHERNERS
2 Two Timing Baby CARTER, LEWIS & THE SOUTHERNERS
3 Here's Hopin' CARTER, LEWIS
4 Poor Joe CARTER, LEWIS
5 Tell Me CARTER, LEWIS & THE SOUTHERNERS
6 Sweet And Tender Romance CARTER, LEWIS & THE SOUTHERNERS
7 Somebody Told My Girl CARTER, LEWIS & THE SOUTHERNERS
8 Skinny Minnie CARTER, LEWIS & THE SOUTHERNERS
9 Easy To Cry CARTER, LEWIS & THE SOUTHERNERS
10 Can't You Hear My Heartbeat? (demo)
11 What More Do You Want THE IVY LEAGUE
12 Funny How Love Can Be THE IVY LEAGUE
13 Lonely Room THE IVY LEAGUE
14 That's Why I'm Crying THE IVY LEAGUE
15 Tossing And Turning THE IVY LEAGUE
16 Our Love Is Slipping Away THE IVY LEAGUE
17 Running Round In Circles THE IVY LEAGUE
18 Don't Worry Baby THE IVY LEAGUE
19 One Little Smile (demo)*
20 It's Your Turn To Cry (demo)
21 Winchester Cathedral (demo)
22 Peek-A-Boo (demo)*
23 Willow Tree THE IVY LEAGUE
24 My World Fell Down THE IVY LEAGUE
25 White Collar Worker MINISTRY OF SOUND
26 Back Seat Driver MINISTRY OF SOUND
27 Time And Motion Man (demo)
28 Little Ray Of Sunshine (demo)
29 Goodbye To Rosalie (demo)
30 Publicity Girl (demo)*
31 Brown And Porters (Meat Exporters) (demo)
32 Am I Losing You (demo)

DISC TWO:

1 Let's Go To San Francisco Pts 1 and 2 THE FLOWER POT MEN
2 A Walk In The Sky THE FLOWER POT MEN
3 You Can Never Be Wrong THE FLOWER POT MEN
4 Mythological Sunday FRIENDS
5 Conversation (In A Station Light Refreshment Bar) (demo)
6 Sunshine Girl (demo)
7 Hip Hip Hooray (demo)*
8 My Sentimental Friend (demo)
9 Knock Knock Who's There (demo)
10 Birmingham Brass Band (demo)
11 Geranium Pot (demo)*
12 A Good Talk To Myself (demo)*
13 She Won't Show Up Tonight (demo)
14 The Cooks Of Cake And Kindness (demo)
15 Blow Away (demo)
16 Say Goodbye To Yesterday (demo)
17 Children Of Tomorrow (demo)
18 Rain Rain Rain (demo)
19 Magic People (demo)
20 Mr Light (demo)
21 You're Playing With Fire THE WHEELS
22 What's The Matter With Juliet THE WHEELS
23 Midsummer Dreaming JOHN CARTER & RUSS ALQUIST

DISC THREE:

1 The Laughing Man JOHN CARTER & RUSS ALQUIST
2 Life Is Living (demo)
3 Roberto Billow (demo)
4 Sunday In The Park (demo)
5 Three In The Morning (demo)
6 Angels Get Out Of Bed (demo)
7 Love Equals Love (demo)
8 When I Was Born (demo)
9 Huma Luma THE CARLEW CHOIR
10 Give A Hand To The Clown THE CARLEW CHOIR
11 Aye-O THE RUNNING JUMPING STANDING STILL BAND
12 Why Be Blue THE RUNNING JUMPING STANDING STILL BAND
13 A Letter To Josephine THE HAYSTACK
14 Tahiti Farewell THE HAYSTACK
15 Pantomime People THE HAYSTACK
16 A Night To Be Remembered DAWN CHORUS
17 Wish I Were A Child SWEET CHARIOT
18 Going Round And Round (demo)
19 Cowboy Convention OHIO EXPRESS
20 Highway Of Your Dreams FAT MAN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL
21 Boats Of Angel Bay FAT MAN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL
22 Roly Poly STAMFORD BRIDGE
23 Little Boy Blue STAMFORD BRIDGE
24 Vicar's Daughter STAMFORD BRIDGE
25 The Elephant Song PHILWIT & PEGASUS
26 Pseudo Phoney Mixed-Up Croney PHILWIT & PEGASUS

DISC FOUR:

1 Radio One jingle #1 STAMFORD BRIDGE
2 World Of Fantasy STAMFORD BRIDGE
3 Radio One jingle #2 STAMFORD BRIDGE
4 Move Out Of Town STAMFORD BRIDGE
5 Mother Of Nature STAMFORD BRIDGE
6 Sweet Talking Mama RED LINE EXPLOSION
7 I Want To Be Where You Are SCARECROW
8 Hello, Hello, Hello STORMY PETREL
9 The Light Of Day STORMY PETREL
10 Eyes Of Kazan THE LONDON BOYS
11 Mississippi Lady SEQUOIA
12 Take Off KENTUCKY FREEWAY
13 My Sweet Potato BUTTERWICK
14 Dreams Are Ten A Penny KINCADE
15 Big Hand For Annie KINCADE
16 Beach Baby THE FIRST CLASS
17 Bobby Dazzler THE FIRST CLASS
18 What Became Of Me THE FIRST CLASS
19 I Was Always A Joker THE FIRST CLASS
20 Let It Roll PETE KIRCHER
21 Oh California MAGIC
22 I Was A Star THE FIRST CLASS
23 Private Eye KINCADE
24 Too Many Golden Oldies THE FIRST CLASS