Monday, October 18, 2010

British Invasion

So after The Beatles got really famous in the United States in 1964, a whole swarm of other British bands who looked or sounded or acted like the fab four came and got really famous too. Here are some of my favorite British Invasion songs...


The Zombies have this jazzy, sexy sound. Another good example is their song "Time of the Season."


What a voice, oh my god. I'm sure you've heard The Animals' cover of the old American folk tune "House of the Rising Sun."


Herman's Hermits are probably the most Beatles-esque. By the time they hit the scene, their sound was almost a throwback to the early Beatles sound which, by then, was a few years old. I used to sing their song "Henry VIII" all the time when I was a little kid... that's not weird, right?


Dave Clark Five has this awesome, driving sound with the heavy drumbeat, and the way they all shout together. It's almost a Phil Spector/Wall of Sound type experience, except with rock guitars and saxophones instead of strings and timpanis.


This is Peter & Gordon singing "A World Without Love," which was actually penned by Lennon & McCartney. Paul was dating Peter's sister Jane at the time, so he helped him out with a song. Apparently back in the day, the famous songwriting duo could knock out a pop hit in 30 minutes or so, then let a different singer/band perform it, and then make money on the royalties. Genius!


Of course I have to include my favorite band of all time, The Beatles. I love this video of them on the Ed Sullivan Show performing "This Boy," a really beautiful and underappreciated song from their early days. That 'middle 8' that Lennon sings is just breathtaking.

So that's my report on the British Invasion! I'll update with something a bit more interesting later this week.

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