"Get Your Gun" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Terry Cox.[1] It was released as a single by Zakatek (aka Lenny Zakatek) on Bell Records on 12 October 1973.[2] The b-side was another de Paul and Cox penned song "Gotta Runaway". Both sides were produced by de Paul and the strings were arranged by Christopher Gunning and de Paul.[2] The single was reviewed by the British DJ John Peel for the music magazine Sounds. It has been described as "Freaky, bizarre and ultimately interesting and a definite one-off".[3] In an interview some years later Lenny Zakatek said "I was singing at a night club called Gulivers In London five nights a week when Lynsey De Paul and Dudley Moore came in, they both thought I had the X-Factor, Lynsey introduced me to the legendary Dick Leahy (Billy Ocean, David Cassidy, Donna Summer, Wham, George Michael) and he signed me to his U.S.A. label Bell Records".[4]
A German language version with the title "Roter Mann" with German lyrics written by Gunter Gabriel was released in 1974, also on Bell Records and sung by Zakatek.[5] This version was released on the German compilation album, 1000 Nadelstiche - Amerikaner Und Briten Singen Deutsch (1000 pin pricks - Americans and Brits sing in German) on Bear Family Records in 2002.
The recording of the song was re-released, for the first time on CD as a track on the album Pop Cycles Vol. 12.[6] The song still receives radio play, notably on WFMU's "Evan "Funk" Davies Show" on 21 June 2023.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Zakatek - Get Your Gun". 45cat.com. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ "Zakatek Get Your Gun UK Bell 1973 Glam Rock Punk - auction details". Popsike.com. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ "Lenny Zatatek" (PDF). Lennyzatatek.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ "Various - Pop Cycles Vol. 12". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Time for an InterActiv™ Listening Party of England record shop finds!: The Evan "Funk" Davies Show". Wfmu.org. Retrieved 23 June 2023.