The postcard cost Secunda the job of managing the band, and it cost the band a shed-load of money. The Ratlingate Scout Appeal was probably very happy with their share of the royalties, though.
Curious Incidents in the history of popular music -#1 The accidental charity single.
It is a well-known fact that the first word spoken on BBC Radio One was ‘and’. It is also a well-known fact that the first song played was Flowers in the Rain by the Move. The second of these facts is also bollocks. After a specially commissioned piece of music by George Martin (known, with startling originality as Theme One). Tony Blackburn played in his own chosen theme which was Beefeater by Johnny Dankworth.
A somewhat more interesting (and true) fact about Flowers in the Rain is that the money from the royalties is accrued not by the band, but by a somewhat eclectic range of charitable organisations (including Central and Bolton Lads clubs, the Universities of Oxford and Huddersfield and the Jewish National Fund for Israel).
This was not a result of any largesse from the band in fitting with the hippyish ideals expressed in the song (not least because they were somewhat taking the piss – their earlier sound had been hard, raucous R&B (this when the term actually meant something) and this sound was still reflected in their live shows which featured smash instruments a la the Who – no doubt scaring the shit out of any of the hippies who turned up expecting chilled out vibes). No, the charities that benefitted were those chosen by then Prime Minister Harold Wilson after he successfully sued the band and their manager Tony Secunda.
The cause of the law-suit was a cartoon. Secunda thought it a fantastic marketing ploy to produce a postcard featuring the Prime Minister pictured in a compromising position with his political secretary Marcia Williams. The postcard was circulated among the ‘great and good’ and a copy at some point turned up at Downing Street. Wilson (perhaps encouraged by Williams (who may also have been responsible for persuading the PM to legislate for the creation of Radio 1 as a bulwark against the pirate radio stations of the day), decided to sue.
The result was much greater publicity for the song (and the cartoon) than would have been the case without a law-suit. Williams avoided getting any mention in court or in the still deferential press and any damage to Wilson’s image was probably ameliorated by the agreement to give the money to charity.
The postcard cost Secunda the job of managing the band, and it cost the band a shed-load of money. The Ratlingate Scout Appeal was probably very happy with their share of the royalties, though.
Words: Rover