Various Artists – The Wonder Of Woolworths! – The Embassy Records Story, 1955-1962

EMBASSY RECORDS, the cover versions label sold exclusively in Woolworths, was one of the most successful and profitable UK record labels of the 50s and 60s.

Retailing at around half of the (cartel controlled) usual price, most Embassy releases sold in their tens - some, in their hundreds - of thousands, and many outsold the actual UK hit versions of their songs.

Yet none of their records ever made the UK charts, due to objections from the established major labels.

This compilation presents a cross-section of their output, between 1955-62; sixty-eight covers of songs that were predominantly U.S. hits, before charting in the UK.

Includes Maureen Evans' celebrated 'Stupid Cupid', which is believed to have sold more than Connie Francis' chart-topping version.

There is a thriving Embassy collectors' market in the UK, nowadays, who will love this release.

Track Listing
Disc 1

1 BOB DALE - THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS
2 DAVID ROSS - GREEN DOOR
3 DAVID ROSS - SINGING THE BLUES
4 DAVID ROSS - SCHOOL DAY
5 DAVID ROSS - LAST TRAIN TO SAN FERNANDO
6 THE TUNETTES - THAT'LL BE THE DAY
7 DAVE GRANT - STOOD UP
8 PAUL RICH - WHOLE LOTTA WOMAN
9 PAUL RICH - ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM
10 MAUREEN EVANS - STUPID CUPID
11 JOHNNY WORTH - KING CREOLE
12 HAL BURTON - MOVE IT
13 JOHNNY WORTH - IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE
14 MAUREEN EVANS - THE DAY THE RAINS CAME
15 RIKKI HENDERSON - I NEED YOUR LOVE TONIGHT
16 PAUL RICH - ALONG CAME JONES
17 PAUL RICH - TAKE A MESSAGE TO MARY
18 RIKKI HENDERSON - A TEENAGER IN LOVE
19 RIKKI HENDERSON - PERSONALITY
20 JOHNNY WORTH - LIVING DOLL
21 BUD ASHTON - 40 MILES OF BAD ROAD
22 JOHNNY WORTH - WHAT DO YOU WANT
23 JEAN CAMPBELL - THE BIG HURT
24 BUD ASHTON - SOME KINDA EARTHQUAKE
25 JOHNNY WORTH - PRETTY BLUE EYES
26 RIKKI HENDERSON - WHY
27 HAL MUNRO - ON A SLOW BOAT TO CHINA
28 HAL MUNRO - YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES
29 BOBBY STEVENS - STUCK ON YOU
30 JOHNNY WORTH - FOOTSTEPS
31 DICK JORDAN - CATHY'S CLOWN
32 JEAN CAMPBELL - SWEET NUTHIN'S
33 BOBBY STEVENS - CRADLE OF LOVE

Disc 2

1 DON DUKE - DREAMIN'
2 STEVE STANNARD & HIS GROUP - MAN OF MYSTERY
3 STEVE STANNARD & HIS GROUP - GURNEY SLADE THEME
4 DON DUKE - WALK RIGHT BACK
5 DON DUKE & BOBBY STEVENS - ARE YOU SURE
6 JEAN CAMPBELL - WHERE THE BOYS ARE
7 JEAN CAMPBELL - WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW
8 DON DUKE - GEE WHIZ IT'S YOU
9 DON DUKE & BOBBY STEVENS - WARPAINT
10 PAUL RICH - A HUNDRED POUNDS OF CLAY
11 BUD ASHTON - THEME FROM DIXIE
12 DON DUKE & BOBBY STEVENS - HELLO MARY LOU
13 BOBBY STEVENS - BUT I DO
14 KIM DAVEY - I'VE TOLD EVERY LITTLE STAR
15 BOBBY STEVENS - JOHNNY REMEMBER ME
16 RIKKI HENDERSON - A LITTLE BIT OF SOAP
17 BOBBY STEVENS - WHO PUT THE BOMP
18 PAUL RICH - TOWER OF STRENGTH
19 GORDON PETERS QUARTET - TAKE FIVE
20 RIKKI HENDERSON - I'D NEVER FIND ANOTHER YOU
21 BOBBY STEVENS - THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT
22 RIKKI HENDERSON - SON, THIS IS SHE
23 BOBBY STEVENS - FORGET-ME-NOT
24 PAUL RICH - WALK ON BY
25 REDD WAYNE - WHEN MY LITTLE GIRL IS SMILING
26 BOBBY STEVENS - I REMEMBER YOU
27 BUD ASHTON - GUITAR TANGO
28 PAUL RICH - ROSES ARE RED
29 LES CARLE - SHE'S NOT YOU
30 LES CARLE - IT'LL BE ME
31 KAY BARRY - IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN
32 RAY PILGRIM - LET'S DANCE
33 RAY PILGRIM - RETURN TO SENDER
34 RAY PILGRIM - IT ONLY TOOK A MINUTE
35 MARILYN LEE - KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABY