The Magic Mixture - It's Alright By Me (1968)

This band, originally called Maton’s Magic Mixture, was formed in 1968 in London. It was composed of Jim “Terry” Thomas, Stan Curtis, Melvyn Hacker, and Jack Collins (“Jack McCulloch”). Hacker had gotten Thomas into music, and they’re probably the co-founders of this particular band. The band was offered to make their first record on the low-budget label Saga Records in 1968. Although they accepted, they were disappointed to find out that they had signed all of their rights away to the music the moment they got paid for it. And they were only paid one hundred fifty pounds each. The album, titled This is the Magic Mixture, would be the group’s first and last album. They played a few live shows, but when their lead singer Jim Thomas quit, the band folded behind him.

Jim Thomas would soon start calling himself Terry Thomas and create the British rock band Charlie in 1971, as well as produce and write songs for Bad Company and Foreigner in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Jack Collins would go on to perform with The Five Day Week Straw People, which eventually evolved into Andromeda.

This song, the opening track to the second side of This is the Magic Mixture, was written by band member Jim Thomas (as were all of the other songs on the album). Unfortunately, because Saga Records decided against putting any money behind producing the album, this song and all the others slipped into instant obscurity. It took years before the album was ever released in the United States, but failed to make an impact there, as well.



The Magic Mixture - It's Alright By Me (1968)

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Lyrics:

You say you seek the brightness of another kind of life
You must leave the drabness behind
‘cause life is so boring; it’s tiring and dull
And there’s so much more you must find

Well that’s alright by me
Yes, it’s alright by me
You know it’s alright by me

You seek the colors of the rainbow
And the pastel shades of night
And you’re troubled to define just this
You want to let the grass caress you
As the night wind sweeps along
Then to feel the cool ray’s kiss

Well that’s alright by me
Yes, it’s alright by me
Oh, it’s alright by me

Can you imagine life with no pain?
A barring existence
A sun with no rain

Well that’s alright by me
Yes, it’s alright by me
Yes, it’s alright by me

Can you imagine life with no pain?
A barring existence
A sun with no rain

So, go if you want to and leave all behind
Your friends, your home, and yourself
But don’t forget reality is always on your side
And to come back when you find yourself

Well it’s alright by me
Yes, it’s alright by me
Oh, it’s alright by me