Publisher at The American Bystander
is Blogmom of Hey Dullblog. His novels and parodies have sold 1.25 million copies in 25 languages. He lives in Santa Monica, CA, and runs The American Bystander all-star print humor magazine.
Latest posts by Michael Gerber (see all)
- Needed: Paid Research Assistant(s) for a Beatle Project - October 28, 2023
- From Faith Current: “The Sacred Ordinary: St. Peter’s Church Hall” - May 1, 2023
- A brief (?) hiatus - April 22, 2023
I‘m making one. What should be on it? Nominate songs in the comments.
By the way, anybody read this book by Miles? I may have to. I read Shawn Levy’s book Ready Steady Go! and liked it a lot.
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Get Back Release Date: September 4, 2020
Shenk’s “Powers Of Two”: 3 Takes
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Our Comment Policy, and the Future of Dullblog
Should I do t-shirts?
A George Harrison summer playlist
Craig Brown’s “One Two Three Four”
Tumblr Fandom Categories and Beatle Books
Astrid Kirchherr, 1938-2020
Mob Psycho 100 and the Beatles’ Mop Tops
Two things
Benjamin Levi Marks’ “The Ultimate Beatles Anthology”
Animals – House of the Rising Sun
Beatles – Please Please Me
Beatles – Twist and Shout
Beatles – She Loves You
Beatles – I Want to Hold Your Hand
Beatles – Can’t Buy Me Love
Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night
Beatles – Help!
Dave Clark Five – Glad All Over
Petula Clark – Downtown
Marianne Faithfull – As Tears Go By
Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – Game of Love
Freddie & The Dreamers – I’m Telling You Now
Gerry & The Pacemakers – Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying
Gerry & The Pacemakers – Ferry Cross the Mersey
Herman’s Hermits – I’m Into Something Good
Herman’s Hermits – Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter
Herman’s Hermits – I’m Henry VIII, I Am
Hollies – Bus Stop
Hollies – Stop Stop Stop
Tom Jones – It’s Not Unusual
Kinks – You Really Got Me
Kinks – All Day and All of the Night
Kinks – Tired of Waiting For You
Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas – Bad to Me
Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas – Little Children
Manfred Mann – Doo Wah Diddy Diddy
Moody Blues – Go Now
Peter & Gordon – A World Without Love
Rolling Stones – Time Is On My Side
Rolling Stones – The Last Time
Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Rolling Stones – Get Off of My Cloud
Searchers – Needles and Pins
Searchers – Love Potion No. 9
Dusty Springfield – I Only Want to Be With You
Dusty Springfield – Wishin’ and Hopin’
Swinging Blue Jeans – Hippy Hippy Shake
Them – Here Comes the Night
Troggs – Wild Thing
Unit 4+2 – Concrete and Clay
Who – Happy Jack
Yardbirds – For Your Love
Zombies – She’s Not There
etc etc
This is amazing thank you!
No “Because”?
The ultimate British Invasion playlist should begin with Buddy Holly’s Words Of Love and Not Fade Away, the Everly Brothers’ All I Have To Do Is Dream, Eddie Cochran’s C’mon Everybody etc. as an appetizer, and then proceed to some Beatle songs and other British Invasion bands as the main course.
But what songs, Sam?
There’s one record in particular that always meant the British Invasion to me. It’s in the extensive list provided by Velvet Hand: Needles And Pins by the Searchers.
In 1964 my older siblings owed one of those tiny record players but only few singles. Records like Henry Mancini’s theme from Exodus, etc. At first, the only rock singles they owned were a few by Frankie Avalon and one by the Searchers: Needles And Pins. Later, they acquired some albums, but they were all moldy sounding music like Bobby Rydell.
Because I was only five years old, I wasn’t allowed to touch the records or the record player, but I’d get excited whenever I heard Needles And Pins. I loved the tight harmonies and jangly guitars. The sound must have imprinted on me, because a few weeks later, when my father brought home Meet The Beatles I was hooked.
I can’t think of anything to add to Velvet’s list.
I don’t know if I’d classify Tom Jones It’s Not Unusual as part of the British Invasion. I see that record more as an example of a Northern Soul movement.
I’ll admit my definition of the B.I. might be too narrow, but when I think of the B.I., I think of groups of skinny guys in matching suits and pudding basin haircuts. The acts that baffled and frightened the Bobby Rydells and Fabians of the time. Frankie Avalon parodied them as his character Potato Bug.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHIAcV7yKh4
This is my definition too.
For the moment I think of Paint It Black by Eric Burdon and War (1970)
https://youtu.be/jTbvJ-bYPh8
What about The Who? The Kinks? Cliff Richard? Dusty Springfield? The Zombies? Donovan? Chad and Jeremy? Peter and Gordon? Spencer Davis Group? The Yardbirds?
All important additions, Shelly! Especially, in my opinion, The Who, The Kinks, and The Zombies.
Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat by Herman’s Hermits. Peter Noone had a real early ’60s British Invasion vocal style.
Catch Us If You Can by the Dave Clark Five has that British Invasion vocal harmony sound, too.
I have an Odeon LP from Holland that is undated and is called “History of British Pop Volume 1: The Mersey and the Beat.” The Beatles are name-checked on the jacket notes but aren’t included, no doubt because of rights issues. There are two Lennon/McCartney songs performed by other artists, however. Here’s the track listing:
Gerry and the Pacemakers, “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
Swinging Blue Jeans, “Hippy Hippy Shake”
Herman’s Hermits, “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter”
Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, “Do You Want To Know A Secret”
Adam Faith, “It’s Alright”
Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, “Got To Get You Into My Life”
Freddie and the Dreamers, “I’m Telling You Now”
Herman’s Hermits, “No Milk Today”
Swinging Blue Jeans, “You’re No Good”
Gerry and the Pacemakers, “How Do You Do”
I agree that Herman‘s Hermits were fabulous. „East West“, „Dandy“, „No Milk Today“… beauties all! Can I admit that although I only have a cheap Greatest Hits CD of theirs, I like their songs better than many of The Who‘s or the early Stones‘?
I’ll sit with you, Velvet Hand! I have a fondness for the Hermits. And I also recommend the Dave Clark Five’s “Because.” Beautiful melody and harmonies.
Is there an end date on the British Invasion?
People like Elton John, his first U.S. release was in 1970. Was he too late for the B.I.?
And David Bowie, he was making records in the 1960s but I didn’t become aware of him until the early ’70s. Is he considered a soldier in the B.I.?
I personally consider the British Invasion over June 1, 1967, when Sgt. Pepper is released.
To me, British Invasion is a specific sound; even The Who are a bit tougher. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers aren’t British Invasion, they’re a blues band. Cream isn’t–that’s psychedelia edging into hard rock. Yardbirds are.
British Invasion music is poppy, short, catchy songs aimed at teens and performed by combos; a good rule of thumb for me is if you can’t replicate the sound onstage with four or five people, it’s not classic British Invasion music. So even something like “Norwegian Wood” isn’t British Invasion, and that’s precisely why that song–and Rubber Soul–was a big deal. (And why Beatles for Sale was a bit of a shocker, too.)
The Monkees, The Rascals, The Cyrkle–these were Americans playing British Invasion-style music.
Hmm… „Because“ as in: What the Bee Gees sang with Alice Cooper in that World War II movie? Not sure I think of British Invasion when I hear that one. And weren‘t the Bee Gees sort of Australian too?
I think Michael meant the Dave Clark Five ballad “Because”
<i?It's right that I should care about you
And try to make you happy when you're blue
It's right, it's right to feel the way I do
Because, because I love you
It's wrong to say I don't think of you
'Cause when you say these things
You know it makes me blue
A nice song, one of my favorite DC5 vocals, and a good example of a British Invasion ballad.
Yes indeed. DC5. Great song.
Oops… I had no idea, thanks for clarifying! „Glad all over“ has, until now, been the only DC5 tune I‘ve heard. Will give „Because“ a try though. Should I investigate further? (Cheers.)
You’re in for a treat if you’re discovering the DC5 for the first time.
Their early records had it all. Great songs and a great sound.
They ran out of steam (in my opinion) after a few years. They still sounded great, but the songwriting quality dropped somewhat. Their first hits and album tracks are definitely worth further investigation!
The fun thing for me, anyway, is exploring what influenced the British Invasion. Because I was just entering kindergarten when the first wave hit, I didn’t know any musical history. I thought the Beatles had invented electric guitars!
But years later I’d study the songwriter credits, and explore the original versions. This one by Bobby Day is from 1958, and the drums and harmonies remind me of the Dave Clark 5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdboU4i7x7k
Anything by the Yardbirds and the Animals. Ruby Tuesday by the Rolling Stones. Pictures of Lily by The Who. Walk Away Renee – or is that band American? Whiter Shade Pale – or did that come too late? No Milk Today has been mentioned a couple times. That’s the only Herman’s Hermits song that I like. Mrs. Brown and Henry VIII are annoying earworms. The Beatles started the British Invasion but their music doesn’t sound British Invasion to me. It has no specific genre.
*Whiter Shade OF Pale
Not a playlist but I was looking for something to watch last night and came across this documentary on the Tubi channel called Beatles Stories. Having seen everything Beatles over the years, I was blasé but thought I’d give it a try. I figured it was going to be either one of those generic, cheaply made Beatles docs they have on free streaming channels or a tabloid-like program. It seems I confused it with Beatles Secrets starring Francie Schwartz and others. Anyway, it was made by a fan and amateur musician who loved the Beatles since he discovered them at age 5 in the mid-60s. He interviewed all sorts of people, famous and obscure, American and British, from musicians and actors to athletes and broadcasters, as well as members of British Invasion bands. Anyone who knew the Beatles well or simply crossed paths with their heroes. They gave their stories of the Beatles and what they remembered about them, and it reinforced what good lads they were, beloved by all. It was great. And I actually learned a few things I didn’t know before, like George wanting to join Rory Storm and the Hurricanes but was deemed too young as he only knew how to play Wedding Bells are Breaking Up this Old Gang of Mine. That was before Paul introduced him to John, of course. Maybe even before Paul met John. And in an alternate universe John might have been a weather forecaster! Anyway, it was great and I recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a feel-good documentary on the Beatles.
Most of the ones I was going to name have already been mentioned, but here are 4 more:
“Time of the Season” by the Zombies;
“Paint it Black” by the Stones;
“The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)” by Manfred Mann;
“I Saw Her Standing There” by the Beatles.
Have I The Right by the Honeycombs!
Those growling vocals. The wild, foot stomping percussion produced by Joe Meek. It was recorded in his apartment in North London! Can’t get any more British Invasion than that…
Oh GREAT song!
Saturday Night Out by the Searchers. It was the B-side of Needles and Pins.
A fast rocking Beatlesque record. I bet some people even thought it was the Beatles when they first heard it.
Just heard it and liked it, @Sam. Thank you.
Chad Stuart has died at 79.
Chad & Jeremy were the quiet, folkish soldiers in the British Invasion. I don’t remember too much about them. They were just part of the blur of English guys in suits. I think I mostly remember them because they were in the old Batman TV show.
Gerry Marsden has died. He was 78.
I saw that. I’ve always loved his voice.
And I had just sung “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” the very night before. COINCIDENCE? 🙂
He made some lovely things. We should all be so lucky, right?