Английская Википедия:Don't Turn Your Back
"Don't Turn Your Back" is a song written by bass guitarist Göran Lagerberg and guitarist Anders Töpel, first recorded by their band Tages in 1965. Produced by the Violents Rune Wallebom, the song would be featured as the lead track from their debut EP Tages released three weeks later
The song was the third and final single by the group to employ a similar sound; heavily involving acoustic guitars combined with positive lyrics.Шаблон:Sfn Released as a single on 14 May, it was a commercial success, reaching number two on both Kvällstoppen and Tio i Topp during the summer of 1965.
Background and recording
Throughout early 1965, Tages established themselves as successful recording artists; they had recorded two singles, "Sleep Little Girl" (1964) and "I Should Be Glad" (1965).Шаблон:Sfn Both of these singles were extremely commercially successful, reaching the top three on both Kvällstoppen and Tio i Topp.[1][2] The former became the group's best selling single while the latter was well received in the Swedish press,Шаблон:Sfn unlike "Sleep Little Girl" which was flat out panned.Шаблон:Sfn However, "I Should Be Glad" was also slightly criticized for being "too poppy".Шаблон:Sfn Similarly, the group now had to face the challenges of being national stars, being chased around by girls around Gothenburg, which took its toll on the band members, who still had to keep up with school while recording.[3]
A similar issue also faced their record label, Platina Records.Шаблон:Sfn Platina was at the time an entirely independent record label, whose success was based completely around Tages.[4] Therefore, they had no distribution deal nor a recording studio, which resulted in "Sleep Little Girl" and "I Should Be Glad" being recorded in a youth centre and at the rival Metronome studio respectively.[5]Шаблон:Sfn In April 1965 however, Platina signed a contract with EMI Records which lent them their studio on Sandhamnsgatan in Gärdet, Stockholm.Шаблон:Sfn Platina promptly booked studio time for the band in May during one of their tours.Шаблон:Sfn On 4 May 1965, they entered the studio with former the Violents guitarist Rune Wallebom as the producer, as he had produced "I Should Be Glad" as well.Шаблон:Sfn Upon finalizing their recordings on 6 May, the session resulted in four songs, "Don't Turn Your Back", "Forget Him", "Donna" and "Hound Dog".
Release
Platina did not keep "Don't Turn Your Back" in their vaults for that long as a follow-up to "I Should Be Glad" had to be released, as it had begun to drop out of the charts at the time.[1][2] On 14 May 1965, Platina released "Don't Turn Your Back" as a single,Шаблон:Sfn backed by "Hound Dog", which was a Leiber–Stoller composition.Шаблон:Sfn This was the first time a cover song by the group was released, as both the A-side and B-sides of their two previous singles were original compositions.Шаблон:Sfn It was initially released in sleeves with both pink and orange text.Шаблон:Sfn Due to the success the single would get, it was eventually re-pressed in November 1965, and featured an alternate picture sleeve that featured a different photo of the band altogether.Шаблон:Sfn
Released in time for their summer tour,Шаблон:Sfn it similarly to its predecessors became a huge commercial success on both Sweden's record charts Kvällstoppen and Tio i Topp.[1][2] It entered Kvällstoppen on 6 June at a position of 14, before reaching number two on 20 July, a position it held for one week.[6] It was last seen on the chart on 14 September at a position of 16.[6] It spent 16 weeks on the chart, seven of which were in the top-ten and three in the top-five.[6] On Tio i Topp it was also successful, being voted in at number 11 on 29 May.[7] It also peaked at number two on 12 June, a position it also would hold for a week.[7] It was kept from the number one spot by "Here Comes the Night" by Them.[7] It was last seen on 24 July of that year at a position of 12.[7] In total, "Don't Turn Your Back" spent nine weeks on the chart.[7]Шаблон:Sfn
"Don't Turn Your Back" nor its B-side were included on any studio albums the group released during the 1960s.Шаблон:Sfn It was however featured as the lead track from their eponymous debut EP, released three weeks after the single on 4 June 1965,Шаблон:Sfn and following the group's contract with Platina expiring in 1967,Шаблон:Sfn also included on Hits Volym 1 in August 1967.Шаблон:Sfn[8] That same month, a compilation album named The Best Of Tages was released, which included "Don't Turn Your Back" as the third track.Шаблон:Sfn[9] The track's first release on compact disc was on a CD-reissue of a compilation album named Tages, 1964–1968!, released on 18 November 1992, where the song was the third track.Шаблон:Sfn[10] Both sides of the single would be released on the This One's For You Box Set, released on 28 November 1964 together with all the group's other recordings.Шаблон:Sfn[11]
Charts
| Chart (1965) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[12] | 2 |
| Sweden (Tio i Topp)[13] | 2 |
References
Sources
