🔘 This Little Girl of Mine – Single: Mar. 1966

David Essex’s early blue‑eyed‑soul breakthrough — a smoky‑voiced reinterpretation of Ray Charles, backed with a tender B‑side.

Released in March 1966, “This Little Girl of Mine” marks one of David Essex’s earliest attempts to break into the UK pop market. Issued on Fontana, the single pairs a Ray Charles classic with “Broken Hearted,” a gentler, more melodic B‑side that showcased Essex’s expressive phrasing and youthful charisma.

Released: March 25, 1966

Catalogue Number: Fontana TF 680

Though the single did not chart, it became an important stepping stone in Essex’s development — a moment when industry figures, including actor Peter O’Toole, began championing him. Record Mirror’s April 2 review praised his “smoky flavour” and intuitive sense of phrasing, positioning him as a rising talent with unusual vocal maturity for his age.

The release captures Essex before fame, before “Rock On,” before his West End triumphs — a young singer honing his craft through jazz‑tinged training and ambitious repertoire choices.

🔘 Track List

Side One

This Little Girl of Mine — Ray Charles

Side Two

Broken Hearted — David Essex

(Writer not credited on label; confirmed via Discogs/45cat as Essex‑written)

Produced by: Not listed

Engineers: Not listed

🔘 Variants

(Discogs‑verified only — no speculative formats)

🇬🇧 UK – Fontana – TF 680 (1966)

Format: 7", 45 RPM, Mono

Country: United Kingdom

Year: 1966

Notes:

• Blue Fontana label

• Matrix: 267562 1F / 267562 2F

• Publisher: Progressive Music

• Licensing: Ritz Records

• Only known original pressing — no picture sleeve issued

🔘 Chart Performance

United Kingdom — Official Charts

Peak Position: Did not chart

First Chart Date: —

Weeks on Chart: —

Top 40: —

Top 75: —

Top 100: —

Label: Fontana

Catalogue Number: TF 680

Chart Run: —

🔘 Context & Notes

Personnel

(No official credits listed; typical for mid‑’60s Fontana singles)

• David Essex — vocals

• Session musicians — uncredited

Recording Notes

• Recorded in London, early 1966

• Essex was developing a jazz‑inflected vocal style at the time

• “This Little Girl of Mine” arranged in a pop‑soul style distinct from Ray Charles’ original

• “Broken Hearted” features a softer, more melodic arrangement

Press Reception

Record Mirror (April 2, 1966) praised Essex’s voice as:

“an expressive instrument with a smoky flavour and an intuitive sense of phrasing.”

The review noted mixed reactions among critics but personally endorsed the single, encouraging readers to “see what YOU think!”

Legacy

While commercially modest, the single is historically significant as Essex’s earliest widely distributed release. It foreshadows the vocal tone and emotional delivery that would later define his 1970s success.

🔘 Related Material

• Previous: David Essex – And the Tears Came Tumbling Down (1965, debut single)

• Next: Can’t Nobody Love Me (1966)

• Related Artists: Ray Charles, early Fontana roster

🔘 Discography

• This Little Girl of Mine / Broken Hearted (Fontana, 1966)

• Can’t Nobody Love Me (Fontana, 1966)

• Rock On (CBS, 1973)

• David Essex (CBS, 1974)

🔘 Mini‑Timeline

1965 — Essex releases debut single

1966 — Releases “This Little Girl of Mine”

1973 — Breakthrough with “Rock On”

1974 — Becomes major UK star

🔘 Glam Flashback

Before the glitter, before the stadiums, before the fame — a young David Essex stood in a London studio, cutting a Ray Charles tune with a smoky voice that hinted at everything to come.

🔘 Closing Notes

This single stands as a rare early document of David Essex’s formative years — a modest commercial release but a crucial artistic milestone, preserved through surviving vinyl copies and contemporary press praise.

🔘 Sources & Copyright

• Discogs: Fontana TF 680

• 45cat: David Essex – “This Little Girl of Mine”

• Wikipedia: David Essex early career

• Record Mirror, April 2, 1966 (review excerpt)

All artwork and text remain the property of their respective copyright holders.

#DavidEssex #FontanaRecords #1966Singles #RayCharles #BritishPopHistory