The British Invasion of the mid-60's is best known for The Beatles, but there were more groups than just the boys from Liverpool. In fact, just a month after The Beatles played on Ed Sullivan the Dave Clark Five would take that stage, the first of 12 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. The quintet consisted of Dave Clark on drums and backing vocals, Rick Huxley on bass, Mike Smith on vocals and keyboard, Lenny Davidson on lead guitar, and Dennis Payton on Sax, Harmonica, and vocals.
The British Invasion was really a re-introduction of American music, as many of the British acts took inspiration from soul, gospel, and blues music from places like Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, and New Orleans. This re-introduction was accompanied by intriguing accents, strange fashion and hair styles, and a lot of energy and heart.
The sixth American album release from the Dave Clark Five was entitled Having a Wild Weekend, and was the soundtrack to a movie of the same title. This film was originally released as "Catch Us If You Can," in the UK, but was renamed when it was released in the States. It is a light-hearted social drama similar to "A Hard Day's Night" released by the Beatles, and it likewise was used as a vehicle to increase the popularity of the band and their songs.
Unlike the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five never ventured into the psychedelic sound of the late 60's, and their popularity began to wane by 1967. The group would disband in 1967.
John Lynch brings us this classic group and soundtrack for this week's podcast.
Having a Wild Weekend
This single was written by Dave Clark and Mike Smith, and is the lead-off and title track to the album. The premise of the album is that Dinah, a model for an add campaign for meat, runs off with one of the stunt men while shooting a TV commercial. The ad executives use their disappearance to generate more publicity for their client.
New Kind of Love
We're not really sure if this song is about a guy whose girlfriend cheats on him, or about a stalker who like a girl who has no idea that the guy thinks they're dating.
I Said I Was Sorry
When the guy messes up in the relationship, he is left wondering why everything isn't OK now that he has said he was sorry. The lyrics at the time weren't meant to be studied too seriously, were they? At least he said he was sorry, because we would find out from Elton John years later that "sorry" seems to be the hardest word.
Catch Us If You Can
Co-written by Dave Clark and Lenny Davidson, this was the title song for the UK version of the album. It leads off side two, and was the hit single from the album, rising to number 4 on the US charts. The finger snapping and guitar leading into the song was a catchy hook.
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main theme from the television series “Gidget”
The Frederick Kohner novels about a teenager in the surfing culture would lead to films of the late 50's, and a TV show that would begin in 1965 starring Sally Field.
STAFF PICKS:
Just a Little by The Beau Brummels
Bruce's staff pick is one of the groups that is credited with creating the San Francisco sound. The Beau Brummels were Sal Valentino on vocals, Ron Elliott on lead guitar, Declan Mulligan on guitar, Ron Meagher on bass, and John Petersen on drums. This is off their debut album entitled "Introducing the Beau Brummels," which was produced by Sly Stallone
The Train Kept a-Rollin' by Screaming Lord Sutch & the Savages
You may be familiar with the Aerosmith version of this song, but Rob brings you an earlier version of the classic blues track originally recorded by Tiny Bradshow in 1951. Screaming Lord Sutch was known for his Halloween-themed stage shows, complete with knives and coffins, with the lead singer appearing as Jack the RIpper.
The Game of Love by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders
Wayne features a number 1 hit from the Billboard Hot 100. The group took its name from a British movie, and appeared in the 1967 Sidney Poitier film, "To Sir, with Love." The group broke up at the final concert of a UK tour with The Who, Arthur Brown, and Joe Coker on November 20, 1968.
Count Me In by Gary Lewis and The Playboys
Lynch closes out the staff picks with a group that was originally known as Gary & the Playboys, hiding the relationship that Gary had with his celebrity father, Jerry Lewis. They auditioned and were hired to play at Disneyland, and frequently played to full houses. The group suffered in live performances, because producer Snuff Garrett utilized session musicians heavily on their studio tracks, and the band could not duplicate their studio sound on the stage.
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Maiden Voyage by the Herbie Hancock
This instrumental jazz piece that closes out the podcast shows the longevity of Herbie Hancock's career, and was the title track to his album of the same name.
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