John Leyton

  • Real Name: John Leyton
  • Birth Date: 17th February 1939
  • Birth Place: Frinton, Essex
  • John Leyton began as an actor and it was as such that he was taken on by Robert Stigwood who was building up a new theatrical agency. His first significant booking from this was in the TV series 'Biggles', but better roles were elusive and Stigwood asked Leyton if he could sing. This led to a series of auditions with various recording studios including that of independent producer Joe Meek. Unlike the other companies, Meek was unconcerned about Leyton's initial lack of singing experience but was impressed by the young actor's good looks.

    Leyton's first release, the tragedic 'Tell Laura I Love Her' missed out to another version by hitherto unknown singer, Ricky Valance. Similarly, the Meek inspired 'Girl On The Floor Above' was also ignored by record buyers and, although John's confidence as a singer was growing, chances of a career in Pop music then looked thin. However, at this time Leyton had secured the part of 'Johnny St. Cyr' -a pop star -in a new TV series called 'Harper's West One'. Joe Meek's close associate Geoff Goddard had just written 'Johnny Remember Me' and Meek's sound engineering skills gave Leyton's rendition of it a truly ethereal sound. With Stigwood's influence, arrangements were made for John Leyton to sing the song as part of the TV drama.

    All John Leyton's EPs are very sought after because most of his recordings were made in association with Joe Meek. The one shown on the right (SEG8843) is no exception.
    7EG8843

    This huge hit was followed by further recordings from the Meek/Goddard/Leyton team, and they are certainly among the best examples of work from the remarkable sound producer. However, by the beginning of 1963 Stigwood unwisely decided to transfer Leyton to EMI's Abbey Road. The quality of recorded sound immediately improved and showed that Leyton actually had a good singing voice, but unfortunately the excitement had also gone along with the distortion. Luckily for John Leyton, his acting career had taken off with a part in the film 'The Great Escape'. Despite trying to give John's music more of a 'group' sound by giving him a backing group, 'The Le Roys', his chart career faded out by the beginning of 1964.

    John Leyton finds time occasionally to return to the stage just to check that his fans really still do remember him.

    1950s & 1960s 45rpm UK Discography

    • Upper List includes UK 45 singles releases only
    • See Lower List for EP releases.
    • Collector's Items are shown In Red

    Top Rank JAR426 1960 Tell Laura I Love Her/ Goodbye To Teenage Love  
    HMV POP798 1960 The Girl On The Floor Above/ Terry Brown's In LOve With Mary Dee  
    Top Rank JAR577 1961 Johnny Remember Me/ There Must Be #1
    Top Rank JAR585 1961 Wild Wind/ You Took My Love For Granted #2
    HMV POP956  1961 Son This Is She/ Six White Horses #15
    HMV POP992 1962 Lone Rider/ Heart Of Stone #40
    HMV POP1014 1962 Lonely City/ It Would Be Easy #14
    HMV POP1054 1962 Down The River Nile/ I Think I'm Falling In Love #42
    HMV POP1076 1962 Lonely Johnny/ Keep On Loving You  
    HMV POP1122 1963 Cupboard love/ Land Of Love #22
    HMV POP1175 1963 I'll Cut Your Tail Off/ The Great Escape #36
    HMV POP1204 1963 On Lover's Hill/ Lovers Lane  
    HMV POP1230 1963 I Guess You Are Always On My Mind/ Beautiful Dreamer  
    HMV POP1264 1964 Make Love To Me/ Missing You #49
    HMV POP1338 1964 Don't Let Her Go Away/ I Want A Love I Can See  
    HMV POP1374 1964 All I Want Is You/ Every Day Is A Holiday  

    EP Discography

    • Collector's Items are shown In Red
    • See Upper List For Singles releases

    Top Rank JKP3016 1962 "John Leyton" #11
    Wild Wind/You Took My Love For Granted/Johnny Remember Me/There Must Be
    HMV 7EG8747 1962 John Leyton "Hit Parade"  
    Lone Rider/ Son This Is She/Lonely City/It Would Be Easy
    HMV 7EG8843 1963 "Beautiful Dreamer"  
    Beautiful Dreamer/On Lover's Hill/I'll Cut Your Tail Off/Lover's Lane
    HMV 7EG8854 1964 "Tell Laura I Love Her"  
    Tell Laura I Love Her/The Girl On The Floor Above/Johnny Remember Me/Wild Wind


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