Billy Thorpe - 1965 - I Told The Brook

Over the Rainbow/That I Love/Funny Face/I Told the Brook



Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian pop and rock group dating from the mid-1960s. The group enjoyed success in the mid-1960s, but split in 1967. They re-emerged in the early 1970s to become one of the most popular Australian hard-rock bands of the period. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007.

The band was signed by Ted Albert to his newly established Albert Productions, a local record label devoted exclusively to recording Australian pop artists. Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs had national chart success, their record sales and concert attendances rivalling those of The Beatles, with hits like "Mashed Potato", "Sick and Tired" and Wizard of Oz tune "Over the Rainbow" in the top ten of the record charts in most state capitals.

The original Aztecs lineup split from Thorpe at the beginning of 1965 over a financial dispute, so he created another set] with Johnny Dick (drums), Mike Downes (rhythm guitar, vocals), Colin Risbey (lead guitar, vocals), Jimmy Taylor (piano), Teddy Toi (bass guitar), Tony Buchanan (saxophone) and Rocky Thomas (brass). This lineup achieved further success with pop ballads such as "I Told the Brook", "Twilight Time" and "Love Letters


I Told the Brook was released in Australia in 1965 reaching #1 Sydney #3 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #1 Adelaide #2 Perth - double-sided hit in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with "Funny Face".

Released in Australia 1964 reaching #1 Sydney #6 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #1 Adelaide. Over The Rainbow was on Australian charts from the end of December 1964 until June 1965. Oz Net Music Charts shows it peaking at #1 nationally for two weeks in January 1965 B-Side was  That I Love.