Girl on a Swing (Gerry and the Pacemakers)

11 JUNE 1966

Gerry and the Pacemakers, the band that the mid-60s left behind. Their early success as part of the Merseybeat explosion in 1963-64 had been huge, with a string of #1 and Top Ten hits, but then they stood still while music evolved around them. Their ‘cheeky chappy’ image, generally tinny sound, and conservative suits, hairstyles and song choices meant they lacked the sense of ‘danger’ that the best bands had, and by 1966 the hits had dried up.

Their last chart presence was the slightly pervy single ‘Girl on a Swing’ (about watching an unknown girl on a swing every day), which was released in the UK during this week in 1966 but failed to chart there, although it did reach a respectable #28 in the US. It's not too bad, but still sounded as though it could have been released in 1963.

The group disbanded in October 1966. This was a shame, as Gerry Marsden was a decent singer and songwriter, but they had already left an enduring mark on British pop history.