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
Sugar and Spice
The Searchers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kisses sweeter than wine
Sugar and spice and all things nice
You know that little girl is mine
Everybody stops and stares at my baby
When she's walkin' down the street
People passin' by just look at my baby
You know she's
Sugar and spice and all things nice
Kisses sweeter than wine
Sugar and spice and all things nice
You know that little girl is mine
Every time we kiss I get that feelin'
Every time we simply meet
When I see you smile I get that feelin'
Cause my baby looks so sweet
You know she's
Sugar and spice and all things nice
Kisses sweeter than wine
Sugar and spice and all things nice
You know that little girl is mine
Never ever know a girl so lovely
Sweet enough to want to eat
Everybody's crazy 'bout my baby
Cause my baby looks so sweet
You know she's
Sugar and spice and all things nice
Kisses sweeter than wine
Sugar and spice and all things nice
You know that little girl is mine
The Searchers' song "Sugar and Spice" is a classic 1960s tune about a man who is completely infatuated with a girl. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, with the chorus repeating the phrase "sugar and spice and all things nice, you know that little girl is mine." The verses describe how everyone stops and stares at his baby when she walks down the street, and how every time they kiss, he gets a feeling. The singer is completely smitten with this girl, who is described as "sweet enough to want to eat."
On a deeper level, the song is a celebration of young love and the intense emotions that come with it. The singer is expressing his love and devotion to this girl, and he wants the world to know that she is his. The repetition of the phrase "sugar and spice and all things nice" reinforces the idea that this girl is everything he could ever want.
Overall, "Sugar and Spice" is a fun and catchy song that captures the excitement and innocence of young love.
Line by Line Meaning
Sugar and spice and all things nice
My girl is the epitome of perfection and sweetness.
Kisses sweeter than wine
Our love is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age.
Sugar and spice and all things nice
My girl is the embodiment of purity and goodness.
You know that little girl is mine
I am proud to call her mine and show her off.
Everybody stops and stares at my baby
Everyone knows she's special, and can't help but notice her.
When she's walkin' down the street
Just seeing her walk is enough to make people happy.
People passin' by just look at my baby
Even strangers can't resist admiring her beauty.
Cause my baby looks so sweet
Her innocence and loveliness make everyone feel happy.
Every time we kiss I get that feelin'
Being close to her is an amazing, indescribable feeling.
Every time we simply meet
Even just being near each other is enough to fill us with joy.
When I see you smile I get that feelin'
Her happiness is contagious and makes me feel incredible.
Never ever know a girl so lovely
I have never met someone so kind and beautiful.
Sweet enough to want to eat
Her sweetness is enough to make me want to take a bite out of her, like a dessert treat.
Everybody's crazy 'bout my baby
Everyone loves her, and it's no wonder why.
Sugar and spice and all things nice
She is everything good and pure in the world.
You know that little girl is mine
I am lucky to have her love and companionship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Fred Nightingale
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind