Geoff Stephens, chart-topping pop songwriter, dies aged 86

Geoff Stephens, the prolific Grammy-winning British songwriter behind hits such as Winchester Cathedral and The Crying Game, has died aged 86.

In a message confirming the news to Variety, his family wrote: “Dad survived Covid-19 in the spring but passed away with my Mum, his wife of 63 years, by his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.”

Born in north London in 1934, until his early 30s Stephens dabbled in music with an amateur theatrical group alongside work as a teacher, printer and air traffic controller. His first hit was Tell Me When, a Top 10 hit for the Birmingham beat group the Applejacks in 1964, and that year he also signed the unknown Donovan to his first record contract, co-producing his debut album that featured Top 5 single Catch the Wind.

In 1964, he also wrote The Crying Game for Dave Berry, another Top 5 hit that would go on to become the theme for Neil Jordan’s movie of the same name (along with a successful cover by Boy George).

In 1966, he formed the New Vaudeville Band, a group of session musicians, to perform his song Winchester Cathedral – a deliberately nostalgic throwback to British music hall amid the melee of swinging London. It was a surprise No 1 in the US (vying with the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations to reach the top) and Canada, and reached No 4 in the UK; it won a Grammy for best contemporary song plus an Ivor Novello songwriting award. Frank Sinatra later recorded his own version.

The New Vaudeville Band had another UK Top 10 hit with Peek-a-Boo, and their 1967 song There’s a Kind of Hush became a transatlantic hit for Herman’s Hermits that year, and for the Carpenters in 1976.

Stephens wrote songs for a wide variety of 1960s British stars, including Tom Jones’s No 5 hit Daughter of Darkness, the Hollies’ Sorry Suzanne (No 3 in 1969), and Scott Walker’s Lights of Cincinnati. His songs were also recorded by US country artists including Wayne Newton and Crystal Gayle, and he co-wrote three songs performed by Elvis Presley: Heart of Rome, This Is Our Dance and Sylvia.

His song Knock Knock, Who’s There reached No 2 for Mary Hopkin in 1970, and also reached second place in the Eurovision song contest that year. The 1970s would see him write UK No 1 hits for David Soul and the New Seekers, as well as songs for Hot Chocolate and more. He also collaborated with lyricist Don Black on the musical Dear Anyone.

Among those paying tribute was Tim Rice, who hailed Stephens’ hits and described him as “a major talent and lovely chap”.

His is survived by wife Pam Stephens, son Paul, and daughters Jenny and Ruth.