Mike Batt

See all 5 pictures

Play Radio

Listen to Mike Batt Radio, featuring artists like Barclay James Harvest, BAP, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Spliff and more…

• Search on Spotify

123,278 plays (14,936 listeners)
In your library (0 plays)

Shop now at Amazon | Send Mike Batt Ringtones to Cell

Buy

• Download
• Amazon
• Send Ringtones to Cell
• Tonefuse Search

Add to my Library

Southampton, England (1969 – present)

Michael Philip “Mike” Batt (born 6 February 1949, Southampton, England) is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry. He is best known for creating The Wombles pop act, writing the chart-topping “Bright Eyes,” and discovering Katie Melua.

Batt began his career in pop music at the age of eighteen as a signed artist with Liberty Records, having answered the same advertisement as Elton John and Bernie Taupin placed by Ray Williams in the New Musical Express. The talented youth quickly became part of Liberty’s production team, and in 1969 he took over production duties from Noel Walker, on blues great McKenna Mendelson Mainline’s seminal first release, Stink. Walker and Batt were credited on the album only as “Liberty Staff”. Also in 1969, Batt released as producer/artist a Liberty single, his bouncy cover of The Beatles’ “Your Mother Should Know”. Batt subsequently became Head of A&R for Liberty Records.

His first hits as a singer/songwriter/producer were by The Wombles, in 1974. After eight hit singles and four gold albums with The Wombles, he moved on to work with various artists as a songwriter/producer, most successfully with Steeleye Span and their most successful single and album All Around My Hat in 1975.

Arguably his most famous success is Watership Down (including music and lyrics to Art Garfunkel’s international number one single, “Bright Eyes”, which won “Best Film Song or Music” one of his five Ivor Novello Awards. Criticized for being trite and overly sentimental, the song remains a radio favourite.

Read more… Edit bio

Popular tags: pop, 80s, rock, soundtrack, ambient  See more

Share this artist:

• Tweet
• Send

Top Albums

• The Very Best Of
  Mike Batt

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 Search
  • 7digital Search
  • iTunes Search
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon Search
  • eBay Search
• The Very Best Of Mike Batt
  Mike Batt

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 Search
  • 7digital Search
  • iTunes Search
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon Search
  • eBay Search
• A Songwriter's Tale
  Mike Batt

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 Search
  • 7digital Search
  • iTunes $9.99
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon Search
  • eBay Search
• Tarot Suite
  Mike Batt

  Buy

  • Download Album
  • Amazon MP3 Search
  • 7digital Search
  • iTunes Search
  • Buy Album
  • Amazon Search
  • eBay Search

Top Tracks

• Last Week
• Last 6 months

1		Lady Of The Dawn			26
2		The Ride To Agadir			24
3		The Winds Of Change			16
4		Theme From "Caravans"			15
5		Love Makes You Crazy			10
6		The Walls Of The World			9
7		Caravan on the Move			7
7		Railway Hotel			7
9		Mona			6
9		Imbecile			6
11		Theme from "Caravans" (Instrumental)			5
11		Plainsong			5
11		Journey To Badek			5
11		The Valley Of Swords			5
15		Theme from Caravans			4

Buy all tracks at Amazon MP3

See more