HOLE IN MY SHOE (1967) by Traffic (incredible stereo mix)

I bought this single when it came out (Smiling Phases was the 'B' side). This song was written and sung by Dave Mason, rather than Steve Winwood who did most of the singing for the band. Francine Heimann was the six year old girl who did the spoken part in the middle of the song. She was the stepdaughter of Island Records boss Chris Blackwell.

Winwood had success as a musician prior to joining Traffic, becoming the frontman of the Spencer Davis Group at age 15 in 1963. Winwood met drummer Jim Capaldi, guitarist Dave Mason, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood when they jammed together at The Elbow Room, a club in Aston, Birmingham. After Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group in April 1967, the quartet formed Traffic. Soon thereafter, they rented a cottage near the rural village of Aston Tirrold, Berkshire to write and rehearse new music.

Traffic signed to Island Records label and their debut single "Paper Sun" became a UK hit in mid-1967. Their second single, Mason's psych-pop classic "Hole in My Shoe", was an even bigger hit, and it became one of their best-known tracks, but it set the stage for increasing friction between Winwood and Mason, the group's principal songwriters.

The rest of their career involved various personnel comings and goings (Winwood joined Blind Faith for a year) and Dave Mason even rejoined again for a short period. They had varying success, although scoring with John Barleycorn Must Die and The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Nov. 1971), which was a Top 10 American album athough did not chart in the UK. Sadly Chris Wood died in 1983 and Jim Capaldi in 2005. The above was adapted from Wikipedia.

I have put together a slide show video for this song, hopefully matching up images to the music. Comments are invited.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• traffic
• steve
• winwood
• dave
• mason
• jim
• capaldi
• chris
• wood
• francine
• heimann
• english
• rock
• sixties
• smiling
• phases
• michaelbackhouse

[SuperNevile]

Didn't think they ever played this live, but have just found an article from '67, where they appeared at the Finsbury Park Astoria with Vanilla Fudge. They played this with Mason sitting crosslegged on the floor playing sitar According to the review the evening was a shambles. One of my favourite singles of all time tho'. Only two of the original band left ~ like the Beatles , Small Faces etc.

[wilsonmcphert]

@SuperNevile

I once heard a bootleg of them playing it live at the BBC, where there were live vocals over the taped backing track.

[1Phoebus]

viewing this video after "all these years"...it was a surpirse to see one of my sons favorite actresses...the girl who played Alice, in a Star-studded cast of Alice in Wonderland...she had done the voice for the break in the song!...Now 2 generations in our house enjoy Traffic!

[wilsonmcphert]

@1Phoebus As stated above in the background info, the girl who did the voice interlude was Francine Heimann. I could find no photos of her so I tried to pick images of a young girl who I thought fit the song . My kids loved that Alice movie too and she was the best match I could come up with. I hope your kids still like the video and song!

[rocktenniscat]

What a band. Charming song. 'Loved these guys when first heard them around age 15. Do you suppose this was inspired by "Fixing a Hole Where the Rain Gets in....and stops my mind from waaaaannnderrrrrring...." ? It's that era for sure!

[wilsonmcphert]

@rocktenniscat Sgt Peppers came was released two months before Hole in my shoe was released. It's possible, particularly as Dave said in interview that he visited the Sgt Peppers recording sessions. Interestingly, he said it was the first song he wrote and that it was like a nursery rhyme. He said he had not tried LSD at the time he wrote the song (many thought it was influenced by that drug.

[jimboss2875]

my fiancée dad played the bass guitar in the original traffic line up.

[malcolmpeters53]

A special moment,a special time. Thank you.

[aussiej1]

@Tony70504 vine street that was in northwick, great movie house there i think, yes i know the shambles and the pub on the corner. Like you have not been back for many years as i know live in australia since 74 but you always remember the good times. cheers.

[Tony70504]

@aussiej1 I spoke to Dave a few times[ lovely feller] Jim was at Evesham...Iworked Metal Castings Droitwich Rd..and lived at Vine St. Worcester..Great times, do you remember the Shambles in town? I knew a girl that lived at St. Johns. She used to live up the London rd..[Jane] Her sister worked at David Greigs Broad st...Havnt been to Worcester for years..love to visit again.

[buddhastaxi666]

@cacisaes i did it was about magic and how to make it real

now do you get it

[buddhastaxi666]

i am walking around a landscape filtered and looking like by my childhood fairy tales

i cannot focus on all that as i am distracted by a wet foot

all this as sitar music plays its association with the new mysticism introduced by St George Harrison

in the background an ethereal girl child conjures up images exactly as special kids do when establishing the game scenario

every where LSD was being taken by imaginative good people

so of course this was a trip and what is wrong with that

[aussiej1]

@Tony70504 Great times, I lived in St. Johns, Blakefield Walk went to Christoper Whiteheads School with Dave Mason." Those Were the days my friend"

[Tony70504]

@aussiej1 I meant the 39 steps..

[Tony70504]

@aussiej1 Iived in Woecester early 60s.I knew Jim Capaldi doing a 5 year aprentiship, by St. Johns. Lovely feller,We used to get the bus at Broad st. on a Sat nite, too see the Hellions Oh what days..Their single "Daydreamin of you" [Jackie Deshannon Song] Jim on drums, singing "Oh Pretty Woman". The bus back we all bundled into a transport cafe [Droitwich Rd] were a bit later Jim and the boys would appear..Seems like yesterday. Did you know the 10 steps coffe bar?....

[FlavioGirl]

great song!!!!!!!!!! :)

[aussiej1]

I went to school with Dave Mason in Worcester,England class of 61. He was a nice lad.