Sweden Picture Sleeve: Philips 320 205 BF
Norway Picture Sleeve: Philips 320 205 PF
First UK Release: Philips BF 1454 / 320205 BF. Side A
First UK Release: Philips BF 1454 / 320205 BF. Side B
A My Ship Is Coming In
B You're All Around Me
by The Walker Brothers
Released: November 26th, 1965. Label: Philips
My Ship Is Coming In is the Walker Brothers’ fourth single. It was titled My Ship Is Comin’ In in the US and Canada. Originally recorded and released by soul singer Jimmy Radcliffe earlier in 1965, and written by Joey Brooks, the song is about a man telling the woman he loves about his change of fortunes: “You can throw away that shabby dress / Buy yourself the finest things in town, girl”.
Beginning with a prominent piano introduction, the song’s orchestra was directed by Ivor Raymonde, who also arranged strings on the Walker Brothers’ Make It Easy On Yourself and The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore. It was the opening track on the group’s debut US album, Introducing the Walker Brothers.
The B-side, You’re All Around Me, was co-written by Scott Walker singer-songwriter Lesley Duncan, and included on the group’s UK and US debut albums.
The single reached No. 3 in January 1966, behind Spencer Davis Group’s Keep On Running and The Beatles’ Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out. It spent twelve weeks in the UK top 40. It also reached no. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Credits
A. My Ship Is Coming In 3:15
Written By Joey Brooks
Arranger Ivor Raymonde
B. You're All Around Me 2:39
Written By Scott Engel, Lesley Duncan
Arranger Ivor Raymonde
Interview
Melody Maker, 4 December 1965
by Jerry Dawson
“We like to make records that will appeal to pros, to people in the pop business. If the pop fans like them and buy them so much the better. But first and foremost we go all out to make good records the songs must mean something to us, says Scott Walker of the Walker Brothers.
“We thought that ‘Pretty Girls Everywhere’ and ‘Love Her’ our first two releases over here were good records, but we made ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’ for two reasons. We liked it and we thought it better than the first two..”And I think that ‘My Ship Is Coming In’ is better still. A lot of people must have wondered why there was no quick follow-up to ‘Make It Easy’.
“There was a very good reason. We hadn’t a number good enough to follow it. I don’t believe in recording numbers in batches and keeping them ‘in the can’ for release as required. “Every week, styles styles or sounds could change and I always insist that everything we record is new, fresh and up-to-the-minute.
Our recording company wanted to release a couple of the tracks we had made for our first LP and even I was toying with the idea, and was listening to some publishers’ demo-discs as I chatted with our recording manager Johnny Franz. “And up turned ‘My Ship Is Coming In’. We both knew there and then that this was it. It meant something to me - I know it is going to mean something to record-buyers.
“I talked it over with the arranger, then the day before we were to record, we started to rehearse. I don’t believe in rehearsing for days before a session - that’s the way to lose the freshness.
“We had a bit of a fight with the record company they thought the number was too adult. Maybe it is but we make adult records. “Vocally and soundwise I feel that this is the best we have yet made - it has better quality, too.
“If it doesn’t hit the charts then I will be proved wrong. But we want it to sell on merit not on any image created by ‘Make It Easy’. “We have never made simple records, they usually take a couple of plays before they have any impact, and this one is no different in this respect.
“We are delighted to hear that ‘Make It Easy’ is now well into the U.S. in our Top Twenty home state of California it is number five- and we are going back in January to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show and another major TV programme.
“Sort of triumphant return but we knew that if we made it in England, it would make us big back home. “But we shall not be staying there.
“In fact I personally am going to take out papers and become a British citizen. I see my own future in music publishing, and in producing records.”
The Walker Brothers 1965. Photo by Arthur Sidey