Born on November 15, 1932, Petula Clark began her professional career as a child performer durung World War II and went on to build a career that spans more than 80 years. She charted her first major hit in the UK with “The Little Shoemaker” in 1954 and became an international star in the 1960s with songs like “Downtown,” “My Love” and “I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love.”
What makes her journey exceptional is not just the hits, but the reach – singing in multiple languages, crossing into film and theatre, and continuing to perform and record for decades. She didn’t just shine for a year or two; she kept going, evolving, and adapting.
Petula’s career wasn’t all glitz either: behind the scenes she balanced family life and a demanding schedule, shifted between countries, and embraced new challenges. But it’s the joyous voice, the unmistakable melodies, and the sense of optimism in her songs that stick with us today.
So here’s to Petula Clark – still vibrant, still creative, still inspiring. A musical force, a silver-screen presence and a true survivor in the world of showbusiness.
May you continue to enjoy your day, Petula Clark, and know that your music and your legacy are still very much loved by generations of fans.
I’m curently reading Petula’s recently released autobiography, Is That You, Petula?. It’s a great read – insightful and entertaining. I highly recommend it.
Following is the living legend herself being interviewed just last week on the British talk show Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh . . .
It’s the 90th birthday today of Petula Clark, the English singer, actress and composer whose career has spanned eight decades.
I’ve been an admirer of Petula since I was in 5th grade, when I well remember imploring my parents to buy for me the K-Tel album of her “20 Fantastic Hits” being advertised on TV at the time. This was in Australia in the mid-1970s. . . . And, yes, they bought it for me, although I remember my mum remarking that the picture on the album’s cover didn’t (to her eyes at least) look like Petula.
Petula, of course, had been around long before the time I obtained her “fantastic hits” album in the mid-1970s. She actually began her singing career during the Second World War as a child entertainer on BBC Radio. While she was performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1944, Petula (or “Pet” as she was often called) was discovered by film director Maurice Elvey, who cast her as the precocious orphaned waif Irma in his war drama Medal for the General. She was 12-years-old at the time. Other films followed, some of which saw her working with the greats of British cinema, including Anthony Newley, Peter Ustinov and Alec Guinness. Her television career began in 1946 with an appearance on a BBC variety show, Cabaret Cartoons, which led to her being signed to host her own afternoon series, Petula Clark. Her second series, Pet’s Parlour, followed in 1950.
Petula’s music career began in earnest in the late 1940s, and she had her first UK hit in 1954 with “The Little Shoemaker.” Within two years she began recording in French, the start of a long and successful French-language recording career. It was while visiting Paris in the late 1950s that Petula met her future longtime publicist, collaborator, and husband Claude Wolff.
In 1968 NBC-TV invited Petula to host her own special in the U.S. In accepting, Petula inadvertently advanced the cause of racial justice. Here’s what happened: While singing a duet of “On the Path of Glory,” an anti-war song that she had composed, with guest Harry Belafonte, Petula took hold of his arm. Watching the footage, a representative from the Chrysler Corporation (the show's sponsor) expressed dismay, fearing that the moment would incur racial backlash from Southern viewers. When he insisted that they substitute a different take, with Clark and Belafonte standing well away from each other, Clark and the executive producer of the show — her husband, Claude Wolff — refused, destroyed all other takes of the song, and delivered the finished program to NBC with the touch intact. The Chrysler representative was fired, and the program aired on April 8, 1968, four days after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., with high ratings, critical acclaim, and a Primetime Emmy nomination.
Throughout the late 1960s Petula toured in concerts across the U.S., often appearing in supper clubs such as the Copacabana in New York City, the Ambassador Hotel’s Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, and the Empire Room at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Also in the late ’60s, Petula revived her film career, starring in two big movie musicals. In Finian’s Rainbow (1968), she starred opposite Fred Astaire (right), and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The following year saw her star with Peter O’Toole in Goodbye, Mr. Chips, a musical adaptation of the classic James Hilton novella.
By the early 1980s, Petula had moved away from film and television. At the urging of her three children she took to the stage, starring as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music in the West End of London. Opening to positive reviews and what was then the largest advance sale in British theatre history, Petula – proclaimed by Maria Von Trapp herself as “the best Maria ever” – extended her initial six-month run to thirteen to accommodate the huge demand for tickets. Her performance garnered an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. In 1983, Petula took on the title role in George Bernard Shaw's Candida.
Petula’s later stage work includes Someone Like You in 1989 and 1990 (for which she composed the score); Blood Brothers, in which she made her Broadway debut in 1993 at the Music Box Theatre, followed by an American tour; and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, appearing in both the West End and American touring productions from 1995 to 2000. With more than 2,500 Sunset Boulevard performances, she has played the role of Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent screen era, living in the past in her decaying mansion on the fabled Los Angeles street, more often than any other actress.
Throughout her time working in the theatre during the 1980s and ’90s, Petula continued to record new material. A 1981 single, “Natural Love,” reached number 66 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and number 20 on the U.S. Country Singles chart in early 1982. A decade later in 1992, she released “Oxygen,” a techo-pop track produced by Andy Richards and written by Nik Kershaw.
In 2013, after a long absence from the recording studio, Petula released a new album titled Lost in You, containing both new music and covers.
I love this album, and anyone who hears it playing in my home is always drawn to it, asking, Who’s that? Standout tracks include a slowed-down remake of her ’60s hit “Downtown,” a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” and a chilled-out and sublime original song, “Every Word You Say.” The album’s opening track, “Cut Copy Me,” was a hit in Belgium, of all places, while the album itself entered the UK national album chart at number 24 in March of 2013.
Even in her eighties, Petula continued to record and perform, as evidenced by her two most recent albums (2017’s Living for Today and 2018’s French-Canadian album Vu d’ici) and by the fact that since 2019 she’s appeared in London’s West End as The Bird Woman (below) in the popular revival of the musical Mary Poppins.
As you may recall, I had the honor and pleasure of seeing Petula in concert when I was in Australia in May of 2019 (right). I even briefly met and talked with her after the show. How lucky was I?
In celebration of Petula’s 90th birthday, I share her most recent recording, “Luminescent,” a beautiful song she recorded earlier this year with The John Williams Syndicate.
Enjoy! . . . And Happy Birthday, Petula!
For another track by The John Williams Syndicate featuring Petula Clark on vocals, click here.
It's the 87th birthday today of Petula Clark, the English singer, actress and composer whose career has spanned eight decades.
And she's still going strong, as evidenced by two recent albums (2017's Living for Today and 2018's Vu d'ici) and by the fact that she's currently appearing in London's West End as The Bird Woman (left) in the revival of the iconic musical Mary Poppins. While one reviewer quips that she "strik[es] a blow for ongoing vitality," Quentin Letts, writing in the November 17 edition of the Sunday Times, offers a more substantive appraisal of Petula's presence in Mary Poppins.
Petula Clark is back on the West End stage. She has been singing professionally since 1942, when she managed to take an audience's mind off one of Hermann Göring's air raids. Now she is playing the Bird Woman in a revival of Richard Eyre's Mary Poppins.
Her photograph in the programme is a triumph of soft focus and makes her look about 50. As for the voice that once belted out “Downtown,” it has dropped a bit – the opening note of her one song, “Feed the Birds,” is almost baritone – but still casts a spell.
As you may recall, I had the honor and pleasure of seeing Petula in concert when I was in Australia earlier this year (right). I even briefly met and talked with her after the show. How lucky was I?
Anyway, in celebration of Petula's birthday, I share this evening "Sincerely," one of my favorite tracks from Living for Today.
It's not every day that one gets to meet a living legend. But that's exactly what I was fortunate enough to do this past Sunday, May 12, when I met Petula Clark after seeing her perform at The Glasshouse in Port Macquarie.
The British singer, actress and composer whose career spans eight decades (she started singing as a child during World War II), is currently in Australia as part of her latest world tour.
After her show last Sunday, I briefly met and talked with Petula at the concert venue's stage door. It's a tradition of hers to meet with folks in this way after every show.
She's a lovely person, very warm and down to earth. She expressed surprise when I told her I live in Minneapolis, and I sensed that she wondered why I would do so when, as an Australian, I could live in a place like Port Macquarie.
Petula clearly loves Port, speaking glowingly about it from the stage and staying in the city for a few days after her show. Mum and Dad and I saw her and her musical director Grant Sturiale strolling through the main part of town the next day.
She also sang a number of songs from her more recent albums Lost In You and Living for Today. And I love how the title track of the latter includes a resolute though non-strident denouncement of mass destruction, corporate greed, and political corruption. Go Petula! . . . Of course, it's not the first time she's taken a stand for justice and peace.
For an 86-year-old, Petula is in remarkable voice, and she looks great. When she sings something wonderful comes over her. She positively glows with an inner warmth and light, which makes her look 20 years younger. Singing and performing is clearly her calling and passion.
I'm very happy and honored to have had the opportunity to not only experience Petula Clark in concert, but to also meet and briefly talk with her.
Above: Petula Clark in concert earlier this year in the U.S. This photo was taken by Clément Brillant and shared on the Facebook Petula Clark Appreciation Group. I include it in this post as the outfit Petula is wearing was one of two she wore for her May 12 concert in Port Macquarie.
Following is the official music video for "Sacrifice My Heart," one of a number of standout tracks from Petula's 2016 album From Now On.
Petula recorded a studio version of this song for her most recent album, 2016's From Now On, an album which, saysAllMusic.com, sounds "mature but not dated or stiff, and reminds us [Petula's] still one of the most thoughtful and capable pop vocalists at work today."
That all being said, there's something very special about seeing Petula Clark as she sings with wisdom and grace the poignant lyrics of "When You See a Chance." And as I'm sure you'll agree, she sounds simply incredible at age 84!
A number of the tracks on From Now On, including "When You See a Chance," are all about looking forward and seizing the moment. Reviewing the album last year for Just Listen to This, Pete Sargeant noted that it "contains a number of new compositions by Clark as well as some interpretations." I like what Sargeant goes on to say about his use of the word "interpretations" in relation to Petula.
I use that word because "cover" is not what Petula Clark does, any more than Tony Bennett or Miles Davis ever do or did. To get inside a song and do something fresh with it is a skill a relative few artists evolve to. Hendrix did at a young age with Drifter’s "Escape" and "All Along The WatchTower," of course.
What marks Petula Clark out as a creator is the international element to her work and moreover her style. She can make you believe in a dilemma or share a happy notion, much as a fine actor will do. Acting in films and on stage has clearly helped hone her art and subtle delivery. She sings for us, not at us.
One of the standout albums of 2013 was Petula Clark's Lost in You. It's definitely become one of my all-time favorite albums, and whenever friends hear it playing, in either my home or car, they fall under its mesmerizing spell and ask, "Who is this?" Upon hearing that it is the legendary Petula Clark, they're always astounded and impressed.
(You may recall that in May of 2014 my parents saw Petula in concert in Port Macquarie, Australia. For my mum's review of this concert, click here.)
Given all of this, I'm happy to report that Petula has a new album out. It's called From Now On and it's getting glowing reviews. The lead single is a track called "Sacrifice My Love," and it and its accompanying video are quite something.
But don't just take my word for it, check it out for yourself . . .
Following is a review of Petula Clark's new album From Now On by the music website PhotoGroupie.com. Enjoy!
Over her seven-decade-long career, the inimitable Petula Clark has had considerable success in Europe and the USA, on stage and screen. She's danced with Fred Astaire, given peace a chance with John Lennon, been the first British woman to win a Grammy, and also lays claim to the first instance of physical contact between a white woman and a black man (Harry Belafonte) on US television. To top it off, she's the biggest selling British female artist of all time. As with all truly great artists, Petula continues to explore the boundaries of her creativity as a writer and performer. Unlike Norma Desmond, (a character she has played in Sunset Boulevard more times than any other actress) Petula's focus is not on nostalgia, by her own admission she rarely listens to her old songs, but on the here and now. At 83 she remains an inspiration and is going back on the road for a series of dates in support of her latest album, From Now On, a collection of mostly self-penned new material and a selection of covers.
Producer John Williams and co-producer and writer Paul Visser add a magical touch to the album by creating a wonderful mix of contemporary sounds and mellow ballads. Williams encouraged Petula to play more piano and record backing vocals which really imbues the album with a personal quality.
The astonishingly modern opening number, "Sacrifice My Heart," is orchestral pop at its best. It's moody, sexy, deeply memorable and so up to the minute that it could have been recorded by any of today's chart toppers. An equally à la mode track is "Sincerely," in which Petula instills a subtle sexuality against an enchanting dance beat and ghostly strings. Lennon and McCartney's "Blackbird" is delivered with the beauty and simplicity that you would expect from a performer of her standing. Peggy Lee was always an influence on Petula so it's a treat to hear "Fever" given a trendy soft rock make-over. This new version is delivered once again with characteristic perfection and precision.
Elsewhere on the album there are some beautiful tracks, including "A Miracle to Me" and "Pour Etre Aimee De Toi (To Be Loved By You)," written by Petula and fellow singer Charles Aznavour. Petula's fluidity of the Romance language reminds us of why she was taken into the hearts of the French all those years ago. The titular track "From Now On" continues the moody, longing and hopeful undercurrent of the album. "Happiness" sees an emotional Petula playing the piano on the haunting yet uplifting closing chanson. From start to finish this album is full of surprises, poignant lyrical sentiments and satisfying vocal lines, more than enough to please any 'Pet' fan or newcomer who has been drawn to her bewitching hold over a melody.
And what of Petula's unique voice? It may be a little thinner in places than her younger days, but no less magnificent in tone. Her ability to convey deep emotion pours out of every song and her phrasing and timing are second to none. Nobody can hold a tune and captivate quite like the first lady of the British invasion, she's pure class and a total one off.
It's the 83rd birthday today of Petula Clark, the English singer, actress and composer whose career has spanned seven decades. . . . And who's still going strong, as evidenced by her sublime 2013 album Lost in You, which I've previously highlighted at The Wild Reed.
In celebration of Petula's birthday, I share "Cut Copy Me," the opening track from Lost in You, courtesy of Mr. Jirayuth's Channel and YouTube. In his insightful review of Lost in You, Steven Rosen notes that "Cut Copy Me" is "startlingly effective . . . haunting and mysterious."
So without further ado, here it is! Enjoy . . . and Happy Birthday, Pet!
I breathe you in when you are near
I hide my coyness and fear
Don't let the light grow dim
It's just you and I in the moonlight air
Cut copy me I'm all yours
You're the shoreline I see when I'm off course
I want you to hold me forever, make it last
Forget the others from my past
I seek you in the depths of the night
Like a beacon of light you guide my fright
I promise to give you the sweetest sleep
And my shoulder is yours when you weep
Cut copy me I'm all yours
You're the shoreline I see when I'm off course
I want you to hold me forever, make it last
Forget the others from my past
You may recall that in May of 2014 my parents saw Petula Clark in concert in Port Macquarie, Australia. For my mum's review of this concert, click here.
I mentioned a while back that my parents were planning to see Petula Clark in concert in Port Macquarie, Australia. I would have loved to have joined them as I've long been an admirer of Clark's music. How long? Well, since I was in fifth grade, which was when I asked my parents for the "Best of Petula Clark" album that was being advertised on TV. That was in 1976!
Anyway, I couldn't attend the May 7 concert with my parents as I had to return to the U.S. on April 18. They did attend it however, and thoroughly enjoyed it. My mum has written a review, which I share after the following video clip which shows Petula performing her hit "Colour My World" on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1967.
As one commentator on YouTube notes about this performance:
Elements of psychedelia hit middle America with shots of moving colored liquids. Yet the bulk of the number pays tribute to the then-trendy cliches of 'Swinging London': Bobbies, mod chicks in mod clothes on Carnaby Street, and the Palace Guards. Overall, extremely '60s!
Indeed!
. . . Just as long as I know you're thinking of me, there'll be a rainbow always up above me. Since I found the one who really loves me, everything I touch is turning to gold. So you can colour my world with sunshine yellow each day. Oh, you can colour my world with happiness all the way. Just take the green from the grass and the blue from the sky up above. And if you colour my world, just paint it with your love. Just colour my world.
Well, Petula Clark at age 80 is still colouring our world with the lovely gift of her music and, as a result, still bringing happiness and inspiration to many.
Here's my mum's thoughts on the "fabulous" Petula Clark performance that she and dad experienced in Port Macquarie on the evening of Wednesday, May 7, 2014.
I'm pleased to report on our attendance at the fabulous
Petula Clark performance.
The venue was the controversial Port Macquarie Glasshouse. The construction costs were
astronomical but, on a positive note, we now have a facility which attracts high profile entertainers.
Petula provided something for everyone ... lots of hits from the '60s, new songs from her latest CD, Lost in You (well received!), and selections from movies and stage shows. Also, for two numbers, she accompanied herself on the grand piano! Accomplished pianist!
The years have certainly been kind to her! She was energetic and handled the up-tempo numbers with gusto, and moved with ease and grace on the stage. Her powerful and perfectly pitched voice thrilled all.
Over two hours of entertainment interspersed with humour, combined with interesting and touching anecdotes. No doubt, due to her many years on stage, screen and theatre, those present warmed to her and the result was enthusiastic audience participation.
Her brilliant Musical Director, Grant Sturiale, and the Aussie musicians excelled!
One of the many highlights was her cover of the song "Imagine." She reminded us of John Lennon's special qualities, especially his spirituality.
Throughout the night she was very generous in her praise of other artists. This I admired.
Leaving the stage, she was given a standing ovation ... deafening!
There are many exits from the Glasshouse and unfortunately we may have chosen the wrong one as, on our return home, we read in the concert program that she almost always stays to greet fans afterwards. Oh, no! . . . we may have missed the opportunity to speak with her! Never mind, it was still a night to remember.
If she travels your way, I highly recommend you take the opportunity to enjoy her great concert.
– Margaret Bayly
Above: My parents, Margaret and Gordon Bayly, photographed April 14, 2014,
three week before seeing Petula Clark in concert in Port Macquarie.
Did you know that for her 2013 album Lost in You, Petula re-recorded her 1964 hit "Downtown"? She did this despite the fact that when the idea of recording a new version of what, undoubtedly, is her signature song was first suggested by producer John Owen Williams, she expressed disinterest.
Then, she recalls, "I was played this beautiful [instrumental] track . . . and I said it was lovely, and they told me it was [intended for] 'Downtown.' I got to the microphone and I didn't know how I was going to sing it, and it really feels like a new song."
ReviewingLost in You for MusicOHM.com, Philip Matusavage writes of the "Downtown" remake: "Already a song loaded with melancholy, the stately version here acquires new meaning with its weary but amiable delivery summoning forth powerful nostalgia and the sense of someone fondly remembering their youth."
Steven Rosen says of the new version of "Downtown," "It is now a ballad, [with Clark's] voice sometimes narrating the words as much as singing them. At the chorus, where the original song had her voice rise on "down" – connoting excitement – this time she straddles turning "down" into a minor-key note. The result is to make the song elegiac, a salutary tribute to a friend (the original version) from long ago."
Yes, the legendary Petula Clark will be performing May 7 at the Glasshouse as part of her Australian tour in support of her most recent album, Lost in You. Unfortunately, I'll be back in the U.S. by then, but my parents are seriously considering attending.
Here's how the Glasshouse is advertising "An Evening with Petula Clark":
Britain's most acclaimed star returns! Petula Clark is Britain's most successful performer of the 20th century. Embracing every aspect of show business, her worldwide career has virtually defined the term "International Superstar." She has been a massive star since World War II - on stage, screen, TV, radio and in the pop charts. She is one of the most distinguished, enduring and best-loved entertainers the world has ever seen. Petula's concert will include all of the hits from the '60s, new songs from her latest Sony CD Lost In You, as well as selections from movies and stage shows.
Following (with added links and a 4-minute promotional video) is Steven Rosen's insightful April 2013 review of Lost in You for Blurt magazine.
As much a surprise as finding a new album by 80-year-old Petula Clark (singer of the 1964 pop-rock classic “Downtown”) on a label that also features Art Brut, The Prodigy, Cradle of Filth and Anvil is the fact that it’s really good. Not just good, but contemporary in its production and (for the most part) material, creating a showcase for Clark’s reserved but convincingly involved voice.
Clark, who as a child made her singing debut on British radio during a World War II bombing raid, went on to international fame in the 1960s collaborating with Tony Hatch on bright, catchy hits (“Downtown” “I Know a Place,” “Don’t Sleep in the Subway”). Before that in the 1950s, and again after the American Top 40 presence ceased in the 1970s, she had also been popular in France, singing in French.
While Lost in You is an English-language album, her French experience serves her well – the introspective coolness of the chanteuse has an ageless quality and is quite becoming to her. It’s also a great way for a voice that understandably has lost some of its youthful range to still be expressive, through smart use of nuance and asides.
For this project, she has partnered with producer John Owen Williams, whose own long career in the British music business includes production and A&R work for many younger rock acts like Alison Moyet, The Proclaimers, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine and many more. They have selected a savvy group of other collaborative producers, arrangers, players and writers, including Paul Visser, Steve Evans, James Hallawell (Waterboys) and Sarah Naghshineh.
The songs are just right for Clark – subtly minor-key with a quiet beat, tastefully reflective string arrangements, stately piano and enough guitar to move things along. When they wander into ever-so-slight electronica, as on “Every Word You Say,” there’s just enough mysterious distance in Clark’s voice to give off a chill.
The opening song “Cut Copy Me” (by Naghshineh, Visser and Williams) is startlingly effective, from the computer-referencing title to the auto-tuned echo of her voice to the acoustic-guitar/piano interplay. It’s haunting and mysterious.
She also does a harder-edged, dramatic version of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” that shows how her pop-rock version can work as well as Bettye LaVette’s recent soulful take. And on “Reflections,” a song adapted from Bach’s “Sleepers Awake,” lyrics about her childhood in Wales accompany the grandeur of the keyboard-and-strings arrangement. It’s a bona fide art song, and brings to mind how Procol Harum turned Bach into “A Whiter Shade of Pale” so long ago.
Of special note is a new version of “Downtown,” her ebullient breakthrough American hit. It is now a ballad, her voice sometimes narrating the words as much as singing them. At the chorus, where the original song had her voice rise on “down” – connoting excitement – this time she straddles turning “down” into a minor-key note. The result is to make the song elegiac, a salutary tribute to a friend (the original version) from long ago.
The album doesn’t need her cover of Elvis’ “Love Me Tender” or John Lennon’s “Imagine” – they’re musty rock-classic selections that work against musical relevancy. Still, Clark has shown that a good pop stylist can stay as interesting in her eighties as can a more “authentic” roots singer, with the right material and production support.
The Rolling Stones used to point to Muddy Waters as an example of how blues-rockers can age gracefully and still be vital. One gets the feeling a lot of young pure-pop singers will look to Clark the same way after Lost in You.
In closing, here is Petula Clark's chilled-out cover of the Gnarls Barkley hit "Crazy." Enjoy!
I established The Wild Reed in 2006 as a sign of solidarity with all who are dedicated to living lives of integrity – though, in particular, with gay people seeking to be true to both the gift of their sexuality and their Catholic faith. The Wild Reed's original by-line read, “Thoughts and reflections from a progressive, gay, Catholic perspective.” As you can see, it reads differently now. This is because my journey has, in many ways, taken me beyond, or perhaps better still, deeper into the realities that the words “progressive,” “gay,” and “Catholic” seek to describe.
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On September 24, 2012,Michael BaylyofCatholics for Marriage Equality MNwas interviewed by Suzanne Linton of Our World Today about same-sex relationships and why Catholics can vote 'no' on the proposed Minnesota anti-marriage equality amendment.
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