The Cougars

Career

The Cougars were a four-piece band: Keith Owen on lead guitar, Dave Tanner on rhythm guitar, Adrian Morgan on bass, and Dave Hack on drums. They got their break in 1963 when EMI talent scout Norrie Paramor caught their act at a talent contest, leading to a contract with Parlophone. Their debut single, "Saturday Nite at the Duck-Pond," lifted its melody from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. The BBC banned the track, with music papers reporting it was deemed "a travesty of a major classical work."

Despite that, it spent eight weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 33. Two other songs, "Red Square" and "Caviare and Chips," also borrowed from Tchaikovsky. The band's final recording session for Parlophone took place on 16 December 1963, producing "Caviare and Chips," "While The City Sleeps," and "Sausage Roll"—the last of which was never released. After putting out three singles and an EP, the group split up in 1964.

"Saturday Nite at the Duck-Pond" later appeared on the compilations 20 One Hit Wonders and EMI's Instrumental Greats of the 60's, while "Fly-By-Nite" was included on Instrumental Diamonds – Jumpin. In 1996, the band reunited for a performance at the Pipeline Instrumental Rock Convention in London. Bassist Adrian Morgan, born in Newport, South Wales in 1943, died on 7 December 2023 in Yeovil, Somerset at the age of 80.

Discography

In Goldmine's British Invasion Record Price Guide, near-mint singles are valued at $10 for "Saturday Nite at the Duck-Pond" / "See You in Dreamland", $15 for "Red Square" / "Fly-By-Nite", $15 for "Caviare And Chips" / "While The City Sleeps", and $25 for the EP Saturday Night With The Cougars. Record Collector's Rare Record Price Guide 2020 lists mint singles at £10 each for the three singles and £30 for the EP.