Alan Charles Klein (born 29 June 1940) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He wrote the soundtrack for the

stage play A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and intended for theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Reading (process), reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright. Pla ...

and film, ''

What a Crazy World ''What a Crazy World'' is a 1963 film directed by Michael Carreras from a script by Carreras and Alan Klein, from the latter's stage play. It is a pop musical featuring a number of late 1950s and early 1960s musical performers, including an ...

'' (1963). In 1964, he released his only solo album, ''Well at Least It's British'', that was re-released in 2008 by RPM Records. Klein was born in

Clerkenwell Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The well after which it was named was redisco ...

, London. Many of his recordings were made with the record producer,

Joe Meek Robert George "Joe" Meek (5 April 1929 – 3 February 1967) was an English record producer, sound engineer and songwriter who pioneered space age and experimental pop music. He also assisted in the development of recording practices like over ...

. In 1966 he went on tour as lead vocalist of

The New Vaudeville Band The New Vaudeville Band was a group created by songwriter Geoff Stephens in 1966 to record his novelty composition "Winchester Cathedral", a song inspired by the dance bands of the 1920s and a Rudy Vallee megaphone-style vocal. To his surprise, ...

Writing credits

*1962 "What a Crazy World We're Living In" – Recorded by Joe Brown and the Bruvvers.

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...

7N35024 *1962 "My Very First Love" – Recorded by Ronnie Hall on Piccadilly 7N35040 *1962 "A Lay-Abouts Lament" – Recorded by Joe Brown and the Bruvvers on Piccadilly 7N35047 *1962 "At Times Like These" – Recorded by Ricky Valance on Columbia DB4787 *1963 "Sally Ann" – Recorded by

Freddie and the Dreamers Freddie and the Dreamers were an English beat band that had a number of hit records between 1963 and 1965. The band's stage act was enlivened by the comic antics of Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying. ...

on Columbia SEG8287 EP *1963 "Our Streets Annual Outing" – Recorded by

The Bachelors The Bachelors were a popular music group, originating from Dublin, Ireland, but primarily based in the United Kingdom. They had several international hits during the 1960s, including eight top-ten singles in the UK between 1963 and 1966. Car ...

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

LK4519 LP *1963 "Save Your Love for Me" – Recorded by

Marty Wilde Marty Wilde, (born Reginald Leonard Smith; 15 April 1939) is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, scoring several 1950s hit singles including " Endless Sl ...

on Columbia DB7145 *1963 "Sally Ann" – Recorded by Joe Brown and the Bruvvers on Piccadilly 7N35138 *1963 "Come Back When You're Ready" – Co-written with J. Duncan, and recorded by

on Columbia DB7214 *1964 "I'm a Dreamer" – Recorded by

Donald Peers Donald Rhys Hubert Peers (10 July 1908 – 9 August 1973) was a popular Welsh people, Welsh singer. His best remembered rendition and signature song was "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook". Biography Early life Peers was born in the Welsh m ...

on Columbia DB7226 *1964 "As Long As You Love Me a Little" – Recorded by Donald Peers on Columbia DB7299 *1964 "Big Talk From a Little Man" – Recorded by Don Charles on

HMV Sunrise Records and Entertainment, trading as HMV (for His Master's Voice), is a British music and entertainment retailer, currently operating exclusively in the United Kingdom. The first HMV-branded store was opened by the Gramophone Company ...

POP1332 *1965 "I Would Give All" – Co-written with John McLeod, and recorded by The Harbour Lites on HMV POP1465 *1965 "I'll See You Around" – Recorded by John Mantell on CBS201783 *1966 "I Just Can't Fool My Heart" – Recorded by Danny Storm on Piccadilly 7N35091 *1966 "It Ain't Worth the Lonely Road Back" – Recorded by Pozo Seco Singers on Columbia (US) 4-43636 *1966 "Little Ray of Sunshine" – Recorded by Joe Brown on Pye 7N17135

Discography

Singles

*1962 "Striped Purple Shirt" – Written and recorded by Klein on Oriole 45 CB1719 (

A Side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

) *1962 "Three Coins in the Sewer" – Written and recorded by Klein on Oriole 45 CB1737 (A Side) *1962 "Danger Ahead" – Written by J. Francis and recorded by Klein on Oriole 45 CB1737 (

B Side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

) *1965 "It Ain't Worth the Lonely Road Back" – Written and recorded by Klein on

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...

R5292 (A Side) *1965 "I've Cried So Many Tears" – Written and recorded by Klein on Parlophone R5292 (B Side) *1965 "Age of Corruption" – Written and recorded by Klein on Parlophone R5370 (A Side) *1965 "I'm Counting On You" – Written and recorded by Klein on Parlophone R5370 (B Side) *1969 "

Honey Pie "Honey Pie" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1968 eponymous double album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). The song was written entirely by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnersh ...

" – Written by

Lennon and McCartney John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

, recorded by Klein on Page One POF119 (A Side) *1969 "You Turned a Nightmare into a Dream" – Written and recorded by Klein on Page One POPF119 (B Side) *1970 "Dinner's in the Ice Box" – Written and recorded by Klein on

F13033 (A Side) *1970 "Here I Am, There You Are" – Written and recorded by Klein on Decca F13033 (B Side) *1970 "Nothing Like a Long Gone Man" – Written and recorded by Klein on Decca F13091 (A Side) *1970 "Dreams of Youth" – Written and recorded by Klein on Decca F13091 (B Side) "Honey Pie/You Turned A Nightmare Into a Dream" was also released in the USA, under the pseudonym "Earl of

Cricklewood Cricklewood is an area of London, England, which spans the boundaries of three London boroughs: Barnet to the east, Brent to the west and Camden to the south-east. The Crown pub, now the Clayton Crown Hotel, is a local landmark and lies north- ...

" ( Page One 21,021, March 1969).

Albums

*1964 ''Well at Least It's British'' – Written and recorded by Klein on Decca

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Alan 1940 births Living people English male singer-songwriters English pop singers People from Clerkenwell Singers from London The New Vaudeville Band members