Rock Follies was a 70s TV drama which dealt with the setting up of an all-female rock group. It ran for two series in 1976 and 1977. The Follies concerned were played by Julie Covington who has already featured in this category as a solo performer, Rula Lenska and Charlotte Cornwell.

This is the musical intro to the show.

Intro to the Rock Follies 1976

Among the songs the trio performed was Glenn Miller Is Missing which has stuck in my mind as it seemed a strange subject for a song in a popular music drama at the time (even if they were doing a themed episode.) It still does.

Glenn Miller is Missing

Note the ENSA badge flashes on the Follies’ shoulders.

ENSA was the Entertainments National Service Association set up to send entertainers of varying degrees of ability round troop and service establishments during the Second World War.

Wags soon dubbed ENSA as Every Night Something Awful. (Compare It Ain’t Half Hot Mum.)

Ah, me. It brings it all back. Rock Follies, Jubilee year 1977.
Yes, yes, the first Rock Follies was in 1976 but the second series coincided with the Jubilee.

Julie Covington had such a clear voice; not really suited to the rock and roll perhaps. She is undoubtedly best remembered for bringing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” to the public’s attention (but we’ll forgive her that.)

For a song with such a title and sentiment it’s a bit strange it was written by a man, even if he did use a woman’s name. For it was composed by none other than Alice Cooper.

Julie Covington: Only Women Bleed

Alice Cooper’s original version can be found here.