THE COUGARS – SATURDAY NITE AT THE DUCK-POND 7″ – EXC ORIG 1963

The Cougars – Saturday Nite At The Duck-Pond / See You In Dreamland
(Parlophone Records  1963  45-R4989)
UK Pressing

Vinyl in Excellent condition
(there are quite a few surface marks & some light pops/crackles)
 

The Cougars were a short-lived band, formed in Bristol, England, in 1961. They specialised in rock music, mostly instrumental versions of pop and classical pieces.

Career

The band, comprising Keith Owen (lead guitar), Dave Tanner (rhythm guitar), Adrian Morgan (bass guitar) and Dave Hack (drums), signed a recording contract with Parlophone in 1963, after having been spotted at a talent contest by EMI’s A&R man, Norrie Paramor.

They had a modest UK hit that year with the single, “Saturday Nite at the Duck-Pond”, a recording based on a small section of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. The song achieved some notoriety for been banned by the BBC, despite which it spent eight weeks in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #33. The group used themes by Tchaikovsky for two further songs, “Red Square” and “Caviare and Chips”, without achieving the success of their first single. The Cougars’ final session for Parlophone was on 16 December 1963, when they recorded “Caviare and Chips”, “While The City Sleeps” and “Crying for the Carolines”, although the latter track remains unreleased. After recording three singles and an EP, The Cougars disbanded in 1964.

Their single chart hit can be heard on the See For Miles label’s, 20 One Hit Wonders, and on EMI’s Instrumental Greats Of The 60’s (CDB 7 94226 2 – 1990). “Fly-By-Nite” is on Instrumental Diamonds – Jumpin (Sequel Records – NEXCD 149 – 1990)