Johnny Kidd & The Pirates were a British rock 'n' roll band. Johnny Kidd (b… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Kidd & The Pirates were a British rock 'n' roll band. Johnny Kidd (birth name Frederick Heath), lead singer and primary songwriter, signed a recording contract with HMV and released his first single "Please Don't Touch" in 1959, under the name of Johnny Kidd with his backing band The Pirates. The classic line-up included Frank Farley (drums), Johnny Spence (bass) and legendary guitarist Mick Green.
In 1960, they released "Shakin' All Over", which topped charts and became their biggest hit. Though they never released a full-length album, they released more than twenty singles. The band dissolved after the death of Kidd in a car crash on 6th October 1966. However, the classic lineup reformed as an R 'n' B group in 1976 and would perform sporadic tours until their ultimate disbandment in 2010.
Johnny Kidd (born Frederick Albert Heath, 23 December 1935 – 7 October 1966) was an English singer and songwriter, best remembered as the lead vocalist for the rock and roll band Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. He was one of the few pre-Beatles British rockers to achieve worldwide fame, mainly for his 1960 hit, "Shakin' All Over".
Frederick Albert "Freddie" Heath was born in 1935 in Willesden, North London. He began playing guitar in a skiffle group in about 1956. The group, known as "The Frantic Four" and later as "The Nutters", covered primarily skiffle, pop and rockabilly. Simultaneously Heath was proving to be a prolific writer; penning most of 30 songs in over three months. Heath's 31st song would prove to be the group's break.
In 1959 Heath and his band were given a recording test for their first single, a rocker titled "Please Don't Touch". A contract with HMV quickly followed and the group were then informed during the session that their name "Freddie Heath and the Nutters" would be changed to Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. "Please Don't Touch" would reach the low twenties of the music charts. Although it is not as well known as Kidd's later song "Shakin' All Over", it is a stand-out among other British rock songs of the time. Unlike Billy Fury or Marty Wilde, Kidd does not sing in an imitation voice of Elvis Presley or one of his American contemporaries. The song also bears a smooth harmony and contains no clear references to the rockabilly style.
Kidd's most famous song as a composer was "Shakin' All Over", which was a No. 1 UK hit and the band's finest hour in 1960. Kidd's own version did not chart outside of Europe, but two cover versions did: The Guess Who topped the Canadian charts (and hit No. 22 US) with their 1965 version of "Shakin' All Over", and in Australia, Normie Rowe topped the charts with it later the same year. The song was originally to be a B-side to the Ricky Nelson cover "Yes, Sir That's My Baby". Kidd was told that a self-penned song could be used and together with The Pirates the new number was written in the basement of the Freight Train coffee bar the day prior to recording.[1]:55 In addition to Kidd (vocals), Alan Caddy (guitar), Clem Cattini (drums) and Brian Gregg (bass) session guitarist Joe Moretti was called in by Kidd and Caddy to play lead guitar. It was Moretti who created the songs signature sound by sliding Brian Gregg's cigarette lighter up and down the fret-board of his guitar.
"Shakin' All Over" was a UK no 1. It has been covered by The Who on the classic Live at Leeds album. Iggy Pop also included it on his solo album Avenue B. Other covers have included Vince Taylor and the Playboys, the rock group Humble Pie and The Swinging Blue Jeans. The fact that the song continues to be covered some 50 years after its first recording is a testimony to Kidd and the Pirates.
"Shakin' All Over" marked the peak which Kidd would not reach again. Future records did not fare as well in the charts. In 1961 Cattini, Caddy and Gregg left the band and would later play for Joe Meek in The Tornados. Kidd now assembled a new band of Pirates. Johnny Spence was now added to bass, Frank Farley to drums and later Mick Green would become guitarist. The band now toured extensively throughout England and into Europe. Adopting a more beat-influenced style, the group reached the British Top 5 with "I'll Never Get Over You" (#3) and split chart action with The Searchers with "Hungry For Love" (#20) in 1963; both songs were penned by future pop impresario Gordon Mills, then of The Viscounts. The four piece band would prove to have a profound effect on another touring band at this time. Watching Kidd perform in the center front of the stage, with Farley directly behind him on drums and Spence and Green flanking him on either side, inspired Roger Daltrey the then guitarist of "The Detours" to lay aside his own guitar, dismiss his own group's singer and concentrate on vocals. This allowed rhythm guitarist Pete Townshend to concentrate more on playing lead. In time a stage act had also emerged with Kidd and the Pirates dressed as actual Pirates. Kidd would don an eye-patch and carry a cutlass which he would swing around on stage, damaging the wooden framework, and high kick in time with the music of the band. By 1964 the "British Invasion" was taking shape and Kidd was left in the shadows.[1]:59 Kidd had another new group by this stage "The New Pirates" but recordings had now become covers of R&B and pop songs. By 1966 it would seem that Kidd was on the verge of a re-emergence but this was soon to be cut short.
Kidd died at age 30 in 1966, in a motor car collision on the A58, Bury New Road, Breightmet, Bolton, Lancashire. The car in which he was travelling as a passenger had a head-on collision with one driven by Peter Metcalfe. Metcalfe's 17-year-old girlfriend, Helen Read, also died in the accident. Pirates' bassist Nick Simper, who later became an original member of Deep Purple, was also in the car with Kidd but he suffered only some cuts and a broken arm.
Kidd was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, London.
In hindsight Kidd was both musically and visually important for the rock music genre. Long before the likes of Paul Revere and the Raiders and Alice Cooper and other such performers dressed up for a performance, Kidd and his contemporary Screaming Lord Sutch were already doing so. Kidd and the Pirates were a transitional band. In a time before bands like The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Animals, Kidd was recording music that placed increased emphasis on electric blues and R&B. His records circa 1961–64 included Willie Dixon's "I Just Want To Make Love To You", Bo Diddley's "I Can Tell", Willie Perryman's "Dr Feel-good" and Richie Barrett's "Some Other Guy". These are songs that are not sung in imitation of the original recording artists but instead Kidd puts his own stamp upon the song. These were the types of changes that would become more crucial as British blues gained more ground in the early 1960s.[1]:57–60 Many rock historians consider Kidd's UK Top 50 disc "A Shot of Rhythm and Blues" c/w "I Can Tell" (HMV POP 1088, December 1962) to be the sonic bridge between British rock and roll and British beat/British R&B.
In 1960, they released "Shakin' All Over", which topped charts and became their biggest hit. Though they never released a full-length album, they released more than twenty singles. The band dissolved after the death of Kidd in a car crash on 6th October 1966. However, the classic lineup reformed as an R 'n' B group in 1976 and would perform sporadic tours until their ultimate disbandment in 2010.
Johnny Kidd (born Frederick Albert Heath, 23 December 1935 – 7 October 1966) was an English singer and songwriter, best remembered as the lead vocalist for the rock and roll band Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. He was one of the few pre-Beatles British rockers to achieve worldwide fame, mainly for his 1960 hit, "Shakin' All Over".
Frederick Albert "Freddie" Heath was born in 1935 in Willesden, North London. He began playing guitar in a skiffle group in about 1956. The group, known as "The Frantic Four" and later as "The Nutters", covered primarily skiffle, pop and rockabilly. Simultaneously Heath was proving to be a prolific writer; penning most of 30 songs in over three months. Heath's 31st song would prove to be the group's break.
In 1959 Heath and his band were given a recording test for their first single, a rocker titled "Please Don't Touch". A contract with HMV quickly followed and the group were then informed during the session that their name "Freddie Heath and the Nutters" would be changed to Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. "Please Don't Touch" would reach the low twenties of the music charts. Although it is not as well known as Kidd's later song "Shakin' All Over", it is a stand-out among other British rock songs of the time. Unlike Billy Fury or Marty Wilde, Kidd does not sing in an imitation voice of Elvis Presley or one of his American contemporaries. The song also bears a smooth harmony and contains no clear references to the rockabilly style.
Kidd's most famous song as a composer was "Shakin' All Over", which was a No. 1 UK hit and the band's finest hour in 1960. Kidd's own version did not chart outside of Europe, but two cover versions did: The Guess Who topped the Canadian charts (and hit No. 22 US) with their 1965 version of "Shakin' All Over", and in Australia, Normie Rowe topped the charts with it later the same year. The song was originally to be a B-side to the Ricky Nelson cover "Yes, Sir That's My Baby". Kidd was told that a self-penned song could be used and together with The Pirates the new number was written in the basement of the Freight Train coffee bar the day prior to recording.[1]:55 In addition to Kidd (vocals), Alan Caddy (guitar), Clem Cattini (drums) and Brian Gregg (bass) session guitarist Joe Moretti was called in by Kidd and Caddy to play lead guitar. It was Moretti who created the songs signature sound by sliding Brian Gregg's cigarette lighter up and down the fret-board of his guitar.
"Shakin' All Over" was a UK no 1. It has been covered by The Who on the classic Live at Leeds album. Iggy Pop also included it on his solo album Avenue B. Other covers have included Vince Taylor and the Playboys, the rock group Humble Pie and The Swinging Blue Jeans. The fact that the song continues to be covered some 50 years after its first recording is a testimony to Kidd and the Pirates.
"Shakin' All Over" marked the peak which Kidd would not reach again. Future records did not fare as well in the charts. In 1961 Cattini, Caddy and Gregg left the band and would later play for Joe Meek in The Tornados. Kidd now assembled a new band of Pirates. Johnny Spence was now added to bass, Frank Farley to drums and later Mick Green would become guitarist. The band now toured extensively throughout England and into Europe. Adopting a more beat-influenced style, the group reached the British Top 5 with "I'll Never Get Over You" (#3) and split chart action with The Searchers with "Hungry For Love" (#20) in 1963; both songs were penned by future pop impresario Gordon Mills, then of The Viscounts. The four piece band would prove to have a profound effect on another touring band at this time. Watching Kidd perform in the center front of the stage, with Farley directly behind him on drums and Spence and Green flanking him on either side, inspired Roger Daltrey the then guitarist of "The Detours" to lay aside his own guitar, dismiss his own group's singer and concentrate on vocals. This allowed rhythm guitarist Pete Townshend to concentrate more on playing lead. In time a stage act had also emerged with Kidd and the Pirates dressed as actual Pirates. Kidd would don an eye-patch and carry a cutlass which he would swing around on stage, damaging the wooden framework, and high kick in time with the music of the band. By 1964 the "British Invasion" was taking shape and Kidd was left in the shadows.[1]:59 Kidd had another new group by this stage "The New Pirates" but recordings had now become covers of R&B and pop songs. By 1966 it would seem that Kidd was on the verge of a re-emergence but this was soon to be cut short.
Kidd died at age 30 in 1966, in a motor car collision on the A58, Bury New Road, Breightmet, Bolton, Lancashire. The car in which he was travelling as a passenger had a head-on collision with one driven by Peter Metcalfe. Metcalfe's 17-year-old girlfriend, Helen Read, also died in the accident. Pirates' bassist Nick Simper, who later became an original member of Deep Purple, was also in the car with Kidd but he suffered only some cuts and a broken arm.
Kidd was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, London.
In hindsight Kidd was both musically and visually important for the rock music genre. Long before the likes of Paul Revere and the Raiders and Alice Cooper and other such performers dressed up for a performance, Kidd and his contemporary Screaming Lord Sutch were already doing so. Kidd and the Pirates were a transitional band. In a time before bands like The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Animals, Kidd was recording music that placed increased emphasis on electric blues and R&B. His records circa 1961–64 included Willie Dixon's "I Just Want To Make Love To You", Bo Diddley's "I Can Tell", Willie Perryman's "Dr Feel-good" and Richie Barrett's "Some Other Guy". These are songs that are not sung in imitation of the original recording artists but instead Kidd puts his own stamp upon the song. These were the types of changes that would become more crucial as British blues gained more ground in the early 1960s.[1]:57–60 Many rock historians consider Kidd's UK Top 50 disc "A Shot of Rhythm and Blues" c/w "I Can Tell" (HMV POP 1088, December 1962) to be the sonic bridge between British rock and roll and British beat/British R&B.
Hungry For Love
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm so hungry, so hungry for love
I'm so hungry, so hungry for love
What's the use of worryin'
You don't care about the mood I'm in
I just want to spend every week
Every day, every hour with you
Oh, won't you change your mind and be a little kind
I'm so hungry for love
Just remember and you'll feel so glad
There were times when you made me feel bad
What's the use of worryin'
You don't care about the mood I'm in
I just want to spend every week
Every day, every hour with you
Oh, won't you change your mind and be a little kind
I'm so hungry for love
What's the use of worryin'
You don't care about the mood I'm in
I just want to spend every week
Every day, every hour with you
Oh, won't you change your mind and be a little kind
I'm so hungry for love
So hungry for love
So hungry for love
I'm so hungry, so hungry for love
What's the use of worryin'
You don't care about the mood I'm in
I just want to spend every week
Every day, every hour with you
Oh, won't you change your mind and be a little kind
Just remember and you'll feel so glad
There were times when you made me feel bad
What's the use of worryin'
You don't care about the mood I'm in
I just want to spend every week
Every day, every hour with you
Oh, won't you change your mind and be a little kind
I'm so hungry for love
What's the use of worryin'
You don't care about the mood I'm in
I just want to spend every week
Every day, every hour with you
Oh, won't you change your mind and be a little kind
I'm so hungry for love
So hungry for love
So hungry for love
The lyrics of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' song "Hungry For Love" explore the singer's intense longing for love and companionship. The repetition of the line "I'm so hungry, so hungry for love" highlights the desperation and loneliness the singer feels. They plead with their lover to change their mind and show some kindness, emphasizing that they just want to spend time with them every week, every day, and every hour.
The second verse of the song acknowledges the past struggles the singer and their lover have experienced, but ultimately argues that worrying about it achieves nothing. The singer's desire for love surpasses any negative emotions, and they just want to be with their lover. Once again, they plead for them to change their mind and show some kindness.
Overall, "Hungry For Love" is a heart-wrenching portrayal of the pain of unrequited love and the longing for human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so hungry, so hungry for love
I crave love deeply and am completely unsatisfied without it.
What's the use of worryin'
There is no point in fretting or being anxious about things.
You don't care about the mood I'm in
You are indifferent to my emotional state.
I just want to spend every week
Every day, every hour with you
I desire to spend all the time I possibly can with you - constantly and without interruption.
Oh, won't you change your mind and be a little kind
I implore you to reconsider and show me some small act of kindness.
Just remember and you'll feel so glad
There were times when you made me feel bad
Reflecting on past moments when you caused me pain will lead to a greater sense of contentment for you.
So hungry for love
I continue to desire affection and passion from someone special.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GORDON MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@carlosschroeder3638
Half a decade ahead of the Beatles!
@xyz2121
One of the best ever British bands. Their life cut short by the untimely death of Johnny Kidd.
@timpenfield5
20YRS AHEAD, OF THEIR TIME, BLESS THE PIRATES
@nevittwoods1730
Genuine legend⭐
@johng1181
Great song
@user-ri9cc3ge6j
This one of my favourite tracks from one of my favourite bands of all time!
@janeough45
what a fab band great harmonies ,lead singer had a great voice such clarity xx long live the 60s i was there xx
@alexyamach3635
Love this song! A lost gem.
@jaynephillips4358
I LOVE THIS SONG OF JOHNNY KID AND THE PIRATES I WAS JUST A SMALL CHILD IN THE SIXTES I REMEMBER MY BOTHER AND SISTERS PLAYING THIS BACK THEN
@jamesham521
60 years gone and still sound good