Guantanamera (J Marti-Adatt/H Angulc/P Seeger, arr J Christie)

Christie doing the old Spanish ballad Guantanamera? Believe it! Jeff rearranges this classic song and gives it a rocky, Christie flavour, featuring prominent electric guitar - probably the only version of this song to do so. At 4 minutes, 44 seconds, this is also the longest Christie song that was released as a single A-side, which was recorded for the group's Central American and South American fans. It featured the "new-look" Christie, comprising ex-members of Capability Brown.
   The song is sung in Spanish, featuring a nasally Roger Flavell on lead vocals. Jeff Christie confirms that Roger was suffering from a heavy cold at the time (read this interview).

Navajo (Wake up Navajo) (R Kerr/K Young)

Jeff takes over the lead vocals on this gentle-paced country-flavoured love song dedicated to a Navajo girl, co-written by well-known composer Kenny Young (whose songs include Under The Boardwalk). The piece features nice imagery in the lyrics and cleverly ends with a tribal beat. Navajo went to the top of the Mexican charts.

 

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These songs were released as separate singles in Mexico to cash in on the band's popularity there. Navajo was backed by Inside Looking Out, and Guantanamera had New York City on the flipside. In Europe and South America, the two songs were released back to back.

The Guantanamera record was originally released inside a photo cover. Oddly, while the single was one of the last in Christie's career, the sleeve used an image of the band from its earliest days, with Mike Blakley in it.