A Little Ray of Sunshine

"A Little Ray of Sunshine" is a song by Australian country rock band Axiom. The track was co-written by band members, Brian Cadd and Don Mudie. It was released as a single in March 1970 and peaked at number 5 on the Go-Set National Top 40 in May 1970. The song was celebrated with its own stamp in Australia Post's 1998 Australian Rock stamp series.

"A Little Ray of Sunshine"
Song by Axiom
from the album Fool's Gold
B-side"Ford's Bridge"
ReleasedMarch 1970 (1970-03)
Recorded1970
GenreCountry rock
Length3:25
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Axiom
  • June Productions
Axiom singles chronology
"Arkansas Grass"
(1969)		 "A Little Ray of Sunshine"
(1970)		 "My Baby's Gone"
(1971)

Background

Axiom formed in late 1969 in Melbourne as a country rock group by Brian Cadd on co-lead vocals, organ and piano, Doug Lavery on drums, Don Mudie on bass guitar, Glenn Shorrock on co-lead vocals and rhythm guitar, and Chris Stockley on lead guitar.[1][2] "A Little Ray of Sunshine" was co-written by Cadd and Mudie.[3]

According to Australian music journalist, Ed Nimmervoll, "[it was] inspired by the birth of Don Mudie's first child."[4] However, according to Cadd, the song was written about his niece. The song is written to celebrate her arrival.[5]

Axiom travelled to London in May 1970 to attempt to break into the English music market.[1][4] Meanwhile, the Australian music market was embroiled in the 1970 radio ban, with major labels and radio networks involved in a "pay for play" dispute.[6] Christobel Munson of The Canberra Times described, on 16 May 1970, how, "commercial radio stations throughout Australia ceased to play most British and Australian-made records from midnight last night" and cited a local disc jockey, Terry Malcolm, who predicted, "the average listener would not notice the difference in programmes. 'The main ones which will be dropped after Friday night will be the Beatles' 'Let It Be', the Axiom (an Australian pop group) record 'A Little Ray of Sunshine'..."[7] Axiom's single peaked at number 5 on the Go-Set National Top 40.[8]

Track listing
7" single (7XAPA1869)

All tracks written by Brian Cadd and Don Mudie.[3]

  • Side A "A Little Ray of Sunshine" - 3:25
  • Side B "Ford's Bridge" - 3:40

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1970) Position
Australian Go-Set Chart[9] 5

Year-end charts
Chart (1970) Position
Australian Go-Set Chart[10] 47
Australian Artist Go-Set Chart[11] 11

Cover versions
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References
  1. McFarlane, Ian (2017). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Axiom'". The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Jenkins, Jeff (Foreword) (2nd ed.). Gisborne, VIC: Third Stone Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-9953856-0-3.
  2. Holmgren, Magnus; Warnqvist, Stefan. "Axiom". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 15 November 2004. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  3. Axiom; Cadd, Brian; Mudie, Don; June Productions of Australia; EMI Australia (1971). "A Little Ray of Sunshine". Parlophone. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. Nimmervoll, Ed. "INXS". Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 29 April 2004. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. Cadd, Brian (2010). From this Side of Things. Chatswood, NSW: New Holland. p. 292. ISBN 978-1-74257-057-0.
  6. Kent, David Martin (September 2002). "Appendix 6: The Record Ban". The place of Go-Set in rock and pop music culture in Australia, 1966 to 1974 (PDF) (MA). University of Canberra. pp. 265–269. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  7. "Entertainment and the Arts: The Radio Record Ban – Bang Go Our British Sounds". The Canberra Times. 44 (12, 623). 16 May 1970. p. 17. Retrieved 24 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. Nimmervoll, Ed (16 May 1970). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  9. "Go Set chart 16 May 1970". Pop Archives. 16 May 1970. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  10. "THE TOP 40 FOR 1970". Pop Archives. 1970. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  11. "THE TOP 40 FOR 1970". Pop Archives. 1970. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  12. "Songs from a Southern Land". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  13. "45 Years of Song". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
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