The Pattens - Jump (1966)

This Wheaton, Illinois band only ever released two singles. Their first single featured the A-Side “Shame Shame Shame” backed with a cover of Gene Vincent’s 1958 song “Say Mama.” Its release date is unknown, although it was most likely released sometime in 1965 or early 1966.

The band’s second single was definitely released in 1966. It featured the A-Side “You Should Know” and was backed with the B-Side “Jump.” Although “You Should Know” was credited by The Pattens as having been written by a “R. Kahler” (perhaps a member of the band?), the very same song was recorded and released a year prior in 1965 by another local Wheaton band, The Escavels. The Escavels claim the song was actually written by their band’s Stan Sherbino with some help from his bandmates Ken Utterback and Tony Pavilonis.

Before a case of “he said, she said” is brought about regarding the true authorship of the song, it should be noted that The Pattens don’t exactly have a reputation for giving original authors their due. The Pattens credited their second single’s B-Side, heard below, to a “Ren Shawel.” It can hardly be considered a mistake when you find out that that song, too, had been previously recorded and released by another band. In 1964, The Toggery Five (all the way over in Manchester, England) released “I’m Gonna Jump,” which is the same exact song, and was written by member Frank Renshaw.

Although it cannot be determined if this lack of credit was the ill-intentions of the band, somebody at Stature Records, or some unknown third party, it certainly appears that The Pattens' “Jump” was avoiding giving credit to The Toggery Five by slightly changing the name of the song and crediting its authorship to “Ren Shawel” rather than The Toggery Five’s true author, Frank Renshaw.



The Pattens - Jump (1966)

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Lyrics:

I saw you yesterday and I died
I saw you yesterday and I knew that you’d lied
I saw you walking with a guy holding his hand
I saw you kissing him and giving in to all his command

Don't you know I'm gonna jump, girl?
Yes, jump
Jump in that river, yes, I’m gonna die

You said you loved me; all the time you were faking
You didn't tell me about the guys that you were making with
And now I know all about your game called “tantalize”
And now I'm broken up- and it’s your fault- and I hope you’re satisfied

Don't you know I'm gonna jump, girl?
Yes, jump
Jump in that river, yes, I’m gonna die

Don't you know I'm gonna jump, girl?
Yes, jump
Jump in that river, yes, I’m gonna die

Don't you know I'm gonna jump?
Don't you know I'm gonna jump?

Bobby Darin - If I Were a Carpenter (1966)

As mentioned in our first post regarding today’s featured artist, Bobby Darin was a teen idol who had had pop music hits such as “Splish Splash,” “Beyond the Sea,” and “Dream Lover” in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. But by the mid-1960s with that style of music falling out of popularity with the general public, Darin was forced to reinvent himself. In June 1966, Darin released an album consisting of then-current Broadway musical numbers. Just six short months later in December 1966 he did an about-face and released If I Were a Carpenter, which was an album of folk and folk rock songs.

If I Were a Carpenter featured Darin singing five songs written by Tim Hardin, two songs written by John Sebastian, a song by Buffy Sainte-Marie, and a few others. But far and away without question, the biggest hit was the title track.

Written by Tim Hardin, the song heard below hadn’t even yet been released by Hardin himself when Darin took the song to number eight in the USA (and number nine in the UK). In fact, Hardin wouldn’t release his version of the song until his album Tim Hardin 2, which hit shelves in April 1967. Ultimately, Hardin wasn’t happy with Darin’s release, believing the Darin too closely copied his vocal style of the song (heard on his demos) and the musical arrangements.



Bobby Darin - If I Were a Carpenter (1966)

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Lyrics:

If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?

If a tinker were my trade
Would you still find me?
Carrying the pots I made
Following behind me

Save my love through loneliness
Save my love for sorrow
I've given you my only-ness
Come give your tomorrow

If I worked my hands in wood
Would you still love me?
Answer me babe, "Yes, I would
I'll put you above me"

If I were a miller
At a mill-wheel, grinding
Would you miss your color-box?
Your soft shoes shining?

If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?

Would you marry anyway?
Would you have my baby?

The Mascots - This Proud Crowd (1966)

Previously featured on this site, this group was virtually unknown to the English-speaking world in the 1960s. Hailing from Sweden, The Mascots predominately sang in English, but never quite managed to break into the English-speaking market. They released numerous singles in Sweden (with some to large, local success) and even a couple full length albums.

The song below was never released as a single, but was instead featured as the second track on the group’s second album, cleverly titled Ellpee and released in 1966. The song was written by Stefan Ringbom, the group’s lead vocalist and guitarist. The song also featured the rest of the band’s core members: Karl Gunnar Idering on guitar, Anders Forsslund on bass, Rolf “Boffe” Adolfsson on drums, and all of the members performing backing vocals.

Editor's Note: These lyrics are difficult to decipher. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment below.



The Mascots - This Proud Crowd (1966)

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Lyrics:

Moving down the city way
Taking seats there every day
Buying clothes because they’re “in”
Having “out” ones is a sin
Digging new songs every week
And then you are a real
Member of this proud crowd

Old originality
Was once started, it I see
Someone said I shall break out
And then everyone broke out
Forming troops of self-sane people
And becoming all
Members of this proud crowd

You gotta like these things that’s new
That’s what you can do
Maybe they’re too much of things
Oh, forget it, cut my strings
But some things happen, though
It’s not the old way you will know
Maybe that too much at all
I think I’ll do an outlaw

No more thinking for oneself
‘cause one never is oneself
Doing things the others do
Joining parties, getting blue
Having lots of fun, I know
Because I am somehow
A member of this proud crowd

You gotta like these things that’s new
That’s what you can do
Maybe they’re too much of things
Oh, forget it, cut my strings
But some things happen, though
It’s not the old way you will know
Maybe that too much at all
I think I’ll do an outlaw

No more thinking for oneself
‘cause one never is oneself
Doing things the others do
Having parties, getting blue
Having lots of fun, I know
Because I am somehow
A member of this proud crowd

A member of this proud crowd

The Who - A Quick One, While He's Away (1966)

As Pete Townshend explained in his 2012 autobiography, Who I Am, he and his band, The Who, were in need of about ten minutes worth of songs in order to have enough material for their second album. Being the group’s only songwriter at the time, Townshend went to work. What was eventually created was a sort of “mini-opera.” The song is broken up into six parts and tells the story of a woman whose significant other has been gone for “nigh on a year.” Her friends set her up with another man, Ivor the Engine Driver, whom she eventually sleeps with. When her significant other finally returns, she’s overwhelmed with guilt, admits to her infidelity, and is ultimately forgiven. The six parts are:

I.	“Her Man’s Been Gone”
II.	“Crying Town”
III.	“We Have a Remedy”
IV.	“Ivor the Engine Driver”
V.	“Soon Be Home”
VI.	“You Are Forgiven”

That story, according to Townshend, was loosely based on his own childhood. When young, Townshend was sent by his parents to live with his grandmother, Denny. Denny lived near a train station and would often bring random men home. Although unclear on the details, Townshend is relatively sure that one or more of these men abused him- memories which he blocked out at a young age. The “twin girl” mentioned in the song, in real life, was Townshend’s imaginary friend.

The final part of the song, “You Are Forgiven,” was Townshend’s way of forgiving everyone involved in his childhood drama: his parents for abandoning him with his grandmother; his grandmother for bringing strangers into her home; and ultimately, himself. Townshend stated in his autobiography that when he performed the song live, he would always go into a wild frenzy, striking his guitar as hard as he could, when each “you are forgiven” was sung.

According to John Entwistle, The Who's bassist, "We wanted to put cellos on the track but [record producer] Kit Lambert said we couldn’t afford it. That’s why we sing 'cello, cello, cello, cello' where we thought they should be." The "mini-opera" idea became an obsession to Townshend, inspiring him to write the rock opera Tommy.




The Who - A Quick One, While He's Away (1966)

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Lyrics:


Her man’s been gone
For nearly a year
He was due home yesterday
But he ain’t here

Her man’s been gone
For nigh on a year
He was due home yesterday
But he ain’t here

Down your street, your cryin’ is a well-known sound
Your street is very well known, right here in town
Your town is very famous for the little girl
Whose cries can be heard all around the world

We have a remedy
You’ll appreciate
No need to be so sad
He’s only late

We’ll bring you flowers and things
Help pass your time
We’ll give him eagle’s wings
Then he can fly to you

We have a remedy
We have a remedy
We have a remedy
We have a remedy

We have a remedy?
We have!

Little girl, why don’t you stop your crying?
I’m gonna make you feel all right

My name is Ivor
I’m an engine driver

I know him well
I know why you feel blue
Just ‘cause he’s late
Don’t mean he’ll never get through

He told me he loves you
He ain’t no liar; I ain’t either
So let’s have a smile for an old engine driver
So let’s have a smile for an old engine driver

Please take a sweet
(Take a sweet)
Come take a walk with me
(Walk with me)
We’ll sort it out
(Sort it out)
Back at my place, maybe
(Back at my place, maybe)

It’ll come right
You ain’t no fool; I ain’t either
So why not be nice to an old engine driver?
Better be nice to an old engine driver
Better be nice to an old engine driver

We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon
We’ll soon, soon, soon be home

We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon be home
We’ll soon
We’ll soon, soon, soon be home

Come on, old horse

Soon be home
Soon be home
Soon
We’ll soon, soon, soon be home

We’ll soon
Soon, soon, soon be home

We’ll soon be home
Soon be home

Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang

Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello
Cello, cello, cello, cello

I can’t believe it
Do my eyes deceive me?
Am I back in your arms
Away from all harm?

It’s like a dream to be with you again
Can’t believe that I’m with you again

I missed you and I must admit
I kissed a few and once did sit
On Ivor the Engine Driver’s lap
And later, with him, had a nap

You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)
Forgiven
(You are forgiven)

(You are forgiven)

(You are forgiven)
You are forgiven
(You are forgiven)
You’re forgiven

The Seekers - Georgy Girl (1966)

At Melbourne Boys High School in Victoria, Australia during the late 1950s, a few guys from different musical groups (The Trinamics and The Ramblers) came together to start a new doo-wop act calling themselves The Escorts. Over the next few years, some members shuffled in and out; and, in 1962, the group renamed themselves The Seekers. After the dust had settled, their most well-known line-up had been solidified; it consisted of Judith Durham (vocals, piano, and tambourine), Athol Guy (bass), Keith Potger (guitar), and Bruce Woodley (guitar).

The group’s popularity began in Melbourne, Australia, spread to the rest of the country, and by February 1965, they had claimed the number one and number four spots on the charts in the United Kingdom and the United States, respectively.

The song heard below was the band’s highest charting single in the United States, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s music (by Tom Springfield) and lyrics (by Jim Dale) were put together to go with the release of a British film, also titled Georgy Girl, released in 1966. In the movie, two alternative versions of the song are heard- one during the opening credits and the other during the closing credits. An entirely different third version was used for the release of the song as a single. The single version is the one heard below.



The Seekers - Georgy Girl (1966)

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Lyrics:

Hey there, Georgy girl
Swingin’ down the street so fancy-free
Nobody you meet could ever see
The loneliness there
Inside you

Hey there, Georgy girl
Why do all the boys just pass you by?
Could it be you just don’t try?
Or is it the clothes you wear?

You’re always window shopping
But never stopping to buy
So, shed those dowdy feathers and fly
A little bit

Hey there, Georgy girl
There’s another Georgy deep inside
Bring out all the love you hide
And, oh, what a change there’d be
The world would see
A new Georgy girl

Hey there, Georgy girl
Dreamin’ of the someone you could be
Life is a reality
You can’t always run away

Don’t be so scared of changing
And rearranging yourself
It’s time for jumping down from the shelf
A little bit

Hey there, Georgy girl
There’s another Georgy deep inside
Bring out all the love you hide
And, oh, what a change there’d be
The world would see
A new Georgy girl

(Hey there, Georgy girl)
Wake up, Georgy girl
(Hey there, Georgy girl)
Come on, Georgy girl
(Hey there, Georgy girl)
Wake up, Georgy girl…

Me and Them Guys - I Loved Her (1966)

According to The Daily Banner newspaper from May 27, 1967, this band came from Greencastle, Indiana, a town about an hour’s ride southwest of Indianapolis, Indiana. Members of the band were Steve Pritchard, Steve Michael, Craig Terry, Rod Kersey and Martin Baker. In that same paper, it's said that the band would be playing Memorial Day for the official summer opening of Indiana Beach on Shafer Lake, two days from then on Monday, May 29th, 1967.

The song below was written by members Steve Michael and Steve Pritchard. It was backed with the B-Side “Something Else” and pressed by Gre-Tle Records (an abbreviation of Greencastle). The record was released in 1966, and some websites claim that only five hundred copies were ever pressed. The song heard below was discovered through the compilation album Back from the Grave, Volume 3, a collection of sixties punk and garage rock.



Me and Them Guys - I Loved Her (1966)

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Lyrics:

I loved her so
I loved her so
I loved the way she walked
The way she talked
The way she held my hand
I loved the way that she sat close to me
And the way she said that I was her man
I loved her so

(I loved her so)
Now, I had a girl, just like you
(I loved her so)
She was fine, she was cool
(I loved her so)
She left me one night all alone
(I loved her so)
I loved her so, but now she’s gone

(I loved her so)
(I loved her so)
Oh, yeah!

(I loved her so)
She’s been gone many a’day
(I loved her so)
I really don’t know just what to say
(I loved her so)
She loved me so; what’s done is done
(I loved her so)
I loved her so; she had her fun

I loved her so
I loved her so
I loved the way she walked
The way she talked
I loved the way she walked
The way she talked
I loved the way she walked
And the way she talked
I loved her so
(I loved her so)
I loved her so
(I loved her so)
I loved her so
(I loved her so)
I said a’bye, bye, bye
Bye, bye, bye, bye
I said a’bye, bye, bye
Bye, bye, bye, bye
I said a’bye, bye, bye
Bye, bye, bye, bye
I said…

The Remains - Heart (1966)

In 1964, at Boston University, four students from a dormitory across the street from Fenway Park in Kenmore Square decided to form a band. The lead singer and guitarist, Barry Tashian, and their keyboardist, Bill Briggs, were both from Westport, Connecticut. Their drummer, Chip Damiani, was from Wolcott, Connecticut. Their bassist, Vern Miller, was from Livingston, New Jersey.

It was when the band’s live acts began to accumulate groups of people lined all the way back to Fenway Park down the street that the band really took off locally. They were signed to Epic Records and released some singles that did well regionally. In 1965, the band relocated to New York City and made an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, furthering their stardom. In 1966, the band moved out to California, trying to tap into the west coast, and made an appearance on Hullaballoo. Their persistence and dedication paid off; but, unfortunately, for only a short period of time.

It was in 1966 that the band was made an offer to appear as an opening act for what would become The Beatles’ last tour. Though most members of the band were ready for the tour, it was their drummer Chip Damiani who, for one reason or another, decided to back out of the tour and quit the band. The group’s replacement (future Mountain drummer N.D. Smart) was skilled enough, but lacked the preparation and experience with his bandmates to fill the void that was left by Damiani. Though the group was able to get through the tour, they disbanded later that same year.

The song heard below was written by Georges Aber, Tony Hatch, and an uncredited Petula Clark. It was first recorded and released by Petula Clark in June 1965. The version heard below was recorded for the band’s only album, titled The Remains, and released to little ado in 1966 as the album's opening track.



The Remains - Heart (1966)

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Lyrics:

Heart
I can hear my heart
Every time we meet
Every time we part

When I'm in your arms
I can hear my heart
We kiss
And the rhythm starts

I can hear the beat, beat, beat
Every time you're here
What? Don't speak to me
'cause I just couldn't hear

I can hear the boom, boom, boom
Like a rhythm of a train
Like a thousand drums
There it comes again

Woah, what can I do now?
My heart is beating just for you

Yeah, my poor heart
Well, can't you see?
What you have started
Oh, what you're doing to me?

You gotta stop now
I'm going crazy
I’m going out of my head
Heart

You gotta stop now
I'm feeling hazy because I got it so bad

I'm so in love with you
Nothing I can do
And I'm gonna lose my heart to you

The Masters Apprentices - Wars or Hands of Time (1966)

This band was originally formed in 1964 under the name The Mustangs in Adelaide, Australia. Starting out as a surf outfit, the group transitioned into beat music after experiencing The Beatles’ June 1964 tour of Australia. Although members of the band would often be rotated out, the group managed to achieve immense popularity throughout Australia, making television appearances and regularly selling out concerts in neighboring cities. In late ’65, the band decided to rename themselves to “The Masters Apprentices” (sic), claiming to be the apprentices of legends such as Robert Johnson, Bo Diddley, and Chuck Berry.

By 1966, the band was offered a chance at a record deal with Astor Records, provided that they submitted a four-track demo. Only have three songs, members Mick Bower and Rick Morrison wrote the track “Undecided” in fifteen minutes. With another fifteen minutes, the track was recorded and finalized, meeting the requirements of a demo put forth by Astor.

By August 1966, the band had made their way to beat-burgeoning Melbourne in an effort to expand their musical reach. It was a few months later in October that they released their first single, featuring “Undecided” as the A-Side and “Wars or Hands of Time,” the song heard below, on its reverse. Thanks to local support from radio DJs, the single became a huge success in the coming months of 1967.

Written by the band’s Mick Bower, “Wars or Hands of Time” was the first anti-Vietnam song released in Australia. It was inspired by the fact that Australia had recently begun drafting young males for the Vietnam conflict in 1965. Since its release, the song has become an Australian classic and sold well worldwide.



The Masters Apprentices - Wars or Hands of Time (1966)

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Lyrics:

Though I have to go, I will be thinking of you
When I'm far away, try to remember what I said
The day I live, I’ll still be dreaming of your love

Wait for the clouds to pass your way
Wait for me; I'll be back some day

At dusk we said goodbye; you said you'd try hard not to cry
But I could feel a chill fall lonely on my shoulder
In the wind on the beach where someday I'll return

Wait for the clouds to pass your way
Wait for me; I'll be back some day

Wars or hands of time will not destroy our dreams of days
That are to come; our tears were shed with understanding
Don't be sad, I'll catch the wind on home to you

Wait for the clouds to pass your way
Wait for me; I'll be back some day

The Gants - Greener Days (1966)

If there was ever a small-time group that had the talent to hit the big time, it was these guys. Formed in 1963, The Gants had an impressive collection of original material and cover songs. Unfortunately for the members of the band, half of them were still in high school and under the pressure of their parents, making out-of-town performances and promotional appearances problematic. The other half of the band faces the same troubles, but for different reasons: they were enrolled in college and unable to drop out without facing getting drafted into the Vietnam conflict. When the band couldn’t make it to local promotions, the radio stations stopped giving them their local support. And when the support stopped rolling in, the band collapsed soon after.

Having been featured on A Bit Like You And Me two times prior, it’s no secret that this band has a lot of great songs. The song heard below was written for the band by their producer, David Gates, who would be a future member of the band Bread. Amid sending me an exclusive story via email, Sid Herring, the lead singer of The Gants, expressed to me that he was very proud of the way this song came out. When first released, it was backed with the B-Side “Just a Good Show.”



The Gants - Greener Days (1966)

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Lyrics:

As I write this letter
I hope you’re feelin’ better
Than I am as I sit here
Fightin’ back a tear
‘cause my mind keeps shiftin’
Back in time, it’ driftin’
To the days when you were near

Those were greener days
That we knew
Just me and you
Sharin’ the world together
But as they came, they went away
And our days of green
Turned into grey

So, I watch the sunrise
Hopin’ maybe your eyes
Will be shinin’ down on me
To brighten up my world
Like it once was, glowin’
When your face was showin’
Me the way to find our love

Those were greener days
That we had
It’s kinda too bad
They didn’t last forever
But, we’ll go on
Our separate ways
‘cause our greener days
Turned into grey

I better close and sign my name
It’s getting late
But don’t forget our chance
To twist the hands of fate

So the greener days
Will return
Deeper they’ll grow
With every spring rain of love
Rainbows will shine
You will be mine
And our days of green
Will never turn to grey

They’ll never fade away
They’ll never turn to grey
They’ll never fade away…

The Other Side - Walking Down the Road (1966)

This band was originally a surf outfit calling themselves The Topsiders, formed at Washington High School in Fremont, California circa 1964. The members of The Topsiders were Jim Sawyers, Ken “Toad” Matthew, Tom Antone, and David Tolby (born David Phelps). In early 1965, Skip Spence briefly joined the band, before being convinced by Martin Balin to join Balin’s band as their drummer. When Balin’s band rejected the band name proposed by Spence, favoring instead to call themselves Jefferson Airplane, Spence suggested that The Topsiders should use it. They did, and from then on, The Topsiders were known as The Other Side.

For the duration of the band, personnel changes were very common. The band often stole and swapped members with another local act, The Chocolate Watchband. When Jim Sawyers left the group to join The Vejtables (citing that he didn’t get along with Sawyers), the band replaced him with Ed “Ned” Torney III, the lead guitarist of The Chocolate Watchband. In turn, David Tolby left The Other Side to join The Chocolate Watchband. Born David Phelps and using the stage name David Tolby, he again switched his name (this time to Sean Tolby) when he joined The Chocolate Watchband.

At this point, The Other Side was made up of Ken “Toad” Matthew, Tom Antone, and ex-Chocolate Watchband guitarist Ed “Ned” Torney. Torney’s departure from The Chocolate Watchband had an effect on his ex-bandmates Jo Kemling and Danny Phay, who soon followed Torney’s lead by leaving the Watchband and joining The Other Side. This was the lineup of the band which reached the most acclaim, but it didn’t last long. In January 1966, Torney was drafted into the Army and was only able to practice and play with the band on the weekends. To help fill his void, the group brought in Martin Van Slyke Battey. But by May 1966, Torney re-joined the band full time, thus making the group a little too large. Rather than ejecting the newest member, Battery, the group decided to part ways with Jo Kemling, who was soon followed by a departing Danny Phay. The last personnel change of the band came when they recruited Alan Graham, a guitarist from the Lord Jim Quintet that was brought in to assist on vocals. It was this final lineup of the band which recorded The Other Side’s only single, heard below.

The demise of the band began shortly after Tom Antone received his draft notice. With Antone being plucked from the group, Battey soon quit the band. To replace the two, the remaining members recruited Wayne Paulsen and renamed themselves Bogus Thunder. The Other Side was no more.

To reiterate, at the time of the recording heard below, the group consisted of original band members Ken “Toad” Matthew and Tom Antone; Ed “Ned” Torney, previously of The Chocolate Watchband; Martin Van Slyke Battey; and Alan Graham, previosuly of The Lord Jim Quintet. The song heard below was written by R. Kleinsinger and J. Darion, featured as the A-Side to their sole single, and released in December 1966. It was backed with the B-Side “Streetcar,” which was written by Battey and Graham of the band.



The Other Side - Walking Down the Road (1966)

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Lyrics:

Walking down this road to my town
Walking down this road to home
Traveling through these hills and valleys
Traveling and I'm all alone

Gonna see my woman
I'm gonna see my pa
I’ve been a long time movin’
It gets ya wonderin’ how they are

Walking down this road to my town
Walking down this road to home
Traveling through these hills and valleys
Traveling and I'm all alone

Walking down this road to my town
Walking down this road to home
Traveling through these hills and valleys
Traveling and I'm all alone

Gonna see the parson
If I can catch him in
I bet he’s down there fishin’
Fishin’ with my brother Jim

And if I ever get there
I’ll tell ya what I'm gonna do, yeah
I'm gonna write ‘em all a letter
And tell them “I’ll be seein’ you”

Walking down this road to my town
Walking down this road to home
Traveling through these hills and valleys
Traveling and I'm all alone

Walking down this road to my town
Walking down this road to home
Traveling through these hills and valleys
Traveling and I'm all alone

The Thoughts - All Night Stand (1966)

This band began in 1966 as the backing group behind the London artist known as Tiffany. While together, Tiffany and the Thoughts released two singles for Paralphone Records, “I Know” and “Find Out What’s Happening.” In late ’66, the band broke off on their own, signing with the independent label Planet Records. They kept their name and released their first single, heard below in September 1966. Although the band was reviewed favorably by critics, their record sales were only moderate. When the band broke up soon after, it was band member Peter Beckett who would go on to the most success. After being turned down a spot in Badfinger, Beckett would find success in a later band, Player, which had the soft rock hit song “Baby Come Back” in 1977.

This song was written by Ray Davies of The Kinks, who had been asked to write a song based on All Night Stand, which was a book by Thom Keyes. The song was written by Davies when a movie was in the works to be created, based on Keyes book, about an up and coming British beat band, loosely fashioned after The Beatles. There’s a good demo of Ray Davies performing this song if you search YouTube for it. As far as this band, they recorded two versions of the song. The first version, released in the UK, was a bit slower in tempo in comparison to their second version, a faster tempo released in the US. The version heard below is the upbeat US release.



The Thoughts - All Night Stand (1966)

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Lyrics:

All night stand
Been around, seen a thousand places
All night stand
Seen a good, half a million faces

Because I live this life
And I made it for myself
If you scandalize my name
Then you scandalize yourself

Because I'm not to blame
For the things that I've been doing
You all say that I'm bad
And I'll only end in ruin

All night stand
With a different girl each night
All night stand
With two hundred miles to ride

But, I won't give it up
As long as I can make the bread
When I do, I shall stop
Close my eyes and go to bed

And forget all the schnides
Of all people on my back
Once I'm free from these chains
I ain't never looking back

All night stand
Been around, seen a thousand faces, yeah
All night stand
Seen a good, half a million places, yeah

All night stand
I can't get these people off my back
All night stand
I said, “Ten percent for this and that”

All night stand
Trippin’ club and sweatin’ hard
All night stand
Where we’re goin’ and what we got
All night stand
All night stand
All night stand
All night stand
All night stand
All night stand
All night stand
All night stand

Los Shakers - Break It All (1966)

While the British Invasion was taking America by storm, there was a lesser-known influence of British bands being made in Latin America, as well. The Uruguayan Invasion, similar to the British Invasion, was an influx of British-inspired Uruguayan bands making their mark in Argentina. Among the top Uruguayan acts of the period were Los Mockers, fashioned after The Rolling Stones, and this band, fashioned after The Beatles.

Formed in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1963, this band was a huge hit in Argentina. Appearance-wise, they fashioned matching Beatles-suits and sported Beatles haircuts. The band sang entirely in English and primarily sounded like a lot of the British hits from the mid-‘60s. They were originally known as The Shakers, but quickly changed their name to that seen above after the release of their first single (“My Bonnie”) in 1965. The band’s last album, La Conferencia Secreta del Toto’s Bar, released in 1968, was not promoted or supported by their label, EMI, because of its harsh, psychedelic sound. The label didn’t approve of the band’s new direction. Resulting from the lack of push, the album bombed and the group split up, not reuniting until 2005.

This song appeared on the band’s 1966 Break It All album, which was the first release by the band that was commercially available in North America. As with most of the band’s songs, this track was written by band members and brothers, Hugo and Osvaldo Fattoruso. Osvaldo passed away from cancer on July 29, 2012 at the age of sixty-four.



Los Shakers - Break It All (1966)

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Lyrics:

We want you to come
We want you to hear
We want you to dance
Dance all night long

But when the music start
Don’t stand there like a fool
And break it all
You listen me
Break it all

If you’re getting tired
If you’re getting sad
Cannot shake with that
Break plans tonight

But when the music start
Don’t stand there like a fool
And break it all
You listen me
Break it all

If you’re alone
Or nobody shake with you
Oh, please don’t mind
And shake, oh yeah

Now, we know you’re fine
Do the shake, do the shake
Oh yeah
And break it all
You listen me
Break it all

We want you to come
We want you to hear
We want you to dance
Dance all night long

But when the music start
Don’t stand there like a fool
And break it all
You listen me
Break it all

If you’re alone
Or nobody shake with you
Oh, please don’t mind
And shake, oh yeah

Now, we know you’re fine
Do the shake, do the shake
Oh yeah
And break it all
You listen me
Break it all

We want you to come
We want you to hear
We want you to dance
Dance all night long

But when the music start
Don’t stand there like a fool
And break it all
You listen me
Break it all

And break it all
You listen me
Break it all

And break it all
You listen me
Break all

Crispian St. Peters - The Pied Piper (1966)

Born Robin Peter Smith on April 5, 1939 in Kent, England, this singer and songwriter quit school at the age of fifteen to become an assistant cinema projectionist. Around England, he was a member of various bands including The Hard Travellers, The Country Gentlemen, Beat Formula Three, and Peter & The Wolves. Although his first live performance came through The Hard Travellers in 1956, it wasn’t until Peter & The Wolves in 1964 that he laid down his first recorded track. Soon after, Smith’s manager convinced him to go solo and got him signed with Decca in 1965. He also convinced him to change his stage name and year of birth. First going by Crispin Blacke, he ultimately settled on Crispian St. Peters and the phony birth year of 1944 to appeal to younger audiences. St. Peters’ first two singles with Decca were duds, but he found success in 1966 with the Sylvia Tyson-penned song “You Were on My Mind,” which was originally recorded by Ian & Sylvia when it was written in 1964. After the song reached number two in the UK and his fourth single, heard below, also became a hit, St. Peters indirectly ruined his own career. When asked about his skills as a songwriter, St. Peters gave a tongue-in-cheek answer claiming to be better than Dave Berry, Tom Jones, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles. Unfortunately for St. Peters, the joke didn’t translate well on paper and he received harsh criticisms from fans and music journalists alike. Although he would chart once more in 1966 with a cover of Phil Ochs’ “Changes,” St. Peters’ career waned and he became more remembered for his “outrageous claims” than his music. After being dropped from Decca in 1970, St. Peters carried his musical career onward by writing and arranging for other artists, while also releasing less successful music on smaller labels. He passed away on June 8, 2010 at the age of seventy-one.

This song was co-written and first recorded in 1965 by Steve Duboff and the promoter of 1969’s Woodstock Festival, Artie Kornfeld. Today’s featured artist recorded the song and released it in the summer of 1966, reaching number five in the UK, four in the US, and one in Canada. The popularity of the song in the United States brought attention to St. Peters’ earlier work, resulting in “You Were on My Mind” being re-released and reaching number thirty-six in 1967.



Crispian St. Peters - The Pied Piper (1966)

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Lyrics:

You, with your masquerading
And you, always contemplating
What to do
In case heaven has found you
Can’t you see that it’s all around you?
So follow me

Hey, come on, babe
Follow me
I’m the Pied Piper
Follow me
I’m the Pied Piper
And I’ll show you where it’s at

Come on, babe
Can’t you see?
I’m the Pied Piper
Trust in me
I’m the Pied Piper
And I’ll show you where it’s at

Girl, don’t be scared to move
Hey babe, what are you tryin’ to prove?
It ain’t true
That your life has kicked you
It’s your mind
And that’s all that’s trickin’ you
So step in line

Hey, come on, babe
Follow me
I’m the Pied Piper
Follow me
I’m the Pied Piper
And I’ll show you where it’s at

Come on, babe
Can’t you see?
I’m the Pied Piper
Trust in me
I’m the Pied Piper
And I’ll show you where it’s at

Hey, come on, babe
Follow me
I’m the Pied Piper
Follow me
I’m the Pied Piper
And I’ll show you where it’s at

Come on, babe
Can’t you see?
I’m the Pied Piper
Trust in me
I’m the Pied Piper
And I’ll show you where it’s at

Come on, babe
Follow me
Come on, babe
Trust in me
Come on, babe
Can’t you see?
Come on, babe
Follow me
I’m the Pied Piper

The Moods - Rum Drunk (1966)

Not to be confused with bands in Texas or New York of the same name, this band came from Melbourne, Australia. They released at least two singles (four songs), but I am only familiar with their second release, featuring the song heard below and backed with the B-Side “Say Hello to Me.” The band members were in their mid-teens and consisted of Kevin Fraser (lead vocals), John Livi (lead guitar & songwriting), Peter Noss (bass), Mick Hamilton (rhythm guitar) and Carl Savona (drums).

This song, written by John Livi, was released on the band’s second single as the A-Side. What’s interesting is that the entire song revolves around the idea of using rum to soothe the singers woes. Livi, the song’s author, was only fifteen years old when he wrote it.



The Moods - Rum Drunk (1966)

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Lyrics:

I’m a boy
Lord, I’m good
I’ve got no one
No one ‘cept you

I was brought up
Brought up in the slums
Now I’ve come back
With nothin’ but rum

Got no money to pay my rent
Haven’t got one whole cent
My only hope is to get on the run
And bring with me my little bottle of rum

Alone, the people pass me by
But when they say I’m no good, it’s no lie
And though I might just lay down
And say I want to die
My precious little bottle of rum
Never passes me by

I’m a boy
Who’s down on my luck
Had a girl
For one whole month
My only hope is to get on the run
And bring with me my little bottle of rum

Alone, the people pass me by
And when they say I’m no good, it’s no lie
And though I might just lay down
And say I want to die
My precious little bottle of rum
Never passes me by

I’m a boy
Who’s down on my luck
Had a girl
For one whole month
My only hope is to get on the run
And bring with me my little bottle of rum

The Harbinger Complex - Time to Kill (1966)

Bob Hoyle III and Ron Rotarius began playing guitar together when they were in the eighth grade. By the time they were sophomores together in high school, they had enough talent and musically-inclined friends to put together a band. They called themselves The Norsemen. Unfortunately, in 1965, Hoyle was called to active duty in the Naval Reserves for the Vietnam Conflict. By the time he had come back in 1966, the early stages of The Harbinger Complex had already begun with Rotarius. Hoyle was quickly accepted as the band’s lead guitarist, while Rotarius performed rhythm guitar duties. Also in the band were Jim Hockstaff on lead vocals, Gary Clark on bass, Jim Redding on drums, and Chuck Tedford on organ. Tedford parted ways with the band before having a chance to record. The band had a huge local following in their hometown of Fremont, California, and they were soon recording singles. August 1966 saw the release of “Time to Kill,” “When You Know You’re In Love,” “I Think I’m Down,” and “My Dear and Kind Sir.” All recorded in Los Angeles at Golden State Records, the singles were released on the Amber and Brent labels, with the latter two released on the Mainstream label’s 1968 compilation album, With Love: A Pot of Flowers. When Jim Hockstaff left the band in early 1967, Gary Clark took over the lead vocals. Unfortunately, the band didn’t last much longer and they split up before the end of 1967. Hoyle passed away on May 6, 2003, but the whereabouts of the other members are unknown to me.

The writing credits of this band were always attributed to Hockstaff and Hoyle III. In a Lennon/McCartney fashion, no matter who wrote the song, credit was given to both members. Usually Hoyle was responsible for the music and Hockstaff the lyrics, but for the particular song below, Hoyle had written the words. The lyrics to this song were based on Hoyle’s recent experiences in Vietnam.



The Harbinger Complex - Time to Kill (1966)

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Lyrics:

My, my, where’s the sky?
Just got up and don’t know why
If I start, I know I will
Come back on a time to kill

I see others pulling back
Cashing in on my own high
Stealing acts
They don’t know why

Hey, hey, time to pay
What was blue is turning grey
If I jump, perhaps I can
Escape this happy, hippie-land

Can’t believe it’s coming still
Cast another freaky spell
Waiting for my ringing bell
I will win, but please don’t tell

I see people floating by
Cashing in on my own high
Stealing acts
They don’t know why

Gee whiz, nothing is
Make a guess at which is his
Tell me sir, by where it’s at
One more line ‘bout this or that

Can’t believe it's coming still
Cast another freaky spell
Waiting for my ringing bell
I will win, but please don’t tell

Sons of Adam - Saturday's Son (1966)

Originally known as The Fender IV (previously featured), this band first came together in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962. When the band relocated their surf sound to Southern California, they built up their audience with frequent performances on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip. At this time, the group consisted of Randy Holden, Joe Kooken, Mike Port, and Michael Stuart. When Beatlemania and the British Invasion diminished the surf genre in late ’63 and early ’64, the band renamed themselves to that which is seen above and changed their style to R&B and rock. In 1965, the band released their first single, “Take My Hand” / “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day,” which led to them appearing in the movie The Slender Thread. In 1966, after the release of their second single, lead singer and guitarist Randy Holden left the band to join The Other Half (previously featured), while the band relocated to San Francisco and replaced Holden with Craig Tarwater. They released one more single, “Feathered Fish” / “Baby Show the World” before splitting up. Michael Stuart would go on to join Love from 1966 until 1968, playing drums on their highly acclaimed Forever Changes album. After The Other Half, Randy Holden would also join Blue Cheer, playing on their third album, New! Improved! Blue Cheer.

Written by Lou Josie, this song featured Holden on lead vocals/lead guitar and appeared as the B-Side on the band’s second single, featuring the A-Side “Mr. You’re a Better Man Than I”. It was produced by Gary Usher, the same guy who created Sagittarius, and released on July 15, 1966.

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A Special Edition post with Randy Holden
of The Fender IV, Sons of Adam, The Other Half, and Blue Cheer!
I'm starting to lose count of how many exclusive stories we've received. We've been very lucky with the generosity of these artists. Today's story comes from Randy Holden, the guitarist and vocalist of bands such as The Fender IV, Sons of Adam, The Other Half, and Blue Cheer. Randy was kind enough to submit a very funny story, which you can read below. After the story, be sure to listen to the Sons of Adam's "Saturday's Son".

A Bit Like You And Me and readers,

The measures young guys have to effect to carve the path to their dreams are often the roads not trod upon, especially when money is not an inherited oil to smooth the ways, as was an occasion in 1963 when my dream of taking my band to California was an impossible dream for a poor kid. However, never let a small thing like money deter you, as a small thing, such as a bee, has powerful potential.

I finally had most of the pieces in place to make the move to the West Coast in pursuit of my dream to be in the biggest band in the world (it’s important to know that this was before The Beatles, as no one ever heard of the British Invasion at this time in history). The plan was: the bass player, Mike, had a 1953 Mercury and I had a 1957 Ford. We were going to trade both of these in for a 1959 VW Beetle bus. That bus would carry us and our gear anywhere we needed to go. My ‘57 Ford had a blown engine, but the dealer still wanted it. The very day the trade was to take place and provide our freedom-ticket to California the next day, a bee flew in the window of my ‘57 Ford, as the rhythm guitarist, Jo-Jac, was on his way to trade it in to the dealer.

Joe changed his name to Jac later, which took a while getting used to, so he became Jo-Jac during the transition. So we'll call him Jac for now.

Jac was a pretty decent sort. I liked him because he actually had the courage to drop everything the future held and go ripping off to California on what most conservative-minded folks in Baltimore deemed “a dizzy daydream.” None of the others I asked were willing to take on my flight of fantasy, but Joe- or, Jac and Mike.

Joe had really poor eyesight. He wore glasses that looked like they were a half inch thick and, even with them, he didn't see particularly well. Given such circumstances... Not only did the bee fly in the window of the car while Jac was behind the wheel, it flew underneath his eyeglasses and into his eye! How such things happen are impossible to know!

As fate would have it, with Jac flailing wildly, trying to knock his glasses off his face, the only thing clear was that Jac could see nothing as he careened my ‘57 Ford into a parked car, stripping the passenger side of its mirror and every strip of chrome down the side (along with the paint) and re-shaping the whole side of that old Ford!

I knew none of this while I sat [at Jac's] waiting for Jac to come back from a visit to his doctor to get some Asthma medication for his trip to California, borrowing my car to do it. Next thing I know is Jac walking through the door saying, “I have some bad news…”

“A bee flew in the window, into my eye as I was driving, and stung me.” “Well, gee, that's bad luck,” I offered, asking if he was okay. Jac said, “Yeah, I’m okay, but that's not the bad news! The bad news is I wrecked your car!”

WTF ... “Are you crazy, out of your mind, or what!?” I screamed.

I ran out to see the damage, and sure ‘nuff, the whole side was stripped down to metal. I saw my one and only chance of getting out of Baltimore going up in a billowing, hopeless smoke.

I blew my top and took off madder than a hive full of hornets. If I stayed, God knows what I might have done to Jac. I slammed his front door so hard, the panes of glass shattered and I heard his mom say, “He's crazy! I don't want you going to California with him!” I remember thinking, “What 'California'? We're not going anywhere now.” But Jac came running out, yelling, “It’s okay, man, it’s okay. I'll still trade it in for the bus.”

About that time, Mike came walking up and asked, “What happened to Randy's car?” Jac tried to explain. Jac told Mike the story and how he and Mike were still going to pull off the trade deal! Jac said, “It’s simple! There’s a hill above the car dealer. All we do is start the cars rolling from the top of the hill, drift them into the dealership, and hide the damaged side of the Ford by stopping it beside one of the cars in the lot, close enough so no one can get between them.”

As I listened intently and with some amazement, Jac told me, “Don't worry! We're going to California!”

Next morning, the cars were pushed in train-like fashion by me in Jac’s mom’s car, Jac in my car, and Mike in the front with his car. Once I pushed them over the top, I was to wait there until they came back.

Twenty minutes later, Jac comes pulling up beside me in the red VW van, saying, “Let’s go to California!”

They said it went off without a hitch. They drifted the cars in, one following the other, and parked so the damaged side wasn't visible. And the dealer came out holding the keys to the VW van, handed them to Jac, and he and Mike got out of there and never looked back! I was in disbelief they actually pulled it off.

Next morning we were on the road to California! We made it all the way to Tennessee before pulling over for the night. Then, the next morning, we drove all day into Georgia. We were looking for a place to pull off the road to sleep as Jac was driving. I was sitting shotgun, while Mike sat on one of the amps. Jac saw a break on the roadside that looked good to pull off. I saw a sign and- ever the one to never miss a good opportunity for some fun, I said “What's that sign say?,” knowing it was a bit distant to make out. Just as Jac pulled off onto some soft grass that took a steep bumpy drop, I said, “Oh my God! It says, ‘Danger, Quicksand’!”

I sold it hook, line, and sinker.

You never saw bodies grow wings so fast in your life, while I chuckled my tail off! Hahaha! I've never forgotten what an expression of sheer panic looks like since. It was a small payback. :-)

That was the beginning of a few years of insanity with my band The Fender IV becoming Sons of Adam.

Best to you all,

Randy Holden

That was great! It's a shame there was no way to follow-up with the guy who purchased the scratched vehicle. I'd have really enjoyed to see his face when he realized what happened! A huge thank you goes to Randy for taking the time to share this hilarious story with us. I think it's definitely one of the funniest we've received!

To visit Randy's personal website, click here.
If you'd like to purchase any of Randy's work, please visit here.
To see the other posts on A Bit Like You And Me that have featured Randy's playing, click here.

And now that you've enjoyed this exclusive story, why not check out what other exclusive stories we've received?

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Sons of Adam - Saturday's Son (1966)

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Lyrics:

Thirteenth child of a thirteenth child
Born in the back streets and growing up wild
Thirteenth son of a thirteenth son
What was my sin or what have I done?

Why am I cursed to walk alone?
Where is the love that I’ve never known?
No hand is open, there is no one
For the thirteenth child, Saturday’s son

Thirteen letters spell my name
Born with a shriek and a scream of pain
Thirteenth hour of the thirteenth day
Left with a mark that will stay and stay

Why am I cursed to walk this land?
Searching for one friendly hand
There’s no pleasure, not one bit of fun
For the thirteenth child, Saturday’s son

Somebody, somewhere, help me please
And say just one kind word for me
And let the spell become undone
For the thirteenth child, Saturday’s son

Woah, Saturday’s son
Yeah, Saturday’s son

The Nightcrawlers - Sally in Our Alley (1966)

Having previously written about this band, you may want to check out our previous post, The Nightcrawlers - The Little Black Egg (1965), which featured the band’s most famous song, “The Little Black Egg.” It’s also a topic in the story given to us by Sylvan Wells below, so you may want to visit that page and give the song a listen if you’re unfamiliar with it.

Today’s song, as heard below Sylvan’s story, was released on the band’s compilation album, titled The Little Black Egg after their hit song, and released in the year 2000. The compilation is largely made up of songs from the band's only full-length album, The Little Black Egg (1967), and the singles released by the band. I'm not certain, but I don't believe this song was ever released as a single or on their sole album. I believe it was first released to the public on the 2000 compilation album, despite having been presumably recorded in 1966.

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A Special Edition post with Sylvan Wells of The Nightcrawlers!
I was fortunate enough to recently make contact with Sylvan Wells, one of the original members of The Nightcrawlers. Sylvan was kind enough to take the time away from his latest endeavor, making guitars, to share a very interesting story from his time with his band.

A Bit Like You And Me and readers,

I thought I would share with you a story that I fondly remember most of all in my days with The Nightcrawlers. All of us went to high school in Daytona Beach, Florida. At the time we started, we had no idea that Daytona Beach was becoming a hotbed for musical talent. We were all just high school friends who decided to start a band in late 1964 while we all went to the local Junior College. The original Nightcrawlers were Rob Rouse, Pete Thomason, Tom Ruger, Chuck Conlon, and Sylvan Wells; and our manager was Mike Stone. All the members are still great friends to this day. That, in itself, is pretty amazing!

There was only one other band in the town then and they became our friendly, but serious competition. They were much better musicians than we were, but we were writing our own material, largely because we were not good enough to learn to play most of the material on the radio. We were friends, but rivals. I learned a lot (and needed it) from their very sharing, lead guitar player.

But, we got lucky first and secured a regular Saturday night job from September of that year, 1964, until just past Easter of 1965. Playing every week at a guaranteed place and with a huge crowd forced us to keep writing better material and performing better and better. We had fun, but we also got good.

At the same time, on the other side of town, the other band played sporadically at another recreation center. Often, when we finished our job, we would go see them play. But the entire crowd was always at our place. The other band just couldn’t get anyone (but other musicians) to come see them.

In any event, our two bands were invited to open for The Beach Boys at our local ball park the Saturday night before Easter (1965). This was a big deal to us; our first chance to play with a major act. That Saturday afternoon, both Daytona Beach bands set up their equipment on opposite sides of the main stage. We laughed and nervously joked around most of the afternoon. We ultimately decided, together, that we would end our respective openings with both bands taking their respective stages and alternating verses to Ray Charles’ “What I Say.” It was going to be fun!

In the meantime, we had written a catchy guitar lick for a song that our lyricist and singer, Chuck Conlon, was told to make about Easter. We would introduce it that night as being written specially for the Easter concert. He came up with lyrics for “The Little Black Egg.” The lyrics had absolutely nothing to do with Easter (or anything else for that matter). Collectively, the band did not think much of the song; rather, we figured it would be a throwaway just for The Beach Boys' Easter concert.

That night we were introduced and played for the first time “The Little Black Egg.” The crowd loved it! To say we were shocked would have been an understatement! In spite of our ambivalence for the song, it became the band’s signature. We had other singles, but nothing approached [the success of] “The Little Black Egg.” And the song has had enormous staying power. There are countless YouTube videos of people performing it. As I write this almost forty-eight years later, “The Little Black Egg” has been covered by over thirty groups, including Tommy James, The Music Explosion, The Cars, and countless others (including one cover in Mandarin Chinese!). We certainly never expected it!

Oh, the other band that opened with us that night? Back then they were called The Escorts (Maynard Portwood, Van Harrison, and Gregg and Duane Allman). You know them today as The Allman Brothers Band.

Sylvan Wells

Please take a look at the guitars I make for musicians today! See www.WellsGuitars.com and www.BayStateGuitar.com for more information!

Wow! Did you see that coming? I was hoping that The Nightcrawlers' friendly local rivals were somebody famous, but I didn't expect to hear that it was Duane and Gregg Allman. How cool is that? Many, many thanks to Sylvan for his generosity and time sharing this great story.

There's a documentary about the band called Cracking the Egg: The Untold Story of The Nightcrawlers, but I can't seem to find a trustworthy website that sells it. If you're interested, you may want to search the web looking for it. In the meantime, I'll keep from posting any links until a reliable source can provide a trustworthy link toward purchasing the documentary.

To visit Sylvan Wells' websites about making guitars, be sure to visit www.WellsGuitars.com and www.BayStateGuitar.com.

And now that you've enjoyed this exclusive story, why not check out what other exclusive stories we've received?

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The Nightcrawlers - Sally in Our Alley (1966)

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Lyrics:

Of all the girls that are so smart
There’s none like pretty Sally
She is the darling of my heart
And she lives in our alley

There’s ne’er a lady in the land
That’s half as sweet as Sally
She is the darling of my heart
And she lives in our alley

Why won’t she love me?
Please tell me why
Why won’t she give me
The chance to make her cry?

They’ve come today
Took her away
They took my pretty Sally

She is the darling of my heart
And she lives in our alley

Why won’t she love me?
Please tell me why
Why won’t she give me
The chance to make her cry?

They’ve come today
Took her away
They took my pretty Sally

She is the darling of my heart
And she lives in our alley

And she lives in our alley

The Other Half - Severance Call (1966)

Note: This is The Other Half from Greenville, Texas.
For The Other Half based in Oneonta, New York, click here.
For The Other Half based in Los Angeles/San Francisco, California, click here.
For The Other Half based in Chicago, Illinois, click here.

Formed in 1965 in Greenville, Texas, this garage rock group was formed when T. A. Tredway started hanging out at the practices of a band that was on the verge of splitting up. When they eventually did crumble, Tredway convinced two of its members, David Heath and Phil Sudderth, that they should start their own group. Who came together were five musicians spanning more than a decade in age. Tedway, twenty-four, was playing bass; Heath, seventeen, was on lead guitar; and Sudderth took over lead vocals. New additions to the band included twenty-one year old Carroll Grant on rhythm guitar and fourteen year old Alex Bauknight on drums. Soon, the band began playing at frats and sororities at East Texas State University (later absorbed into Texas A&M) and Southern Methodist University, based solely on their credibility by word of mouth. The band was then asked to become the house band for Louann’s, a big band venue wanting to change their repertoire to rock and roll. The band recorded one two-sided single in late ‘66, increasing their popularity, and they were asked to remain Louann’s house band for the summer of ’67. After the summer was over, however, the band lost Phil Sudderth to the Army and, after a failed attempt at bringing in Matt Tapp for lead vocals, the group broke up. Sadly, according to a column written by T. A. Tredway, both Phil Sudderth and Alex Bauknight have passed away.

Featured as the A-Side, this song was written by band members T. A. Tredway, Phil Sudderth, and David Heath. The single featured the B-Side “Lost Everthing” and was recorded at Sellers Company Recording Studio in 1966 in Tyler, Texas.



The Other Half - Severance Call (1966)

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Lyrics:

Don’t wanna hear another word out of you
Don’t wanna hear you cry
There’s just one word I want to say to you, girl
And that word is “goodbye”

Sleepin’ in my bed last night
Heard my telephone ring
And when I picked it up
I recognized your voice
Couldn’t say a thing
Couldn’t say a thing

Don’t wanna hear another word out of you
Don’t wanna hear you cry
There’s just one word I want to say to you, girl
And that word is “goodbye”

Don’t ask me no more questions, little girl
You don’t know what you mean
And since you’ve gone, I’ve found myself another kiss
Yeah, and you can’t begin to fill her jeans
Not even fill her jeans

Go on, little girl
Get off the line
So sad, I’m feeling you weep
Got no more time to sit here all night
Hang it up and go on back to sleep

The Other Half - I Won't Be Back (1966)

Note: This is The Other Half from Oneonta, New York.
For The Other Half based in Greenville, Texas, click here.
For The Other Half based in Los Angeles/San Francisco, California, click here.
For The Other Half based in Chicago, Illinois, clik here.

This band was created in Oneonta, New York in 1965 at the local Hartwick College by guitarists Steve Harrigan and Peter Lipsio, who were living in the same dorm. Joining with drummer Ed Welsh and attracting Glenn Schenenga and Jeff Lyman, the newly formed group became the house band for Molinari’s bar and restaurant, a local favorite for the college students of Hartwick and neighboring Oneonta State University. With a widening fan base, the band created their first and only single, featuring "It's Been a Good Day" and its B-Side, head below. The single increased the band’s fan base and let to an appearance on Twist-A-Rama, a television program in Utica, New York. Soon after, drummer Ed Welsh was replaced with pre-med student Bob Kirsch and the band toured throughout New York State, opening for such acts as The Rascals. When it was time for Kirch to head to Wake Forest for med school, he was replaced with the band’s final drummer, Bill Pegler. By the end of 1968, all members of the band had graduated college and went about their individual lives, effectively bringing the life of this band to an end.

Written by the band’s Glenn Schenenga and Jeff Lyman, this song was released on Bell Sound in New York City. As of 2008, the band members had gotten back into contact with one another and planned to put together a small tour. Whether or not that tour ever take place is a mystery to me.



The Other Half - I Won't Be Back (1966)

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Lyrics:

Did you know that I saw you talking to him?
It’s a game of love and I’ll never win
Well I’m not one who wants to criticize
But you’re just one girl that I can’t analyze

I won’t be back- won’t be back
Your side no more
I won’t be back- won’t be back
‘cause I shut that door
On you
Shut the door on you
Shut the door on you

You told me that you’d never ever cheat on me
But words were mighty cheap and now that’s plain to see
You were untrue when my back was turned
Now you lost that love that you could have earned

I won’t be back- won’t be back
Your side no more
I won’t be back- won’t be back
‘cause I shut that door
On you
Shut the door on you
Shut the door on you

Did you have to lie?
Did you have to steal?
I’m not a senseless toy
And I still can feel
The pain
I can feel the pain

I won’t be back- won’t be back
Your side no more
I won’t be back- won’t be back
‘cause I shut that door
On you
Shut the door on you
Shut the door on you

Did you know that I saw you talking to him?
It’s a game of love and I’ll never win
Well I’m not one who wants to criticize
But you’re just one girl that I can’t analyze

I won’t be back- won’t be back
Your side no more
I won’t be back- won’t be back
‘cause I shut that door
On you
Shut the door on you
Shut the door-

I won’t be back- won’t be back
Your side no more
I won’t be back- won’t be back
‘cause I shut that door
On you
Shut the door on you
Shut the door on you
Shut the door on you…

The Hollies - I Can't Let Go (1966)

This band’s roots go all the way back to 1955 when Graham Nash and Allan Clarke were playing together as The Two Teens. In 1956, still performing as a duo, they switched their name to The Guyatones. In 1959, the duo renamed themselves yet again to The Two Tones; and, when adding more members, they became The Fourtones. Although the incarnations mentioned so far were short lived, Nash and Clarke stuck together after they fell apart, performing as Ricky & Dane Young in 1960. They stole a guitarist from Kirk Daniels & The Deltas, got together with a few more guys, and named themselves The Dominators of Rhythm. Finally, in December 1962, The Dominators of Rhythm settled on their final name, The Hollies. The very first official lineup of The Hollies consisted of Graham Nash (guitar), Allan Clarke (vocals, guitar), Eric Haydock (bass), Don Rathbone (drums), and Vic Farrell (guitar). More than twenty people have been able to claim to have been a member of the band, but none of the original members still perform with them today. The most consistent members of the group, Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott, have the prestige of being the only members of the band present for all of their recorded work.

Released February 18, 1966, this song was put out by a lineup of the band that featured Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks, Eric Haydock, and Bobby Elliott. It was the last single to feature Eric Haydock. The song was written by Chip Taylor (with help from session musician Al Gorgoni), who also wrote many other famous songs of the era, such as The Troggs' "Wild Thing". It was first recorded by Evie Sands in 1965, but failed to do well. When recorded by The Hollies, the song reached number two in the United Kingdom, but only number forty-two in the United States. Paul McCartney was especially fond of the song, once noting that he mistakenly thought Graham Nash's singing in the chorus (the line "Baby please") was a trumpet playing.



The Hollies - I Can't Let Go (1966)

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Lyrics:

Oh, I try and I try but I can't say goodbye

Feel so bad, baby
Oh, it hurts me
When I think of how your lovin’ desert me
I'm the broken-hearted toy you play with
Baby

You got me going
I need you, baby
(I can’t let go, baby)
I can't let go
And I want you, baby
(I only want you, baby)
I gotta have you
You know I can't let go
(Baby, please)

Though I'm just one of your lovers
And I know there are so many others
You do something strange to me, baby
(Baby) Baby
(Baby)

You got me going
I need you, baby
(I can’t let go, baby)
I can't let go
And I want you, baby
(I only want you, baby)
I gotta have you
You know I can't let go
(Baby, please)

Oh, I try and I try but I can't say goodbye
I know that it's wrong and I should be so strong
But the thought of you gone makes me want to hold on

You got me going
I need you, baby
(I can’t let go, baby)
I can't let go
And I want you, baby
(I only want you, baby)
I gotta have you
You know I can't let go
(Baby, please)

You got me going
I need you, baby
(I can’t let go, baby)
I can't let go
And I want you, baby
(I only want you, baby)
I gotta have you
You know I can't let go
(Baby, please)

I can't let go
I can't let go
I can't let go
I can't let go…