Thanks For The Memory (Honey & Meat) May 1975

Polydor Records - 2058-585

Thanks For The Memory was censored upon release because the BBC took offence at the line...

"Have a love smell on your sheet"

As Top Of The Pops was extremely important to the success of a single release in 1975, Noddy re-recorded the vocal as....

"Have some honey with your meat"  (I thought wheat, hard to tell?)

...for TV broadcast. I thought this was only for TV until recently. *A fan produced a 7" single with the 'Honey & Meat' recording that is visually no different. The 7"s are identical to look at but my original Thanks For The Memory is stamped and etched in the run-out groove with...

2058585 A//1 M 11 3

KAPTIN KOFF

The B-Side has...

2058585 B//1 M 11 6 (or b)

The 'Honey & Meat' 7" is stamped and etched with...

PR 2058585 A//1 M 11 1

PORKY

The B-Side is stamped

2058585 B//2 M 1 3 3

That's is the only visible difference but obviously it's not visible to you cos it's etched and molded or stamped into the vinyl run out. I know, it's serious anorak stuff, sorry?

The track has of course, always been sought by the completist fans and the 1975 compilation, Ronco presents 20 Blazing Bullets, was the answer for those in the know.


Ronco Records RTL 2012

With funky artwork by Bob Searles and mastering by Melvyn Abrahams, we have the fabulous Gordon Smith to thank for this compilation. I'm assuming of course, that as the man with the responsibility of compiling the album, he was the person who chose to include the 'Honey and Meat' version.

Side 2: Track 10 Thanks For The Re-cut

It turns out there was a 'promo' version too, which comes as no surprise. I guess this was the copy that got shipped out to the BBC disc jockeys, etc. I've never actually seen a copy although I'm told it's not particularly rare.

Acetate

German - Polydor - 1975.

The video for the single release was made by Richard Loncraine and Gavrik Losey, both of whom worked on the 1974 Slade in Flame film. British film director, Loncraine, received early training with the BBC and New York born producer, Losey, worked on the Beatles tv movie, 'Magical Mystery Tour', amongst others, although that may not be something he shouts about.

*Big shout out to 'Nomis' for making this copy available for me to share. Thanks also to Chris for talking it through. A sharper promo image and readable album rear cover would be appreciated?

Slade on "Shang-A-Lang", performing the "Honey & Meat" version in 1975.

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Thanks For The Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) (Honey & Meat)

(Noddy Holder & Jimmy Lea)

Como estas chickadee

Have a housemaid on your knee

Eat an apple everyday

An onion keeps everyone away

Have an athlete on your feet

Have some honey with your meat

Eat an apple everyday

The doctor has gotta keep away

He'll tell you

Thanks for the memory

Thanks for it all

Wham bam thank you mam

Thanks for the ball

Have a burglar alarm

Have a milkmaid on your farm

Can you raise a ballyhoo

If only there's nothing else to do

Have some butter with your fly

They said bananas could get you high

Eat an apple everyday

For the doctor has gotta earn his pay

He'll tell you

Thanks for the memory

Thanks for it all

Wham bam thank you mam

Thanks for the ball

Come a-west us chickadee

Tap the water on your knee

Eat an apple everyday

The doctor has gotta keep away

He'll tell you

Thanks for the memory

Thanks for it all

Wham bam thank you mam

Thanks for the ball

He'll tell you

Thanks for the memory yeh

Thanks for it all

Wham bam thank you very much mam

Thanks for the ball