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Sugar and Spice: Cherry Red Collects The Searchers' "Complete Pye Recordings" On New Box

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Last year, John McNally and Frank Allen of The Searchers announced that the Merseybeat band would be retiring in 2019, some 60 years after McNally co-founded the group and 55 years after Allen first joined up.  The Searchers will play their final show on Sunday in Milton Keynes, about 50 miles northwest of London.  But the music lives on, and today, Cherry Red's Grapefruit label releases an impressive tribute to the band's body of work with When You Walk in the Room: The Complete Pye Recordings 1963- 67.  The new 6-CD box set contains expanded mono and stereo editions of the group's five original Pye albums - Meet the Searchers (1963), Sugar and Spice (1963), It's the Searchers (1964), Sounds Like Searchers (1965), and Take Me For What I'm Worth (1965) - as well as a full disc of non-LP singles and EP tracks.

Though The Searchers may have toiled in the shadow of that other famous band from Liverpool, hits like "Sugar and Spice," "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk in the Room" remain some of the strongest recordings to come out of the mid-1960s' "British Invasion."  The band's lineup has been somewhat fluid over the years, with 1963's Meet the Searchers - their Pye debut produced by composer-hitmaker Tony Hatch - featuring Tony Jackson (lead vocals/bass), John McNally (rhythm guitar/vocals), Mike Pender (lead guitar/vocals), and Chris Curtis (drums/vocals).  Frank Allen joined the group in mid-1964 as a replacement for Tony Jackson, and the core trio of McNally, Allen and Pender played with the group between 1964 and 1985, at which point Pender struck out on his own.  (He still infrequently performs today as Mike Pender's Searchers.)

While The Searchers may have suffered for a lack of original songwriting, the cover versions they chose were almost uniformly top-notch, whether emanating from the East or West Coasts of America or somewhere in between. Sun-kissed songs like Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono's "Needles and Pins," P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri's "Take Me for What I'm Worth," and Jackie DeShannon's "When You Walk in the Room" were all reworked in the popular beat style.  DeShannon's mighty discography also yielded versions of "Can't Help Forgiving You," "Till You Say You'll Be Mine," and "Each Time."

The Brill Building catalogues of Bert Berns ("Twist and Shout," "I Don't' Want to Go On Without You"), Pomus and Shuman ("Sweets for My Sweet," "I Count the Tears"), Bacharach and David ("This Empty Place," "Magic Potion"), Greenwich and Barry ("Everybody Come and Clap Your Hands," "Goodnight, Baby," "Be My Baby"), and Leiber and Stoller ("Love Potion No. 9," "Stand by Me") were likewise beneficiaries of the Searchers' pop and R&B prowess.  Motown was tapped for covers of "Money (That's What I Want)" and "I'll Be Doggone."  The tasty "Sugar and Spice" was a rare hit for the band penned by Tony Hatch, who was largely content to serve in the producer's chair for the group while churning out hit records for Petula Clark and others.

Grapefruit's set presents all five of the original U.K. albums released in mono, together with stereo versions assembled from the American albums issued on Kapp, subsequent releases on Pye's budget arm Marble Arch, or created from the multi-track tapes.  Unfortunately, multi-tracks no longer exist for "Da Doo Ron Ron," and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" from 1963's Meet the Searchers, so those two tracks are only heard in mono.  The five LPs have also been expanded with bonus material including recordings in German and French as well as alternate versions and outtakes not released until decades later.

The sixth disc, Take It or Leave It, compiles 26 non-LP sides including songs from Tony Hatch ("Saturday Night Out"), Bobby Darin ("When I Get Home"), Mick Jagger and Keith Richards ("Take It or Leave It"), and The Hollies ("Have You Ever Loved Somebody").  This disc also features a number of strong compositions from the band members, who had begun writing with the 1965 A-side "He's Got No Love" and only improved with each newly-written tune.

Grapefruit's handsome package is housed in a clamshell case, with each album in an individual mini-sleeve with original cover artwork and revised back cover artwork containing discographical annotation.  A thick 36-page, copiously illustrated booklet tells The Searchers' story via compilation producer David Wells' detailed new essay.  There are no remastering credits, though sound is good throughout.

The Searchers followed their star-making tenure on Pye with recordings for Liberty, RCA, and Sire, among other labels, but the 164 tracks across these six CDs are the bedrock of their musical legacy.  Filled with sugar, spice, and all things nice, When You Walk in the Room: The Complete Pye Recordings 1963-67 is comprehensive one-stop shopping for fans of one of Liverpool's greatest exports.

The Searchers, When You Walk in the Room: The Complete Pye Recordings 1963-67 (Cherry Red/Grapefruit CRSEGBOX055, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Meet The Searchers (Pye NLP 18086, 1963)

Mono

  1. Sweets for My Sweet
  2. Alright
  3. Love Potion No. 9
  4. Farmer John
  5. Stand by Me
  6. Money (That's What I Want)
  7. Da Doo Ron Ron
  8. Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya
  9. Since You Broke My Heart
  10. Tricky Dicky
  11. Where Have All the Flowers Gone
  12. Twist and Shout

Stereo

  1. Sweets for My Sweet
  2. Alright
  3. Love Potion No. 9
  4. Farmer John
  5. Stand by Me
  6. Money (That's What I Want)
  7. Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya
  8. Since You Broke My Heart
  9. Tricky Dicky
  10. Twist and Shout

Bonus Tracks

  1. Liebe (Money (That's What I Want)) (German Version) (German Vogue DV 14116, 1964)
  2. Farmer John (German Version) (German Vogue DV 14130, 1964)
  3. Mais C'Etait Un Reve (It's All Been a Dream) (French Version) (from Vogue EP PNV 24121, 1964)

CD 2: Sugar and Spice (Pye NLP 18089, 1963)

Mono

  1. Sugar and Spice
  2. Don't'cha Know
  3. Some Other Guy
  4. One of These Days
  5. Listen to Me
  6. Unhappy Girls
  7. Ain't That Just Like Me
  8. Oh My Lover
  9. Saints and Searchers
  10. Cherry Stones
  11. All My Sorrows
  12. Hungry for Love

Stereo

  1. Sugar and Spice
  2. Don't'cha Know
  3. Some Other Guy
  4. One of These Days
  5. Listen to Me
  6. Unhappy Girls
  7. Ain't That Just Like Me
  8. Oh My Lover
  9. Saints and Searchers
  10. Cherry Stones
  11. All My Sorrows
  12. Hungry for Love

Bonus Tracks

  1. Bye Bye Johnny (Outtake)
  2. I Don't Want to Go On Without You (Outtake)
  3. Once Upon a Time (Outtake)
  4. C'est De Notre Age (Sugar and Spice) (French Version) (from Vogue EP PNV 24121, 1964)
  5. Ils La Chantaeint Il Y A Longtemps (Saints and Searchers) (French Version) (from Vogue EP PNV 24121, 1964)
  6. Sub Ist Sie (Sugar and Spice) (German Version) (German Vogue DV 14116, 1964)

CD 3: It's The Searchers (Pye NPL 18092, 1964)

 

Mono

  1. It's In Her Kiss
  2. Glad All Over
  3. Sea of Heartbreak
  4. Livin' Lovin' Wreck
  5. Where Have You Been
  6. Shimmy Shimmy
  7. Needles and Pins
  8. This Empty Place
  9. Gonna Send You Back to Georgia
  10. I Count the Tears
  11. Hi-Heel Sneakers
  12. Can't Help Forgiving You
  13. Sho' Know Enough About Love
  14. Don't Throw Your Love Away

Stereo

  1. It's In Her Kiss
  2. Glad All Over
  3. Sea of Heartbreak
  4. Livin' Lovin' Wreck
  5. Where Have You Been
  6. Shimmy Shimmy
  7. Needles and Pins
  8. This Empty Place
  9. Gonna Send You Back to Georgia
  10. I Count the Tears
  11. Hi-Heel Sneakers
  12. Can't Help Forgiving You
  13. Sho' Know Enough About Love
  14. Don't Throw Your Love Away

Bonus Tracks

  1. I (Who Have Nothing) (Outtake)
  2. Shame, Shame, Shame (Outtake)
  3. Tausend Nadelstiche (Needles and Pins) (German Version) (German Vogue DV 14130, 1964)
  4. C'est Arrive Comme Ca (Don't Throw Your Love Away) (French Version) (from Vogue EP PNV 24121, 1964)

CD 4: Sounds Like Searchers (Pye NLP 18111, 1965)

Mono

  1. Everybody Come and Clap Your Hands
  2. IF I Could Find Someone
  3. Magic Potion
  4. I Don't Want to Go On Without You
  5. Bumble Bee
  6. Something You Got Baby
  7. Let the Good Times Roll
  8. A Tear Fell
  9. Till You Say You'll Be Mine
  10. You Wanna Make Her Happy
  11. Everything You Do
  12. Goodnight Baby

Stereo

  1. Everybody Come and Clap Your Hands
  2. IF I Could Find Someone
  3. Magic Potion
  4. I Don't Want to Go On Without You
  5. Bumble Bee
  6. Something You Got Baby
  7. Let the Good Times Roll
  8. A Tear Fell
  9. Till You Say You'll Be Mine
  10. You Wanna Make Her Happy
  11. Everything You Do
  12. Goodnight Baby

Bonus Track

  1. Wenn Ich Dich Seh (When You Walk in the Room) (German Version) (German Vogue DV 14338, 1965)

CD 5: Take Me for What I'm Worth (Pye NLP 16120, 1965)

Mono

  1. I'm Ready
  2. I'll Be Doggone
  3. Does She Really Care for Me
  4. It's Time
  5. Too Many Miles
  6. You Can't Lie to a Liar
  7. Don't You Know Why
  8. I'm Your Loving Man
  9. Each Time
  10. Be My Baby
  11. Four Strong Winds
  12. Take Me for What I'm Worth

Stereo

  1. I'm Ready
  2. I'll Be Doggone
  3. Does She Really Care for e
  4. It's Time
  5. Too Many Miles
  6. You Can't Lie to a Liar
  7. Don't You Know Why
  8. I'm Your Loving Man
  9. Each Time
  10. Be My Baby
  11. Four Strong Winds
  12. Take Me for What I'm Worth

Bonus Tracks

  1. I'll Be Doggone (Alternative Version)
  2. Verzeih My Love (Goodbye My Love) (German Version) (German Vogue single DV 14338, 1965)

CD 6: Take It Or Leave It: Non-Album Singles and EP Tracks

  1. It's All Been a Dream (from Pye 7N 15533, 1963)
  2. Saturday Night Out (from Pye 7N 15594, 1964)
  3. I Pretend I'm with You (from Pye 7N 15630, 1964)
  4. Someday We're Gonna Love Again (from Pye 7N 15670, 1964)
  5. No One Else Could Love Me (from Pye 7N 15670, 1964)
  6. When You Walk in the Room (from Pye 7N 15694, 1965)
  7. (I'll Be) Missing You (from Pye 7N 15694, 1965)
  8. What Have They Done to the Rain (from Pye 7N 15739, 1964)
  9. This Feeling Inside (from Pye 7N 15739, 1964)
  10. The System (from Pye EP NEP 24201, 1964)
  11. Goodbye My Love (from Pye 7N 15794, 1965)
  12. 'Til I Met You (from Pye 7N 15794, 1965)
  13. He's Got No Love (from Pye 7N 15878, 1965)
  14. So Far Away (from Pye 7N 15878, 1965)
  15. When I Get Home (from Pye 7N 15950, 1965)
  16. I'm Never Coming Back (from Pye 7N 15950, 1965)
  17. Take It or Leave It (from Pye 7N 17094, 1966)
  18. Don't Hide Away (from Pye 7N 17094, 1966)
  19. Have You Ever Loved Somebody (from Pye 7N 17170, 1966)
  20. It's Just the Way (Love Will Come and Go) (from Pye 7N 17170, 1966)
  21. Popcorn Double Feature (from Pye 7N 17225, 1967)
  22. Lovers (from Pye 7N 17225, 1967)
  23. Western Union (from Pye 7N 17308, 1967)
  24. I'll Cry Tomorrow (from Pye 7N 17308, 1967)
  25. Secondhand Dealer (from Pye 7N 17424, 1967)
  26. Crazy Dreams (from Pye 7N 17424, 1967)
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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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