JONA LEWIE - Stop the Cavalry - No 2 Countdown Australia.

A number 2 hit 'Stop the Cavalry' on Countdown Australia in March 1981, beaten to the number 1 spot that week by Slim Dusty singing 'Duncan'.

Lewie started in the music business as a session pianist, before joining the cult blues band Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts in the late 1960s. The group has now been a popular live act for 40 years, their mainstream hit single being 'Seaside Shuffle,' released under the one-off nom-de-disque Terry Dactyl and The Dinosaurs. It appeared to borrow heavily from Mungo Jerry's 1970 chart-topper 'In the Summertime.' But 'Seaside Shuffle' preceded 'In the Summertime,' the Bretts playing it live, particularly at the '100 Club' where they were backed by the then unknown Mungo Jerry. 'Seaside Shuffle' reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

Lewie looked likely to remain part of a one-hit-wonder until he was signed up by Stiff Records in 1977. Following appearances on the Stiff package tours, he finally scored a solo hit with the humorous synthpop number, 'You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties,' co-penned by fellow Brett Keef Trouble, which made the British Top 20. Although his next single 'Big Shot - Momentarily' failed to make any impact, by the end of the year he was back in the charts with what became his biggest (and to date last) UK hit, 'Stop The Cavalry'. He was, however, to reach No 2 on the Australian charts in 1981 with 'Louise (We Get It Right).'

Although now one of Britain's (and, incidentally, Germany's) most familiar Christmas singles, 'Stop The Cavalry' was not originally intended as a Christmas song - it was released in late November after the record company spotted the line referring to the festival: "I wish I was at home, for Christmas." Not only this but the specific style of the brass instruments and bells in the chorus are very noticeable as a 'Christmas-style' theme.

Lewie has since been able to live comfortably on the continuing proceeds from the Christmas airplay of 'Stop The Cavalry,' as well as the proceeds from some wise property investments.

The tune and style of 'Stop The Cavalry' was later parodied for a series of catchy and humorous TV adverts for John Smith's beer.

In December 2005, Lewie was recruited by Channel 4 to record a new Christmas record with other old stars who had Christmas hits, on 'Bring Back The Christmas Number One.'

The lyrics of Lewie's hit 'You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties' were written by Keef Trouble. Lewie, ex-keyboard player with Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts, is a close friend of Trouble, a fellow Thunderbolt of the Terry Dactyl period, who writes and records his own material, and performs by himself, with the Okee Dokee Band, and with the still-performing Thunderbolts.