Searchin'

"Searchin'"

Searchin' by the Coasters on Atco Records
B-side to "Young Blood" by The Coasters
Released March 1957
Recorded February 15, 1957
Label Atco 6087
Writer Leiber and Stoller
"Searchin'"
Single by The Hollies
B-side "Whole World Over"
Released August 1963
Format 7"
Recorded 25 July 1963
Abbey Road Studios[1]
Length 2:24
Label Parlophone
Producer Ron Richards
The Hollies singles chronology
"Ain't That Just Like Me"
(1963)		 "Searchin'"
(1963)		 "Stay"
(1963)

"Searchin'" is a song written by Leiber and Stoller specifically for The Coasters. It was released as a single on Atco Records in March 1957, and topped the Rhythm and Blues Chart for twelve weeks. It reached #3 on the national pop singles chart.[2]

Although the Coasters had previously done well on the R&B charts, it was "Searchin'" (along with "Young Blood" on the flip side) that sparked the group's rock and roll fame.

Singer/songwriter Paul McCartney chose "Searchin'" as one of his Desert Island Discs in 1982. McCartney performed the song with The Beatles during their audition for Decca Records on 1 January 1962.[3]

The song is featured in the 1999 Warner Bros. animated movie, The Iron Giant, and the musical revue Smokey Joe's Cafe.

Contents

The song

The lyrics, written by Leiber, use vernacular phrasing. The plot revolves around the singer's determination to find his love wherever she may be, even if he must resort to detective work. The song's notable gimmick was in citing specific law-enforcement figures from popular culture, such as Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Joe Friday, Sam Spade, Boston Blackie, Bulldog Drummond, and the Northwest Mounted Police (The Mounties). The vocals of the Coasters' lead singer Billy Guy are raw and insistent. Driving the song is a pounding piano rhythm of two bass notes alternating on every second beat.[4]

The theme of the song is searching for love:

"Well, I'm searching"
"Yeah I'm gonna find her"

The refrain is simple variations of this phrase

"Gonna find her, yeah ah, gonna find her"

The track was recorded in Los Angeles on 15 February 1957; the backing band comprised Gil Bernal (tenor sax), Mike Stoller (piano and arrangement), Barney Kessell (guitar), Ralph Harrison (bass) and Jesse Sailes (drums)[5].

Cover versions

The song has been covered by The Beatles, The Hollies, and The Spencer Davis Group, among many others. Jim Croce included some of the lyrics in his version of "Chain Gang".

References

  1. ^ (1993) Album notes for The 30th Anniversary Collection by The Hollies [CD]. EMI Records (D 202205).
  2. ^ "The Coasters - Charts and Awards". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p3927/charts-awards. Retrieved 2006-11-07. 
  3. ^ The Beatles Bible: Searchin' Retrieved on 2008-08-31.
  4. ^ Gillett, Charlie (1996). The Rise of Rock and Roll ((2nd Ed.) ed.). New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press. p. 73. ISBN 0-306-80683-5. 
  5. ^ Peter Grendysa and Robert Pruter, Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974 booklet notes (CD edition), Atlantic Records, 1991

External links

Preceded by
"Young Blood" by The Coasters		 Billboard R&B Best Sellers in Stores number-one single
June 10, 1957 – August 28, 1957		 Succeeded by
"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" by Elvis Presley