ITCHYCOO PARK

'"Itchycoo Park"' is a psychedelic song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane of The Small Faces. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart, 1967. It was also the first British record to feature the special effect of phasing.

Contents

Song Profile

Inspiration

Other possible etymologies

Cover versions

Notes

External links

Song Profile

"Itchycoo Park" was released by mod band The Small Faces in 1967. Together with "Lazy Sunday", "Tin Soldier" and "All or Nothing", the song is one of the band's biggest hits and has become a classic of its time.^[1]
The song reached No. 16 in the American Billboard Chart in 1968.^[2]
"Itchycoo Park" was the first British record to feature the special effect of "phasing" (when two tapes are played together at different speeds) the technique was developed by Olympic Studios engineer George Chkiantz in 1966.^[3]
Long running British music magazine NME cites readers poll voting "Itchycoo Park" no. 62 out of top 100 singles of all time.^[4]
"Itchycoo Park" climbed to the top of the charts again when it was re-released on December 13, 1975.^[5]

Inspiration

The song was first thought of by Ronnie Lane, who had been reading a leaflet on the virtues of Oxford which mentioned its ''dreamy spires''.^[6]
A number of sources claim the song's name is derived from the nickname of Little Ilford Park, on Church Road in the London suburb of Manor Park, where Steve Marriott, the Small Faces' singer and song-writer, grew up. The "itchycoo" nickname is, in turn, attributed to the stinging nettles which grew there. Other sources cite nearby Wanstead Flats (Manor Park end) as the inspiration for the song.^[7]
Marriott and Small Faces manager Tony Calder came up with the well-known story when Marriott was told the BBC had banned the song for its overt drug references, Calder confirms:

"We scammed the story together, we told the BBC that ''Itchycoo Park'' was a piece of waste ground in the East End that the band had played on as kids - we put the story out at ten and by lunchtime we were told the ban was off." - Tony Calder (Manager)^[8]

Ronnie Lane on the true location of Itchycoo Park:

"It's a place we used to go to in Ilford years ago. Some bloke we know suggested it to us because it's full of nettles and you keep scratching". - Ronnie Lane

^[6]

Other possible etymologies

Another local park, in the nearby town of Ilford, called Valentines Park, was also often referred to as Itchycoo Park.
The hairy seeds from the Rose hip (or wild Dog Rose) were called "Itchycoos" by English children in the 1950s, and the term is still used by some elsewhere in the United Kingdom. The seeds could be broken out of the berry and dropped down someone's collar between shirt and back to cause itching.^[10]

Cover versions

★ The 1980s Metal band Blue Murder, fronted by guitarist John Sykes, covered this song on their album, ''Nothin' But Trouble''.

★ In 1994 it was also covered by 90s dance band M People and also appears on their album ''Bizarre Fruit''.

Notes

'Notes':
1.
Guide to British Music of the 1960s
2.
Steve Marriott - All Too Beautiful..., , Paulo, Hewitt, Helter Skelter, ,
3.
The Small Faces In One Minute
4.
NME Readers all time top 100 singles published 1976
5.
Top 40 Hits of Mid January 1976
6.
small faces the young mods' forgotten story, , Paulo, Hewitt, Acid Jazz, ,
7.
Small Faces London- Ilford Park
8. Steve Marriott, All Too Beautiful'' p.154
9.
small faces the young mods' forgotten story, , Paulo, Hewitt, Acid Jazz, ,
10.
Itchy Secrets

'References':

★ Paolo Hewitt John Hellier (2004). ''Steve Marriott - All Too Beautiful...''. Helter Skelter Publishing ISBN 1-900924-44-7.

★ Paolo Hewitt/Kenney Jones (1995) ''small faces the young mods' forgotten story'' - Acid Jazz ISBN 0-9523935-0-6

★ [1] CHUM Charts (Canada)

External links

★ [2] The Small Faces Official Site

★ You Tube: The Small Faces performing song - "Itchycoo Park"

★ [3] "Itchycoo Park" lyrics to song.