Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes

"Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes" was a Kevin Ayers single release. The song taken from his classic 1971 album Whatevershebringswesing (released three months later). It would be re-released as a single in 1976 when Ayers re-signed to Harvest Records. The B-side, 'Stars' was a non album track that would be later included on the 1976 compilation Odd Ditties.

1 Track listing
2 Personnel
3 Live version
4 1976 reissue

[edit] Track listing

"Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes" (Kevin Ayers)
"Stars" (Kevin Ayers)

[edit] Personnel

Kevin Ayers / vocals, guitar, bass (on "Stranger.."), vocals, bass (on "Stars")
David Bedford / piano (on "Stranger.."), organ (on "Stars")
Mike Oldfield / guitar on "Stars"
Dave Dufort / drums on "Stars"
Tony Carr / drums on "Stranger.."
The Ladybirds / backing vocals on "Stars"

[edit] Live version

One live version of the song was released on the album June 1, 1974.

[edit] 1976 reissue

To celebrate the return of Kevin Ayers to Harvest Records, in November 1976 the label reissued his 1971 neo-rockabilly single. This time the track was accompanied by an another unreleased song from the Whatevershebringswesing sessions – "Fake Mexican Tourist Blues". This humorous track involves an unscrupulous Mexican trying to pair Ayers off with various members of his family; “Hey, brother, what about my mother / She's only just forty / She's especially naughty / She knows a lot a tricks / More than the younger chicks / And if you don't like my mother / I got a very nice brother.” Both songs were included on a collection Harvest released that year of Ayers rarities and B-sides entitled Odd Ditties, which this single helped to promote.