Malcolm’s short spell as a DJ on WMAK Nashville in the mid ’60s was sparked by what quickly became known as The British Invasion – and it owed a great deal, initially at least, to music that started life in America.
So here’s a musical jigsaw to bring back some memories for us all. We’ve made a 10 minute mix of bits from 20 US recordings from the 50s & early 60s. Spearheaded by The Beatles UK musicians took US music, including everything here, reworked it and sold it back to where it came from. And this very real story of Coals to Newcastle introduced millions of young Americans to music that was really already theirs.
Click on the arrow on the black line below and, if you exercise a little patience, the magic of 21st technology will whisk you back to the ’60s with 20 snatches of original American recordings to enjoy – and then 2 Games to play based on what Malcolm found himself caught up in back in Nashville in 1965 .
The Tunes The original US artists Their UK followers
Stay The Shirelles
Hippy Hippy Shake Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
My Boy Lollipop Chan Romero
Leave My Kitten Alone The Isley Brothers The Searchers
I Go to Pieces The Donays Gerry & The Pacemakers
Honey Don’t Barbie Gaye The Kinks
Go Now Little Willie John The Beatles
Mr Moonlight Larry Williams Brian Poole & The Tremeloes
Devil In His Heart John Lee Hooker The Animals
Pretty Flamingo Del Shannon Freddie & The Dreamers
I Understand Little Richard Donovan
Twist & Shout Bessie Banks Manfred Mann
Slow Down Dr Feelgood & The Interns Peter & Gordon
Universal Soldier Carl Perkins The Dave Clark Five
Act Naturally The G-Clefs The Moody Blues
Over & Over Buck Owens Millie
Boom Boom Buffy Sainte-Marie The Hollies
Long Tall Sally Bobby Day The Swinging Blue Jeans
Boys Evie Sands
I Can’t Let Go Gene Pitney
What we’ve listed here are the original US tracks and in the centre column the names of the American artists who first recorded them – but they’re not in the right order. And in the right column we’ve listed the UK singers and groups who later reworked them and turned them into bigger hits both here and over there.
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First see how many UK names you can match to the original American titles they transformed into success across the world – and don’t forget some UK stars recorded more than one US original on their way to stardom.
Then if you’re ready to sit for your Doctorate in our Rock & Roll Heritage – try and match the original American artists’ names to their recordings that you’ve been listening to.
But above all enjoy the music whilst you tax your memories – and when you’re ready click on the link and the answers will reveal how the jigsaw all fits together.
Of course you can always pause at this stage – the music is still there, waiting for you to play it all over again.