Top 10 Caravan Songs

Photo: By Widewadat (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The band Caravan was formed in Kent County in South East England in 1968. They moved to Canterbury England upon signing their first record deal and became know as one of the legendary Canterbury bands. The original band consisted of musicians, David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Richard Coughlan and Pye Hastings.The band’s first album entitled Caravan was released in 1969. One year later in 1970, the band released their second album entitled If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You. In 1972 the band released one more album called In the Land of Grey and Pink with the band’s original lineup.

1973’s Waterloo Lily album featured a lineup change with Steve Miller taking over keyboard duties. Steve Miller only stayed with Camel for one album. The band’s next album For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night was released later in the year.

Mike Wedgwood joined the band on bass for their sixth album entitled Cunning Stunts in 1975. Jan Schelhaas replaced Dave Sinclair on the bands seventh album Blind Dog at St. Dunstans. In 1977, the band released the album Better by Far. An album called The Album was released in 1980. The band’s original lineup from their debut album all returned for their 1982 effort, cleverly named Back To Front. After the release of Back To Front, the band released only four more albums from 1982 to 2013.

This Top 10 Caravan songs list will take a look at the best material or at least our favorite material the group released over the course of their fabulous career.

# 10 – It’s a Sad, Sad Affair

We open up our Top 10 Caravan Songs list with tracks from the band’s later period. The song “It’s A Sad, Sad Affair,” was released on the band’s 1995 album The Battle of Hastings. The Caravan song “It’s A Sad, Sad Affair,” was the album’s opening track. The sound of the 90s is very present on the record as the production quality is much more glossy than the band’s 1970s material.

# 9 – And I Wish I Were Stoned

There is a world of difference between the 1995 track “It’s A Sad, Sad Affair,” and the great piece of music “And I Wish I Were Stoned/Don’t Worry,” from 1970. However, the point of this list is to define some of the band’s different musical periods. The track And I Wish I Were Stoned was released on the band’s second album entitled If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You.

# 8 – Place of My Own

“Place of My Own,” was the opening track on the band’s debut album in 1969. The album was released on Decca Records. We love the opening of this smoking track fueled by those intense drums and stirring chord progression. This is so good!

# 7 – Where but for Caravan Would I

The great Caravan song “Where but for Caravan Would I,” was released in the band’s debut album in 1970. The song was the closing tack on the album. At around the seven-minute mark one can really hear the influence that Yes had on the band, or maybe that Caravan had on Yes?

# 6 – Can You Hear Me

The album Blind Dog at St. Dunstans which was released in 1976 sounded quite different from the band’s previous albums. There was more of a sense of commercialism to the sound of the band that turned off many fans. Regardless of how fans may have felt about the band on this particular record, it still should be represented on this list for historical reasons. In the end, we actually liked this record and always thought this was a great song.

# 5 – Auberge Du Sanguer

The fifth selection on our Caravan Songs list was released on an album that is our choice for one of the most interesting album titles in progressive rock music history. The album For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night was issued in 1973. Listen to the sound of that beautiful guitar as it’s wrapped around by the crying string line. The track eventually explodes into a progress rock and roll groove that sounds close to the great Yes song “Your Is No Disgrace.”

# 4 – Winter Wine

If we had to choose one Caravan album to take on our space journey to explore new worlds, it would be the band’s third album In the Land of Grey and Pink. Every track from the great album could easily have ended up on this Top 10 Caravan songs list.

# 3 – Can’t Be Long Now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock

This epic fourteen-minute piece was released on the band’s 1970 album entitled If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You.

# 2 – The Love in Your Eye

Caravan may have been labeled deservedly so as a progressive rock band, but the group could come up with some great classic rock-style licks at times. This one resembled Jethro Tull a bit in the opening groove. A great track from a superb album. Released on the 1972 Waterloo Lily album.

# 1 – Nine Feet Underground

Oh, how can you not love this amazing piece of music? The piece stretched out for an entire album side. It is the ultimate definition of 1970s Progressive Rock that hailed from what some fans referred to as the Canterbury Bands. “Nine Feet Underground,” was issued on the band’s In the Land of Grey and Pink album. The record was the band’s third release. It was issued in 1971.