Take It Or Leave It

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Jul 03, 2001 4:41 pm

Roy Clough has kindly agreed to have his Searchers' article "Take It Or Leave It: A Personal View" posted on Needles and Pins. Thanks Roy.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Jul 14, 2001 1:42 am

Roy Clough's article "Take It Or Leave It" raises many questions and makes many fine points about the Searchers' career. One of the interesting issues he raises is the fact that "Sugar and Spice" is credited by the "Guiness Book Of Hit Singles" as reaching number 2 in the charts. I was surprised to learn that this "Bible of Rock Hits" used the "Record Retailer" magazine as its source. So perhaps "Sugar and Spice" really went to Number 1 after all. I am wondering, in retrospect if there is some other historical source that may shed light on the chart position of this recording.

tim · Post by **tim** » Sat Jul 14, 2001 9:08 am

The 'official' highest chart position for "Sugar And Spice" is No.2. Had it made No.1 much would have been made of the fact that The Searchers would have made it to No.1 with their first four singles (bettering Gerry Marsden's record of three).

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Jul 14, 2001 9:34 am

Thanks Tim. I understand that it reached No. 2. I guess the question I was trying to ask was "Is it fair of the Guiness Book Of Hit Singles to use the Record Retailer publication, a trade magazine, as their fundamental source of how well the song placed?" I accept the fact that someone has to decide in the end, I was just wondering if this process was a fair one.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Jul 17, 2001 4:06 am

In Roy Cloughs' article "Take It Or Leave It" he writes Quote:I also proposed on The Forum recently, see “Needles and Pins”, a theory that perhaps “Needles” was initially going to be the “B” Side and that “Saturday Night Out” was intended for the “A” Side. I find this to be a particularly interesting idea. I don't know if "Saturday Night Out" would ever have been a hit of the magnitude of "Needles and Pins", however, it certainly could have stood alone as another A side single. It is perhaps interesting that many of us expected the B Side of most 45s to be fillers and somewhat inferior to the A Side. The Beatles, among others, certainly put an end to this way of thinking. I have always found "Saturday Night Out" to be a recording with great rhythm by John McNally and a fine melody that moves along very well. It is a pity that it was put up against "Needles". Again, was this a Tony Hatch decision or one made by the Searchers?

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Aug 01, 2001 5:14 am

Roy: While reading your article today I was again reminded of the relative failure of "What Have They Done To The Rain?" to do well in the charts. This song made a very important statement during the times in which this sort of theme was very popular. The melody was strong and this would seem to fall very nicely within the folk rock category. So was it a case of bad timing, too gentle a theme perhaps?

david · Post by **david** » Tue Nov 06, 2001 5:08 am

Roy Clough 's article makes a small mention of Mike Pender's departure from the Searchers.Is there any more information available on this subject?

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Nov 06, 2001 2:42 pm

David: There is indeed more information with regard to Mike Pender's departure. This subject area is currently being explored with some earnest, however, there are brief comments here.