US V UK 7

[royclough]

As someone commented previously probably more a contrast of style here but let's see how we go, first version went to 21 in US in 63 singer's first hit.

UK version whilst best thing they did in my view was the group's swansong chartwise making 31 in 66.

[scotty]

Oh really love both of these Roy its a 50/50 split for me!

[nick_allen]

Well as you say Roy, this really is apples and oranges - totally different styles and approaches. But just as a personal preference, I vote for the Swinging Blue Jeans.

[royclough]

Come on Scott don't sit on the fence go for it.

[its-sylviab]

Definitely The Swinging Blue Jeans version for me... I've had this song played for me three times in three weeks on Radio 2

I saw Dionne Warwick in 1964 in The Searchers/Zombies etc tour and with her dated hairstyle she looked older than than she does now! Not long ago I heard her say she disliked Cilla Black because she 'pinched' so many of her songs and had bigger hits with them!

[admin]

Roy: At the end of the day the unsung heroes here are Bacharach and David. It is a great melody with fine lyrics which sets the stage for a good performance.

The Swinging Blue Jeans' (initially Genes) release beautifully illustrates the genius of many Liverpool performers in the late 1950s and early 1960s. These musicians grew up in the somewhat more isolated north and often times with limited resources. They made the absolute best of their equipment and venues stripping many American songs to the bare bones allowing their genius and enthusiasm and the core features of these compositions to shine through. Of course, the more cosmopolitan south recognized this in a hurry and the road to London was well traveled as these records were produced like hotcakes for a time.

The result was a rough raw version of songs without the sugar-coating of the extensive orchestration often produced in America. They then sole this product back to those of us in North America, literally and figuratively. Strange as it may seem it is as if we were hearing the material for the first time. The irony is that many in the US and Canada did not wake up to some music that originated here until our friends across the pond introduced it to us in a new way. Why didn't we pay attention to the original recordings. My answer is that they had little life to them and did not arouse the senses of the newer generation who become the record buying public in huge numbers as the baby boomers hit adolescence.

Dont Make Me Over is one of many examples of this and for me it is the Swinging Blue Jeans version that wins the prize hands down. So was the tremendous success of Liverpool groups a happy accident? A quirk of the times? Why did it strike a chord that resonated around the world so quickly? This brief moment in historical time left its emotional etchings deep within our primative brain at our most impressionable time. A saving that was to last throughout our lifetime and colour the manner in which we would interpret music for the rest of our lives.

[JeffZ]

Swinging Blue Jeans hands down, the only question is why their cover didn't go a lot higher in the charts! A fine arrangement with an excellent and intriguing string part (at times the strings almost sound like a volume pedal guitar). Peter's explanation of how the Brits responded to and improved the original versions of these songs is spot on.

Roy, wasn't this the last Swinging Blue Jeans single that Ralph Ellis played on? Any ideas as to why he left the group at this point?

[chriscurtisfan]

The irony is that many in the US and Canada did not wake up to some music that originated here until our friends across the pond introduced it to us in a new way. Why didn't we pay attention to the original recordings. My answer is that they had little life to them and did not arouse the senses of the newer generation who become the record buying public in huge numbers as the baby boomers hit adolescence.

Dont Make Me Over is one of many examples of this and for me it is the Swinging Blue Jeans version that wins the prize hands down. So was the tremendous success of Liverpool groups a happy accident? A quirk of the times? Why did it strike a chord that resonated around the world so quickly? This brief moment in historical time left its emotional etchings deep within our primative brain at our most impressionable time. A saving that was to last throughout our lifetime and colour the manner in which we would interpret music for the rest of our lives.

Well said!!! And I am so glad I lived at that exact time period to have the "British Invasion" music etched in my brain, forever to treasure, above all other genre. It's the SBJ for me, even though I never heard it until a moment ago!

[royclough]

A brilliant analysis as always by Peter.

Glad Cheri you are hoping some of these for first time

Jeff You are correct about Ralph leaving, I am not 105 certain but I suspect a personality clash.

His replacement was Terry Sylvester well know to those in Canada now I believe.

Sylvia as I pointed out on another forum this Cilla Dionne thing is a myth.

[einar]

SBJ for me. Love this. The melody in itself, and the overall Merseybeat touch (especially vocals).

[sowhat]

The Jeans, of course. Not a single doubt.
Cannot agree it was the best cover they ever did, though. Sorry for going off topic, but how about this one?

[einar]

Eh, let me add: The Genes goes straight into the melody's strongest part (Accept me for what I am...) and uses that as the song's key signature, far all it's worth. In Dianne's version (a good one), this hook is merely hidden as a sort of "middle eight", first time nearly 2 minutes into the song.

[einar]

Strong cover versions is what SBJ is all about! Hippy Hippy Shake/Good Golly Miss Molly.... Their original compositions were quite average, or what? I remember out of my head, the B- side to one of their hit singles: Now I must Go? Quite good/not bad etc.

[royclough]

Now I Must Go Einar was B side of Hippy Hippy Shake their biggest hit

[admin]

The Genes goes straight into the melody's strongest part (Accept me for what I am...) and uses that as the song's key signature

An excellent point Einar and but another example of how the group made songs their own and breathed new life into them. A much more inviting song for me compared to the US version here and a softer side of the Hippy Hippy Shake gang.