Guide to British Music of the 1960s

August 2003

CD Review

The Searchers - 40th Anniversary Collection

This double CD is something really special - for the first time a collection covering all periods of the Searchers' long and still-going-strong career, from the Pye, Liberty and RCA days through to the Sire releases and three tracks from Hungry Hearts, their most recent studio album. 

In addition to all the well-known hits and a selection of album tracks, it also includes their first demo records on the basis of which they got their first recording contract, and some early live tracks, none of which were issued at the time. But the big surprise is the inclusion of a track that even the most keen Searchers fans have never heard - For What It's Worth (a cover of the Buffalo Springfield classic, written by Stephen Stills). They recorded this when they were with Liberty Records in the late 60s, but it was never released, it was believed to have been lost, and it's only recently been found just in time to include it in this excellent collection. 

The fold-out sleeve notes are excellent - one side is a collage of many of the original singles and album covers, and the other is a comprehensive history of The Searchers, written by eminent music writer and BBC Radio Merseyside presenter, Spencer Leigh. This is not just the usual run-of-the-mill "potted history" - it includes mention of all the 56 tracks on the double CD and shows how and where they fit into the 40 glorious years of their career. A "must-buy" for all Searchers fans! 

Guest reviewer: Wendy Burton 

Release Date: 2003 

Castle CMEDD726 

Essential Tracks:

• When You Walk in the Room
• Needles and Pins
• Don't Throw Your Love Away

1. Sweet For My Sweet (Demo)
2. All My Sorrows
3. Sweet Nothin'
4. Rosalie
5. Sweets For My Sweets
6. Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya
7. Farmer John
8. Sugar And Spice
9. Some Other Guy
10. Needles And Pins
11. Saturday Night Out
12. Ain't That Just Like Me
13. Don't Throw Your Love Away
14. Sea Of Heartbreak
15. Someday We're Gonna Love Again
16. When You Walk In This Room
17. Love Potion # 9
18. What Have They Done To The Rain
19. Blowin' In The Wind
20. Memphis Tennessee (Live)
21. System
22. Goodbye My Love
23. Everybody Come Clap Your Hands
24. I Don't Want To Go On Without You
25. Bumble Bee
26. He's Got No Love
27. When I Get Home
28. Take Me For What I'm Worth
29. Four Strong Winds
30. Each Time
31. Take It Or Leave It
32. Have You Ever Loved Somebody
33. Popcorn Double Features
34. Western Union
35. Second Hand Dealer
36. Umbrella Man 
37. Somebody Shot
38. The Lollipop Man
39. Shoot 'Em Up Baby 
40. Kinky Kathy Abernathy 
41. For What It's Worth 
42. Desdemona 
43. Vahevala 
44. Solitaire
45. Spicks And Specks 
46. Hearts In Her Eyes 
47. Love's Melody 
48. Almost Saturday Night
49. Everything But A Heartbeat 
50. I Don't Want To Be The One 
51. Hollywood 
52. Innocent Victim 
53. Forever In Love 
54. Somebody Told Me You Were Crying 
55. Needles And Pins (1988 Version)