The band grew out of an earlier skiffle group formed by McNally, with his friends Brian Dolan (guitar) and Tony West (bass). When the other two members lost interst McNally was joined by his guitarist neighbour Mike Prendergast. They soon recruited Tony Jackson with his home-made bass guitar and amplifier and styled themselves Tony and the Searchers with Joe Kelly on drums. Kelly soon left to be replaced by Norman McGarry and it is this line-up—McNally, Pender (as he soon became known), Jackson and McGarry—that is usually cited as the original foursome.
McGarry did not stay long, however, and in 1960 his place was taken by Chris Crummey (who later changed his name to Curtis). Later that year Big Ron had a successful audition with Mecca and became a ballroom singer. He was replaced by Billy Beck, who changed his name to Johnny Sandon. The band had regular bookings at Liverpool's Iron Door Club as Johnny Sandon and the Searchers.
Sandon left the band in late 1961 to join The Remo Four in February 1962. The group settled into a quartet sharing the vocal lead and billed simply as The Searchers. They continued to play at the Iron Door, The Cavern, and other Liverpool clubs. Like many similar acts they would do as many as three shows at different venues in one night. They negotiated a contract with the Star-Club in the St. Pauli district Hamburg for 128 days, with three one-hour performances a night, starting in July 1962.
The band returned to a residence, at the Iron Door Club and it was there that they tape recorded the sessions that led to a recording contract with Pye Records with Tony Hatch as producer.
Hatch played piano on some recordings and wrote "Sugar and Spice"—the band’s second number one record—under the pseudonym Fred Nightingale; a secret he kept from the band at the time.
After scoring their monumental hit "Needles and Pins", bassist Tony Jackson went solo and was replaced by Hamburg pal Frank Allen of Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers.
Chris Curtis left the band in 1966 and was replaced by the Needles and Pins-influenced John Blunt, who in turn was replaced by Billy Adamson in 1970.
As musical styles evolved, the Searchers could not keep up and as a result, the hits ran out and while they continued to record for Liberty Records and RCA Records, ended up on the British "Chicken in a Basket" circuit although they did score a minor US hit in 1971 with "Desdemona".
The group continued to tour through the 1970s and were rewarded in 1979 when Sire Records signed the band to a multi-record deal. Two albums were released by them, The Searchers and Play for Today (retitled Love's Melodies outside the UK). Both records garnered great critical acclaim but did not break into the charts. They did however revitalize the group's career. According to John McNally, the band were ready to head into the studio to record a third album for Sire when they were informed that due to label reorganization, their contract had been dropped.
In 1981, the band signed to PRT Records (formerly Pye, their original label) and began recording an album but only one single, "I Don't Want To Be The One" backed with "Hollywood", saw the light of day at that time. The rest of the tracks would be released as part of 2004's 40th Anniversary collection.
Soon after the PRT release, Mike Pender left the group amidst great acrimony and now tours as Hollywood. McNally and Allan recruited former First Class vocalist Spencer James to fill Pender's shoes.
In 1988, Coconut Records signed The Searchers and the album Hungry Hearts was the result. A very contemporary sounding release, it featured modern sounding remakes of "Needles and Pins" and "Sweets For My Sweets". While the album was not a major hit, it did keep the group in the public eye.
The band continues to tour with Eddie Rothe replacing Adamson on drums and is considered to be one of the most popular 1960s bands on the UK concert circuit.
for more info see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Searchers_%28band%29
Shame Shame Shame
The Searchers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now you got me, baby, up against the fence
Ain´t that a shame, shame, shame, shame, the way you do
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame, shame,
Oh it's a shame on you
Well, you walk out in the evening, don't say where you going
Six o'clock in the morning, you come walking home
Oh, it's a shame, shame, shame, shame,
Yeah it's a shame on you
Well, I've been sitting here waitin', cryin' for you to come home
When I wake up, baby, sitting here all alone
Ain't that a shame, shame, shame, shame the way you do
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame,
Oh it's a shame, shame on you
In The Searchers' song "Shame Shame Shame", the singer is expressing his frustration and disappointment with his partner's behavior. He had attempted to communicate his concerns to her, but she did not seem to understand or take them seriously. He is now feeling stuck and helpless, as if he is backed up against a fence with no way out. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the shame he feels about her actions, and highlights the way she is mistreating him. She comes and goes as she pleases, with no explanation or consideration for his feelings. He is left alone and upset while she is out, and the cycle repeats itself over and over.
Overall, the lyrics of "Shame Shame Shame" convey a feeling of powerlessness and frustration in a relationship. The singer is caught up in a cycle of mistreatment and disappointment that seems impossible to break. The repetition of the phrase "shame on you" emphasizes the weight of his partner's actions and their impact on their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I tried to tell you, baby, but It made no sense
I attempted to communicate with you, my dear, but you refused to understand.
Now you got me, baby, up against the fence
My current situation is as if I am stuck behind a barrier because of you, darling.
Ain´t that a shame, shame, shame, shame, the way you do
It is regrettable, regrettable, regrettable, how you behave, how you act.
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame, shame,
Truly, it is a pity, a pity, a pity.
Oh it's a shame on you
Oh, the pity is attributed to you.
Well, you walk out in the evening, don't say where you going
You leave during the evening hours, without specifying your destination.
Six o'clock in the morning, you come walking home
It is at six in the morning when you return home on foot.
And ain't that a shame, shame, shame, shame the way you do
It's unfortunate, unfortunate, unfortunate, the way you behave.
Oh, it's a shame, shame, shame, shame,
Oh, what a pity, what a pity, what a pity.
Yeah it's a shame on you
Yes, the pity lies with you.
Well, I've been sitting here waitin', cryin' for you to come home
I have remained here, waiting and weeping for your return.
When I wake up, baby, sitting here all alone
Upon waking up, my dear, I find myself sitting here without your presence.
Ain't that a shame, shame, shame, shame the way you do
It is truly a pity, pity, pity, how you treat me.
Well, it's a shame, shame, shame,
Undoubtedly, it is a regrettable, regrettable, regrettable situation.
Oh it's a shame, shame on you
This pity is entirely your responsibility.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JIMMY REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind