A Little Ray of Sunshine explained

A Little Ray of Sunshine
Type:single
Artist:Axiom
Album:Fool's Gold
B-Side:"Ford's Bridge"
Recorded:1970
Genre:Pop
Prev Title:Arkansas Grass
Prev Year:1969
Next Title:My Baby's Gone
Next Year:1971

"A Little Ray of Sunshine" is a song by Australian country rock band Axiom. The track was co-written by band members, Brian Cadd and Don Mudie. It was released as a single in March 1970 and peaked at number 5 on the Go-Set National Top 40 in May 1970. The song was celebrated with its own stamp in Australia Post's 1998 Australian Rock stamp series.

Background

Axiom formed in late 1969 in Melbourne as a country rock group by Brian Cadd on co-lead vocals, organ and piano, Doug Lavery on drums, Don Mudie on bass guitar, Glenn Shorrock on co-lead vocals and rhythm guitar, and Chris Stockley on lead guitar.[1] [2] "A Little Ray of Sunshine" was co-written by Cadd and Mudie.[3]

According to Australian music journalist, Ed Nimmervoll, "[it was] inspired by the birth of Don Mudie's first child."[4] However, according to Cadd, the song was written about his niece. The song is written to celebrate her arrival.[5]

Axiom travelled to London in May 1970 to attempt to break into the English music market.[1] [4] Meanwhile, the Australian music market was embroiled in the 1970 radio ban, with major labels and radio networks involved in a "pay for play" dispute.[6] Christobel Munson of The Canberra Times described, on 16 May 1970, how, "commercial radio stations throughout Australia ceased to play most British and Australian-made records from midnight last night" and cited a local disc jockey, Terry Malcolm, who predicted, "the average listener would not notice the difference in programmes. 'The main ones which will be dropped after Friday night will be the Beatles' 'Let It Be', the Axiom (an Australian pop group) record 'A Little Ray of Sunshine'..."[7] Axiom's single peaked at number 5 on the Go-Set National Top 40.[8]

Track listing

7" single (7XAPA1869)All tracks written by Brian Cadd and Don Mudie.[3]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1970)Position
Australian Go-Set Chart[10] 47
Australian Artist Go-Set Chart[11] 11

Cover versions

Notes and References

  1. Book: McFarlane, Ian . Ian McFarlane . Jenkins, Jeff (Foreword) . . Encyclopedia entry for 'Axiom' . 2017 . . Third Stone Press . 2nd . 29 . 978-0-9953856-0-3 .
  2. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20041115143900/http://hem2.passagen.se/honga/database/a/axiom.html . Axiom . hem2.passagen.se . Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren) . Holmgren . Magnus . Stefan . Warnqvist . 15 November 2004 . 24 September 2018 . dead . dmy-all .
  3. Web site: Axiom . Axiom (band) . Cadd, Brian . Brian Cadd . Mudie, Don . June Productions of Australia . EMI Australia . EMI Music Australia . A Little Ray of Sunshine . 1971 . Parlophone . 24 September 2018 .
  4. Web site: https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040428140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14231/20040429-0000/www.howlspace.com.au/en2/axiom/axiom.htm . INXS . Nimmervoll . Ed . Ed Nimmervoll . Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd (Ed Nimmervoll) . 28 April 2004 . 24 September 2018 . dead . dmy-all .
  5. Book: Cadd, Brian . From this Side of Things . 2010 . New Holland . . 978-1-74257-057-0 . 292 .
  6. MA. The place of Go-Set in rock and pop music culture in Australia, 1966 to 1974 . Appendix 6: The Record Ban . Kent . David Martin . . September 2002 . http://erl.canberra.edu.au/uploads/approved/adt-AUC20050509.095456/public/02whole.pdf . 265–269 . 24 September 2018 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150904073704/http://erl.canberra.edu.au/uploads/approved/adt-AUC20050509.095456/public/02whole.pdf . 4 September 2015 .
  7. News: Entertainment and the Arts: The Radio Record Ban – Bang Go Our British Sounds . . 44 . 12,623 . 16 May 1970 . 24 September 2018 . 17 . .
  8. Web site: National Top 40 . Nimmervoll . Ed . Go-Set . Waverley Press . 16 May 1970 . 24 September 2018 .
  9. Web site: Go Set chart 16 May 1970 . Pop Archives . 16 May 1970 . 24 August 2016 . 12 May 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130512152033/http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1970/19700530.html . dead .
  10. Web site: THE TOP 40 FOR 1970. Pop Archives . 1970. 24 August 2016.
  11. Web site: THE TOP 40 FOR 1970. Pop Archives . 1970. 24 August 2016.
  12. Web site: Songs from a Southern Land. 16 September 2011 . iTunes Australia. 28 February 2018.
  13. Web site: 45 Years of Song. 30 August 2013. iTunes Australia. 28 February 2018.

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