Put this to bed? - Drifter Stuart Smith version

[Mike]

as have a fair few "never completly happy with answers" questions rolling around head, thought attempt to give one or two another run out to see if can fianlly "put them to bed"

may have read this before , apoligies if have

mucker picked up a emidisc from record fair in london entitled the drifter by stuart smith

compared it to all known versions, myself borrowed it, played it out a few times, after a few red herrings some accidental , one intentional (cheers mate!) managed think after a long search 100% to rule out any of the known versions.

Only history found is was told is that when Long John Baldry did his version, he heard it first off a unknown artist on acetate

Reckon track is different enough than others to be worthwhile

As mucker is due back from iraq very soon, and once promised to try find all out for him, thought make a last ever determined effort this time using soul source

to get any info for him , what so ever on history, or the artist, how known, other copies, and so on

...anyone help? even a "nah never heard of it" would be useful from you uk experts

cheers

mike

[Craig W]

Hello Mike.

Dont know if this helps but an artist by the name of Stuart Smith had 2 releases in 1968 on UK Polydor but i dont know if its the same artist but more than likely is.

1. Polydor 56271 . Shes a woman now b/w Where did holly go.

2. Polydor 56336 . My head goes around b/w Where you are.

This might give you something to go on.

On the subject of Long John Baldry ever heard his version of Stop her on sight its absolute shite.

Craig.

[shute]

Also a good version by Don Charles on Parlaphone

[Pete S]

I know this topic is 8 years old but Mike, can you remember who it was who had the original acetate? because Mick Smith's had it for years, did he buy it off your mate maybe? I was listening to it 5 minutes ago and it's a really good version, it's better than Long John Baldry's version by a mile.

[Pete S]

Only history found is was told is that when Long John Baldry did his version, he heard it first off a unknown artist on acetate

That's almost 100% a tall tale, Ray Pollard's version came out before Baldry's, on the same label as Baldry's, and Baldry not only covered The Drifter, but also it's B side as well, Let Him Go. They obviously got a copy of the Ray Pollard single.

[Benji]

That's almost 100% a tall tale, Ray Pollard's version came out before Baldry's, on the same label as Baldry's, and Baldry not only covered The Drifter, but also it's B side as well, Let Him Go. They obviously got a copy of the Ray Pollard single.

No, Long John Baldry never heard of Ray Pollard when he recorded his versions of both sides.

[Pete S]

No, Long John Baldry never heard of Ray Pollard when he recorded his versions of both sides.

Sorry, I just can't believe that. His own record label didn't supply him with a copy of a single that he recorded both sides of 6 months later? What, they gave him 2 publishers acetates of the separate sides?

[Prophonics 2029]

New one on me.

[Pete S]

New one on me.

Poor version that. Better arrangement than LJB though.

n.b. lots of people bought a Kenny Lynch track called The Drifter after someone said it was the same song, it's not

Edited February 8, 2012 by Pete S

[Benji]

Sorry, I just can't believe that. His own record label didn't supply him with a copy of a single that he recorded both sides of 6 months later? What, they gave him 2 publishers acetates of the separate sides?

Yes, he told me that when I met him in the mid 90s.