Beg Borrow and Steal - Original band members - Ohio Express Song

[Dallonder]

AWESOME!

[epdi40]

Got this 45 back at The House of Oldies in Greenwich Village when I was a teenager. Still sounds fresh as ever today! Thank you gentlemen - this is what makes rock n roll the greatest genre of music ever.

[ImaCaMan]

Good to see that you've still got it. Great song that still holds up. Thanks for the background info.

[losttouchwithreality]

i have this 45 as "The Rare Breed" and it's been a favorite ever since I found it in a used record store about 10 years ago. sounds great guys!!!

[richard1963c]

FREAKIN AWESOME !!!!!!!!

[horacido2]

I have to say that this became one of my favourite songs in the last year or so since I came across it randomly in a vintage market...stuck in my mind everyday I cycle to work, Good job putting this guys...keep on rocking!

[RoyFive]

Never get tired of this!

[727JeffN]

Hi guys, I just re-posted my 45 of this great song (Ohio Express pressing.) My old channel that I had it on was taken down by YouTube. I will post a video response.

[neil2864]

I'm also annyoed that you recorded it just after I was born, and you still look younger than me ;-)

[neil2864]

I love this song and it's great that you are finally getting credit for it. I don't suppose there are any clips of you guys and the original band? Shame if not!

[newcolonyfreak1]

WOW!...You guys really got the middle fickle of fate from the record label and the producers, but....considering the label and the producers that were involved, it's really no surprise at all.- That label was notorious for screwing all of the artist who had records on that label...

But..All that aside, you guys STILL SOUND GREAT!.. Screw those Ohio Express phonies..You two guys ARE the real performers of "Beg Borrow And Steal".

[begborrowandsteal]

@newcolonyfreak1 - Thanks, much appreciated.

[TheBabypod]

Very good sound. Your vocals sound just like 45 years ago! Good job. I'm a boomer, love Nuggets, British Invasion, Garage Rock etc.

[begborrowandsteal]

@TheBabypod - Thank you!

[KennyWrites]

One of my favorite "Garage Rock" songs! Great to hear you are still around and still playing the best music in the world!

[LasVegasJim]

This is absolutely fantastic. I just heard this song again tonight on Sirius Garage. I first thought it was "Louie, Louie." I have not heard this in more years than I care to remember!!! Beautiful and very well done! This is part of the history of USA rock-and-roll.

[gripedwards]

I have loved this song from the 1st time I heard it (About 6 years old at the time)

Thank you for this great piece of pop/rock history, gents.

I've recorded my own version of this song which I think you'd be proud of :)

Let me know if I've got your OK to post it, otherwise I won't ever do it without your permission.

You two still sound great..DO you play live together still?

Grip

[55KatDaddy]

KatDaddy 55 performed this song this morning at the Iowa State Fair-this song has been a fave for 25 years at least.

[drifter1dc]

One of my friends went on vacation and heard "BBS" playing, he bought the record and brought it back to Pittsburgh where it was huge. Thanks for sharing your story.

[hankyhoyo]

Fantastic! You guys sound just like on the 45! I heard it today on The Underground garage and what a great record that I didn't hear for a long time! !!!!!

[hankyhoyo]

Fantastic! I just heard your song on The Underground Garage today and I hadn"t heard it for so long! It sounded great to hear again after all these years and thats what brought me here. You guys sound the same as on the record!!!!!

[TorreyJ]

does the fat man have a semi for "tony joel labots" look at that grin when he talks about him. That made my day. Oh yeah, btw, my grandpa wrote the constitution, they all just signed it, then he was murdered by Obama's 3rd cousin twice removed. We all have stories about great things. In all honesty, my mom thinks that her dad invented potting soil, where the F is the money then? an invention is only as good as it's marketing, as a song is only as good as it's Performing artist...

peace

[axeslinger56]

Hi guys great stuff but the original 45 had a bass player that was out of tune, im a guitarist and i have played your cool song many times, im 54 years old shoot me at tcsparx@yahoo.com im a lead guitarist from Michigan, great to see you original guys do it, very cool ! i could punch up the lead a bit(; have fun! Tom

[Frostie10]

Wow, what a cool video. I fondly remember playing this song on the radio (I broke format to play it). You guys are great!!! Have you done anything new?

[axeslinger56]

wow! I play this song dam its cool to see the guys that did it!

[organmiscreant]

Fantastic!

Any chance of getting the original band back together?

[hollies65]

Beg Borrow and Steal is a stone cold classic...not bubblegum [Which I love] but 100 percent snarling garage...it's BY FAR the best song that has the Ohio Express moniker attached to it. 5 stars easy.

[KtPro819]

My father wrote this song not Joey Day, he sold it in Pickerington, Ohio in1964. I don't doubt you were the first group that performed it once it was released but please give credit to the correct place as my father did take part in writing this one. Thanks!

[begborrowandsteal]

Hi. We were not aware of that. Joey Day's name is on the label, and we were told he wrote it. We are also aware of another writer, Sylvestor Bradford but not sure why he wasn't credited. We're sorry if we didn't credit your dad as we were totally unaware. Please respond with your dad's name so he can get proper credit. Of all people, you know we want to set the records straight :)

[KtPro819]

I completely understand as my father's parents sold the song to the label. My father wouldn't have been credited to my knowledge, so it was completely understandable that you did not know. I just thought I would let you know since you wanted to credit the original people for this song. His name was James Stewart Miller. He just passed away on the 9th of February and I happened upon this video while searching for his songs to pay for his service. Thanks for responding.

[begborrowandsteal]

Hopefully your post will help some understand who should be credited. Sorry to hear about your grandfather.

[lonemirage2seeme]

father. not grandfather.

[KtPro819]

It was my father, James Stewart Miller specifically.

[seaeire60]

What about "FIREBIRD"...that was my Fav !!

[RoyFive]

They still got it! :-)

[AandNM00NLIGHT]

Gee, I love this song!

[rickjcr0715]

This is amazing. Here I always thought that the group we all came to know as Ohio Express actually recorded this. This performance is great. The power of the Internet!

[rainbo55]

been trying to find this song since 1965 when i was 10 great song

[unklewink]

Love the song guys, but when I hear the opening chords, my brain starts singing "Louie Louie" LOL

U.W.

[phamilyphun]

Great performance BTW. You still got the touch after all those years, the voice is still strong and clear.

[songwriter77]

Still rockin and sounds great

[CuteNPetite84]

I never knew you could sing!!!

[dellanno31]

I can't sing songs from 10 years ago much less those from 43 years ago!!! Great stuff!!!!

[BopDaddy]

This classic has been on & off my setlists for about 20 years-I'm doing a new garage band project & this song just went "back on the list". Great song, great performance, guys. Thanks for doing this !!

[onkelbuke]

Hi,

that was EXCELLENT, what a great song!!!!

°°°°°° thanks for that, Greetings, Christopher

[42canyon42]

Nice job guys! Sounds the same as it did a long time ago .. Sweet!

[hollies65]

Rocks. Still got your pipes too. Well done.

[XMIR10C]

Yummy Yummy Yummy 2008 sounds like the original

[XMIR10C]

Thanks again guys. Had to pull all my 45's (all 250 of them) a few months ago and increment my id from B to C

[Cantkeepup]

I just heard this song for the first time on an oldies station tonight. I was alive in the 1960's and thought I had heard every hit or near hit from the 1960's. I did what everybody does not when I heard the song which is to "google" it which brought me to your video.

I would have never thought that this was an Ohio Express Song. I thought it was maybe Jay and The Americans.

Thank you for posting the song. You both sound good on the song

[CarlosCanchales]

Barry & Jon; Jon & Barry.

It sounds well of both manners:)

You take all my respects as your serious musical work. Without you so good that my praises would remain short.

Carlos *****

[hoffmann9471]

Wow, you are the original band members..

GREAT !

I´m very impressed.

I know the song , of course

Was a hit !

and wonderful too

Many*********

[zakz109]

Great Song!!!

[deweydell]

Very good .....Thank you ...it still sounds great

[mommarox2]

that was fantastic to hear and brought back many memories from that good ole time.

love this song

excellent to see you both.

endless starz

[Jackamoo1]

Why was the flip side of this record called "Jeri's Theme" ? And you said no one bought the ATTACK release.......... I did!

[begborrowandsteal]

Not sure why the flip side had that name. So you're the one who bought the Attack release :)

[spy4863]

HI! I love your video of "Beg Borrow and Steal! I hope you don't mind, but I made an audio copy of it for myself, and put it oin a tape I made of The Ohio Express and a few other groups (Rare Breed, Aftermath and The Third Rail) that I felt had some "connection" with The Ohio Express-Aftermath also recorded "Beg Borrow and Steal", and, of course, Joey Levine sang leads for The Third Rail before he sang leads for The Ohio Express. But you know all that already. I wanted to ask a question-

[spy4863]

I just read on the jacket notes of a bubblegum compilation record (Put out by Buddah Records) that Joe Walsh sang with The Rare Breed before he made it big with The Eagles, then as a solo artist. At least that's what Buddah claims. Is this story true? I figured you would know, since you actually WERE in The Rare Breed. Please write back! Thanks for your great music! "Beg Borrow and Steal" is one of my all-time favorite songs, and you guys do a great job on it!

[begborrowandsteal]

We're not aware of Joe Walsh being in the Rare Breed, but we were never technically the Rare Breed. The two songs we recorded (BB&S and Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice) were initially released under the name Rare Breed. The group that toured using that name might or might not had Joe Walsh in it. Sorry can't say for sure.

[RetroJoe66]

Joe Walsh was not in the Rare Breed, he was in a group called the Measles from Kent, Ohio. They slapped their stuff on the Ohio Express album. As a matter of fact, the B-side of Beg Borrow and Steal (under the Ohio Express name) is Maybe (an instrumental). The album version is called "I Think I Find Of You," which was actually the Measles with Joe Walsh singing. It seems the Ohio Express wound up being a compliation of groups under one name... at least for their first album!

[spy4863]

@RetroJoe66 Thanks for thne info! Gee, the histories and personal of these studio Bubblegum grouyps gets more and more complicated each time I read about them! I have a copy of the "Beg Borrow and Steal" album. Great record! Every song is a gem! I love the songs "I find I think of You", Soul Strutting", Beg Borrow and Steal", "And It's True", "It's Too Grovy", and "Try It" the best! I love "Try It", mostly because it was co-written by Joey Levine. I'm a big fan of his! Are you Joe Walsh?

[brseeger1964]

@spy4863 Never heard of Joe singing with rare breed,altough he was with The Measles and the James gang a bit before the Eagles.

[brseeger1964]

@spy4863 

[q89djdavek]

Did you record the song that was released on Attack records that was called something like "Come and Take A Ride In My Boat" and later became a hit for Every Mother's Son? Or did you just record BB&S?

[begborrowandsteal]

We only recorded BB&S. We did record another song at that time, "Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice". It showed up on a Rare Breed compilation album but was never released as a single. We'll post it here at some point.

[q89djdavek]

Were you guys, The Rare Breed, also involved with the Attack 45 that later became a hit for Every Mother's Son with a slightly different title of "Come On Down to My Boat"? If so, please tell us that story..or sing it. BTW, your video of BB&S was indeed very cool and you both sounded great.

[begborrowandsteal]

Technically, we were never The Rare Breed. When BB&S was first released, it was under the name Rare Breed. At the time the record was first released there was no actual band named The Rare Breed (as far as we know). If we come up with any more info, we'll post it. Thanks for your comment.

[tempemoore]

Great job. I did not know the history on this one. Fascinating.

[cpkphil]

I checked out the pic you note in your description and can figure out who the drummer and keyboard player are but who are the 3 guys in the front?? Thanx

[begborrowandsteal]

From left to right, in the front: Alexander "Botts" Norbitt, John Freno and Joel Feigenbaum. Yes, it is an old photo :)

[cpkphil]

Just one other comment about how the names of bands have become a commodity or franchise. There is nothing that pisses me off more than seeing a group with NONE of the original people screwing people out of their money thinking they are seeing the original. I know people have to make a living but I think the only ones that make the real money are the ones who pimp off the names. I guess that;s enough ranting,

[cpkphil]

That's an even sadder comment on the biz. I had your album and when the other Ohio Express showed up on TV I said WTF! Then I heard what I noted in the previous comment. I guess you should consider yourself in good company since I don't think anyone escaped the 50's and 60's in the music business without getting screwed over at least once! Ciao for now!

[cpkphil]

I had heard way back when, that the original guys (you) somehow got paid a paltry sum had the song and group name taken from you and another group became the Ohio Express? There were MANY stories like that back then so it sounded plausible, My brother was involved with KK back then and they had all sorts of groups that were sometimes just studio musicians. My brother also had records out under God knows how many names. But, that's the music biz!

[begborrowandsteal]

You're right about the music business back then, but we can assure you we didn't receive any money for our recording.

[thegibbshow]

Thanks guys! I never knew this either, and i was a Radio DJ at the time! Very Cool, thanks!

[GeoSilverMore]

Thanks for all the enlightenment on this great song. The wikipedia article on Ohio Ex says the Cameo release was remixed. Confirm? It does seem to sound a little better.

So a key to all this is that The Ohio Express was not a group, but a name belonging to Super K Productions.

I put this song on a level with Five O'Clock World and The Vogues.

[begborrowandsteal]

The remix was done for a CD compilation version. The bass and drums were the only tracks we could discern that were different. Ohio Express was just a name at the time it was re-released by Cameo Parkway. Thank you for your comment.

[TopshelfTom]

The 45 rpm versions by the Rare Breed and Ohio Express use the same original mono master, i believe some equilization was added to the Cameo release, along with a slight speed difference, but that's it. It was issued in stereo on LP and later on cd but never was a second stereo mix ever made.

[GeoSilverMore]

Thanks Tom. And I'll have to check your online broadcasts.

But Tom, instead of trying to make it sound like there's no difference, you are showing that there WAS a difference, and I'd call it significant if true.

And what's with Cameo all these years? Someone sitting on the copyrights and holding them back?

I have that Cameo Beg,B&S LP too, in excellent condition. I could auction it if someone offers.

[TopshelfTom]

I don't have the Rare Breed 45, only the Ohio Express, so i'm just going on what info i've heard elsewhere. There may not even be a difference, but there was no mix difference, just an EQ difference, if that. Cameo Parkway is owned by ABKCO, they have issued a number of cds on Cameo Parkway music and have had some internet-only releases of material as well.

[GeoSilverMore]

Digital changes the tone. So then I wouldn't take the theory seriously.

[kittyprydekissme]

hey,you guys watched my video i dunno,and my dad made the song thats on it,guess what?!My dad used to listen to you guys when he was a kid!!!Is'nt that so cool!!!???

[begborrowandsteal]

LOL, that's very cool ! Thanks, and best to your dad too.

[biophysman]

all I can say is post it

[carlp58]

love the video! great to get the low down on this group after all these years. I'm curious what state or region did the conquest originate from?

[begborrowandsteal]

Thanks Carl. At that time we were from Brooklyn and The Bronx, NY.

[RADBAND]

That was awesome guys, I only ever knew this classic by the Ohio express until I came across this of yours. I never knew anyone sang it like yourselves before them, I'm really glad I took a listen though and you still have a great sound all these decades later cheers guys 5***** and well deserved too my friends and I subbed!

Peace

Dave

[beatlehop]

Yes agree Dave this was magic like your self i only knew this by Ohio Express thanks and thanks guys for posting.*****

[ian2813]

Loved this video! I just discovered this song about a year ago and instantly became a fan of it. It's great to see the guys who played on the original recording. I never knew the song had such a strange history. Best wishes to both of you.

[MaxNardi]

It's really great that you guys got this up here. Before this there was practically no information on the Rare Breed or anybody who came before them!

[stonegates]

This song was one of the great forgotten "classics" of the mid 60's. When looking for it some years back, I vaguely remembered I first knew it by somebody other than the Ohio Express, but when I obtained the OhioX version of it, it was exactly what I remembered!

Rare Breed....yeah, that rings a bell! From '65, huh? That seems right too.

FYI, my research of the Ohio Express version shows it charted in very late '67.

Thanks for the memories of a GREAT song.

[micheleverdi]

...and the next tips, are welcome The Dovers!!!

[begborrowandsteal]

They've got a good sound! Thanks for the note!

[mickeybaumann]

heroes !

thx! mickey

[datrhjnkihydc]

well done fellas all i need now is cowboy convention.

[Stormystew]

Don't listen to 1010..( Always somebody) You guys are great and it was so very cool to watch this vid..Thanks !!!!

[1HiFi45]

Outstanding! *click* subscribed.

[kittyprydekissme]

For years I only knew this as an Ohio Express song, then I heard the Nuggets album which had it under the name of the Rare Breed. I was shocked because I could instantly tell it was the same recording. I'd also noticed for years that the voices sounded nothing like the singers of the Ohio Express hits. I'm so glad to finally know who was who and who wasn't.

[begborrowandsteal]

Thanks! We wanted to clear up the confusion and we're glad we did.

[crisprockdrummer]

I have that single Wore it out. Heh heh. Great music.

[JeffN727]

Wow! You guys still sound as good as you did on the original! Thanks!

[begborrowandsteal]

Thank you, much appreciated.

[judivarnai]

You still sound great John.

Judi

[TopshelfTom]

You guys should make a new studio recording of this track as well as the original flipside of the 45, just the organ and guitar player (unless you can get the original drummer to join you) and get new versions of the tunes up on youtube, perhaps under the originally released band name (The Rare Breed). That would be wild! This video here is excellent, and you guys still sound in top form!

[begborrowandsteal]

Thanks Topshelf. We've got other things going on in our lives now, but we do appreciate your post. In the near future, we hope to put "Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice" on here too. This is the other song we did that came out under the name The Rare Breed. Thanks again !

[1010kmg]

OMG still in a fight of a song,well doug grassel is still on tour in germany and making new music OHIO EXPRESS and doing well. Get over it, this was and still is his life. Thanks to doug grassel the Ohio Express is still #1

[begborrowandsteal]

1010kmg, we're confused. Get over what? Who's fighting? No one is saying anything negative about the group Ohio Express or Doug Grassel(we've even put positive comments on their YouTube posts). We were just setting the record straight on Beg Borrow and Steal. Have a Happy New Year !

[trilogypart3]

I'd love to lease the master tapes of the song and remix it. I'm old school with new school tools, and remixing and remastering it would be a piece of cake. Oh well... it's a nice thought at least. LOL

[75lester]

Let me make sure I understand this correctly. On the versions of Beg Borrow and Steal by both The Rare Breed and The Ohio Express you guys are singing and playing? Is the only difference between these 3 records is the name on the label?

[75lester]

Could you guys tell me what kind of guitars, amps and fuzzpedals were used on the Beg Borrow and Steal album by The Ohio Express? Thanks for your time and consideration.

[begborrowandsteal]

75lester, on the TWO records, Beg Borrow and Steal on the Attack label (The Rare Breed), and Cameo Parkway label (The Ohio Express), the only difference is the label. We are the performers on both. John played a Gretch guitar, and I played a Farfisa Combo Compact electic organ. Don't recall the amps in the recording studio, or any fuzzpedals. These were singles, so we don't know anything else about other songs on the BB&S album. Hope this answered your question, and thanks for your post.

[trilogypart3]

Thanks for setting the record straight. (no pun intended)

Your information pretty much confirms what I've always suspected. It's sad that you guys didn't get the credit you deserve for making one of the most underrated records of the 60's. From what I understand (and correct me if I'm wrong), a lot of record producers and record companies back then were pretty predatory, and they took advantage of a lot of young artists and songwriters.

[begborrowandsteal]

Unfortunately that's true. "Predatory" is a good word for the industry in those days. We appreciate your comment.

[joto1957]

Hey Guys! You are great! Thank You for clearing that up. Did you also write Louie, Louie? Thanks for the performance. If you are ever in Key West please say Hi. from: John former Manager of The Ohio Express.

[begborrowandsteal]

Hi John, we didn't write any of the songs, but thanks for your post.

[dkastran]

Hi guys, Dean (bassist) here from the original Ohio Express (a.k.a. Sir Timothy & The Royals). Though we never met, it was good to see and hear from and about you. I can attest that your message is spot on. It's great that we can talk about it after all these years. Dale Powers (who sang lead vocals on B,B&S when we played live) and I are still best of friends too and occasionally play out together. Would love to meet up with you sometime. What a cool jam session that would be! Blessings to you!

[begborrowandsteal]

Hi Dean, It's great hearing from you, and we really appreciate your post. Agreed that it would be great to meet up one day.

[LennyDLetters]

Thanks for sharing the comment and the video.

Really enjoyed the video. Ahhh the things that some unscrupulous promoters and producers did in those days.

The best to you....stay in touch.

[whopfrog]

I hope you guys can keep this tune on here. My video of the 45 playing got removed on account of copyright complaints yesterday. I had an option of substituting the audio portion, but I lean to the real thing.

[begborrowandsteal]

Thanks for the concern whopfrog. We are the recording artists and have a right to say so, and if we have to go to court to perform the song to prove it, we'll put that on YouTube too ! :) :) :)

[begborrowandsteal]

BTW, we are not playing the record on our YouTube performance. Other people have themselves singing this song on YouTube as well. Sorry to hear they pulled the record.

[thePharoah90086]

was This Recording ever released as the Conquests? I would also be curious to know the Whole Story of how the Recording ended-up on the Attack Label as the Rare Breed and , eventually , on Cameo-Parkway as the Ohio Express.

[begborrowandsteal]

thePharoah, as the Conquests, we were just a typical band playing local gigs. The decisions to release the record under different labels and names were made by others. Thanks for your post.

[ChromeBumpers]

Wow five *****'s

I had this 45 as a kid, I swear it was on 'Cameo' label, in Canada, black and white label.

[rwells47]

Very good job! Thanks for the performance! Ron

[rslitman]

I always wondered if the Rare Breed and Ohio Express recordings were the same group. In the Washington, DC, area, the Rare Breed release was the one that got the airplay and which I assumed was the hit. This was in the early summer of 1966. Another song that was out around the same time was "Wild Thing" by the Troggs. I felt that both of these songs drew upon "Louie Louie" as a musical influence. (I hope you're not insulted by that!)

[begborrowandsteal]

Hi rslitman. Not insulted at all :) Actually the Ohio Express release was the hit (not the Rare Breed release). On a Rare Breed album, you can find a song "Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice". We are the ones that recorded that song too. Thanks for your post !

[txun45]

Great song! I remember it well...good memories. Thanks for posting.

[bURRkEEF]

Awesome! Thanks. I'm a younger generation who got to hear this good song on the Nuggets boxed set. Always been a favorite since I first heard it 10 years ago. Perfect performance!

[whopfrog]

Thanks for the song history and performance. You can still belt out a good tune. Were you involved in any of the tunes on the Ohio Express LP on Cameo before the Buddah releases?

[begborrowandsteal]

Thanks for the feedback. No, we were not involved in any of the tunes on the Ohio Express LP.

[bURRkEEF]

Thank you, whopfrog for favoriting it in the first place!

[whopfrog]

Anytime, my friend.

[BeautifulGirlByDana]

Hey that was awesome!

Best wishes to yous and yours loved ones!!