Great Pop Covers 101: The Searchers-Western Union

THE SEARCHERS-Western Union/I'll Cry Tomorrow Norway Pye 7N 17306 1967

By the time of this 45's release (April 1967) the hit making days had long expired for Liverpool's The Searchers.  This was their 16th 45 for the Pye label in the U.K. and was to be the next to last for the imprint.  The band were at the time of this single's release Mike Pender (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Chris Curtis (lead guitar, vocals), Frank Allen (bass, vocals) and John Blunt (drums).  Not that this bothered the folks at Pye in Norway who issued this single there with a photo of the previous line up featuring their previous drummer Chris Curtis.  For more on Mr. Curtis check out:

http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/10/mad-henry-goes-solo.html

Copping the Five American's hit "Western Union" (which saw the light in the U.S. in January 1967) the band's label presumably were hoping for a leg up on the U.K. release (which came out on Stateside simultaneously).  Sadly for our Liverpudlian heroes, it failed.  As foolish as it may have been to record, their version of "Western Union" is pure brilliant mid 60's Searchers: jangly guitars, precision harmonies and even a raga-esque guitar solo.  The flip side, "I'll Cry Tomorrow", a Pender-McNally original, is typical ho-hum Searchers B-side balladry.....next. Pressings of this single rate as one of the rarest and most expensive of all of their Pye releases (it was their next to last Pye single, their last being the equally cool/rare "Secondhand Dealer"/"Crazy Dreams"), perhaps an indication of how few were actually pressed!

Blunt, McNally, Allen & Pender 1966

Both sides cam be found on a variety of Searchers CD collections, namely the three CD retrospective "The Definitive Pye Collection".

Hear "Western Union":

http://youtu.be/52fkHjf_aKw

The Searchers Go To The Movies

THE SEARCHERS- "Play The System" E.P.: The System/This Empty Place/ Sea Of Heartbreak/I Can't Help Forgiving You U.K. Pye NEP 24201 1964

In 1964 Liverpool's The Searchers were chosen to provide music for a film called "The System" (titled "The Girl Getters" here in the States for some inane reason) starring Oliver Reed and David Hemmings about a bunch of jack the lads perpetually on the pull in a dreary seaside town. An E.P. was issued featuring a grainy still from the flick (and possibly the only time Ollie Reed's mug graced a 7" sleeve).  By this point the band were in their second phase line-up consisting of : Mike Pender-lead vocals/rhythm guitar, John McNally-lead guitar, ex-Cliff Bennett's Rebel Rousers member Frank Allen-bass and Chris Curtis-drums/lead vocals.

The title track, "The System" is one of the band's best tunes in my estimation because it's rocking, catchy and upbeat, something they aren't exactly known for! "This Empty Place" is a somber piece sung by the mad man at the back, drummer Chris Curtis, it's mellow but it's a decent one which I was always surprised was not released as a single.  "Sea Of Heartbreak" is not a terrible number but it's so musically sparse (almost acapella save some piano) and would've been better had it been "fattened up" a bit! Jackie DeShannon's "I Can't Help Forgiving You" closes the E.P. (it also appeared on their LP "It's The Searchers") with some nifty descending acoustic guitar scales that accent that "jangly" sound they were so well known for. 

All four tracks have appeared on numerous Searchers collections, notably their "E.P. Collection" CD.

Hear "The System":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnK9xuq4tZU

Hear "This Empty Place":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2xqekmmgRw

Hear "Sea Of Heartbreak":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnliVZYpBUw

Hear "I Can't Help Forgiving You":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpWP3D5rYiM