Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

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DavyR
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Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by DavyR »

Here's a strange old Searchers story. About 25 years ago when I was listening to the very bad quality Beatles Hamburg tapes my ear told me that "Where Have You Been All My Life?" was NOT The Beatles. The vocals, guitars and drumming sound, playing style and feel seemed different. It sounded more like The Searchers to me. There were actually a few songs that didn't sound like The Beatles as compared to all the other songs on those recordings. Around that time, 25 years ago, my wife made a trip to NYC and saw The Searchers at The Bitten End club. She asked one of the Searchers about that song on those tapes. He was floored by the unique question and said that it was indeed The Searchers and that he had tried to contact McCartney about it. Since then I have posted this story several times on other forums only to be corrected by 'the experts' that that song was indeed The Beatles. 'Till this day it STILL doesn't sound like The Beatles to me. Oh, well!
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chriscurtisfan
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by chriscurtisfan »

I don't suppose you have a way of converting this to an mp3 format you could email to Roy??? I bet Frank and John would be most interested in hearing it. I'm certain that none of The Searchers would have lied about it being their own voices! But I can imagine some Beatles "expert" trying to credit it to the Beatles, if they are so biased. Remember, I am a Beatles fan, saw them in concert, so I am not down on them at all!

Does it sound like the studio version I posted here last week, Davy? I've read enough online from experts and they are not the experts you may think. Especially when it comes to The Searchers. Only The Searchers or Roy are the real experts. I call myself a Chris Curtis expert on my two Youtube channels because it is he I have researched the most and I will present him in the best possible light. I try to protect Chris, who isn't here to defend himself, from people who love to gossip when, in fact, even Frank Allen is clueless about Chris' private life, which should remain private. I have one subscriber/friend on my MrsChrisCurtis YT channel who thinks I am Chris' wife. To my knowledge, Chris did not marry, but it's flattering and humorous to be thought of as his wife, so I say nothing -- and I can protect Chris' memory which is my goal. :)
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johnnysain
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by johnnysain »

Rickenbacker player since 1978
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chriscurtisfan
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by chriscurtisfan »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW8zM6kx1V4&

The problem is I know the Beatles individual voices better than I know any other band. I am only recently (2-3 years) learning the individual Searchers' voices, and sometimes even Chris I can't identify. (US radio in the northeast played very little Searchers; don't get me started.)

So, this will be up to Roy, John, Frank, Mike or everybody else who knows all the voices involved.

My opinion: To my ear, the lead sounds like John Lennon and his accent.

I feel sure it's not Tony, Mike or John. That would leave Chris, and I'm just not hearing his accent.

Help, please?
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DavyR
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

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Thanks for the responses. I checked this out again and I do not hear a John Lennon lead vocal. Nor do I hear Beatle harmonies. Nor Beatle instruments. Even if Lennon is doing a vocal impersonation of Alexander and is drunk! LOL! It may not be The Searchers but I'll bet it isn't The Beatles. BTW, the Searcher that my wife talked to either played bass or 12-string back then in the mid 1980s. This is the point I'm hazy on as of now.
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by chriscurtisfan »

I'm glad you mentioned who stated it was The Searchers 25 years go. Because 25 years ago, Chris was not playing with the Searchers, so clearly, he didn't try to take credit. Nobody wants it to be The Searchers more than me! I hope you are right, but I leave it to Roy and his good friends, The Searchers to decide. I'm looking forward to hearing the outcome, Davy! :-) Interesting discussion!!
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DavyR
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

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chriscurtisfan wrote:I'm glad you mentioned who stated it was The Searchers 25 years go. Because 25 years ago, Chris was not playing with the Searchers, so clearly, he didn't try to take credit. Nobody wants it to be The Searchers more than me! I hope you are right, but I leave it to Roy and his good friends, The Searchers to decide. I'm looking forward to hearing the outcome, Davy! :-) Interesting discussion!!
I always get into these type of controversial discussions. LOL! But it is a true story. Whether "The Searcher" that my wife talked to after the NYC show 25 years ago actually did believed it was 'The Searchers' I can't prove. Even if it isn't the Searchers, I very well may be the only 'nut' on the planet who has questioned the performer of this song since I bought and studied both the German and US LP versions of The Beatles Hamburg tapes back in 1977.
Last edited by DavyR on Sun May 15, 2011 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by chriscurtisfan »

Johnny, since you kindly located the video on Youtube -- what is your take on this audio/video? I almost forgot to thank you for finding it for us. Clearly I had no clue it was on Youtube!
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einar
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by einar »

Intriguing! It's documented that this song was a Beatles feature in the early Hamburg/Cavern years (John vocal). My bet is this is The Beatles after all.
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DavyR
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

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einar wrote:Intriguing! It's documented that this song was a Beatles feature in the early Hamburg/Cavern years (John vocal). My bet is this is The Beatles after all.
True, The Beatles did cover it but no doubt The Searchers did as well since they eventually recorded it.
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

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einar wrote:Intriguing! It's documented that this song was a Beatles feature in the early Hamburg/Cavern years (John vocal). My bet is this is The Beatles after all.
I totally agree. It sure sounds like Lennon to me. Additionally, the guitar styles and the drums don't sound anything like The Searchers of their Hamburg period based on the sound they achieve on their Live at the Star Club LP ... and I'm not referring to the technical quality of the recording.
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by chriscurtisfan »

dbailey62 wrote:
einar wrote:Intriguing! It's documented that this song was a Beatles feature in the early Hamburg/Cavern years (John vocal). My bet is this is The Beatles after all.
I totally agree. It sure sounds like Lennon to me. Additionally, the guitar styles and the drums don't sound anything like The Searchers of their Hamburg period based on the sound they achieve on their Live at the Star Club LP ... and I'm not referring to the technical quality of the recording.
David, I'm pleased somebody agrees with me. The way the lead singer says the word "YOU" is pure Lennon. I listened to their voices for 6 six years from the time they arrived on US soil, I played their music constantly, know all songs by heart, spent all my babysitting money on their vinyls, so much that I still recognize their individual voices all these years later. Whoever is singing lead, is doing a good Lennon....which just reminded me that Chris was an outstanding mimic..... but what would be the point of mimicking Lennon in '62. So I still believe this is The Beatles, because it's Lennon's "YOU" .

Hoping to hear from Roy...
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sowhat
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by sowhat »

It's not the Searchers. Imho.
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DavyR
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by DavyR »

FYI. Somebody cut and pasted my/the above story on the forum beargearcavern.com. I guess we'll see what they think.
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Re: Searchers/Beatles Hamburg Tapes?

Post by chriscurtisfan »

Keep us posted, Davy!!! This is fun! :D
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