The late Mark Wirtz (1943-2020) - a German-French songwriter-producer who found his biggest successes in England - is best-remembered for A Teenage Opera, an embryonic rock opera which inspired the likes of Pete Townshend and Paul McCartney and spawned Keith West's U.K. No. 2 single "Grocer Jack," a.k.a. "Excerpt from A Teenage Opera."  Yet there was much more to Wirtz's discography than that lone hit and its parent project.  Cherry Red's Strawberry imprint recently boxed up five discs of Wirtz's voluminous discography as Dream, Dream, Dream: The Anthology, and it's every bit as comprehensive as one would think.

As demonstrated over and over again on Dream, Dream, Dream, Wirtz's Zelig-like path crossed with numerous artists as he skipped from genre to genre.  All three members of Cream played on a session for singer Caroline Munro which also featured future Yes man Steve Howe on guitar; though none of their individual talents are particularly evident on the two tracks heard here, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee's "This Sporting Life" does offer a pop spin on the blues with some tasty licks.  "Hold It!" - Wirtz's first published song - resembles a U.K. spin on a Floyd Cramer instrumental while Wirtz produced comfortably in the girl group genre on tracks such as Sheila and Jenny's "When the Boy's Happy" b/w "But Please Don't Break Her Heart" (the latter of which he also wrote).  Jan Panter's "Scratch My Back" with its dirty guitar riff somehow got Wirtz the job of arranging for Marlene Dietrich - mind-boggling if par for the course in Mark Wirtz's varied career.

Peanut, a.k.a. Katie Kissoon, is featured on a number of Wirtz compositions including the ornately arranged "I Didn't Love Him Anyway" and a buoyant cover of The Beach Boys' "I'm Waiting for the Day."  A central part of the latter's arrangement would be recycled by Wirtz on the Teenage Opera-related "(He's Our Dear Old) Weatherman."  His gift for a memorable pop hook is in evidence on "Come Tomorrow" and "Somebody's Gonna Be Sorrow," later reworked and re-recorded by Steve Flynn and Brinsley Schwarz forerunner Kippington Lodge, respectively, as well as on Flynn's shimmering "Mr. Rainbow."  (The latter was included as part of the reconstructed Teenage Opera project decades after its recording.)

Like Katie Kissoon, sisters Sue and Sunny (a.k.a. Yvonne and Heather Wheatman) were well-known for their session work.  They step out here on the 1970 bubblegum single "Jelly Bean" b/w "Here We Come."  Another artist with whom Wirtz was associated is Samantha Jones of The Vernons Girls.  As with the use of the "I'm Waiting for the Day" riff on "He's Our Dear Old Weatherman," Wirtz wouldn't let a good tune go to waste; he reworked Jones' midtempo "Go Ahead and Love Me" with new lyrics and a bolder, brasher arrangement as, simply, "Go Ahead."

The Mood Mosaic's 1966 "A Touch of Velvet - A Sting of Brass" epitomizes the mid-'60s Big Beat sound that Wirtz did so (seemingly) effortlessly, leading to its adoption as theme to a number of international television and radio shows. The instrumentals found on the first disc of Dream, Dream, Dream, many from Wirtz's 1966 Latin A Go-Go album, are somewhere between the styles of John Barry and Tony Hatch - not bad company, by any means.

The second disc opens with a sampling of (the unfinished) A Teenage Opera including "Grocer Jack," "(He's Our Dear Old) Weatherman," and "Sam," all vignettes from characters in the village where the opera would have been set.  "Grocer Jack" and "Sam" were collaborations with Keith West of the band Tomorrow; their Wirtz-produced psych-pop classic "My White Bicycle" is also among the Tomorrow tracks featured here.  The colorful orchestral sounds of A Teenage Opera revealed the breadth of Wirtz's ambitions, but even the success of "Grocer Jack" couldn't convince EMI to invest in the full project.  (Wirtz is quoted in the booklet as saying that the label would have gone forward with it had the single been successful in the United States.)

The material here is wildly diverse - both a blessing and a curse for a songwriter-producer out to make a name for himself.  He was apparently ubiquitous, with credits on singles released on Parlophone, CBS, RCA, Pye, United Artists, and other labels.  Wirtz had many close calls with greater success; one "almost-made-it" here is a film theme, "What's Good for the Goose," intended for a film vehicle starring British comedian Norman Wisdom.  Though it was ultimately rejected by the filmmakers, it's a buoyant slice of the kind of pop tune that Wirtz could seemingly crank out on demand. There's one gem after another here from groups with names like The Sweetshop, The Aquarian Age (an offshoot of Tomorrow), and Cellophane Mop.  If you think these names could only have emanated from the '60s, you'd be right, but the songs such as "Lead the Way," a sweet duet between Mark and his future wife Ross released under the Sweetshop name, have aged considerably better.

Wirtz jumped headfirst into the bubblegum era with such albums as The Matchmakers' Bubble Gum A Go-Go, a number of the peppy songs from which have been selected for inclusion on this anthology.  Mark led the group which also featured Sue and Sunny and others with whom he'd worked including Michael Derrick, a.k.a. Miki Anthony.

More ambitious work sampled here includes the concept album Philwit and Pegasus, recorded at the dawn of the seventies for Les Reed's Chapter One label.  The concept wasn't altogether in evidence - though Wirtz described it as "like a movie on record" - though Wirtz "cast" numerous singers including the prolific likes of John Carter and Roger Greenaway.  The album ran the gamut from quasi-psych rock ("Pseudo Phoney Mixed Up Crony"), sunshine pop ("Happiness") with an ornate, baroque sensibility.  When Philwit failed to take off, Wirtz focused on a more "conventional" singer-songwriter career; his 1973 albums Hothouse Smiles and Balloons, sampled here, mostly reflect the lavish '60s style which had largely fallen out of favor.  By that time, even The Beach Boys were recording in a more stripped-down "rock" style.  Though Wirtz had added a dash of '70s glam to his sound, the records don't completely reflect the era in which they were recorded.  This is no comment on the quality of Wirtz's songs, however, nor the personnel that brought them to life including engineer Geoff Emerick, drummer Clem Cattini, guitarists Albert Lee and Chris Spedding, and percussionist Ray Cooper, among other notables.  Of the tracks selected, "Mellow Man" may be the loveliest.

The fourth disc of the anthology is dedicated to two complete albums (the only such presentations on this set), neither of which have been on CD.  (In fact, neither album was ever released in the USA or United Kingdom, either.)  Fantastic Teenage Fair (1968, originally released in Germany) and Come Back and Shake Me (1969/1970, issued in Germany, Argentina, Colombia, and Australia) both blend Wirtz compositions with popular hits of the day -The Beatles, The Association, Simon and Garfunkel, even Frank Sinatra, and so on - in his big, orchestrated style.  With a complement of musicians including Vic Flick and Nicky Hopkins, these albums are groovy MOR treats, and Wirtz's upbeat, melodic originals such as "Girl Friday" and "The Real Mr. Smith" complemented the familiar hits.  Most were rearranged with a dash of invention, though Wirtz's reinvention of the Hair/5th Dimension showstopper "Aquarius" ended up a bit square.

The fifth and final disc of Dream, Dream, Dream offers a final 27 odds and ends from the Wirtz discography - mainly new stereo remixes but also a number of demos, interviews, and work-in-progress tapes.  Collectively, they reveal a songwriter-producer who was always creating, in search of that perfect sound.  This could be said of the entire set.  Compiled and annotated by Mark's friend Stephen C. Wilson with mastering by Pete Maher, and housed in a large clamshell case, the anthology isn't an ideal introduction to Wirtz's oeuvre.  That remains A Teenage Opera, the inspired work on which his reputation was cemented.  But Dream, Dream, Dream is an eclectic treasure chest for those seeking to hear more of the mysterious Mr. Wirtz, whose career eventually encompassed writing and standup comedy as well as music.  (Indeed, he did it his way.)  Its 40-page booklet makes for essential reading as the listener explores one rarity after another.  (Oddly, however, the otherwise-copiously-annotated set lacks any discographical annotation.)  Best digested in small doses rather than one long listen, this is a Dream come true for connoisseurs of obscure '60s pop.  It's out now at the links below.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Mark Wirtz, Dream, Dream, Dream: The Anthology (Strawberry/Cherry Red CR5JAMBOX030, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. Mark Rogers And The Marksmen - Bubble Pop (Parlophone single R 5045, 1963)
2. Mark Rogers And The Marksmen - Hold It! (Parlophone single R 5045, 1963)
3. Sheila And Jenny - When The Boy's Happy (Ember single EMBS 202, 1964)
4. Sheila And Jenny - But Please Don't Break Her Heart (Ember single EMBS 202, 1964)
5. Jan Panter - Scratch My Back (Pye single 7N 17097, 1966)
6. Peanut - I'm Waiting For The Day (Columbia (U.K.) single DB 8032, 1966)
7. Peanut - Someone's Gonna Be Sorry (Columbia (U.K.) single DB 8032, 1966)
8. Peanut - I Didn't Love Him Anyway (Columbia (U.K.) single DB 8104, 1967)
9. Peanut - Come Tomorrow (Columbia (U.K.) single DB 8104, 1967)
10. The Soul Brothers - Gotta Get A Good Thing Goin' (Mercury single MF 916, 1966)
11. The Mood Mosaic - A Touch Of Velvet - A Sting Of Brass (stereo mix) (Columbia (U.K.) single DB 7801, 1966)
12. Caroline Munro - Tar And Cement (Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck) (Columbia (U.K.) single DB 8189, 1967)
13. Caroline Munro - This Sporting Life (Columbia (U.K.) single DB 8189, 1967)
14. Mark Wirtz Orchestra And Chorus - Adventure
15. Mark Wirtz Orchestra And Chorus - Yesterday's Laughter, Today's Tears
16. The Mood Mosaic - The Yellow Spotted Capricorn (Parlophone single R 5716, 1968)
17. Mark Wirtz Orchestra And Chorus - Riviera Carnival
18. Mark Wirtz Orchestra And Chorus - Comin' Home, Baby
19. Steve Flynn - Come Tomorrow (Parlophone single R 5689, 1968)
20. Steve Flynn - Let's Live For Tomorrow (Parlophone single R 5625, 1967)
21. Steve Flynn - Your Life And My Life (Parlophone single R 5689, 1968)
22. Steve Flynn - Mr. Rainbow (Parlophone single R 5625, 1967)
23. Keith West - On A Saturday (Parlophone single R 5713, 1968)
24. Tomorrow - The Incredible Journey Of Timothy Chase (mono mix)
25. Tomorrow - Strawberry Fields Forever (mono mix)
26. Tomorrow - My White Bicycle (mono mix)
27. Tomorrow - Revolution (mono mix)
28. Keith West And Mark Wirtz - Shy Boy
29. Keith West And Mark Wirtz - Engel Fallen Nicht Vom Himmel (Columbia (Germany) single C 23 739, 1968)
30. Interview - Mark talks about Tomorrow

Tracks 14-15, 17-18 from Latin A Go-Go, Ember LP EMB 3366, 1966
Tracks 24-28 from Tomorrow, Parlophone LP PMC 7042, 1968

CD 2

1. Mark Wirtz - (He's Our Dear Old) Weatherman (Parlophone single R 5668, 1968)
2. Keith West - Excerpt From "A Teenage Opera" (a.k.a. Grocer Jack) (Parlophone single R 5623, 1967)
3. Keith West - Sam (from "A Teenage Opera") (Parlophone single R 5651, 1967)
4. The Aquarian Age - 10,000 Words In A Cardboard Box (Parlophone single R 5700, 1968)
5. The Sweetshop - Barefoot And Tiptoe (Parlophone single R 5707, 1968)
6. The Sweetshop - Lead The Way (Parlophone single R 5707, 1968)
7. Kippington Lodge - And She Cried (Parlophone single R 5677, 1968)
8. Kippington Lodge - Rumours (Parlophone single R 5677, 1968)
9. Kippington Lodge - Shy Boy (Parlophone single R 5645, 1967)
10. Mark Wirtz - What's Good For The Goose
11. Mark Wirtz - Mrs. Raven
12. Miki (Antony) - Dear Auntie Mary (RCA (U.K.) single 1782, 1969)
13. Samantha Jones - Go Ahead And Love Me (UA (U.K.) single UP 2258, 1968)
14. Samantha Jones - Go Ahead (Ford single SLE 19, 1968)
15. Zion De Gallier - Winter Will Be Cold (Parlophone single R 5686, 1968)
16. Zion De Gallier - Dream Dream Dream (Parlophone single R 5710, 1968)
17. Zion De Gallier - Me (Parlophone single R 5686, 1968)
18. Zion De Gallier - Geraldine (Parlophone single R 5710, 1968)
19. Mark Wirtz - Goody, Goody, Goody (CBS single 4539, 1969)
20. Astronaut Alan And The Planets (alias Fickle Finger) - Cellophane Mary-Jane (Page One single POF 150, 1969)
21. Cellophane Mop - What Goes Up Must Come Down (Comet (Germany) single 5024, 1970)
22. Cellophane Mop - Slowly, Slowly, Quick, Quick, Slowly (Comet (Germany) single 5024, 1970)
23. Pat And Penny - Jelly Bean (stereo mix) (CBS (Germany) single 5087, 1970)
24. Pat And Penny - Here We Come (stereo mix) (CBS (Germany) single 5087, 1970)
25. Zion De Gallier - Me (from session tape RM5)
26. Zion De Gallier - Me (from session tape RM7)

Tracks 10-11 included on The Fantastic Story of Mark Wirtz and The Teenage Opera, RPM 503, 2001

CD 3

1. The Matchmakers - Baby Make Me Happy
2. The Matchmakers - Goody Goody Goody
3. The Matchmakers - This Time It Must Be Love
4. The Matchmakers - Thank You Baby (For Coming)
5. The Matchmakers - Wooly Wooly Watsgong (Ging Gang Go)
6. The Matchmakers - Droopy Loopy (Vogue Schalplatten (Germany) single DV 11159, 1971)
7. Philwit And Pegasus - The Elephant Song
8. Philwit And Pegasus - Pseudo Phoney Mixed Up Croney (Chapter One single CH-R 137, 1971)
9. Philwit And Pegasus - Happiness
10. Philwit And Pegasus - Pauper's Son
11. Philwit And Pegasus - Spinning Carousel
12. Mark Wirtz - Long Long Way From Home
13. Mark Wirtz - Am I Me
14. Mark Wirtz - The Song I Sing
15. Mark Wirtz - Trambouline
16. Mark Wirtz - Everybody Needs Someone Somebody
17. Mark Wirtz - Mellow Man
18. Mark Wirtz - Hasn't It Been A Heavy Day
19. Mark Wirtz - Swan (Ballerina)
20. Mark Wirtz - Farewell Lullaby (included on The Hollywood Years, RPM 190, 1999)
21. Mark Wirtz - Avalon (demo)
22. Mark Wirtz - Mr Sun King (demo)

Tracks 1-5 from Bubble Gum A Go-Go, Chapter One LP CMS-R 1004, 1971 (various pressings)
Track 7 & 9-11 from Philwit & Pegasus, Chapter One LP CHS 805, 1970
Tracks 12-17 from Balloon, Capitol LP ST-11155, 1973
Tracks 18-19 from Hothouse Smiles, Capitol LP ST-11208, 1973
Tracks 21-22 included on Philwit & Pegasus [reissue], RPM 252, 2003

CD 4

1. Fantastic Fair
2. Ob La Di Ob La Da
3. Never My Love
4. Come Down Little Bird
5. Mrs. Robinson
6. Sha La La La Lee
7. Black Is Black
8. Fool On The Hill
9. The Real Mr Smith
10. Girl Friday
11. Music To Watch Girls By
12. Hey Jude
13. Dizzy
14. Aquarius
15. Come Back And Shake Me
16. Love And Occasional Rain
17. Ragamuffin Man
18. Theme From A Teenage Opera
19. Festival Of Kings
20. Snake In The Grass
21. A Touch Of Velvet, A Sting Of Brass
22. I Can Hear Music
23. Farewell To A Broken Doll
24. Good Times
25. My Way
26. Poem

Tracks 1-12 from Fantastic Teenage Fair, Decca (Germany) LP SLK 16 591-P, 1968
Tracks 13-26 from Come Back & Shake Me, Decca (Germany) LP SLK 16 613-P, 1969

CD 5: Outtakes, Demos, Curios and Remixes

1. Mark Wirtz - Intro - Grocer Jack (solo piano recital)
2. Mark Rogers And The Marksmen - Spanish Scramble (included on The Mark Wirtz Anthology, Capital M MWGS001, 2002)
3. Interview - "Grocer Jack"
4. Mark Wirtz - Grocer Jack (work in progress from acetate)
5. Mark Wirtz - Sam (work in progress)
6. Interview - "Number One in Seventeen Countries"
7. Mark Wirtz - (He's Our Dear Old) Weatherman (work in progress)
8. Interview - "Don't ever be the first"
9. Zion De Gallier - Me (from session tape RM8)
10. Zion De Gallier - Me (2024 remix)
11. Mark Wirtz Orchestra And Chorus - Dizzy (2024 instrumental remix)
12. The Sweetshop - Barefoot And Tiptoe (2024 Stereo remix)
13. Aquarian Age - 10,000 Words In A Cardboard Box (2024 remix)
14. Philwit And Pegasus - Pseudo Phoney Mixed Up Croney (2024 stereo remix)
15. The Matchmakers - Droopy Loopy (2024 remix)
16. Zion De Gallier - Dream Dream Dream (2024 Stereo remix)
17. Philwit And Pegasus - The Elephant Song (2024 stereo remix)
18. The Soul Brothers - Gotta Get A Good Thing Goin' (2024 stereo remix)
19. Mark Wirtz - Knickerbocker Glory (2024 stereo remix)
20. Mark Wirtz - Feelin' Better (home demo)
21. Mark Wirtz - When The Left Hand Don't Know What The Right Hand Is Doing (demo)
22. Mark Wirtz - Let (home demo)
23. Mark Wirtz - I Need To Fall In Love (home demo)
24. Mark Wirtz - Eye To Eye (home demo)
25. Mark Wirtz - Forgimme (home demo 2024 mix and restoration)
26. Mark Wirtz - Miss Demeanour (home demo 2024 mix and restoration)
27. Mark Wirtz - Outro - Weatherman (solo piano recital)