Saturday, March 12, 2011

#12 The Merseys "Sorrow" 1966



One Half of Led Zep + One Half The Merseybeats = Sorrow

When the Merseybeats broke up, two members, Tony Crane and Billy Kinsely, carried on as The Merseys. They scored a #4 hit in the UK charts with "Sorrow", originally a B Side by Rick Derringer's band, The McCoys ( of "Hang on Sloopy" fame).



The McCoys version has a folk rock feel. Billy has said that it sounded like a Neil Young tune but was far too country and western for him.So he reworked the harmonies and added the lagging second vocal line.



The line "with your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue" reappears on the George Harrison penned "It's All Too Much" on The Beatles' Yellow Submarine.
David Bowie cut the song for his Pin Ups album in 1973 and hit #3 in the UK chart.

Future Led Zep bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones are  playing on the Merseys cut which was recorded live at CBS Studios in New Bond Street, London.

Dig the horn break, pure Carnaby Street grooviness.


The Merseys Sorrow

No comments:

Post a Comment