Songs written by Searchers members

[alancheshire]

We've had discussions about songs written by various members of the group and performed by them, but have any of their compositions been recorded by other people? I do have a couple of tracks on a Swinging Blue Jeans CD that were written by Spencer James but don't know of any others.

[admin]

A good post Alan. I have never seen any covers of The Searchers' compostions. This evening I searched for the McNally tune "'Til I met You" and what I believe to be the Curtis compositions "None One Else Could Love Me", "I' Pretend I'm With You" and "This Feeling Inside." I have not been able to find this compositions covered by other artists and frankly I am not surprised as the recordings were not successful in the charts.

I do enjoy all of these compositions, however, and always wished that The Searchers had done more original material in the early days. It was a real obstacle to their success in my view.

[sowhat]

As i've heard, Chris Curtis' song "I pretend I'm with you" was covered by the band called the Rapiers, but that's about all.

[admin]

Sheena: I am hoping that Roy might have this song by the Rapiers.

[royclough]

Interesting Alan reference Spencer James songs on SBJ's CD, could you clarify what they are.

I have posted Rapiers version of I Pretend I'm With You
here



Till I Met You has been recorded by a local Liverpool club Singer, a woman whose name escapes me, not nationally released.

I have the track somewhere but not as a mp3 at moment.

[sowhat]

I'd say the Rapiers do justice to the song, and it sounds pretty much like the original, but i still prefer the original version.

[admin]

Thanks, Roy. My take on the Rapiers' version is that it has the energy of the Searchers' recording but for me the similarity ends there. The lead vocal does not measure up to that of Chris Curtis. This is an important recording in that it is one of the very few Searchers' compositions in existence covered by another group.

The overall feel is sort of like the "Ventures meet the Searchers" with the vibrato and reverb. The country licks take away from the rock feel a bit too much for my liking. The Rapiers have made it their own but the country surf feel detracts from the overall performance in my view.

[sowhat]

The lead vocal does not measure up to that of Chris Curtis.

If i may say so, sorry to mention that but if i'm not mistaken, lead vocals on the Searchers' original version of "I pretend I'm with you" seem to be done by Mike Pender, at least to my ear, while Curtis was possibly responsible for backing vocals...
And, as usual, my lack of education is shining through... thanks a ton for the track, Roy! For a few years, i was longing to hear it, and now i finally got the chance... thanks, man.

[admin]

Sheena: I believe that you may be right with regard to the lead vocal.