P.P. Arnold - Tin Soldier - 229, London - October 2017

Back in the late sixties a lady by the name of P.P. Arnold teamed up with a British Rock group known as The Small Faces ( remember Itchykoo Park?) You can find her doing Little Tin Soldier on You Tube. Great performance. But here she is back in 2017 teaming up with a modern day take off group called The Small Fakers doing the same song. Her performance now is absolutely wild compared with the somewhat demure lady in 1968,but it is just so great to see a 71 year old lady having so much fun on stage! Her real name is Patricia Ann Cole. She was rescued from an abusive relationship by Tina and Ike Turner who took her to the UK and included her in their show there. She was one of The Ikettes as Ike called them!She stayed in the UK however which is how she met The Small Faces. Her pronounciation definitely takes on a nice British infusion. She moved to Spain where she still resides but she still performs at 74 and very well too. In the clip above this she performs on Beat. Some time back I saw a great video of this song which she does from the cab of a 1950's British steam locomotive. I wanted to show that video but can't find it again. She just sings while the driver shovels coal, adjusts controls hardly glancing at Patricia. The camera swings to the English countryside going past faster and faster and then to the connecting rods and Walschaerts valve gear spinning faster and faster. Beautiful! When I was a student I built an American Union Pacific Big Boy in Meccano and was most proud of getting the Walschaerts movement correct!