Johnny Harris is a composer, musician, arranger, conductor, and producer, who’s been active since the mid ‘60s. Harris made a name for himself working with a number of popular acts, including Lulu, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, and Olivia Newton-John. Harris was the musical director for Lulu’s TV show, Happening for Lulu, and conducted her “Boom Bang a Bang,” which won the long-running Eurovision Song Contest in 1969. This exposure led to the UK division of Warner Bros. Records signing Harris to a solo deal. His first album for the label, Movements, features a few tracks that were initially recorded for a soundtrack, including the absolutely phenomenal “Stepping Stones.”

In the summer of ’69, ahead of Movements being released, “Footprints on the Moon” was put out as a single. The song received its fair share of radio airplay, catching the ear of movie director, Richard Sarafian. The director was so wowed by the tune that he asked Harris to score his next project, the giallo film, Fragment of Fear.
 

Italian poster for ‘Fragment of Fear.’

Harris’s music for the picture was recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in London, with the composer conducting a ten-piece orchestra and a rhythm section. The propulsive “Stepping Stones” was used for a chase scene in Fragment of Fear. Music for movie moments like this are meant to invoke drama and excitement, and “Stepping Stones” has those elements—in spades.
 

 
The piece begins with some fantastic flute flourishes, and then the track kicks in, its skronky jazz-funk flooring through traffic at a savage pace. “Stepping Stones” ebbs and flows, putting the brakes on here and there—with the flautist heard sounding like he’s gasping for air, as if he’s the one being chased—before reviving up and speeding off. It’s a brilliant work.
 

 
In addition to its inclusion on Movements, which hit record stores in 1970, “Stepping Stones” was issued as a Harris B-side. As for the album, Movements is a solid affair, a mix of originals and covers, including entertaining and unique versions of “Give Peace a Chance” and “Paint It Black.”.

Naturally, parts of Harris’s Fragments of Fear score, including snippets of “Stepping Stones,” are heard throughout the film’s trailer.
 

 
We’ll leave you with Lulu’s 1969 Eurovision performance. Johnny Harris is seen at the start of the clip.