Les Fleur de Lys - Circles (1966)

Formed in 1964, this psychedelic group has a lot of history for little success. Their keyboardist, Pete Sears, would later play with Rod Stewart, as well as go on to be a founding member of Jefferson Starship (a spinoff of Jefferson Airplane). At one point, the group was also recruited to record the song “Reflections of Charles Brown” (listen here) under the name Rupert’s People (a ripoff of Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”).

This song was written by Pete Townshend and first released by his group, The Who, in 1965 under the title “Instant Party (Circles)” on their debut album, My Generation. This group’s version, which I actually think I may enjoy more, has a bit more psychedelic feeling to it and was co-produced by Jimmy Page and Glyn Johns. It was released a year after the original.



Les Fleur de Lys - Circles (1966)

Loading the ABLYAM player...(Might not work on mobile devices)

Lyrics:

Circles- my head is goin’ ‘round in circles
My mind is caught up in a whirlpool
Draggin’ me down

Time will tell if I'll take the homeward track
The dizziness will make my feet walk back
Walk on back to you

Everything I do, I think of you
No matter how I try, I can't get by
Circles leading me back to you

‘round and ‘round and ‘round and ‘round and ‘round
and ‘round and ‘round and ‘round and ‘round…

Just one thing could kill the pain of losing you
It gets me so dizzy that I walk right back again
Back to you

Time will tell if I'll take the homeward track
The dizziness will make my feet walk back
Walk on back to you

Down and down and down like a pool I go
Round and round like a fool, I go
Dragging me down

Rupert's People - Reflections of Charles Brown (1967)

Originally being compared to The Kinks when formed in 1967, this band had far too many lineups for having only released three singles. One of their members, Peter Solley, went on to play with Procol Harum. Another member, Steve Brendell, played the maracas on John Lennon’s Imagine album.

This song is the band’s best known hit under this name. They also performed under the name Les Fleur de Lys. This song was released at the same time of Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” and has also been said to have a very similar sound. As it turned out, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” was a huge success and overshadowed the marginal success of this release. I think that if you enjoy one, you’ll enjoy the other.



Rupert's People - Reflections of Charles Brown (1967)

Loading the ABLYAM player...(Might not work on mobile devices)

Lyrics:

Charlie Brown works hard all day
Doesn't get home ‘til the sky’s gray
Sees his children tucked in bed
He's the man that gets them fed

Sits down by the fireside
The tears fill his eyes
The winds blowing
And the storms a-growing
Aren't you glad you're inside?

What a quiet life he's had
Don't you think it's very sad?

Stays in bed ‘til 10 o'clock
On his weekly one day off
Takes his kids down to the park
‘Til the sky starts getting dark

What a quiet life he's had
Don't you think it's very sad?

Monday morning comes so fast
Makes him wonder
How the time goes past
Another week of grunt and grind
Another week's HP to find

What a quiet life he's had
Don't you think it's very sad?