The Cryin' Shames
Background information
Origin	London, England
Years active	1964-1966
Label(s)	Decca

The Cryin' Shames were a mid-sixties pop/beat group, produced by Joe Meek. They had one hit-single: A cover of The Drifters' 1961 single "Please Stay", written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard.

The Sextet was initially renamed from The Bumblies (founded 1963 in Liverpool, managed by Norman Eastwood). The name Bumblies came from a TV-show starring Michael Bentine.

The Bumblies: Charlie Crane (vocals), Joey Kneen (vocals), John Bennett (guitar), Phil Roberts (keyboards), George Robinson (bass guitar), Charlie Gallagher (drums)

Phil Roberts and Joey Kneen came from The Calderstones that featured Tom Evans (Badfinger) and Pete Maxwell, who died in the mid-1960s.

After recording the first single, Brian Bennett was replaced by Ritchie Routledge from The Aztects (also from Liverpool).

After Please Stay was a hit (#24, UK charts), the band was approached by Brian Epstein, who wanted to manage them, but they refused.

The 3rd single is Charles "Paul" Crane and Ritchie Routledge backed by a new band, formely The Inmates, on the single credited as The Crying Shames.

Routledge later led Blackwater Park (band), an english-german band (early 1970s), and was part of Grimms. Crane went on to be lead singer of Gary Walker and The Rain.

Discography

• Please Stay (Bacharach, Hilliard)/What's New Pussycat (Decca F 12340, 1966, UK#26)
• Nobody Waved Goodbye (Eldon Rathburn)/You (Decca F 12425)

as Paul & Ritchie & The Crying Shames [Sic!]

• September in the Rain (Warren, Dubin)/Come On Back (Decca F 12483)

External Links

• From Bumblies To Cryin’ Shames by George Robinson
• "Please Stay" and "Pussycat" at youtube.com