This week, the Top 11 kids will be singing the songs of the British Invasion. The ever-groovy (and British!) LisaB posted some great links in daily chat for those who’d like to learn more about the mid-sixties movement that changed the face of pop music. From: Answers.com, Wikipedia, Wiki’s list of songs and a list of artists (that one courtesy of Hezzer).
The most famous band of the era, is of course, The Beatles. Other well known artists are The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Animals, The Bee Gees (pre-disco, of course) and The Who. Here are more you may have heard of–The Spencer Davis Group, The Hollies, Dave Clark 5 and Herman’s Hermits. I can’t leave out the girls–Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield and Lulu
Peter Noone and Lulu will be on hand to mentor the contestants. Peter will mentor the boys, Lulu the girls. On results night Peter, who fronted the band Herman’s Hermits will perform “A Kind of Hush.” Lulu sings “To Sir With Love.”
Hopefully, the kids will do their homework on (Suggestion: ask your parents!) the Brit invasion. There’s some great great music to choose from. I think this week could go either way. If the contestants choose good songs and sing them well, it could be a great night of music. I’m looking forward to being entertained. Really, I am.
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This style of music is possibly my favorite in the history of pop, so I’m simultaneously looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. If anyone adds a 1980s synth track to any of these classics, I’ll…I’ll…well, I’ll have to just turn off the TV and put in my Beatles Anthology DVDs! Take THAT, you AI upstarts!
Seriously, though, I hope someone busts out with some Zombies, or maybe “Go Now” by the Moody Blues. I mean, you can’t really go wrong with British Invasion songs. Except for Petula’s “Downtown”. That song should die a slow and painful death.
hey, I’m first! The brit gets first go. I have thought this several times during this competition, but Lakisha sounds a LOT like Shirley Bassey! I hadn’t really thought of her as a british invasion, but that would suit her very well. Altho her songs probably aren’t very well known. Is it just old British songs or any era?
ohhh, beaten by a minute…. I should type faster! Yea, the Zombies hits would go down well, She’s Not There I think was covered by someone fairly recently so might be better known. I wonder if Bowie and Billy Idol are included. I can hear Gina singing Rebel Yell!
Just read that Brandon was going to sing “A Whiter Shade of Pale”–that would have (finally) been a great choice for him. I’m wondering if Blake will “cheat” and choose something like “Always Something There to Remind Me” that has already been updated once in the 80’s (Hey, that strategy worked for Daughtry). I do hope that one of the ladies (Gina, maybe?) will realize that Sheryl Crow’s “First Cut is the Deepest” is eligible for this category as it was first a hit for P.P. Arnold in the 60’s.
Shirley Bassey’s ‘Goldfinger’ is very well known, as well as being a Bond theme tune .
Another for the girls is:
Cilla Black
http://www.cillablack.com/music-singles.htm
The girls have it easy, the boys may make some very bad choices.
This was the heyday of the true pop song.
British Invasion
The British Invasion occurred in the mid-’60s, when a wave of English rock & roll bands crossed over into the American market after the breakthrough success of the Beatles. Though not all of the bands sounded similar — they ranged from the hard rock of the Rolling Stones and the Kinks to the sweet pop of Gerry & the Pacemakers and Herman’s Hermits — each group was heavily influenced by American rock & roll, blues, and R&B. British Invasion bands were either blues-based rockers or pop/rockers with ringing guitars and catchy hooks & melodies. Between 1964 and 1966, the British bands dominated the American charts, as well as the charts in the U.K. In that time, there was a second wave of British Invasion bands — such as the Who and the Zombies — which was indebted to both American rock and British Invasion pop. By the late ’60s, many of the bands had become rock icons but a greater number didn’t survive the transition into the post-Sgt. Pepper era…
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=77:11929
I hope the majority of the kids stick with the true “pop” songs and don’t try to tackle The Rolling Stones or The Moody Blues.
Oooooo I hope someone does “Son of a Preacher Man” Joan Osborne-style. That would rawk. One of my favorite songs.
(Small voice) I like Petula. And I like “Downtown.”
Of course, there are hundreds of great songs for this theme night. Not suggesting anyone needs to sing “Downtown.” Just sayin.’
This should be a fun musical evening if the singers choose wisely–I recall the 60’s night in Season Two (and the excellent medley on the results episode) with much fondness.
Sanjaya and Freddie and the Dreamers’ “I’m Telling You Now” is a match made in heaven, methinks. And “ditto” to the excellent idea of Brandon doing “Whiter Shade of Pale”–that probably would have sounded wonderful. Alas…
Can’t beat Dusty’s version of Son of a Preacher man.
Downtown is a great song.
Lisa B, thanks for the great links. It really was a fantastic time for pop music.
I do like a lot of current music, but I still think the music of the sixties was the best ever. JMO.
Lisa B
Which is why I adore all the music that came out of the British Invasion. My musical taste–including all the modern stuff I listen to–begins and ends with the genre.
Herman was my original Idol, so I hope the kids try some of his songs.
Herman (Peter Noone) himself did some interesting covers back in the day that the contestants could tackle:
He still does in concert:
Skeeter Davis’s “End of the World”
Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World” (the “Don’t Know Much About History” one, not the Louis Armstrong one)
“Silhouettes”, with cheesy guitar solo by Jimmy Page (don’t know the original artists, a doo wop classic)
“Dandy” by the Kinks (a US Top 10 for Herman’s Hermits)
and two Graham Gouldman classics:
“For Your Love” a rocker, better known by the Yardbirds
“Bus Stop” by the Hollies
“I’m Into Something Good”, written by Carole King, was a cover, but no one remembers the original.
I would like to see Chris Sligh attempt Herman’s “Listen People”, which takes some good chops. Chris, you do this for me, I’ll call and vote for you, okay?
I hope that no one is foolish enough to take on “House of the Rising Sun.” Sundance, maybe, could have cracked that one.
Boo-hiss - Petula is doing “To Sir With Love”. I guess that means it’s not available for Sanjaya. I was so “Wishing and Hoping” (and Thinkin’ and Playin’ and Plannin’ and Dreamin’..) that he would do it. Heh.
British Invasion night should be cool.
I’m sorry I dissed “Downtown” — it’s just wayyyy too perky for me. ;-) But I don’t have anything against Petula Clark in general.
Man, Brandon singing WSOP would have been all kinds of awesome.
I’d bet my bonnet someone will sing “Son of Preacher Man” Tuesday night. It’s almost an AI staple. The only question is: who?
Downtown may be perky, but I can imagine Haley singing it, and actually doing an OK job. How about Chris Sligh singing I’m a Believer, Shrek style! I mean come on, he’s already “Shrek-like” as it is!
I’d really like to hear Haley sing “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction”. Really :)
Melinda doing Son of a Preacher Man, oh yeah!
I don’t think the Monkees count as British Invasion. Only Davey Jones was British. (Not to mention the fact they started as a tv show, not a real band - that came later). Did someone else do I’m a Believer that I’m not aware of that would be considered British Invasion?
Lived it, loved it, still love it!
Don’t forget: The Searchers; Hollies; Yardbirds (Clapton); Troggs; Gerry & the Pacemakers; Manfred Mann; Zombies; Peter and Gordon; Chad and Jeremy; Marianne Faithfull; Billy J. Kramer; Kinks; Freddy & the Dreamers; Spencer Davis Group; Cream….
It was a time, it was.
RightSaidFred~~~ Lulu, the original singer, is doing “To Sir, with Love”.
Dang, why didn’t they do this theme last year when they had the talent to lay it down? Now, I’m wondering if MJ’s blog heading will be: Idols Massacre the British Invasion? But, I love this theme, and, hope they pick some of the better known tunes to bring this show out of it’s humdrum existence.
Ha! …they should ask their “grandparents” about the music of the British Invasion. If they’re say like age 20, their parents would be say like age 40 ish…those parents would not be quite old enough heh heh, but may have heard “their” parents playing the music and have some knowledge..grandma and grandpa of these kids are the ones that grooved to that music.
Some favorites:
“She’s Not There” — The Zombies (maybe Phil, if he exploited his weirdness?)
or just as creepy: “Season of the Witch” (Donovan)
“I Only Want to Be With You” — the great great great Dusty Springfield — but who could do it on the show?
“Son of Preacher Man” originally by Dusty — if that counts, Kiki or Mindydoo should have at it.
“To Sir With Love” — go for it, Kiki!
“Good Day Sunshine” — uptempo Beatles favorite
“Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’” — Gerry and the Pacemakers. Geeky group, soulful ballad.
“What’s New Pussycat?” — Bachrach wrote, but Tom Jones sang. (And by the way, have you ever heard Tom Jones sing Al Green’s “Take Me to the River”? Not shabby at all, pussycat)
OMG, between the British Invasion and the Motown Sound, the music of the 1960s was indeed the best!
I’d like to see Jordin Sparks sing NEEDLES & PINS
I saw him today, I saw his face
It was the face I loved and I knew
Melinda: YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME
Phil: DON’T LET THE SUN CATCHING YOU CRYING
Maybe Sligh could try Itchycoo Park by The Small Faces.
Yes! “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” — another great Dusty moment.
What the judges seem to want is a song that builds to a crescendo of emotion and high notes, or a flamin’ rock-out — which if you’ll notice this year has just been almost entirely absent this year. I think it also helps to have a bridge in the song, not just a drony chorus.
The problem so far is BLANDNESS — a whiter shade of pale, indeed. I mean, there’s nothing like the Stones pointing around the auditorium while singing, “Hey! You! Get offa my CLOUD!” or “Paint It Black”
Would Cat Stevens be allowed? Can you imagine Jordin singing “Wide World?” there’s absolutely no excuse for not finding a great song from this pack — can you imagine what Daughtry would have done with a Who or Kinks tune? Taylor more Beatles?
i agree, uncool. the sound of the brit invasion, esp cool blues rock, is some of my favorite music of all time. i’m not looking forward to this week’s weak versions of my favorites, except for kiki and melinda who will hopefully pick a bluesy gem and knock it out of the park.
For links to some songs check out Saturday and Sundays Daily Chat threads.