Do you love me?
British rock was more than the Beatles and Stones during the 60′s. Lots of British groups were hot and at least for me The Dave Clark Five holds a special place. One of my apartment mates in graduate school was much more into pop music than I was. He bought albums and played them often while I was trying to get to sleep. Evan introduced me, sometimes kicking and screaming, to the Dave Clark Five among other groups .
I like it like that.
I’m rather a lame pop music fan because I don’t always know the groups even though I know the songs backward and forward. My memories of the Dave Clark Five center around one song. I Like it Like That. That one song stood our from the mass of pop rock during the early 60′s. Amazingly I never associated DC5 with their more popular songs which are fine as far as they go but not very adventurous in the pop offerings. I enjoyed songs like Catch Me if You Can and Anyway You Want It but not enough to remember the group that made them hits. Heck, the Monkeys- that made for TV American rock group- sound similar.
A Bit of Edge!
The song that I remember and identify with DC5 is I like it like that which, to me, is their most distinctive song with a bit of edgy suggestion about it. There is just a hint of darkness shading the overwhelming niceness of early 60′s rock and that’s what caught my attention.
Are the DC5 part of your 60′s experience?
This may be only my twisted 60;s experience. Maybe you won’t remember the DC5 at all or it you do, it won’t be I like it like that that sticks in your memory. Maybe you like the insipid mellow of the early Beatles or the sophomoric intellect of their pretentious later work. You can keep them. I like the infectious spunk of DC5 and the rambunctious edge of I like it like that.
Image via Wikipedia
I didn’t rate the DC5 Ralph, my favourites were the Hollies, a Manchester band who I thought were better than the Beetles.
I actually saw the DC5, Beetles, Hollies, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Who and all the other 60′s bands live in the Manchester clubs.
There were reckoned to be about 200 clubs in Manchester in the 60′s and it was a fact that you could drink around the clock.
It was said that if you remembered the 60′s you weren’t there, what a load of crap, I was definetly there and remember it very well.
Bill
Seen it, done it, got the teeshirt, A-U-L, UK
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Bill,
I was waiting for your response. There were so many great British groups in the 60′s and all we remember is the Beatles. Sad.
I remember the Hollies, perhaps because didn’t live in Manchester.
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I vote for a lesser known band, the Searchers. I thought their instrumentation and harmonies were great. I’ll go along with Bill: the Hollies were first rate.
The DC5′s “Because” remains one of the prettiest love songs ever recorded. I always thought Gerry and the Pacemakers were underrated. “Ferry Cross the Mersey” was beautiful.
I was a top 40 DJ during the time of the British Invasion. It was a fun time to be involved with radio and music.
satisfyingretirement’s last Blog Post ..The 12 stake
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Bill Murney Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 5:46 am
I forgot about the Searchers Bob, I agree they were one of the better bands. I saw then too as well as Gerry and the Pacemakers, although I didn’t rate them very highly.
Bill
A-U-l, UK
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Ralph Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 7:01 am
Bob.
Maybe I know the searchers songs but I don’t remember the name. What were some of the songs?
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satisfyingretirment Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 7:39 am
Needles & Pins and Love Potion Number 9 were the two Seatcher songs you probably would remember.
satisfyingretirment’s last Blog Post ..The 12 stake
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Ralph Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 8:15 am
Bob.
I remember Love Potion Number 9. I’ll stick with DC5.
Bob,
I feel like I’m surrounded by experts here. Still I’ll stick with DC5. I’m no expert. But I know what I like when I hear it.
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They were OK…Had one basic ‘sound’; Dave Clark’s big drum style. I much preferred the original tunes they covered, like the Contours original “Do You Love Me” (a real screamer) and Chris Kenner’s “Like It like That”. Lucky Bill got to see a lot of the best British groups, probably before they ‘invaded’ the US.
Hansi’s last Blog Post ..Phucking A
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Bill Murney Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 5:41 am
They were all virtually unknown, playing in small clubs when I saw them Hansi.
Bill
A-U-L, UK
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Ralph Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 6:59 am
Hansi,
Like I said. I wasn’t a music groupie. The music I heard was basically what came my way= through friends, radio, etc. Music defines times in my life. It’s the background for memories. Maybe somebody did the songs first. Maybe somebody did them better. But if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound. These are the background sounds in my life.
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Hansi Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 6:21 am
About that tree falling in the forest, the simple answer is No. Sound is solely dependent upon the sense of hearing. If there is no hearing, there is no sound. Sound is not a sense gate through which we perceive reality. But really, that music is indeed background, I prefer ‘sound track’, to your life. Dave Clark evokes memories of dis-satisfaction, probably because I was 17 or so, and wasn’t getting layed. It was one thing hearing the original black performers screaming about how they’re not getting layed, cause it was assumed what they meant was they weren’t getting laid at that moment, but probably would within days. The Brits/Dave Clark message was: It’s probably gonna be a long time before that ever happens to you. So, therein lies my preferences.
Hansi’s last Blog Post ..Fun With Spam
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Ralph Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 6:34 am
Hansi,
That was then. This is now. I on’t remember the frustrations so much anymore.
Thanks for the video, Ralph! I loved the Dave Clark 5, as well as Garry and the Pacemakers. Ferry Cross the Mersey was one of my favorites songs back then. I always liked Herman’s Hermits too, altho their music wasn’t what you’d call classic-lol.
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Ralph Reply:
April 21st, 2011 at 9:22 am
Joan,
Herman and the Hermits weren’t favorites of mine but they were ok and part of the background. I’m amazed at how long ago that was.
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Being a resident of Denver, Colorado – I like millions – enjoyed the Brit Bands from afar – But I fell head over heals with the Invasion – I remember about four weeks into it – walking along the Arlan’s Department store Top 50 record rack display – seeing not only “I Want to Hold Your Hand”,but other 45s by the same group on Different Labels! I thought maybe they weren’t even the same group (MGM, Atco, VJ and Swan) So I was hooked and promptly snapped up every UK Group and Artist 45 that hit the survey – and of course – “Glad All Over” was close behind (only Dusty Springfield actually came ahead of them. I’m putting the core Invasion (and Beat Groups that didn’t invade) on my new Blog working through from start to what I saw as the finish 1963-1968! Love the Carson Post and Blog!
Craig Swank’s last Blog Post ..British Invasion- 1964 – Searchers & Swinging Blue Jeans Debut
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Ralph Reply:
June 4th, 2011 at 10:29 am
Craig,
Thanks for stopping by. I will be checking out your blog.
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