The music from the first wave of the British Invasion still gets requested often on my radio show. Today I am proud to feature three acts from that era.
It was my honor to call across the pond in July of 1993 and speak with Mike Pender, who was a founding member of The Searchers, a group that was formed in Liverpool in 1960 and rivaled the Beatles in their hometown in those early days.
They charted 14 times in the U.S. and had their biggest record with 'Love Potion Number Nine' in late 1964.
The second group that we are featuring today is Manfred Mann.
They were formed in England in 1964 by Manfred Mann (Michael Lubowitz). The talented lineup was not as successful here in The States as some of the other British Invasion stars, however, they did have a two week number one in 1964 with Do Wah Diddy Diddy.
Lead singer Paul Jones joined me in December of 1993 on WRCO.
The third group that I am featuring from the archives is Gerry and the Pacemakers. They were another group from Liverpool and were signed in 1962 by Brian Epstein.
They had eleven songs make the Billboard charts including three Top Ten hits. In 1994, Gerry Marsden joined me on my Those Were the Days radio show.
Fans in America got to see Gerry and the Pacemakers on The Ed Sullivan Show, the theatrical release The T.A.M.I. Show and a film named after one of their hits, 'Ferry Cross The Mersey'.
It was The British Invasion that turned me on to popular music back in 1964. SO many great hits coming from across the pond ... it just seemed to be an endless supply at the time.
Here's a brief HIT LIST of the three artists Phil interviewed today ...
THE SEARCHERS, MANFRED MANN and GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS
(ranked by US Peak Position / followed by UK Peak Position as tie-breakers or stand-alone entries)
1964 - Do Wah Diddy Diddy - Manfred Man (US - # 1 / UK - # 1)
1965 - Love Potion Number Nine - The Searchers (US - # 1 / UK - #xx)
1968 - The Mighty Quinn - Manfred Mann (US - #4 / UK - # 1)
1964 - Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - # 4 / UK - # 6)
1965 - Ferry 'Cross The Mersey - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - # 4 / UK - # 8)
1964 - How Do You Do It - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - # 9 / UK - # 1)
1964 - Sha La La - Manfred Mann (US - #12 / UK - # 3)
1964 - Needles And Pins - The Searchers (US - #12 / UK - #xx)
1964 - Don't Throw Your Love Away - The Searchers (US - #13 / UK - #xx)
1965 - I'll Be There - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - #14 / UK - #15)
1964 - I Like It - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - #17 / UK - # 1)
1965 - Bumble Bee - The Searchers (US - #18 / UK - #xx)
1965 - It's Gonna Be Alright - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US -#20 / UK - #24)
1965 - What Have They Done To The Rain - The Searchers (US - #25 / UK - #xx)
1966 - Pretty Flamingo - Manfred Mann (US - #27 / UK - # 1)
1966 - Girl On A Swing - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - #28 / UK - #xx)
1964 - When You Walk In The Room - The Searchers (US - #29 / UK - #xx)
1964 - Some Day We're Gonna Love Again - The Searchers (US - #34 / UK - #xx)
1965 - Come Tomorrow - Manfred Mann (US - #42 / UK - # 4)
1965 - Goodbye My Lover Goodbye - The Searchers (US - #42 / UK - #xx)
1964 - Sugar And Spice - The Searchers (US - #44 / UK - #xx)
1965 - You'll Never Walk Alone - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - #48 / UK - # 1)
1968 - My Name Is Jack - Manfred Mann (US - #57 / UK - # 8)
1966 - Just Like A Woman - Manfred Mann (US - #67 / UK - #10)
1964 - I'm The One - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - #82 / UK - # 2)
1968 - Fox On The Run - Manfred Mann (US - #94 / UK - # 5)
1965 - If You Gotta Go, Go Now - Manfred Mann (US - #100 / UK - # 2)
1965 - Walk Hand In Hand - Gerry and the Pacemakers (US - #103 / UK - #29)
1969 - Ragamuffin Man - Manfred Mann (US - #125 / UK - # 8)
1966 - Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. James - Manfred Mann (US - #xx / UK - #2)
1967 - Ha Ha Said The Clown - Manfred Mann (US - #xx / UK - # 4)
1964 - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Manfred Mann (US - #xx / UK - #5)
1965 - Oh No, Not My Baby - Manfred Mann (US - #xx / UK - #11)
1964 - Hubble Bubble Toil And Trouble - Manfred Mann (US - #xx / UK - 11)
1966 - You Gave Me Somebody To Love - Manfred Mann (US - #xx / UK - #36)
1967 - Sweet Pea - Manfred Mann (US - #xx / UK - #36)
Be sure to listen to Phil Nee's THOSE WERE THE DAYS radio program tonight … and EVERY Saturday Night on WRCO ... 6 pm – Midnight (Central):
WRCO AM FM Radio Richland Center Wisconsin
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