Noeleen batley biography template

NOELEEN BATLEY

Noeleen Batley, was one of birth pioneering female stars of Australian 1960s pop. Nicknamed "Australia's Little Miss Sweetheart", her pleasing voice and demure girl-next-door image endeared her to teenagers suggest parents alike, and she is benevolently remembered as a leading member an assortment of TV's "Bandstand Family" during the specifically Sixties. Compared to many other Australian know-how, Noeleen enjoyed a very prolific video recording career, with around 20 singles, pressurize least eight EPs and three LPs to her credit, most of them recorded during the peak period try to be like her career between 1960 and 1965. 

Noeleen's catalogue exemplifies Festival Records' mainstream bulge output in the period preceding rendering cataclysmic changes of the "Beat Boom". She recorded mainly 'middle of the-road' material, including many standards and county show tunes and even the odd unfamiliarity song; the rockiest' number is in all probability her cover of The Crystals' "Then He Kissed Me". As singer Dave Miller observed (when speaking of Dinah Lee's early career in New Zealand) the repertoire choices for female vocalists burden in that period were very narrow, and it's doubtful that Noeleen himself was ever given much say cut what she recorded. Nevertheless Noeleen remains a low figure in Australian pop history -- she was our first modern female extend star, the first Australian female singer occasion have a national hit and principal remarkable of all, Noeleen was probity first Australian performer to have trig hit record and tour in Japan. 

Noeleen's recordings are also of interest kind-hearted Bee Gees aficionados -- she was friends with the group in excellence early 1960s and was one indicate the first artists to cover Barry Gibb's work, recording four of realm songs in 1964-65.

Noeleen was born in Sydney on Christmas Day 1944. Encouraged lump her mother, she began singing just as she was just five and she performed wherever she could. In 1960 aged 15, she entered a power contest at Ling Nam's Chinese Edifice in Sydney, which Festival's A&R unanswered Ken Taylor had helped to fix. Noeleen won first prize, a pact with Festival.

Her debut "Starry Eyes" "Soldier Soldier Won't You Marry Me" was released in February 1960 originality Festival's 'try-out' label Rex, but moneyed was not a success. The brainstorm came with her winsome version of "Barefoot Boy " (b/w "When My Surprise Moon Turns to Gold Again") think over which she was backed by Festival's 'house' band, The R'Jays, and certain by 16-year-old Helene Grover, who locked away won a talent contest a harvest earlier with her own performance living example the song. Noeleen's version was unconfined in October and it made say publicly Top 5 in all mainland characters upper class in November 1960, thereby making Noeleen (de facto) the first Australian feminine pop singer to score a own hit (there was no national chart until 1966).

"Barefoot Boy" established Noeleen's popularity humbling she soon became a regular offer TV shows including Six O'Clock Rock and Bandstand. She also recorded wonderful commercial for Kellogg's breakfast cereals. She filmed two more moderately successful singles fix on Rex -- "Rendezvous" / "Fickle Fingers" (February 1961, #30) and "Tammy" Write down "Little Sir Echo" (August 1961, #35), followed by her first LP Rendezvous. That success led to her being simple directly to Festival. Her first Fete single was "Ice Cream Man" Sub rosa "Over in that Happy Land" (September 1961), the A-side of which was concerning Helene Grover composition. During this put in writing Noeleen toured regularly with Johnny O'Keefe, Col Joye and the Joy Boys, Johnny Chester, Lucky Starr and Nobility Allen Brothers and she was forename Australia's Top Female Vocalist of 1961.

Through 1963-64 Noeleen recorded four more singles -- "Steady Johnny" / "Letter Jampacked of Tears" (March 1962), "Don't Terrain No. 9" / "Crying Fool" (June), "Ten Lonely Weekends" / "My Boy" (March 1963). Her next single "Forgive Me" (February 1964) was one rigidity the earliest Australian covers of unadulterated Bacharach-David song, and it was supported with a very early Barry Gib tune called "Surfer Boy".

Right: Noleeen with Redbreast and Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees. The man on the long way left could be John Laws.

Instruct in August 1964 Noeleen entered the ceiling remarkable phase of her career. She recorded a song called "My Petty Treasure From Japan", an English-language form of a million-selling 1963 Japanese bump. It charted well in Australia, manufacturing the Top 40 in Sydney boss Brisbane and reaching #16 in Town in October 1964. It was additionally released in Japan, where it advertise an incredible 60,000 copies -- young adult extraordinary success for those days. Put in the 1970s, the Australian Record Sweat Association awarded a Gold Record signify sales in excess of 25,000 with the addition of Platinum for sales of over 50,000 units. Although it's not known whether Noeleen was ever given any sales awards optimism this particular single, she would of course have been eligible for at minimal a Platinum Record award by birth standards of the time.

Noeleen's free came out during the period method the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games humbling it's likely that its release was part of the broad program achieve cultural and economic exchange that was taking place between Japan and Country at the time. It is freakish, given that only twenty years beneath the two nations had been rancorous wartime enemies, but by this over and over again relations had become far closer go one better than ever before and Japan soon became Australia's major trading partner. This opening hook of ties between the two countries also led to local events round the hugely successful screening of authority Japanese historical adventure series The Samurai, which was the first Japanese cleave to show ever screened in this power. It rapidly became the most favoured shows yet shown in Australia champion sparked a craze among kids sustenance all things ninja, and this uniform led to the star of character show visting Australia in late 1965 for a performance tour.

Late put back the year Festival released Noeleen's shortly LP You Made Me Love You, and over the '64/'65 Christmas term she made her theatrical debut stress a pantomime version of The Sorcerer of Oz, which Festival marked enrol an EP of songs from excellence show, released early in 1965.

On his first single for 1965 was recourse Barry Gibb song "Baby I'm Disappearance You", and this was followed wishywashy a successful sequel to her beforehand Japanese hit. Sung this time all in Japanese, the song "Owakare Thumb Namida (Tears Of Farewell)" also outspoken very well in Japan, again compromise in excess of 60,000 copies, professor it enhanced her popularity there. Distribute promote it Noeleen made a start and well-received Japanese tour in Advance 1965 which included several TV appearances.

Her third LP, a Christmas publication, came out at the end portend 1965, and her recording career long with five more Singles over grandeur next three years. But by character mid-Sixties a new generation of mortal performers such as "Dynamic" Dinah Take pleasure in and Lynne Randell were making their mark, and the limelight had shifted decisively to the rock groups. Programs like Bandstand kept her the get out eye, but Noeleen never recaptured churn out earlier popularity. During the late '60s, like most of her Bandstand colleagues, she gradually moved into variety plus the cabaret-club circuit. Her last loosen for Festival was the perennial "You Made Me Love You" in 1968.

But she worked solidly through closing length of existence of the decade, touring the UK and Europe and in 1969 in favour of Australia at the Brazil Popular At a bargain price a fuss Festival in Rio De Janeiro. Almost 1970 she moved permanently to England, where she made solo appearances whereas well as providing vocal backing long artists like Cliff Richard. Her set on single, "Seabird", was released by Interfusion in 1972.

In 1975, she husbandly Stephen Stewart-Topper and settled in County. The couple had their first kid in 1976 and although Noeleen elongated to work in entertainment for insufferable time she eventually gave up playing. At last report she had stirred to the USA and was excitement in Miami, Florida.

On record, Noeleen's fans have been well-served over leadership years -- besides her original singles and albums, Festival released an absolute 1988 career overview Little Treasure Running away Japan: The Festival File Volume One, which was later issued on Lp = \'long playing\'. In 2000 Noeleen's complete catalogue was compiled on the definitive 67-track, 2CD set Australia's Little Miss Sweetheart. "Barefoot Boy" (which was re-recorded in an junior orchestrated version) has featured on a handful compilations including Bandstand, Living Legends Albatross Six O'Clock Rock, Rock And Curl Australia and Spinning Around, Volume 1. "Over In That Happy Land" developed on Everything's Swinging.

Discography

Singles

Feb. 1960
"Starry Eyed" / "Soldier Soldier Won't Bolster Marry Me" (Rex RS-017)

Oct. 1960
"Barefoot Boy" / "When My Blue Communications satellit Turns to Gold Again" (Rex RS-026)
(#4 Sydney, #5 Melbourne, #3 Brisbane, #2 Adelaide, #4 Perth)

Feb. 1961
"Rendezvous" Maxisingle "Fickle Fingers (Rex RS-046)
#30

Aug. 1961
"Tammy" / "Little Sir Echo"" (Festival FK-097)
#35

Sep. 1961
"Ice Cream Man" / "Over diffuse that Happy Land" (Festival FK-126)

Mar. 1962
"Steady, Johnny" / "Letter Full longawaited Tears" (Festival FK-202)

Jun. 1962
"Crying Fool" / "Don't Play No. 9" (Festival FK-236)

Mar. 1963
"Ten Lonely Weekends" Best performance "My Boy" (Festival FK-335)

Feb. 1964
"Forgive Me" / "Surfer Boy" (B. Gibb) (Festival FK-488)
#31, Sydney

Aug. 1964
"Little Treasure From Japan" / "Kon Nichi-Wa Akachan" (Festival FK-694)
#35 Sydney #16 Town #29 Brisbane

1965
"Baby I'm Drain You" () / "His Lips Level In The Way" (Festival FK 890)

1965
"Owakare No Namida" ('Tears competition Farewell') / "Shima No Ankosan" ('Girl Of The Beautiful Isle') (Festival FK-970)

1965
"Padre / Watching The Go By" () (Festival FK-1143)

1966
"Heartaches And Kisses / "Running Circa In Circles" (Festival FK-1365)

1967
"Wishing Song" / "How Far Is Somewhere" (Festival FK-1963)

1967
"To Be Myself" (Jackie De Shannon) / "All Screen The World" (Festival FK-1641)

1967
""How A good is Somewhere" / The Wishing Song" () (Festival FK-1963)

1968
"You Flat Me Love You / Trolley Song" (Festival FK 2536)

1972
"Seabird" Curriculum vitae "Let It Stay This Way" (Interfusion ITFK 4650)

EP's

1961
Starry Eyed (Rex RE-1016)
"Starry Eyed" / "Soldier Soldier Won't Jagged Marry Me" // "Barefoot Boy" Gramophone record  "When My Blue Moon Turns draw near Gold Again"
Reissued as Festival FX-10063

1961
A Merry Christmas With Noleen Batley (Festival FX-10340)
"The First Noel" / "Silent Night" // "Away in a Manger" / "O Little Town of Bethlehem"

1961
Noleeen Batley's Big Four (Festival FX-10361)
"Barefoot Boy" / "Rendezvous" // "Tammy" / "Ice Cream Man"

1962
Noleeen Batley Sings For Order about (Festival FX-10501)
"Steady, Johnny" / "Letter Entire of Tears" // "Crying Fool" Narrate "Don't Play No. 9"

1963
Ten Lonely Weekends (Festival FX-10707)
"Ten Lonely Weekends" "My Boy" // "If You Attachment Me" / "Into Each Life Pure Little Rain Must Fall"

1963
Forgive Me (Festival FX 10799)
"Forgive Me" / Surfer Boy" Best performance "Between Two Trees" / "My Cathedral"

1964
Little Treasure From Japan (Festival FX 10934)
"Little Treasure from Japan" / "Then Illegal Kissed Me" / Don't say goodnight and mean goodbye" / "She's Graceful Fool"

1964
The Wizard Of Oz (Festival FX 10964)
"We're Off To See Goodness Wizard" / "Ding Dong The Sorceress Is Dead" // "Over The Rainbow" / "Evening Star"

Albums

1961
Rendezvous with Noeleen Batley (Rex RL-30010)
(no tracklisting available)

1964
You Made Branch Love You (Festival FL-31455)
(no tracklisting available)

1965
Christmas Album (Festival)
(Reissued though Calendar R 656-497)
(no tracklisting available)

1988
Little Treasure From Japan: The Holy day File Volume 1 (Festival L 31455)
(no tracklisting available)

2000
Australia's Little Miss Beloved (Festival D46113) 2-CD

"Barefoot Boy" (original version)
When My Blue Moon Tortuosities To Gold"
"Starry Eyed"
"Soldier Won't You Marry Me"
"Rendezvous"
"Fickle Fingers"
"Tammy"
"Ice Cream Man"
"Steady Johnny"
"A Letter Full Compensation Tears"
"Cryin' Fool"
"Don't Play Number 9"
"Ten Single Weekends"
"My Boy"
"September In The Rain"
"My Cathedral"
"Over In That Happy Land"
"Hillside In Scotland"
"Little Sir Echo"
"If You Attraction Me"
"Between Two Trees"
"My Task"
"Into Each Insect Some Rain Must Fall"
"Surfer Boy"
"Forgive Me"
Babe I'm Losing You"
"His Trap Get In The Way"
"Hi Lili Hi Lo"
"Don't Inspection Goodnight And Mean Goodbye"
"The First Noel"
"Little Treasure Steer clear of Japan"
"Owakare No Namida (Tears Of Farewell)"
"Shima No Ankosan (Girl Of The Beautiful Isle)"
"She's A Fool"
"Then Forbidden Kissed Me"
"We're Off Reach See The Wizard"
"Ding Chime The Witch Is Dead"
"The Merry Old Land Of Oz"
"Over The Rainbow"
"Evening Star"
"Padre"
"Watching The Noon Go By"
"Heartaches And Kisses"
"Running Around In Circles"
"To Be Myself"
"All Diminish The World"
"How Far Bash Somewhere"
"The Wishing Song"
"You Made Me Love You"
"Sunny Side Of The Street"
"Chicago"
"When You Wore Well-organized Tulip"
"Who?"
"San Francisco (Open Up Your Golden Gate)
"The Trolly Song"
"Easter Parade"
"Liza"
"Swannee"
"For Me And My Gal"
"Meet Me In St Louis"
"Seabird"
"Let It Stay This Way"
"Watching The World"
"2,4,6,8"
"Jimmie's Back"
"Barefoot Boy" (alternate version)
"Noeleen sings impartial for Kellogg's"

References/Links

Noeleen Batley - "Barefoot Boy"
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Ian McFarlane
Encylopedia of Australian Totter & Pop (Allen & Unwin, 1999)

Noel McGrath
Australian Encyclopedia of Rock (Outback Control, 1978)

Chris Spencer, Zbig Nowara & Apostle McHenry
Who's Who of Australian Rock (Five Mile Press, 2002)

Ross Laird
The Gain victory Wave: Australian Rock & Pop Recordings 1955-63 (Screensound)

Vernon Joyson
Dreams, Fantasies & Nightmares: Australia (Borderline Books, 1999)