The First Class were a British studio-based pop music group, put together by songwriter and record producer John Carter. Compared by critics to the Beach Boys, they are best known for their hit song "Beach Baby," a top 20 hit in both the US and UK, and number one in Canada.

Career

The First Class was the studio creation of British singer/songwriter John Carter, who hired singers Tony Burrows (previously with The Flower Pot Men and Edison Lighthouse) and Chas Mills to join him as an outlet for material Carter wrote, with his creative partner and wife, Gillian (Jill) Shakespeare. In the 1960s, Carter had formed the group Carter-Lewis and the Southerners with fellow producer Ken Lewis. and in the US, peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was positively reviewed in American media, with Billboard naming "Beach Baby" one of the best tracks on the First Class' eponymous album and Cash Box praising the "perfect surfin' arrangement". Allmusic and Record World called First Class a British answer to American band The Beach Boys.

The group recorded a follow-up single, "Bobby Dazzler", and material for their eponymous first album, The First Class. While there was some demand for live performances by the group, neither Carter nor Burrows had the time for or interest in touring, so a group including bassist Robin Shaw (previously of The Flower Pot Men and White Plains), lead singer Del John, guitarist Spencer James (lead singer with The Searchers from 1986-2019), keyboardist Clive Barrett and drummer Eddie Richards (previously of Edison Lighthouse) was assembled to perform a number of dates as The First Class.

Discography

Original albums

  • September 1974: The First Class UK Records. UKAL R 1008.
  • October 1976: The First Class SST UK Records. UKAL 1022.

Compilation CDs

  • 1993: Beach Baby & Other Assorted Love Songs (Century Records, Japan)
  • 1994: Golden Classics (Collectables Records, US)
  • 1996: The First Class/The First Class SST (compilation of 2 LPs) (See For Miles Records, UK)
  • 1999: Beach Baby: The Very Best of The First Class (Collectables Records, US)
  • 2005: Summer Sound Sensations (RPM Records, UK)
  • 2023: Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings (Cherry Red Records, UK)

Singles

{| class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! colspan="4"| Chart Positions

|-

! <small>US</small>

! <small>CAN</small>

! <small>UK</small>

! <small>AUS</small>

|-

|rowspan="3"|1974

|"Beach Baby"

|align="center"|4

|align="center"|1

|align="center"|13

|align="center"|11

|-

|"Bobby Dazzler"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|"Dreams are Ten a Penny"

|align="center"|83

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|rowspan="4"|1975

|"What Became of Me"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|"Funny How Love Can Be"

|align="center"|74

|align="center"|80

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|"Life Is Whatever You Want It To Be"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|"I Was a Star"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|rowspan="3"|1976

|"Beach Baby (Re-Release)"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|"Child's Play"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|"Ain't No Love"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|rowspan="1"|1977

|"Too Many Golden Oldies"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|rowspan="1"|1978

|"Broken Toy"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|rowspan="1"|1980

|"Beach Baby (Re-Release)"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|rowspan="1"|1982

|"Beach Baby (Re-Release)"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|-

|rowspan="1"|1983

|"Gimme Little Sign"

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|align="center"|-

|}

See also

  • List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
  • List of performers on Top of the Pops

References

  • Discography
  • 45cat discography