Paper Tiger is synonymous with the early sound of Radio London, when the station had only a limited number of records.

Sue Thompson was born Eva Sue McKee in Nevada, Missouri, where she made her mark as a singing cowgirl, aged only seven. When her family moved to California, she appeared regularly on Dude Martin's country television show in San Francisco.

Paper Tiger came from the pen of prolific songwriter John D Loudermilk.

Sue was in her mid-thirties when she achieved two US million-sellers. In 1961, she enjoyed a top five success with Loudermilk's Sad Movies, but the simultaneous release of Brit Carol Deene's cover meant that both versions made only minor dents in the UK chart. Sue's follow-up and greatest US hit (#3) Norman (another Loudermilk song) was also covered by Carol Deene. Sadly for Sue, the Brit version was the one that conquered the UK top 30.

Three years later, Paper Tiger (undoubtedly assisted by offshore exposure) gave Sue her second and final (but biggest) UK hit, at #30.

In the Seventies, Sue left the pop scene to return to country music.

Paper Tiger lyrics here.

Paper Tiger and all of Sue's hits are on the 26-track CD, Suzie: The Hickory Anthology.

Click on the photo for full track listing.

The London-based Zephyrs – John 'Chip' Carpenter (drums) John Hinde (vocals/bass), Meic (Mike) Lease (organ) and John Bebby (or Peeby) (guitar) - had, rather wisely, changed their name from the Clee-shays.

She's Lost You (produced by Shel Talmy) fared far better on Radio London than elsewhere. It spent just one week at #48 in the National Top Fifty, although it appears the Zephyrs also achieved minuscule British Invasion success, occupying the lower reaches of New York's WMCA Good Guys survey for a fortnight.

The group's final single, I Just Can't Take it, released in May 65, was written by Mike Lease and was the first A-side published by Radio London's publishing company, Pall Mall Music. However, unlike many Pall Mall releases, it never appeared in the Fab Forty. The band was seen playing the B-side, She Laughed, in the Rank film Be My Guest. Most of the artists appeared under their own names, but the unfortunate Zephyrs were given the sobriquet Slash Wildly & the Cut-Throats.

Be My Guest starred David Hemmings, with a young Steve Marriott. This was Steve's third film and a sequel to 1963's Live it Up, involving a very similar plot. Musically, the film also showcases performances by Jerry Lee Lewis, the Nashville Teens, the Niteshades, the Plebs and Kenny and the Wranglers. (see Fab Forty 160565)

During the filming, organist Mike Lease became friendly with Steve Marriot and later, Steve called him to invite him to join the Small Faces. Mike feared Steve was not sufficiently musically competent and turned the job down! (Interview, Vinyl Vulture)

WMCA Good Guys survey info from the brilliant Airheads Radio Survey where you will learn that Airheads is the US equivalent of Anoraks - i.e. radio trivia buffs.

Click on the Be My Guest photo (right) for information on buying the film.