Primarily a classical music record label Saga dabbled in Pop music through the 1960's. Early on it made a short lived business arrangement with Joe Meek to back and distribute his Triumph label. As the decade progressed Saga developed a Production Library arm, the company also being into Film Production, and did record real pop artists .
The tapes for the majority of these pop recordings have been squirreled away in the depths of the British Library where they were placed by the retiring owner of Saga some 15 years ago. None but the Five Day Week Straw people have been available for nigh on 40 years.
Thus Swinging London as a collection, is a fascinating glimpse of the late 60's sounds mirrored through a contemporary London production house . The sounds are not clearly of any one particular genre, as they blend elements of Pop ,Psych, Lounge and Rock into a late 60's groovy melange, and are all the more enjoyable for it. Vocal and instrumental, if these tracks had been released through Deram or Regal Zonophone at the time they would not have been out of place.
'First Impression' Swinging London / 'Five Day Week Straw People' Five Day Week Straw People / 'Magic Mixture' I'm So Sad / 'Katch 22' There Ain't No Use In Hanging On / 'Good Earth' That's The Life / 'Blackbirds' Girl I'm Wondering / 'Dave Moses Group' Quite Fast / 'Graham Walker Sound' Big Match / 'Katch 22' Thoughts On A Rainy Day / 'Magic Mixture' New Man / 'Underground Sound' Arcipelago / 'Dave Peace Quartet' Couldn't Bear The Sight / 'Blackbirds' She / 'Five's Company' If This Is Love / 'Family Affair' Someone Is Calling Your Name / 'First Impression' All Lead Back To You / 'Herbie & The Royalists' Long Voyage / 'Katch 22' Don't Listen / 'Linda & Noel' Mr. Bantam's Fair / 'Graham Walker Sound' Crossroads / 'New World': Scheherazade / 'Herbie & The Royalists' My Life Has Just Blown A Fuse / 'Underground Set' Shake 26 / 'Five Day Week Straw People' Sunday Morning / 'Magic Mixture' Moonbeams / 'Alex Campbell' Victoria Dines Alone
