Prelude: After The Goldrush

It’s One-Hit Wonder Wednesday on Reading Between the Grooves, and every week we feature an artist’s only foray into the American Top 40 charts. Today’s entry was one of the few a cappella hit recordings and was a song that entered the British folk band Prelude’s repertoire almost by accident.

The trio made up of Irene and Brian Hume and Ian Vardy were waiting at a bus stop when they started singing an a cappella version of Neil Young’s “After the Goldrush.” They began singing this tune in their shows and it was an instant hit with fans. When recording their second album, it was included. While the album was titled “Dutch Courage” elsewhere, the American release was named after the Young composition.

“After the Goldrush” was not the band’s only hit in the UK where it made it to 21. It was, however, a one-hit wonder in the US in 1974 peaking at #22. In 1982, Prelude re-recorded the song and it charted in the UK a second time – this time at #28. The band still performs yet today.