Mike Batt - Summertime City

[jonemz]

What a classic track......brings back great memories, cheers for posting

[brighton43]

great fun memories of seaside special from the 70s.saw the show in Brighton in ' I think 1980' when me and my girlfriend moved to the south coast. wish they had shows as good as that now.afraid the likes of ant 'n' dec just cant do it. shame

[SuperGingernutz]

Grief! I flaming remember this song ... and the prog!

[nayzomarsh10]

i miss the 70,s sooo much...i wish i could be transported back...life was happier,simpler and everything seemed real,,,people,music,fashion,na­ture and life in general...even the summers were better !! can anybody remmember 76... god i felt alive

[trashcanalive]

Try to be objective. You might have fond memories of the Seaside Special TV show, and this song by association. But really, it doesn't stand on its own as a 'great', 'classic' or 'fantastic' song. If anything, it's a bit dull and flaccid.

[KeepBizzy]

Fantastic song

[roccotina]

the caveat to all this praise though is that mike batt turned out to be...a tory. shame that. summertime city, ain't got the summertime blues.

[roccotina]

sorry, error in previous comment...alcohol, once again, may have been a factor. the velvet underground song i mentioned should, of course, have been 'there she goes again'

still think the peachy one is flippin sexy!

[roccotina]

the "de de de der, de de de der" bit...is like a velvet underground record, isn't it? 'i'll be your mirror', i think.

anyway, i used to knock on doors to that tune when i was calling round at mates' houses as a nipper. pete foxtcroft in particular, as i recall.

by the way, pan's people are soooo sexy...blimey, i was 6 when this came out, yet i can recall a strange feeling in my loins just watching them. the peachy one in this is indescribably gorgeous, no?

[stingfan1000]

Ahh, summer of 75! I was 12 and ran home from school after an 'accident' in the school yard. I had a piece of tree stuck in my lower leg after a fall - nasty - loads of blood and a gaping hole (and a tree!).. Dad was home (worked shifts) watching the racing... He looked at me and said: 'Oh, for god's sake..not again!..well I'm watching this race first..' I patiently waited. Then he said: 'Right - come on soldier, let's get that bus to the hospital..ye bloody daft bugger..' Coolest guy I know

[TWENTIETHCENTURYBABY]

This brings back great memories, I loved seaside special as a kid.

[dmcallister1506]

Brilliant song - his only number one hit, but he refuses to allow it to appear on any compilation albums. Even his greatest hits album doesn't have it. Work that one out.

[Widmerpool99]

Mike Batt - the Mick Hucknall of the 70s.

[thewelly1973]

Mike Batt was a womble. It even sounds like the wombles..............still a classic though

[shuchr]

pans people were probably my intro to masterbation

[shuchr]

as a kid i had many a dirty thought over pans people 70s porn pmsl

[muskey12615]

FUCK YEAH!

[ty3165]

ah i remember this show so well,it takes me back to my youth

[MOJUL68]

I love this song but I wonder if Pans People would be seen as sexist these days? Silly as they were just dancers but I think some people these days would heve a hissy fit.

[barzini66]

Yeah, have to agree with SSmitters..girls with tattoos look disgusting..common as shit. Bunch of fuckin airheads today.

[mummaliza]

oh dear... is that really all pans people did? They're rubbish! The're wold famous but quite frankly they're pants! They're not even in time with each other OR the music.

[newyorkrovers]

@mummaliza yep ya right a bit like today really with one exception '' at least they were original haha ! havin said that the golden era of dance has long gone as in talent with of course the exception of people like jeffrey daniels who's about 57 now n still can cut it better than todays un'inventive rubbish.........

[carmel1956]

@mummaliza Nope....not really. Pan's People could dance to anything and dance it well. Oh, and just for a postscript....they were sexy too! Stuart.

[lazynlovinit]

what days!! The sun was hot. You could smoke in pubs and trains, didn't have to wear seatbelts, no speed cameras and we did not need the human rights and other crazy legislation because WE HAD IT ALL and the trade unions ruled supreme!!!

[Feisty1967]

I remember this so well! As the theme tune to Seaside Special! It was in the long, hot Summer of 1976 and it always came on before Starsky and Hutch. These were fantastic times, when the sun always used to shine and we didn't have a care in the world!

[umbrellashade]

The dancers "Pans People" were there only because there were no videos in those days. I fail to see why lack of videos should cause such problems when film was available. Also, did you notice that those micro-mini skirts that those girls were wearing are identical to some of those skirts worn today? It shows you that some things never change.

Good song, though.

[SuperSmitters]

Ok this is naff naff naff but the song is v simple but catchy, you tell it was written by a proper musican, good arrangement too, those girls look very sexy, today they would have awful tattoo's

[brickmakersarms]

It was the hottest summeron record for nearly 50 yrs it was the year i propsed to my girlfriend and we sat in a park and made the wedding plams for the following year marriedand had 2 gorgeous daughters both grown up with children of their own aaaahhhhhh the memories loved this song and the saturday nights watching the summertime specials from different resorts around this great country of ours

[gallen5042]

phwoar...mike's done well with his dancers here..;)

[shuchr]

mr womble

[woodster1965]

Aaahhh those days...we had a REAL summer back in '75...and even more in '76...holy shit the summer to end them all that was!!!! 'Phew wat a scorcher' as they say lol

[almostization]

@woodster1965

hey, yeah, that was a scorcher......... love to hear the old tunes and remember the tv shows we used to watch too. :)

[Spetz]

I feel weird checking out hot girls in this video who are probably 60 today. That just...weirds me out a little.

[paulytwotanks]

@Spetz Don't let it phase you. It's fine.

[Feisty1967]

@Spetz they wouldn't be 60, they'd be about 50 odd. Does that make you feel any better?

[Spetz]

@Feisty1967

not at all :)

[jocksmen]

GREAT MEMORIES WHEN I LIVED

IN UK AS A KID.!

[simposayerman]

Looks like joe Swash!!

[aandy51x]

Takes me back to the Seaside Special on a saturday night, great times great music , one of the biggest its of 75

[OtherTwin]

one of the best songwiter producers to come out of the uk rock on mike j vincent edwards

[Sladedestiny]

The show was Seaside Special and indeed it was in a bigtop. Gerry Cottle's Big Top actually. I always thought this song had a real feelgood factor and of course captured summer perfectly.Think about it.Sun,Sea and funfairs. Great stuff.

[MustaffaCuppa]

Mike Batt is so talented!

[billy270564]

damn you pans people...you cost me my eyesight !!!!!!

[Derwentcub]

Mike Batt - one of the greatest talents of the 20th Century (and maybe 21st)!

This just makes me feel SOOOO good!!

[stralight321]

Does anybody know the chord structure for guitar to this track?..I know there is a Bb in there..Anybody know the rest of the sequence?..

Please post..

Cheers!

[OasisShmoasis]

Just remember you're a Womble...

[rouens]

talented guy

[StanPomeray]

"Ginger Tosser"

[Ian2861]

Great stuff!

[MrsDistoney]

Nice to hear this song again. It brings back memories of all the vinyl I used to have. I remember the B side Children of the Storm.

[rarebutgreat]

Always reminds me of long summer holidays and the seaside special.still sounds great today

[RaiRhiannon]

wie lustig:diese Tänzerinnen,ihre Kostüme,die Tänze....einfach ein "gute Laune" Lied.

Klasse!!!

[slightlyperturbedmax]

Those chicks are hot

[sstudentuk]

Maybe dated a bit but this is the first single I ever bought & I was only 9 but loved the song :)

[vordman]

He's not a natural performer, but there's no doubting Batt could pen a darn fine pop ditty.

[mrssweetypea]

has anyone heard of mike batts, children of the storm, would be interested on any info

[MisterTrimble]

"Children Of The Storm" was the B-side of this song. I have the original 1975 single on Epic Records.

[theglitterband]

He looks like Steven Gerrard. Hahha.. Love the song though. Haven't heard this for years.

[billysuperduperful]

Sat nights-Seaside Special, New Edition, radio 1 DJs...used to love this song sooooooooooo much in our house!

[theglitterband]

I actually thought that the Wombles sang this. Hahahaha. :)

[fatpizzaman]

Yes, the vocalist sounds quite similar to the Wombles. ;-)

[newall7]

hardly suprising as he wrote and sung the wombles stuff

[bigqaraman]

Babs is the Pan's Person for me! ah! the memories!!

[chatham43]

....he looks a bit like that IRA guy...Martin McGuiness......?

[goldroversix]

according to my top twenty book..this got to number 9 in august 1975 ..not mikes finest hour but you got tostart somewhere

[newall7]

are u kidding!!! not mikes finest hour ?

this was theme to seaside special

it was massive hit in all the discos

[fatpizzaman]

@newall7 I have also put up the other theme to Seaside Special called "Sunshine Saturday" by New Edition (which Mike also wrote the song and produced their album). Have a listen when you can. :)

[newall7]

@fatpizzaman i had never heard it before i thought it was really good

mike is a v talented writer and performer i think credit to new edition

they sounded great !

[flobpera3]

is this basically a call to a village honey to come down to the city ?

[dojj1968]

Hot summer of 1975 - this programme was on the BBC on a Saturday evening.

They would tour around the country doing it every week from a different resort.

I think it was generally performed under a big top - I can't remember everything!

I know the BBC asked the most profilic song writer of the time to commission a theme tune. Result Mike (the Womble) Batt and the rest is history.

Somebody has written how music was so much more wholesome and melodic then - and it is hard to disagree

[theglitterband]

No 1976 - NOT '75 - that was the heatwave year. I remember it well. It was so bloody hot.

[40stantheman]

the programme was definatley 76

[scubalal]

@dojj1968 oh wow this made me laugh soooo much. i think your memory is awsome remembering this. well done and thanx for the trip down memory lane!!!!

[goahead100]

when I was school me and my frend  we had words to this song and cords we played this song on last day of leving school

[mistofoles]

Doesn't "Uncle Jimmy" look gay with that hairstyle!

[Lujacos]

Wie schnell die Zeit vergeht!

[Widmerpool99]

Ooooh... Cherry Gillespie.... still would...

[SiJClrk]

You genius, I've been trying to find this for ages, but Pans People as well....

[LineSixDude]

nice song!!

[Nosferatu1968]

Ziemlich frühes Werk von Mike Batt. Ein fröhlicher gute Laune Song, ganz nett, aber nicht sein bestes Stück (The Ride to Agadir).

[lynnedjones]

brilliant!!!

[ePhilosopher]

cool...wondering if her belly is so such omg

[vinm300]

Terrific, a classic pop number.

Mike Batt was a great craftsman.

[tackertone]

the summer of 75, staying at sandy bay,that was summertime city to me.

[michaelmurphy07]

This is the man behind the Wombles & umpteen film scores. This song was the theme tune to the much missed Seaside Special variety shows on BBC1 on Saturday nights. Great !

Thanks for this !

[Derventio74]

I love the wobbly cardboard fixtures - and that's NOT a criticism.. Things were much simpler then, and, in a profound sort of way, life was slower and happier.

Remember the two hot Summers? Wow!

It (the set) also reminds me of the old 'Crossroads' when phones would keep ringing after being 'answered' and other wobbly scenes. It was escapism - and BOY do we need some, right NOW!

Mike Batt is a genius - as a singer/songwriter.. Long may he continue!

Thanks for posting..

Tony x

[cissyada]

This is a GREAT 70s song which deserves to be remembered on a Mike Batt compilation! 'If' he ever reads these comments 'GET YER CHUFFIN FINGER OUT AND PUT IT ON YER NEXT ONE,'It's far too good a 'feel good'song to forget!

I've got an awful lot of good memories from the summer of that year! And i would imagine so have a lot of other's too!

[Derventio74]

VERY well said!

[compactct1]

Thankyou for this,i'd never seen this clip before, but loved the song for a long time, thankyou so much.

[TheHendonKissArmy]

Remember seeing the tv entertainment show of the same name with this as its theme tune very well.

Bring back the 70's....

[fatpizzaman]

Mike Batt is a brilliant all rounder in the music world in the UK. I think his own chart career should have had more hits than this one - his "Schizophonia" and "Tarot Suite" albums had some brilliant songs on them that deserved to be Top 40 hits. This song is terrific though, it goes back to a time when songs were a lot more melodic and wholesome than some of the crap that's in the charts today.

[Derventio74]

One of the finest singer/songwriters of the 20th century.. Fabulous stuff..

[cucumbergrin]

brill.... brings back memories. love Mike Batt.

[IonSpringfield]

At last.

This is a song Mike has yet to allow on CD. Essentially the same personnel as a Wombles session, except no reference to the furry fellows in the lyric - otherwise it could easily have been a Wombles record.

This is the more respectable of the two TV appearances Mike did to plug the single - his first top 5 hit under his own name btw - the other had him decked out in a larger afro with outrageous platform shoes ("don't ask me why I did it... it seemed like a good idea at the time").