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The Searchers
Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2000 9:40 pm
by admin
Some researchers have held that The Searchers were first in folk rock with their recording of "What Have They Done To The Rain?" Were they the pioneers of Folk Rock? The following is a photo of John, Chris and Mike singing this tune.
Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2000 11:15 pm
by jjr
For sure. Actually, it goes back farther, to "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", which I had never heard done by anybody but "Folkies", e.g "The Kingston Trio" et al before the Searchers put it out on an LP. Ditto, "All My Sorrows". I remember seeing them sing "Rain"on "Hullabaloo"- the Brit segment hosted by Epstein.Chris was sitting up front playing the bongos. I think he mentioned it in that interview. And don't forget their subsequent forays- "Four Strong Winds", "Take Me For What I'm Worth". It became a staple element of their music.
Anyway, They were the first major rock act (to my knowledge) who mixed folk elements (and whole songs) into their repetoire. Might have had something to do with their guitar style, too. Lent itself readily to that type of music.
Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2000 8:34 am
by alancheshire
Just for the record (no pun intended!), the Shadows did a vocal version of All My Sorrows even earlier than the Searchers.
Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2000 8:59 am
by admin
Alan: When was the release date of the Shadows "All My Sorrows" version?
Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2000 5:43 pm
by alancheshire
Peter: It was on their first solo album called just "The Shadows" from 1961. It also appeared on a budget-price compilation in the mid-sixties.
Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2000 2:31 pm
by RJHC
_I HAVE ALSO SEEN THIS SONG AS "ALL MY TRIALS" .
ELVIS RECORDED IT . IT SEEMS TO BE A ANCIENT FOLK
SONG .
Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2000 1:10 am
by alancheshire
Yes, I also have versions of it as All My Trials by both Joan Baez and The Seekers.
Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2000 5:56 am
by admin
While we are at it, why not throw in Peter, Paul and Mary. Does anyone else find the instrumental to the Searchers' "All My Sorrows" very thin and tentative?
Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2000 3:26 pm
by jjr
Peter,
I think the instrumental on "All My Sorrows is very influenced by, and derivative of, the Kingston Trio version of the song. They tended to put the emphasis on the vocal,and use more understated instrumental backgrounds.
Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2000 7:04 pm
by RJHC
_HOW ABOUT "WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE" .
THEY DID THIS ON THEIR FIRST ENGLISH ALBUM . THEY
SOUND LIKE AN ELECTRIFIED KINGSTON TRIO .