No. 1 Girl...
by
Michael Collins
This song was one of the first I co-wrote back in 1981 together with Keith O'Connell and Gee Bello. It was released in 1982 on EMI Records by Light of the World, the UK's leading Brit-Funk group at that time. Despite heavy radio play on 'pirate' radio stations in the UK, the record did not sell - and the A & R man at EMI, Dave Ambrose, apologised to me for this at the time, saying that the promotion department just had not promoted this properly.
I always loved the song, so I decided to record my own version at my home studio. David 'Da Paul' Philips sings the lead vocals on this version with support from Noel McCalla on backing vocals and a 'cameo' appearance by Aurora Colson improvising vocals near the end. Rowland Sutherland plays fantastic flute, Roger Beaujolais plays great vibraphone, Jim Mullen adds electric guitar licks, I play hand percussion, acoustic guitars and some pedal harp, Damon Butcher plays Rhodes and piano, Keith O'Connell plays string synthesiser, and Blair Cunningham plays drums.
It lasts for more than 7 minutes in its full version, so I have included a shorter 5 minute version on this single release. Enjoy!
Mike Collins, October 2011
