Lorraine Chandler – You Only Live Twice b/w The Pied Piper Players – Hold To My Baby – Kent Pied Piper 7″

When Lorraine Chandler’s dramatic ‘You Only Live Twice’ was discovered in RCA’s tape library in the 90s, it was recognised as the forerunner of Yvonne Baker’s Northern classic ‘You Didn’t Say A Word’. Both tracks sport the powerful James Bond theme tune motif. Chandler and Baker’s late 60s careers intertwined further when both artists cut versions of ‘Mend The Torn Pieces’ and ‘I Can’t Change’. It was exciting to access the Pied Piper tapes and hear an earlier, rawer take of ‘You Only Live Twice’. Previously available only on a 100 Club Anniversary 45, this is the first single release for the song from the original session. The instrumental mix of the Cavaliers’ ‘Hold To My Baby’ is quite an adrenalin rush for dancers who love to revel in the musical instrumentation that made these sounds so memorable