THE OVERLANDERS - “Michelle”
(#209, 29th January 1966)
In an ideal universe the Beatles would be hugely generous to people wanting to sample their songs and deeply harsh on people wanting to cover them. The Overlanders obviously felt that this featherweight tale of chatting up an exchange student would be improved by a dose of folky sincerity: it isn’t. The flimsy charms of the original - The Beatles’ very own “Wooden Heart”, praise be - are exchanged for a different, less knowing, kind of smarm. Those pained final “I love yous” seem imported from a different, weightier song and they sink like lead shot in candyfloss. 3
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bza on May 19th, 2005
I couldn’t agree more about the sample/cover issue. Over the last year or so, I have heard a number of amazing songs using Beatles samples. When was the last time someone praised a beatles cover?
Fiona Apple’s Across the Universe?
Anonymous on May 20th, 2005
Here’s another UK number one that didn’t drift over to this side of the Atlantic–and probably for a good reason. Around this time I did hear David and Jonathan’s icky version of “Michelle” and must wonder why, including this one, TWO lifeless Brit acts bothered to cover it, especially when the Beatles’ original had been released only a few months before. Was it a matter of Beatles cover for people who didn’t like the Beatles??
While I hold that good Beatles covers rarely stand up to the originals, there are notable exceptions–Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends” perhaps the most notable. I’d give honourable mention to Annie Lennox’s “Don’t Bring Me Down” (but then Annie has done many incredible covers, beginning her career with one of the best Dusty covers ever), Sandie Shaw’s interesting “Love Me Do,” and–dare I say it?–Bananarama’s “Help!”
Doctor Mod
Marcello on May 20th, 2005
Bit of a hangover from the ’50s, this trend - as you know, it was common practice in the ’60s not to release singles from albums, or include singles on albums (though the Beatles themselves broke that rule later in ‘66), so lots of D-ranking acts tended to rush out covers of Beatles or Stones album tracks in the hope of making a quick buck/getting some easy publicity. They were usually crap - but of course as far as Stones album track covers are concerned, another 1966 number one bucked that trend spectacularly.
Given that “Michelle” the song was an obvious pisstake anyway (”I need you, I need you, I need you…I think you know by now” etc.) it probably got the cover versions it deserved.
Waldo on February 21st, 2007
This record has particular memories for me. In September 1966, some seven months after it topped the “hit parade”, I began junior school in South London. A boy in my class called Lance was of special interest as his dad was in The Overlanders and indeed drove around in a van advertising the fact. Of course by this time, the group had sunk without trace and nobody gave a flying foxtrot about them anymore.
As for the record itself, I personally think it is a good effort and far superior to the rather slovenly original from “Rubber Soul”. I shall have to concede, however, that the song itself is absurd. The guy should have left the exchange student alone and gone and pulled a local sort down at The Cats Whiskers in Steatham.
terry widlake on April 13th, 2007
As bass/vocals of the Overlanders, Tom Ewing falls in the catergory occupied (at the time) by Max Bygraves who voted it a ‘miss’ on BBC’s “Juke Box Jury”. David Jabobs (Emcee)said that he couldn’t help thinking that Max was wrong. The record went on to become a worldwide hit - with the exception of North America. In the US, The Overlanders were under contract to HICKORY records (Acuff-Rose, Nashville Tennessee) and in his infinite wisdom (!) Wesley Rose decided that he did not want to risk releasing it as (at the time) there were a couple of hundred cover versions. Therefore, our ‘arch-enemies’, David & Jonathan (a.k.a. Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook) gained the US market. However, despite all comments on this page, the OVERLANDERS still are the ONLY band to successfully out-sell an original BEATLES version released as a single throughout most of the world.
To WALDO - Lance’s dad (Laurie Mason) passed away a few years ago. As a kid, he was very proud of his dad. I;m sure, like me, he misses him very much. Me? I went on to play bass for Roy Orbison for 10 years. I met him at the NME Poll winners concert at Wenbly in 1966.
FT's Tom on April 13th, 2007
Magnificent!
FT's CarsmileSteve on April 13th, 2007
more of This Sort of Thing please :)
Waldo on April 19th, 2007
Terry
Thanks ever so much for the update. It’s nice to know that my memories as a five year old have not betrayed me thirty-one years down the line. Lance Mason! That was the boy. The school was Hazelrigge Primary in Clapham and Lance lived in Larkhall Rise.
I am sorry that Laurie is no longer with us. I’ve often wondered what became of Lance.
As for The Overlanders, I have another one of your singles on Pye called “My Life”, which was written by Tony Hatch. It was clearly recorded post “Michelle” and was a cracking little pop song in my opinion. Too bad it bombed.
I’m sure that I speak for everyone at Freaky Trigger when I wish you all the best, Terry. It must be the only istance one of the actual artists have contributed to the project. Thanks again. God Bless.
Waldo on April 19th, 2007
That’s FORTY-ONE years, of course. You can tell that I’m really buggered now!!!
Paul Petts on April 29th, 2007
Hi , I was sorry to hear that Laurie Mason was no longer with us . I played bass with the Overlanders along with Laurie, Paul Brett under the Harry Hammond agency,the drummer originally with us was Brian Middleditch as I remember ? and then Phil Wainnman joined us for a few months,the other member was Ian Griffiths, I trust they are all well ?? All the best Paul
Marcello Carlin on April 30th, 2007
What, Phil Wainman the Sweet and Alex Harvey producer? Goodness gracious!
wideboy on June 30th, 2007
Marcello:- another 1966 number one bucked that trend spectacularly.
Can’t find the hit that you referred to - was it in the USA?
Geoff
Marcello Carlin on July 2nd, 2007
“Out Of Time” by Chris Farlowe, which I don’t think did much business in the States.
Linda Watkinson on January 7th, 2008
So very,very sorry to hear Laurie died a few years ago, what happened? I had an crush on him when I was at school and went on to meet him and his wife in 1969 , when I was “down south” at a friends house in Kew. I live on Merseyside and met Laurie when he starred with the Overlanders at th Garrick in Leigh and then later at his house. They were wonderful hosts to me and my friend and Laurie took us to the Chelsea Drug Store for a drink. People can make fun of his records all they want, but I am a folk fan and found the music very entertaining I have the LP Michelle and one of them with the Settlers, he had a great voice and far better than half the rubbish sung by X Factor “stars” of today. I am really sad to hear he had dies he must have only been in his early sixties, I wish I’s kept the letters I received from his wife, I called my daughter Cheryll after hearing the name for the first time of his daughter.
Lance Mason on January 17th, 2008
Hi everyone,
Laurie died in Florida ‘94 of a heart attack, just six months after meeting my middle son, Laurence, who was named for him (and who plays drums, lead and bass and dabbles with keyboard) and who pointed me at the YouTube Overlanders videos this morning and, indirectly, here.
He was only 54, but was living life to the max as an unrepentant child at heart and I’m still very proud of him.
Lance
BTW Waldo: who are you?
Marcello Carlin on January 17th, 2008
I think we’d all like to know that…
AFAIK the only other direct contributions by involved parties to Popular thus far are Joe Moretti, who played on “Out Of Time” (and with the People Band - rock on Joe!), and Mitch Murray who was a bit put out by our “Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde” remarks since he co-wrote the song.
Mark G on January 17th, 2008
Oh, I dunno, I had to go and read MMurray’s comments, which seemed quite magnanimous actually. (In short: yeah, you are all correct but I was a jobbing songwriter so whatever, thanks for your comments)…
a logged out p^nk s lord sukråt wötsit on January 17th, 2008
not forgetting DOUG YULE who googled himself and discovered that our very own ms “i hate music” had declared him best of all the velvets!
FT's Pete Baran on January 17th, 2008
And elsewhere Richard Jobson taking offense to me calling his film 16 Years Of Alcohol rubbish!
Marcello Carlin on January 17th, 2008
Next expected celebrity Popular contributor:
Ian Bairnson evens
Steve Harley 2-1
Windsor Davies 5000-1
Caledonianne on January 17th, 2008
Wow! Ian Bairnson - Pilot and Alan Parsons Project - how ace would that be!
FT's BriMo on May 14th, 2008
Hi - First post for me. I stumbled into this thread via Google and The Overlanders.
When Beatles covers were mentioned by bza above I thought, “Surely there’s plenty of good ones?” thinking immediately of Joe Cocker, of course - Let It Be, Bathroom Window, Little Help, Something - golden, magical stuff.
Then I remembered Cliff Bennett - Got To get You Into My Life - and Billy J Kramer - Do You Want To Know A Secret? - which weren’t necessarily covers but which I’ve always liked as much as the originals.
Then Cilla, excellent, not always covering - Step Inside Love, Love Of The Loved, Yesterday (haven’t heard that, bet she’s big-ballad-tastic).
Then Gordon Giltrap’s In My Life - which was majestic. Not better than the original but magnificent. I requested it last year at a gig and he said that he doesn’t sing any more because he was never much good at it! Never mind, Gordo, you’ll get the hang of the guitar soon….
The Stones did I Wanna Be Your Lover very competently, again not really a cover.
The covers webpage that I looked at said that Duffy Power with Graham Bond covered I Saw Her Standing There, which I would love to hear. It said that Hendrix did Day Tripper, Sgt Pepper and Tomorrow Never Knows, which I can’t begin to imagine.
I could go on - I do, I know - but I’ll close with a bursting-with-pride mention of my son’s cover on private CD of Come Together. The band, Daddy Rabbit, were all aged 12/13 and they did a bang-up job on a difficult-to-deliver song featuring an important tricky drum line. Oh, he was the drummer - didn’t I say that?
Tom on May 14th, 2008
Hello BriMo and welcome (and congrats to your son!)