Johnny and Hilary Spencer-Powell

Johnny & Hilary Spencer-Powell
‘Mummy’s Gone Shopping, Let’s Get Married’ c/w ‘Santa’s Stuck In The Chimney And It Hurts’.
Piccadilly 7N350006
Released October 21st 1960

It seems hard to believe now but the 11 year old Spencer-Powell siblings were a sensation in the early, pre-Swinging Sixties.

Once described as ‘The King and Queen of Piccadilly Records’, they released twenty seven singles and six EPs between 1959 and 1961, including four top twenty hits. 'Mummy's Gone Shopping...' was the most succesful, reaching Number 2 in April 1960.

Quite often the songs cast the pair as young sweethearts desperate to break away and start a life of their own. Audiences lapped them up, even though a few commentators considered the lyrics a little troubling. Today, some modern music fans think Johnny and Hilary's music to be rather dangerous and even avant-garde.

‘Mummy’s Gone Shopping…’ is no exception. Over a saccharine backdrop of celesta and pizzicato strings, Johnny and Hilary warble their good luck…

"HILARY : Mummy’s gone out shopping
JOHNNY : She’ll be back in an hour or two
HILARY : Let’s get teddy to marry us
JOHNNY & HILARY : So we can do all the things that married couples do"

They followed this hit up with several more on the same theme: ‘Our Little Love Nest By The Sea’, Canoodling In The Dark’, ‘I Remember Our Wedding Night (With Glee)’ and ‘Love Me Until I Fall Asleep’.

An album, ‘Joined Forever’ is still available today. The track listing will give an idea of the general atmosphere.

Side One
1. Trying Out New Things
2. A Special Birthday Present
3. Clumsy With Your Buttons
4. Ickle-Wickle Love Spot
5. Keep The Lights On Tonight

Side Two
1. Mummy’s Gone Out Shopping, Let’s Get Married
2. A Little Touch Of Blasphemy (Works Wonders)
3. Eager Fingers In The Night
4. A Baby On The Way
5. Swollen Love
6. Our Loving Prayer To Jesus

After ‘Gonna Build A Beatnik House of Love’ flopped in 1961, the Spencer-Powells vanished from the scene, though Hilary did emerge a few years later (as Mistress Spencer Powell) with a single ‘Girls Like Girls Better Than Boys’ and an album ‘As I Stroke Her Raven Hair’, both of which gained some popularity.

Johnny Spencer-Powell became a fairly successful choreographer and, in later life, a television producer and presenter.