SAD DARK EYES (1967) by the Loved Ones

The Loved Ones were an Australian rock group of the sixties, formed in the wake of the British Invasion. Although the band's career lasted only two years, the group is now regarded as one of the most significant Australian bands of the 1960s.

They were formed in Melbourne in 1965 by Gerry Humphreys, Ian Clyne and Kim Lynch who defected from the youthful Red Onions Jazz Band (Humphreys and Lynch had played clarinet and tuba respectively). They then recruited drummer Gavin Anderson and ex-Wild Cherries guitarist Rob Lovett. The band were renowned as an exciting, if erratic, live act in a Stones/Animals mould, and quickly rose to prominence in the local club and dance scene.

The group's visual impact was heightened by their striking mod stage attire and the band had a strong focal point thanks to the charismatic stage presence, saturnine good looks and growling, blues-influenced baritone voice of Humphreys, who is widely acknowledged as one of Australia's finest male pop-rock vocalists. The Loved Ones' were also one of the first Australian pop bands to use electric piano as part of their regular stage set-up and their distinctive keyboard-based sound set them apart from most of their contemporaries. (The above is sourced from Wikipedia).

This song, Sad Dark Eyes, followed the successful singles, The Loved One and Everlovin Man. By this time, Clyne had left and been replaced on piano by Treva Richards. The band had some further single successes, including Blueberry Hill, but broke up in November 1967.
Sadly, Humphreys died in December 2005 of a heart attack. This video slideshow is dedicated to him and the band.

Comments are welcome.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Loved
• Ones
• Sad
• Dark
• Eyes
• Gerry
• Humphries
• Australian
• rock
• sixties

[pfhix]

I don't think it's the Yardbird's chord progression although there is also a major to minor change in there. However, the piano intro sure contains a fragment of Beethoven's Piano Sonata #14 in c#minor.

[wilsonmcphert]

@pfhix I play both of these songs on guitar. The chords I use for this song's chorus are Em, G, A, Am, which I also used for the intro of For Your Love. I'm pretty sure they are right or at least close. Happy to hear of any alternative chords though....

[pfhix]

Great, great great. Original , evocative, spooky and totally unique.

[fjbutch]

there's only one ''loved one band''....this is it .... onya Gerry ...

[TheGemini315]

<3

[debiedog1]

Saw them at the Thumpin Tum - fantastic!!!

[fjbutch]

@Breatherable  You said that right....Cheers...

[Breatherable]

@fjbutch How true, beware of Americans calling themselves 'The loved Ones,' not good...

[pfhix]

You're right - that's the progression for the end of " and you'll be mine" which is the same as the Yardbird's progression of Dm F G Gm but up a tone. ( on youtube Jeff Beck's playing on a 12 string which is tuned down a tone so it looks like Em G A Am. However, as it's such an unusual song in the intro & verse progressions and 3/4 time I think it's a stretch to say it's a re-working of any song as the only matching chord sequence is only used under a cadence which isn't really a chorus

[denidowi]

@pfhix Yes; Humphries was a very unique voice and entertainer.

He was a lot of things in one!

[Missfantlady]

Such a beautiful piece. This just seems so right. I love this.