“Sunny” / “Čekám” – Valérie Čižmárová (Panton, 1969)

From my record collection, this is the sleeve designed by André Černoušek for the debut single of Valérie Čižmárová, with her name set in Clarendon.

It’s a cover of Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny”, with lyrics by Ali Brezovský. The B-side has “Čekám” (“I Am Waiting”), with music by Mojmír Smékal, lyrics by Rostislav Černý. Both songs have instrumental accompaniment from the studio orchestra under Ivo Moravus. The record was produced by Ivan Štědrý, who also wrote the sleeve notes on the back cover. Recorded 26th May 1969 at Studio Smečky, Prague. Photography by Petr Polák. Gill Sans – and lettering based on it – is used as secondary typeface.

This basic design forms part of the d r uvádí (“d r presents”) series on Panton, featuring artists appearing at the Divadlo Rokoko (Rokoko Theatre), such as Valérie Čižmárová’s close colleague Jitka Zelenková and the composer of the music for Valérie Čižmárová’s second single, “Když mě chceš” (“When You Want Me”) and the other side to that record, “Proč se ti zdá” (“Why Does It Seem To You”) and the lyrics for the first of these, alongside Pavel Náhoda and solo for the second – Milan Klipec.

For details on Valérie Čižmárová’s life and work please visit the fan blog “Bananas For Breakfast”.