The Bentleys – “When you say” / “Tell me, tell me” single cover
The Bentleys’ “When you say” was, as far as can be ascertained, the group’s final single, after having recorded, since 1964, variously as Zusjes Oorthuysen, The Bentley Sisters, and Bentley Sisters. Until this appearance as The Bentleys they had been a four-piece outfit, consisting of – in descending order of age – Lia Oorthuysen, Mary Oorthuysen, Ellie/Elly Oorthuysen, and Winnie/Winny Oorthuysen. It is my assumption that this final line-up is minus Lia and, furthermore, that it is Ellie/Elly standing on the right, Mary sitting down and Winnie/Winny on one knee on the floor.
The Oorthuysen sisters came from De Zilk in Noordwijkerhout in the district of Leiden, the Netherlands.
There were two reports on the group in two local newspapers that can be read on-line, if one has a working knowledge of Dutch. The first was in the Leidse Courant of 14th August 1964, when they were known as Zusjes Oorthuysen and the second was in the Leidsch Dagblad of 4th November 1969, when they had become The Bentley Sisters. It appears from the latter that they were based in Karlsruhe, West Germany at the time.
“When you say” was a cover of the debut single of the group from France, Il était une fois, “Rien qu’un ciel” (“Nothing but a sky”), with the music written by the drummer/singer of Il était une fois, Richard Dewitte, and with English-language lyrics by Andreas ('Dries’) Holten, the B-Side, “Tell me, tell me“ with music by Andreas ('Dries’) Holten and lyrics by Harry Heltzel. In both cases it was arranged and conducted by Ferry Wienneke.
This is my copy of “When you say”, purchased over the Web from Teddy’s Platten & Postershop, 8 München 22, Thierschstraße 19.
This group of sisters has given its name to a new Blog at WordPress.com entitled 'The Fifth Oorthuysen’, on female Pop from The Netherlands of a certain vintage.
