Magic lanterns were once a popular form of entertainment, but today they are often seen as outdated and even laughable. These devices, which used light and lenses to project images onto a screen, were the predecessors of modern projectors and cinema. However, in today's era of high-definition movies and virtual reality experiences, magic lanterns have been pushed aside and brushed off as relics of the past. The phrase "magic lanterns shame shame" highlights this shift in perception. It suggests that magic lanterns are something to be ashamed of, a source of embarrassment. This could be because they are associated with old-fashioned technology and a simple, less immersive form of entertainment.
#296: Shame Shame by the Magic Lanterns
James Robert Bilsbury was born in 1942 in Liverpool, England. Around 1957 he joined the the Ray Johnson Skiffle Group. He was subsequently a member of the Nightboppers, the Beat Boys, and then the Hammers. In 1962 Bilsbury, as lead vocalist and on lead guitar, formed the Sabres with guitar player Peter Shoesmith, bass guitarist Ian Moncur, and drummer Allan Wilson. By 1964 the band changed their name to the Magic Lanterns. In 1966 they released a single titled “Excuse Me Baby”. The song was influenced by British Dance Hall nostalgia. It peaked at #44 on the UK singles chart. In 1967 they released their debut album Lit Up – With the Magic Lanterns.
However, after the debut album Shoesmith, Moncur and Wilson left the band. They were replaced with Les “Bev” Beveridge on vocals and guitar, Peter Garner on backing vocals and guitar, Mike “Oz” Osborne on backing vocals and bass guitar, and Henry Paul Ward on backing vocals and drums. The band released a cover of the Monkees album track “Auntie Grizelda”, which failed to chart. They also released a beat version of the 1939 Vera Lynn hit “We’ll Meet Again”. But, they got little airplay in the UK.
In 1968 the Magic Lanterns released a single titled “Shame, Shame”, and an album titled Shame Shame, which followed in 1969.
“Shame, Shame” was cowritten by Keith Colley, his wife Linda Colley, and obscure writer Knox Henderson. Born in Spokane, Washington, Jarrell Keith Colley grew up in the wheat farming countryside. He attended the University of Washington. While he was there he made a demo of the hit by Dion & The Belmont’s, “A Teenager In Love.” Colley’s version got some airplay locally and was heard by Jerry Dennon or Jerden Records. Dennon got young Keith a record contract that was transferred over to Era Records. In 1961 Colley released “Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart” which got some airplay in Boston. His next single at the end of the year, “Put ‘Em Down”, got some airplay in Spokane and Seattle, while the flip side, “(And Her Name Is) Scarlet” got him on the Top 40 in San Bernardino, California. Colley next moved on to Unical Records. His firist single release with the Unical label was called “Enamorado”, a #11 charting single in Vancouver (BC) in 1963.
Keith Colley had originally recorded “Shame, Shame” and released it as a single in the fall of 1967 in the USA. But aside from charting to #11 in Pueblo, Colorado, in February, 1968, his original version didn’t lead to a comeback.
At the end of the 1960s, Keith Colley took a promotion working as an Artist & Repertoire representative for Four Star. In this role he signed and developed talent for the publishers record label. After awhile, Colley was promoted to be part Four Star Music Publishing’s more senior administration.
“Shame, Shame” is a song about a guy who is in a relationship with a woman. However, he concludes he’s been cast in the role of a fool and a clown. The bottom line is “you ran to his arms tonight.” The guy who has been left out of the picture points out to her “he doesn’t love you…he’ll only break your heart, and leave you standing out in the rain.”
“Shame, Shame” peaked at #1 in Vancouver (BC), #2 in Columbus (OH), Quincy (IL) and Worcester (MA), #3 in St. Thomas (ON) and Tulsa (OK), #4 in Reading (PA), Chicago, Memphis, Birmingham (AL), Toronto, Hannibal (MO), San Diego and New Haven (CT), #5 in Cleveland, Springfield (MA), Rochester (NY), Rapid City (SD), Billings (MT), and Los Angeles, #6 in Gary (IN), Louisville (KY), and Easton (PA), #7 in Indianapolis (IN), Milwaukee (WI), Orlando, Denver and Hamilton (ON), #8 in Wichita (KS), Lewiston (ME), Battle Creek (MI), and Hartford (CT), #9 in Lethbridge (AB), Phoenix and Holland (MI), and #10 in Pittsburgh and Kansas City (MO). “Shame Shame” charted into the Top 40 in about 35 states across the USA and peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Following “Shame, Shame”, the Magic Lanterns struck out with their release “Melt All Your Troubles Away” in 1969. And a track from their 1968 album, “Give Me Love”, was also a commercial flop as a single. Lead singer Jimmy Bilsbury quit the band in 1970. A final album in 1971, titled One Night Stand, spawned a title track single and “Let The Sun Shine In”. During this time Albert Hammond was briefly involved with the Magic Lanterns, having written “One Night Stand” and several other songs on the album. He was also in the recording studio with the Magic Lanterns. But neither these, or several non-album singles that followed got anywhere on the pop charts. Subsequently, the Magic Lanterns disbanded.
Albert Hammond moved to the United States and had a #5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 titled “It Never Rains in Southern California”. Hammond wrote numbers of songs for other recording artists including “Gimme Dat Ding” for the Pipkins, “Little Arrows” for Leapy Lee, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” for Starship, “The Air That I Breathe” for the Hollies and later Simply Red, “When I Need You” for Leo Sayer, “One Moment in Time” for Whitney Houston, “I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love” for Chicago, and many others.
Jimmy Bilsbury formed Les Humphries Singers in 1970. They charted singles into the Top Ten variously in West Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. The group appeared in the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest where they performed “Sing Sang Song”. Bilsbury left the group in 1977, but returned for reunions in 1982 and 1992. In 1977 Bilsbury co-wrote “Belfast” for Boney M, a number-one hit in Belgium, France, Ireland, Switzerland and West Germany, #2 in Austria, #3 in the Netherlands and Spain, and #8 in the UK. By the late 1990s Bilsbury had been living on social welfare. He died of heart failure in 2003 at the age of 60.
The other members of the Magic Lanterns left the music industry after they disbanded in the early 70s.
June 14, 2021
Ray McGinnis
References:
“Jimmy Bilsbury,” Wikipedia.org.
Michael Shelley, Interview of Keith Colley, Podcast, April 8, 2017.
Joe Knapp, New Oldies: Tonight I’m Telling You by Keith Colley, Music Master Oldies.com, April 18, 2013.
George O’Leary, Keith Colley – Forgotten Teen Idol, Amazon.com, March 3, 2015.
Keith Colley, “Shame, Shame“, Columbia Records, 1967.
“Albert Hammond,” Wikipedia.org.
“Boss 30,” CKLG 730 AM, Vancouver, BC, January 3, 1969.
Magic lanterns shame shame
Contrary to the original 'Shame Shame' album released in 1969 (and reissued on CD in 2007), this is a compilation of the band's three albums.
The cover artwork is different and only the first five tracks are culled from the 'Shame, Shame' album, among which the fabulous 'Impressions of Linda' which is THE (psych-pop) gem on here.
As for the rest of the songs, they do not evince any 'focused' talent as many sixties pop styles are tackled with varied results.
Wimpy is a rather appropriate description of this. It's ultra light weight male vocal pop, with heavy orchestral production. This is typically the kind of album I try to avoid, but got roped in by the still persistent rumors of Ozzy's involvement. Put it to rest: This Michael Osborne is not THE John Michael Osbourne of Sabbath fame. the two last names aren't even spelled the same. But at the time, looking at the back cover band photo, the guy in the back, looking over the other guy's shoulder, kind of looked like it might have been a young Ozzy. Not to mention that the vocalist on the lead-off track vaguely resembles Ozzy's voice. So I was easily sold. But it's just NOT him. Grades - 3 C+'s, 3 C's, and 4 C-'s.
PublishedThis is an OK album, but ya is a bit to whimpy for me, and I like alot of the soft Psych. Not terrible by any means, but just is really kinda light weight.
PublishedThis bands main claim to fame is the rumor that enlists one Ozzy Osbourne in this band, however that is denied by Ozzy himself. Pretty average 60's pop rock with some slight psych touches. To wimpy for me.
PublishedVotes are used to help determine the most interesting content on RYM.
Vote up content that is on-topic, within the rules/guidelines, and will likely stay relevant long-term.
Vote down content which breaks the rules.
Magic Lanterns: Shame Shame
On average, orders containing available-to-ship items are processed and dispatched within 1 business day, although this is not guaranteed. Orders containing preorder items will ship as 1 fulfillment once all items are available to ship.
Please note, Tower Records Merchandise and Exclusives are dispatched separately. On average, these items take 2-3 business days to dispatch, although this is not guaranteed.
The estimated shipping times that are displayed at checkout are from the point of dispatch.
See our shipping policy for more information.
ReturnsWe have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item(s) to make a return.
To be eligible for a return of an unwanted item, your item must be in the same condition that you received it and in its original packaging.
In the unfortunate situation that a product is damaged/faulty/incorrect, let us know and we will endeavor to correct any issue as soon as possible.
Please see our refund policy for more information.
Description
Title: Shame Shame
Artist: Magic Lanterns
Label: Collectables
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 090431588925
Genre: Rock
18 mighty scarce tracks from Ozzy Osbourne's pre-Black Sabbath band, featuring the very rare LP Shame, Shame (and it's hit title track) as well as later cuts drawn from subsequent albums and singles when Albert Hammond was in the group! Includes One Night Stand; Country Woman; Impressions of Linda, and more.
Tracks:
1.1 Shame, Shame
1.2 Give Me Love
1.3 Never Gonna Trust My Heart Again
1.4 Impressions of Linda
1.5 Highway of Dreams
1.6 Excuse Me Baby
1.7 One Night Stand
1.8 Frisco Annie
1.9 Let the Sunshine in
1.10 Sad Thing
1.11 Why Can't Paople Be People
1.12 Sara's Coming Home
1.13 Tell Me Who I Am
1.14 Melt All Your Troubles Away
1.15 Country Woman
1.16 I Don't Wanna Go to Sleep Again
1.17 Stand for Your Rights
1.18 You Ring a Bell
This could be because they are associated with old-fashioned technology and a simple, less immersive form of entertainment. In a culture that constantly seeks newer, better, and more advanced experiences, magic lanterns simply do not measure up. But this shaming of magic lanterns is, perhaps, unfair.
These devices were groundbreaking in their time and brought wonder and excitement to audiences. The way they used light and shadow to tell stories and create illusions was truly magical. They allowed people to see images come to life before their eyes, sparking their imagination and bringing joy and amazement. Moreover, magic lanterns played a significant role in the history of cinema. They laid the groundwork for the development of animation and projected images, which are still fundamental elements of movies today. Without the innovation and experimentation of magic lanterns, the world of film and entertainment would not be what it is now. Instead of being ashamed of magic lanterns, we should recognize and appreciate them for their historical significance and contributions to the world of art and technology. Just as we can admire and study ancient paintings or sculptures, we can also study and appreciate the artistry and innovation of magic lanterns. By doing so, we can gain a fuller understanding of the evolution of cinema and the ways in which technology has shaped our culture. In conclusion, magic lanterns may no longer be at the forefront of entertainment, but they deserve recognition and respect for their historical significance. While they may not measure up to modern standards of immersion and realism, they played a crucial role in the development of cinema and deserve their place in the annals of art and technology. Instead of shaming magic lanterns, let us appreciate them for the wonder they once brought and the foundation they laid for the world of film..
Reviews for "Magical Illusions: Exploring the Tricks and Techniques of Magic Lantern Displays"
1. JohnDoe123 - 2/5 - I was really excited to see "Magic Lanterns Shame Shame" based on all the positive reviews, but I was extremely disappointed. The acting was subpar and the plot was confusing. It felt like the director was trying to be unique and avant-garde, but it just came off as pretentious. I found myself checking my watch multiple times throughout the film, waiting for it to end. Overall, it was a forgettable and tedious experience.
2. Sarah87 - 1/5 - I cannot express how much I disliked "Magic Lanterns Shame Shame". The storyline was nonsensical, and the characters were poorly developed. The dialogue was repetitive and the pacing was all over the place. I couldn't connect with any of the characters or their experiences, which made it difficult to care about what was happening on screen. I regret wasting my money on this film and would not recommend it to anyone.
3. MovieLover345 - 2/5 - I had high hopes for "Magic Lanterns Shame Shame" but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The visuals were stunning, but other than that, the film lacked substance. The plot was convoluted and confusing, making it hard to follow and invest in the story. Additionally, the characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them. Overall, it was a disappointing film that didn't live up to its potential.