Mike Batt releases ‘Summertime City’ single for the first time since it was #4 in 1975

First released in 1975 to coincide with the BBC TV show “Seaside Special” for which it was the theme, ‘Summertime City’ went to number four in the UK singles charts for two weeks. The artist was credited as “Mike Batt (with the New Edition)” despite the fact that the dance troupe were not on the record.

This was Batt’s only solo single hit in the UK, and occurred as he was trying to shake off the then “bubblegum” image of the Wombles. Grateful for the hit but concerned about its impact on his more eclectic album work, Batt insisted, as a condition of re-signing to Epic, that CBS “delete and never re-release” the track. The rights then reverted to him and the record remained on the shelf for 46 years, but now appears on his current album THE PENULTIMATE COLLECTION.

The EP also contains two new versions. Track 2, “Remix 1” is a treatment of the original track, with added drums and synth bass, and track 3, (“2021 Recording”) is a slower and more relaxed version of the song.

“I thought it would be good to do an EP of different versions” said Batt, “and starting a completely new version in 2021 I decided to take it slow and lower the key so that it has a chilled, more melancholic feel to it”. It’s pretty much an acoustic version, apart from some wafty electric guitar pads. The great John Parricelli did a wonderful Spanish guitar solo on it which just captures the downbeat holiday vibe I wanted”