The Big Three evolved from a group called Cass & The Cassanovas which were formed in the late 50's by Brian Casser. Although originally a four-piece outfit, by 1959 they had slimmed down to a trio comprising of Casser (guitar/vocals), Adrian Barber (guitar) and Johnny Hutchinson (drums). In need of a bass guitarist, Hutchinson brought in Johnny Gustafson. At that time Gustafson didn't have a proper bass guitar so Barber converted an acoustic for him.
Late in 1960, Casser left the group and moved to London reducing them to a trio again. In January 1961 the Cassanovas re-emerged as the Big Three. Despite being a three-piece they were one of the loudest bands in Liverpool due to Barber's talents in the electronics field. He built the band giant amps, standing over five feet high, which were nicknamed "coffins".
Brian Epstein signed them to his stable and sent them over to Hamburg. It was during that trip that Brian Griffiths joined the group, Barber left, and the best-known line-up of the Big Three was established. Their musicianship and attack were legendary and they exerted a considerable influence on their contemporaries.
Epstein arranged for them to audition for Decca Records and they recorded "Some Other Guy". The group were not happy with the recording and appalled when they were told that Decca would be releasing it and wouldn't allow them a proper recording session so they could perform the song they way they wished it to be played.
Instead of understanding why the Big Three were so popular - because of their aggressive sound, their wildness, their casual appearance on stage - he put them into suits and began to dilute their sound, choosing lightweight pop numbers and insisting, against their wishes, that they record them.
The Big Three and Epstein terminated their partnership in July 1963, but the damage had been done. Gustafson and Griffiths quit, and with drummer Ian Broad from Rory Storm and the Hurricanes formed the Seniors and left for Germany. Hutchinson replaced them with Faron and Paddy Chambers from Faron's Flamingos.
By mid-'64 their days were numbered. Paddy Chambers left and was replaced by Paul Pilnick from the All Stars. Pilnick only stayed a short time before moving on to Tony Jackson and the Vibrations. Hutchinson received an offer to join Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes but declined, opting instead to hang up his drumsticks.
Their best memorial is probably the E.P. "At The Cavern", actually recorded in 1963 and featuring the classic Griffiths/Gustafson/Hutchinson line-up, which conveys something of the excitement they created in their heyday.
Johnny "Hutch" Hutchinson died in 2019.
Members
Adrian Barber – lead guitar, vocals (1959–1962)
Brian Casser – rhythm guitar, vocals (1959–1960)
Brian J. Hudson – drums (1959)
Johnny "Hutch" Hutchinson – drums, vocals (1959–1966) (18 July 1940 – 12 April 2019)
Johnny Gustafson – bass guitar (1959–1963, 1973)
Brian Griffiths – lead guitar, vocals (1962–1963, 1973, 1999)
Faron Ruffley – bass guitar (1963–1964, 1999)
Paddy Chambers – lead guitar, vocals (1963–1964)
Paul Pilnick – lead guitar, vocals (1964)
Ray Marshall – bass guitar, vocals (1964–1966)
Barry Womersley (known professionally as Barry Walmsley ) – lead guitar (1964–1966)
Nigel Olsson – drums (1973)
J. Peter Robinson – piano (1973)
Arty Davies – drums (1999)
*Another group called The Big Three, including blues giant Willie Dixon and Leonard Caston, recorded for Columbia in the late 1940's before Dixon began his seminal career with Chess Records.
By the Way
The Big Three Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can see your the best in to-o-o-wn,
(Best in town)
By the way that you kiss,
I can tell that you've been aro-o-ound,
(Been around),
I can tell that your the one,
By the way you keep me thinking of you,
By the way you walk,
I can see your the girl for me-e-e-e,
(Girl for me)
By the way that you smile,
I can tell you'll always be-e-e,
(Always be)
I can tell that your the one,
By the way you keep me thinking of you,
Oh by the way I love you.
I saw you once walking by,
On the street where I lived,
I knew right then,
I would give everything I could give,
To spend my days with you,
It seems my dreams come true,
And I can tell at a glance,
That I still have a chance with you.
By the way that your eyes seem to shine,
I can tell your mi-i-ine,
(Tell your mine)
By the way that your lips are apart,
I am sure it's time
(sure it's time)
To tell that your the one,
By the way you keep me thinking of you,
Oh by the way I love you,
I love you,
I love you.
In The Big Three's song "By the Way," the lyrics describe the singer's admiration and love for a woman. The verses focus on the various ways in which the woman stands out from others, from her appearance to the way she walks and smiles. The chorus repeats the sentiment that the singer can tell that this woman is the one for him and that he loves her.
The first verse begins with the line "By the way that you look." This may refer to the woman's physical appearance or could also suggest a certain confidence or presence she exudes. The following lines mentioning her kisses and being around could suggest that she is experienced in love and perhaps has had other relationships. However, the singer ultimately feels that she is the one for him. The second verse focuses more on her actions, specifically the way she walks and smiles. The fact that he can tell "at a glance" that he still has a chance with her might suggest that she is not yet his girlfriend, but he feels hopeful.
Overall, the lyrics of "By the Way" convey a sense of infatuation and desire for this woman. The repetition of "by the way" in the chorus sets up a rhythmic pattern that emphasizes the singer's awe and admiration. The song is fairly simplistic in its language and structure, but the sentiment is universal and timeless.
Line by Line Meaning
By the way that you look, I can see your the best in town
Your looks indicate that you are the best in town
By the way that you kiss, I can tell that you've been around
Your kissing style indicates that you are experienced
I can tell that you're the one, By the way you keep me thinking of you, Oh by the way I love you
Your effect on me makes me believe that you are the one for me and I love you for it
By the way you walk, I can see you're the girl for me
The way you walk shows me that you are the perfect girl for me
By the way that you smile, I can tell you'll always be
Your smile shows that you will always be the person you are
I saw you once walking by, On the street where I lived, I knew right then, I would give everything I could give, To spend my days with you
Seeing you made me realize that I would do anything to be with you
It seems my dreams come true, And I can tell at a glance, That I still have a chance with you.
My dream of being with you is becoming a reality and I can see that there is still a chance for us to be together
By the way that your eyes seem to shine, I can tell your mine
The way your eyes shine indicates that you belong to me
By the way that your lips are apart, I am sure it's time
The way your lips are apart suggests that it's time for me to make a move
To tell that your the one, By the way you keep me thinking of you, Oh by the way I love you, I love you, I love you.
You are the one for me and I love you for always keeping me thinking about you
Contributed by Christopher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
pinchold pinch
Funny - I was 17 when this was out and I loved it. My son is 16 now and when I played it to him he laughed and said it was old-fashioned. Guess I'm still old-fashioned like I was in 1963 when I was 17
Alf Ching
I was also 17 in 1963 ane see this group Live at the Cavern, and Shorditch town Hall London,
mersebeat
Great mersey sound!!!
ian gourlay
Use to air drum to this when I was fifteen. Great to hear it again. Cheers Ian
Johnnralph
Rip : Johnny Hutch (18 July 1939 - 12 April 2019) . Lead singer & drummer for the The Big Three .. Rated the most accomplished drummer in Liverpool at the time, he had sat in as a drummer with Joh Lennon's pre Beatles group The Silver Beatles, In 1962 he knocked back an offer from the Beatles manager to be thier drummer after Pete Best was fired. Although he sat in as the drummer for 3 gigs with the Beatles he decided that being with them full time wasn't for him & something that he has said he never regretted. He retired from the music industry in 1966
Ready-Adhesiveness40
And Johnny Gustafson was one of the best front men/bassists - second only to Mac. Love the Big Three!
Tower of Power
BY THE WAY druhý hit skupiny The Big Three, ktorý bol od 11. júla 1963 v rebríčku 10 týždňov a skončil na 22.m. Tvorili ju Brian Griffiths solo gitara, Johny Gustafson basová gitara a Johnny Hutchinson bicie. Skupina nahrala EP Live At The Cavern.V novembri 1963 Griffiths a Gustafson odišli a vytvorili The Seniors. Neskôr hral v Merseybeats a Roxy Music a Quatermass. Hutchinson pokračoval v Big Three s dvomi bývalými členmi Faron Flamingos Billy Ruffley basová gitara a Paddy Chambers solová gitara.
The Internet Killed Music
Early 60s songs were so cute :)
paul endicott
been looking for this since 1965 !
John Robertson
the big three didnt want to do this...the b side was THE BIG THREE at their best