Kites (song)

"Kites" is a ballad written by Hal Hackady and Lee Pockriss.

It was a hit for Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, the group of the Shulman brothers who went on to form the progressive band Gentle Giant. Their first releases had not been successful and they looked to their manager, John King, for inspiration. He suggested the Kites ballad, which he had obtained from Robbins' Music. This was not their preferred style but King insisted. It was recorded at Abbey Road using unconventional instruments such as a wind machine and included a spoken interlude in Chinese, composed of "sweet nothings" and performed by the actress Jacqui Chan, friend of the band. The single reached number 8 in late 1967 and as an exemplar of the early psychedelic rock style it has since appeared on many compilations, especially those themed around psychedelia.

Other performances

• The Israeli band Nikmat Hatraktor (נקמת הטרקטור) recorded a Hebrew version of the song, which appeared on their eponymous debut album (1990).
• A cover version by the dance group Ultraviolet was a UK club hit in 1991.^{[citation needed]}
• A version of Kites is included in Arthur Brown's 2007 album The Voice of Love.
• Charlotte Hatherley plays an acoustic version of the song in her set.
• In 1981, Billy Mackenzie of The Associates covered this song under the name 39 Lyon Street.

External links

• Simon Dupree & The Big Sound