“Gloria” is a rock song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, and originally recorded by Morrison’s band Them in 1964. It was released as the B-side of “Baby Please Don’t Go”. The song became a garage rock staple and a part of many rock bands’ repertoires. It is particularly memorable for its “Gloria!” chorus. It is easy to play, as a simple three chord song, and thus is popular with those learning to play guitar. According to Morrison, he wrote “Gloria” while performing with the Monarchs in Germany in the summer of 1963, at just about the time he turned 18 years old. He started to perform it at the Maritime Hotel when he returned to Belfast and joined up with the Gamblers to form the band Them. He would ad-lib lyrics as he performed, sometimes stretching the song to 15 or 20 minutes. After signing a contract with Dick Rowe and Decca, Them went to London for a recording session at Decca Three Studios in West Hampstead in April 1964; “Gloria” was one of the seven songs recorded that day.
“Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” is a single by Traffic. It is the title song to the film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, and features all four members of Traffic singing a joint lead, though the bridge and parts of the chorus have Steve Winwood singing unaccompanied. The single uses an edited version of the song, with the intro removed. When released in late 1967, the single cracked the UK Top 10. Footage of the band acting out the song was commissioned by The Beatles for possible inclusion in the film Magical Mystery Tour but was not used in the final edit. It is now included in the special features of the 2012 DVD/Blu-ray edition of the film.
“I’d Rather Go Blind” is a blues song written by Ellington Jordan and co-credited to Billy Foster and Etta James. It was first recorded by Etta James released in 1967. Chicken Shack are a British blues band, founded in the mid-1960s by Stan Webb (guitar and vocals), Andy Silvester (bass guitar), and Alan Morley (drums), who were later joined by Christine Perfect (vocals and keyboards) in 1967. They had a minor hit with “I’d Rather Go Blind” which reached No. 14 in the UK, after which Perfect left the band in 1969 when she married John McVie of Fleetwood Mac.
“Race with the Devil” was the single British Top Ten hit for the late 1960s British rock guitar trio The Gun. They also recorded two albums before disbanding. The band included brothers Paul Gurvitz and Adrian Gurvitz. After being signed to CBS in early 1968, the band scored a hit with the opening track from their eponymous album (1968), “Race with the Devil”. Issued as a single in October 1968, it reached the top 10 in the UK, number 35 on the Australian Singles Chart and number 1 in many UK territories in March 1969.
“The Letter” is a song written by Wayne Carson that was first recorded by the American rock band the Box Tops in 1967. It was the group’s first and biggest record chart hit, reaching No. 1 in the United States and Canada. It was also an international success, achieving the top ten in several other countries. The Box Tops lead vocalist Alex Chilton sang “The Letter” in a gruff blue-eyed soul style. The song launched Chilton’s career and inspired numerous cover versions. Rolling Stone magazine included the Box Tops original at No. 372 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”; the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added it to the list of the “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”. In 2011, the single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
