When this single was released in December 1965 most baby boomers thought it was the Fab Four (the lead singer sounded like John Lennon). The single peaked at No. 20 in January 1966 (it was never released in the UK). One member of the band left a few years later to join The Righteous Brothers. What's the name of the song; and who were the these one-hit wonders?

Question

When this single was released in December 1965 most baby boomers thought it was the Fab Four (the lead singer sounded like John Lennon). The single peaked at No. 20 in January 1966 (it was never released in the UK). One member of the band left a few years later to join The Righteous Brothers. What's the name of the song; and who were the these one-hit wonders?

Question #148981. Asked by gtho4.
Last updated Sep 08 2022.
Originally posted Aug 22 2022 1:44 AM.

odo5435
Answer has 8 votes

Currently Best Answer

odo5435
12 year member
148 replies

Answer has 8 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.

Until researching this question, I had thought that this song WAS sung by the Fab Four. As they say- "You learn something new every day".

The single - 'Lies'
The band - The Knickerbockers
The performer - Jimmy Walker (who, in 1968, replaced Bill Medley in The Righteous Bros)

The Knickerbockers were a New Jersey band but ‘Lies’ sounded very British, mimicking a Lennonesque Beatles. Songwriter Beau Charles says he deliberately made the song to sound like the British Invasion.

https://www.noise11.com/news/jimmy-walker-of-the-knickerbockers-dies-20200717

Within the article is a link to YT showing one of The Knickerbockers performances. Decide for yourself whether the group achieved their objective.

Response last updated by odo5435 on Aug 22 2022.
Aug 22 2022, 5:38 AM

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Answer 1

My first exposure to this song was Linda Ronstadt's edgier cover of it in 1982.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywY_ppvyj-Y

I agree that the Knickerbockers pulled off a good facsimile of the Beatles' sound of the era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I_bG4VBHCU The illusion would have dissipated if their singer had actually played the saxophone he held in this performance.

Answer 2

>> The illusion would have dissipated if their singer had actually played the saxophone he held in this performance.

Found this last night. The lead singer plays the sax in this performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Jhb_avmsQ&list=RDe3Jhb_avmsQ&start_radio=1

Answer 3

>>Found this last night. The lead singer plays the sax in this performance:
link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Jhb_avmsQ&list=RDe3Jhb_avmsQ&start_radio=1

He does indeed put the sax to his lips in that performance, but I don't detect any saxophone sounds. These shows typically had the band lip synch to their record, which I think is the case here, so the aural illusion was maintained.

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