Itchycoo Park

This is one for the serious music fans…

In 1967 The Small Faces broke new ground when they wrote Itchycoo Park. This psychedelic pop/rock track was a huge hit single in the UK and USA and took what had previously been a Mod band into new pioneering territory.

Different effects and recording techniques were used and combined brilliantly with the weird and whimsical story of events in Itchycoo Park. The none-too-hidden drugs inferences saw it banned by the BBC, but it became a timeless hit single nevertheless and has been voted No.62 in the 100 Greatest Singles of All Tme by music publication NME.

But does Itchycoo Park exist and if so, where is it?

There has been quite a lot of speculation over the years but accepted version is that Itchycoo Park is actually Little Ilford Park, Church Road in the district of Manor Park. This is where the bands guitarist and singer Steve Marriott grew up. Bandmate the late Ronnie Lane, who wrote the song, seems to have corroborated this when he said, “It’s a place we used to go to in Ilford years ago”.

If you don’t know the song, we heartily recommend you check it out (via You Tube).