Here’s a song from 1971 that I’ve never heard before by an artist I’ve never heard of before – Christopher Blue.

The YouTube algorithm unearthed this slightly bonkers gem, which crams so many styles into a blue-eyed soul template that it doesn’t really fit any genre by the end.  And I have to say I really like it.

I can’t seem to find out much about it beyond its release date. Except for one important thing… Christopher Blue is not an individual but the name of a band. 

A terrible name, you will surely agree – which might explain his/their obscurity. And yet, it’s well worth a listen, especially for the exuberant playing of the brass section.

My research tells me Christopher Blue were a six-piece band led by Doug Davis, featuring a horn section, who played in local clubs around the Phoenix area in Arizona.

According to a footnote I found somewhere: “In 1970 singer / songwriter / producer Doug Davis inked a deal with Floyd Ramsey’s Phoenix-based Ramco Records. Doug’s band Christopher Blue quickly churned out their first single.”

A slice of upbeat blue-eyed soul called Happy Just To Be Alive b/w You’ve Got What I Like came out in 1970 and did well enough locally for Ramco to offer Davis his own label imprint. 

Dubbed Blue Ram, its first release in 1971 was this song, It’s Not Too Late b/w Don’t Worry Tracy. But after one more single, Floating On A Cloud / I’m Gonna Let Her Know, Christopher Blue faded into obscurity.

In the 2000s, however, a company that specialises in syncing songs has breathed new life into the band, placing their music in numerous film and TV shows including Mad Men – a story that now makes the song itself seem prophetic.

Fervor Records also got their hands on 350 copies of the original 7″ vinyl singles, sold in generic white (sometimes slightly yellowing) paper sleeves, re-releasing them with handwritten individually numbered wraparound strips reading:

“THIS IS A RECENTLY UNEARTHED VINTAGE PRESSING FROM 1971
CHRISTOPHER BLUE

IT’S NOT TOO LATE / DON’T WORRY TRACY

ORIGINALLY RELEASED BY BLUE RAM, COURTESY OF FERVOR RECORDS”