Release Date: 17th November 1972

The band’s fourth single was a setting to music by John Meeks and Colin Radcliffe of the old Lancashire dialect poem A Gradely Prayer, written by Allen Clarke, who was perhaps better known under his pen-name Teddy Ashton. The poem was recited over the musical backing, rather than sung. The record was issued in mid-November, suggesting EMI might have had an eye on the Christmas market. The record may have been a hit in Lancashire, but this didn’t translate to sales across the country.

The B-side was another Meeks-Radcliffe song Reflections Of Emily, a quiet and thoughtful song, with lead vocals by John. A Gradely Prayer was to appear on the band’s next album Makin’ Tracks, and Reflections Of Emily was on the one after that, Songs We Like To Sing. EMI were to reissue the single in 1975, with the same two sides in these original versions.

Side A

1. A Gradely Prayer (John Meeks – Colin Radcliffe [music] – Allen Clarke [words])

Side B

1. Reflections Of Emily (John Meeks – Colin Radcliffe)

Label: EMI 2381

Release Date: 21st November 1975

This was a re-issue of the 1972 single originally released on the Columbia label, but now promoted to the flagship EMI label. Like the original single, it was released in November, presumably for the Christmas market. It had exactly the same recordings of the same two songs as the original – and sadly achieved the same lack of chart success for the band.