Because of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band LP along with the summer of love blossoming around the world, 1967 appeared to be an auspicious year and of course, it is 50 years ago, so the media frenzy is in overdrive doing anniversary shows.
One small anniversary that got little attention is: the 60th anniversary of Paul & John's first meeting. It happened on Saturday 6 July 1957. The Quarry Men played at St. Peter's Church Rose Queen garden fête in Woolton. This was John's group and Paul attended the fete and was introduced to John. Paul joined the Quarry Men in October of that year.
SONGS
That'll be the day - The Beatles
How Do You Do it - The Beatles
After "That'll be the day." we heard How Do You Do it from The Beatles which is also from their Anthologies & Artifacts series of releases.
Other groups that were part of the British invasion or "Liverpool Sound" were Billy J. Kramer and Gerry & the Pacemakers. All of them played the cavern and were signed up by Brian Epstein. However, they did not have a sustained career as the Beatles did. Here are Bad to Me by Billy J. Kramer then, Do You want to know a secret from The Beatles followed by I Like it from Gerry & the Pacemakers.
SONGS
Bad to Me - Billy J. Kramer
Do You want to know a secret - - The Beatles
I Like it - Gerry & the Pacemakers
Before the British invasion dominated the american charts, the 60's began with the so-called folk & Hootenanny styles of music. The artist that began quietly with a largely ignored first album, suddenly erupted on to the world's music scene, and grew along with the Beatles. That person was Bob Dylan. Coming up is the decidedly pop style of the Beatles and I Feel Fine then two landmark Dylan tunes, the astoundingly prescient Times They are A-Changing and Subterranean Homesick Blues.
SONGS
I Feel Fine - The Beatles
Times They are a changing - Bob Dylan
Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan
George Harrison was an early friend of Bob Dylan that lasted his whole life. He & Dylan & others became the travelling Wilbury's. A mock band in the manner of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Here he is with Dylan's If Not For You, which is from George's solo career, then another pop hit from the Boys, A Hard Day's Night.
SONGS
If Not For You - George Harrison
Hard Days Night - The Beatles
Just as Lennon-McCartney compositions overtook the singles and album charts, Dylan's songwriting output in the mid-60's was prodigious. Many performers had hits with his material. Here are two, one very famous, the other less so. Peter, Paul & Mary's chart topping version of Blowing in the wind is followed by Manfred Mann and If you got to go, go now.
SONGS
Blowing in the Wind - Peter, Paul & Mary
If you got to go, go now - Manfred Mann
This is In the Bad, Bad Old Days from The Foundations a British group. This was a minor hit but they had a huge world wide hit with Baby, Now that I found you, in 1970.
SONG
In the Bad, Bad Old Days - The Foundations
Of course, the other prominent British hit makers were the Rolling Stones. This is their signature tune, Satisfaction, and Joe Cocker doing a Bob Dylan composition, Just like a woman.
SONGS
Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
Just Like a Woman - Joe Cocker
When Bob Dylan moved from the austere sounds of folk to the electric sounds of folk-rock or even outright rock, he was backed by a group called, simply, the Band. They were a mixture of Canadian & American boys. Depending on whose biography you read, the leader was Canadian Robbie Robertson or American Levon Helms. Both wonderful musicians. The Band were big in their own right, without Dylan at the mic. This is their Up on Cripple Creek followed by Irishman Gilbert O'Sullivan (real name Raymond O'Sullivan) and the charming Claire.
SONGS
Up on Cripple Creek - The Band
Claire - Gilbert O'Sullivan
Closing today's show with Ob-la-di, Ob-la- da from the Beatles' White Album, and a perennial favorite of people and especially party goers for decades. Definitely a pop song and not a protest or hippie song. Just fun loving sing-a-long material.
SONGS
Obla- di, Obla- da - The Beatles
