The Searchers - Umbrella Man (Liberty Records)

[6018726]

I Love you, Frank!

[john111257]

love this...new to me..proved they could move on...great live act

[lannykaster1]

i think if they'd changed their name, and rebranded themselves, they could've had a second coming.... kinda.

Like Hermn's Hermits, once Peter Noone, renamed themselves Sour Mash. Didn't have any hits, but they had a good idea ;)

[britishfreakbeat]

nice record, very hard to find though

[kinkybeatle]

This group was very much better than the (too short) list of their chart successes may say...

[JoeMulk]

The Searchers at this point almost look like an alternate universe band, they hadn't completely abandoned the early 60s suit and tie look yet were also vaguely growing there hair out to fit in with the late 60s hippie mentality. Really kind of an anomaly, great tune.

[frizzlefrap]

i never heard this song .... but it sounds ok

[Khultan]

Whoooow!!! New discovery for me, once again!!! : )

[ChrisCurtisFan]

Soooooo pretty!! Thanks for the post!

[TOCS268]

I don't recall this song; but, it is really cool. I thought I knew most of the Searchers work! I really, appreciate this post. Thanks. Regards.

[TOCS268]

Tremendous song. Goes way back to a time when young people (me then) were excited by lots of music. Drugs were were about, but few of us went that way. Sadly, some of my friends chose a different course and suffered. Oh, well. That's life.

[pmoyer50]

The Byrds and Tom Petty would readily admit the impact this group had on their sounds . Had they only matriculated to concept albums like Rubber Soul, Pet Sounds and Odessy and Oracle they would have lasted a lot longer . No ?

[belmontrecordshop]

excellent

[joeydisco]

Along with "Waiting For A Break In The Clouds" by Wayne Fontana, this is my favourite under-rated psych pop gem.

Lovely song.

[eldorado62]

After collecting much of their music on vynal for years, The Searchers still remain one of my favorite British bands. There was so much fierce competition in England back then, with so many top rate bands coming out. The Searchers always remained a good polished British band from the British Invasion era.

[imogen1992xxxx]

unusual fit searchers beat very mesmeric

[rcpinsa]

Yes David and one critic in UK said the dog would have done it better.

[rcpinsa]

Pussy Willow Dragon was the B Side of the awaful Somebody Shot The Lollipop Man which was not released under The Searchers name it was released under the name Pasha but was The Searchers

[dbailey62]

Hi Roy!

Wasn't Pasha the name of the producer's dog?

[hunguponadream]

what a treat seeing this. I remember seeing ad in NME when this was released. Bought the 45 from Heanor Record Center. Maybe not the Searchers forte, nonethless I though it a good 45 for the period. Searchers are a class act.

[PsychedelicGuy]

This by far is The Searchers best song on Liberty, its really an excellent song, sadly alot of thier songs around this time were really not that great. Although their song Pussy Willow Dragon is pretty good as well.

[skilski2003]

I just miss the original Searchers. "Needles and Pins"...takes me to hurt and happiness at the same time. Ah, and then.....Pender back with the Frank.

[mndandy]

Wish they had done an LP when John Blunt was drumming as he gave them a good leg up in the dynamics department. Maybe it would've been along the lines of "Evolution" by The Hollies. Will just have to settle for this little gem!

[doglips1958]

Many Thanks!!Great obscure tune.

[Wilthomer66]

This is brilliant stuff, definitely my fave Searchers 45 (along w/ "Crazy Dreams" it's predecessor..., the closest they ever got to being "trippy"). Dig those hand claps and horns!

[dbailey62]

I also really like Crazy Dreams. I do wish that it had been produced a bit better but at that time, Tony Hatch was not going to spend much time on a Searchers B side. To bad though.

[skilski2003]

I think the Searchers were not truly interested in going the psychedelic route. This is far as they went. If anyone has a video more than this, post it. They were a fantastic 60's band and Needles and Pins is one of the best. I am really certain Pender was aware of what was happening. I love 'em.

[Yesimustbestupid2]

What's interesting about this time period of input from the Searchers is that if some of these songs had say been recorded in the early 1980's during the New Wave/New Romantic time period of British pop/rock (the era of Duran Duran, Human League, etc.), the Searchers sound during that earlier time period, including this song, would have fit in perfectly w/ that other later era.

[dbailey62]

There's no video of Crazy Dreams but it definitely went further than this one re. psych.

[RehovHaeshel]

Still waiting for a video of Crazy Dreams, one of my Seacher's favorites!

[termibasket]

¡For ever the searchers¡

[lisasthlm]

Frank is still cute today and Mike is totally ok.

[MrsPresleyLennonFrey]

Siiiiigh... Mike Pender... what a beautiful voice and what a gorgeous face... siiiiigh... I love this band!  Thanks for posting - I've never heard this song before!

[lisasthlm]

Frank Allen and Mike Pender are so gorgeous here :)

[DippyTV]

ah! i'm sorry, this is an awesome song!! my favorite for this week in fact!

[1974rail]

does anyone have the fortunes the idol?

[doosht]

well, im going to see 2 of these 4 on Saturday (19th May 2007). They are performing at 'Conkers' in Moira, Leic's. Cant wait. It is Frank Allen on the bass in this video isnt it?

[dbailey62]

Oh ya.

db

[dbailey62]

Apparently it is indeed from Beat Club and I agree, the stash worked for him!

[richardsnow]

Wow this is some rare footage. Is it from Beat Club in germany? I like John Mcnally's moustache. really suits him :-)

[1974rail]

yes it is

[josephkhill]

Too bad they couldn't cross into the psychedelic era.

Great musicians. A little too wholesome for the summer of love!

[lamper2]

"look through any window" was by the hollies

[Mishmarot]

I would love to have a vid of 'Look Thru Any Window". Yep, the Searchers were magic.

[lamper2]

that song was by the hollies

[silverclive]

Never heard this before. Great stuff. Thanks.

[meliris]

Many thanks for this; been looking for ages . Always rated the Searchers in 60s; preferred them to most other bands. Hoping to see them on Tuesday 8 October, Ballyearl nr Belfast. First time in about 40 years.

[dbailey62]

Sounds good. See if you can get them to perform Happy Birthday (one day early) for John Lennon!

[doosht]

im still giving this one some hammer! what a little gem. John McNally looks great and very apt for the year. Whose the drummer? Was this after Chris Curtis left?

[dbailey62]

That's right. This drummer is John Blunt. He was with them for a bit less than three years and was then replaced by Billy Adamson who was with them until two or three years ago when former Mud drummer Eddie Rothe filled the breach when Billy retired.

[sheena13col]

From what i know, Eddie has replaced Billy in around 1998. So it's been almost 10 years now (yes, i know i'm a bore ;-))

Great clip, btw. And a rare one.

[doosht]

i'd not heard this one before. Great song. Along with the Hollies i think The Searchers are fantastic.

[dbailey62]

Probably the best of their limited output on Liberty.  There were some dogs but this one was very good. I was very surprised to discover this video. I do not know where it originated but it's nice to see they were getting some tv exposure during this fallow period.

[chuckdee121]

That was an awesome clip! I love the Searchers! I think they were about as good as the Kinks, and sometimes better!!!

[dbailey62]

They did a lot of great material both in the 60's and up to the early 80's when on Sire. They were obviously very different than the Kinks who I do consider to be one of the great groups but ya, the Searchers were a class act with some top notch records.

[gavle]

Great song! Thank´s for sharing this!