Turkish Tram Conductor Blues

"Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" is a song performed by English band The Move, which was released on their third studio album, Looking On, on the 11th of December, 1970, before later being released as the third and final single from the album. The song was written and produced by Roy Wood (co-producing with Jeff Lynne), though the group's drummer Bev Bevan was credited as songwriter on original copies, as a reward for his promotional efforts on behalf of the band.^[1][2] Bevan noted that the song was "the sort of the thing that the Wild Angels might like to play".^[3] "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" is also noted for rumors of hidden cuss words in the track.^[4]

"Turkish Tram Conductor Blues"
Single by The Move
from the album Looking On
B-side	"Beautiful Daughter"
Released	January 1971
Recorded	May–September 1970
Studio	Advision & Philips, London
Genre	Blues
Length	4:38 (album) 4:46 (single)
Label	Ariola (Germany)
Songwriter	Roy Wood
Producers	Roy Wood Jeff Lynne
The Move singles chronology
"When Alice Comes Back to the Farm" (1970) "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" (1971) "Tonight" (1971)

Background and composition

"Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" was written for the band's third studio album, Looking On. The song, alongside two of Wood's other songs on the album ("Brontosaurus" and "When Alice Comes Back to the Farm"), show a more "harder" metal genre, compared to the songs of the previous album Shazam, which leaned more into progressive rock.^[5] "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" specifically showcases a blues sound, as hinted at in the title of the song.

Release

The song was originally released on the 11th of December, 1970, as the second track on the band's third studio album, Looking On. The song was then released as the third single to the album in January 1971, with the single version lasting 8 seconds longer than the album version. The B-side was a track called "Beautiful Daughter", which was previously released on the band's second studio album, Shazam.^[6] The song was originally going to be released as its own single a year prior, but the idea was dropped due to former member Carl Wayne's departure around that same time.

Track listing

7" single release (1971)

1. "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" – 4:46
2. "Beautiful Daughter" – 2:35^[7]

Personnel

The Move^[8]

• Roy Wood - lead vocals, guitar, saxophone, banjar
• Jeff Lynne - piano, guitar
• Bev Bevan - drums
• Rick Price - bass

Additional personnel^[9]

• Roger Wake - engineering
• Roy Wood - production
• Jeff Lynne - production

See also

• The Move discography