Apropos of nothing in particular ...

Does anyone else remember Rare Bird and their 1969 song "Sympathy"?

It hardly featured in the UK playlists, but in continental Europe it was a very popular single and was played everywhere. In that year, I went for a trip to Lugano in Northern Italy with some friends, and you couldn't get away from it. Every café, every bar, every restaurant seemed to have it on a continuous loop. I was getting on for the ripe old age of 16, and the lyrics struck me as very profound (perhaps I matured late). I can remember them word-for-word today, and hear Steve Gould's powerful voice belting them out over a rather plodding but relentless descending bass line and power chords from the dual keyboards that were Rare Bird's trademark.

Now when you climb into your bed tonight
And when you lock and bolt the door
Just think of those out in the cold and dark
'cause there's not enough love to go round

And sympathy is what we need my friend
And sympathy is what we need
And sympathy is what we need my friend
'cause there's not enough love to go round

Now half the world hates the other half
And half the world has all the food
And half the world lies down and quietly starves
'cause there's not enough love to go round

And sympathy is what we need my friend
And sympathy is what we need
And sympathy is what we need my friend
'cause there's not enough love to go round.

In retrospect, the theme is pretty much Good King Wenceslas without the redemptive pine logs hither, but it was good at the time.

Not sure about the chick on the cover, though. She looks double-jointed.

UPDATE:

Thanks to commenter RFB, here's the video. I was at work when I posted, and Youtube is blocked there, so I didn't bother looking. But now I have. Pity we don't see more of the chicks at the end ...