THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
650) The Redcoats — “Words of Wisdom”
Wonderful contemplative Beatlesque song by a NJ garage band that wanted to write wonderful Beatlesque songs. Richie Unterberger says that it “fall[s] squarely into the Beatles’ 1967 mode of bouncy, mid-tempo keyboard-dominated tunes and optimistic, cosmic-tinged lyrics.”(https://www.allmusic.com/album/meet-the-redcoats-finally-mw0000587837) While the song wasn’t publicly released until 2001, and it sounds like it was sung by John (Lennon, that is), I still cling to the belief that it inspired Paul to write “Let It Be”!
As to the Redcoats, Chris Bishop tells us that:
John Sprit decided to form a band in imitation of the Beatles, based around his songwriting. With . . . John on drums and his friend Mike Burke on lead guitar, they spotted Zach and Randy Bocelle of Absecon, NJ at an audition, and brought them in to fill the ‘roles’ of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, respectively, on rhythm guitar, bass and lead vocals. After intensive rehearsals in John Sprit’s family home in Wildwood, NJ, the Redcoats signed with Laurie for a 45 in the style of Herman’s Hermits, “The Dum Dum Song” / “Love Unreturned”, which did fairly well on a local level. It was released in October, 1965.
https://garagehangover.com/statesiders/
Unterberger adds that:
[They] were an extremely Beatlesque band that formed in Wildwood, NJ, in 1964. Just one single . . . was released on a small New York label. However, those two tracks and ten other songs were issued on Meet the Redcoats! Finally [in 2001]. Comprised wholly of original material, the material is pretty fair pseudo-Beatles in both their Merseybeat and Magical Mystery Tour phases, not to mention their Revolver and Beatles for Sale ones, too.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/redcoats-mn0001777865
In ‘66, the band (by then going by the Sidekicks) had a #55 hit with “Suspicions”.
Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
Please consider helping to support my website/blog by contributing $6 a month for access to the Off the Charts Spotify Playlist. Using a term familiar to denizens of Capitol Hill, you pay to play! (“relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment” — dictionary.com).
The playlist includes all the “greatest songs of the 1960’s that no one has ever heard” that are available on Spotify. The playlist will expand each time I feature an available song.
All new subscribers will receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock magnet. New subscribers who sign up for a year will also receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock t-shirt or baseball cap. See pictures on the Pay to Play page.
When subscribing, please send me an e-mail (GMFtma1@gmail.com) or a comment on this site letting me know an e-mail address/phone number/Facebook address, etc. to which I can send instructions on accessing the playlist and a physical address to which I can sent a magnet/t-shirt/baseball cap. If choosing a t-shirt, please let me know the gender and size you prefer.
Just click on the first blue block for a month to month subscription or the second blue block for a yearly subscription.
Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! / Off the Charts: 60s Rock Revelations 