Don Fardon--(The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation (1968)

     For those of a certain age, we connect this song with the Raiders' version from 1970. However it was a top 40 hit two years prior.
     The song itself had it's beginnings with songwriter John Loudermilk and his song called, "The Pale Faced Indian" written in 1959. It was recorded by Marvin Rainwater that same year, but the song went nowhere. The song was much more country oriented, and in listening to it one can hear additional lyrics that are not heard in the two more popular versions.
     Don Maughn was a struggling singer out of Coventry, England who started a group called The Sorrows in 1963. The group never had much more than a cult following at home, so after three years of several underrated singles, the band went their separate ways. There was a move to Germany and a name change to Don Fardon as he attempted a solo career. This proved successful as he became known for blue eyed soul covers. Fardon and producer Micki Dallon took Loudermilk's song and gave it more of a straightforward pop/soul treatment. It was this version that became the template for The Raiders version in 1970.
     Fardon moved back to Britain and now, along with his wife are the owners of several pubs in Warwickshire area.