Ray Brown and the Whispers — “Go to Him”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — November 14, 2023

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD

1,015) Ray Brown and the Whispers — “Go to Him”

This ’65 B-side is one of Brown’s crowning achievements and “one of the great hidden classics of ’60s Aussie pop” — “an incredible chunk of driving proto-garage-psych that stands out like the proverbial shag on a rock”, a “fantastic, hard-driving piece of doomed-love pop”. (MILESAGO: Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964-1975, http://www.milesago.com/artists/raybrown.htm)

Alec Paleo writes that:

Brown was to record two songs [“Go to Him” and “Ain’t It Strange” (see #365)] that could be at the very least regarded as the definitive interpretations, if not complete rewrites, and together they stand as the highlights of his recorded output. “Go to Him” was originally an obscure quasi-Mersey record by LA combo the London Knights [more on this, and all the music industry skulduggery involved, later!]. Brown’s version . . . increases the dramatic tension of the song considerably, via Lawrie Barclay’s 12-string riff and a magnificently brooding atmosphere.

liner notes to the CD comp Hot Generation!: 1960s Punk from Down Under

Milesago adds:

“Go to Him” is . . . pure sonic adventure, one of those rare and extraordinary B-sides that almost eclipses the main event. . . . [I]t’s apparently a cover of an obscure song by LA garage band The London Knights, the B-side of their only single [Don’t believe it!] . . . . alternating between minor and major major key from verse to chorus. Lyrically it depicts the narrator realising that his girl loves another, that he can’t compete, conceding defeat and telling her to go to her new lover. But the real feature is the outstanding production, and much credit is due to lead guitarist Al Jackson. Playing 12-string lead, fed through a vibrato circuit, Al [or Lawrie!] harnessed the clanging reverberation of Festival’s tiled studio walls to get a brilliant, chiming guitar sound which gives the song its remarkable character. His lead lines and rhythm work throughout are superb and the solo is an absolute corker. By combining the guitar with an electric organ (presumably played by Lawrie) which was also put through a vibrato unit, the band created a shimmering bed of sound, spiced by the judicious use of the tubular bells . . . in the chorus. Propelled by the Whispers’ booming rhythm section, Ray’s urgent vocal caps [it] off . . . .

http://www.milesago.com/artists/raybrown.htm

Milesago gives a definitive summation of Brown’s story:

Ray Brown & the Whispers were in the vanguard of the first wave of Australian beat pop, from 1964-67, and during their brief career they were one of the most successful and celebrated bands in the country. Aided by his boyish good looks and considerable charm, singer Ray Brown [was] one of the most popular stars of the period, and The Whispers are now widely recognised as being one of its most accomplished bands. Although they enjoyed unprecedented success at the time, the group was short-lived, and their contribution to Australian music, both during and after the beat boom, is still sadly under-appreciated. . . . Probably the Whispers’ greatest love . . . was American soul and R&B, [of which] they were tireless champions . . . . Their first major break came late in 1964 when they secured the gig as resident band at Sydney’s Surf City and The Beach House . . . . Within a short time the Whispers were regularly pulling in 2000 punters per night on Fridays and Saturdays, and by the new year they were rivalling The Easybeats for popularity in Sydney. . . . Their rise to national fame was meteoric — in just six months they scored four Top 5 hits in a row in Sydney, including their record achievement — still unbroken — of three consecutive #1 hits from their first three releases! They were also among the most prolific recording outfits of the day, with a nine singles, ten EPs and five albums to their credit in in little more than two years. . . . They made regular appearances on all the major pop TV shows and were reputedly so popular that during a Queensland tour, some country towns were given a special holiday to mark their arrival. . . . [B]ehind the scenes, business problems were making things increasingly difficult for the band . . . . The team came unstuck mainly due to management hassles — Ray had been under 21 . . . at the time he signed his first contract, and had virtually no control over his career. It took more than a year for him to extricate himself from this predicament, and as a result Ray and the original Whispers split at the end of 1966 . . . .

http://www.milesago.com/artists/raybrown.htm

Oh, and Happyolddude adds:

I saw Ray Brown and The Whispers sing this live at Surf City in Sydney late 1965. Both versions are good but Browns version flows better and does not have the vocal background. Also the instrumental part is more dominant. On that same night were three young boys then named Barry Gibb and The Bee Gees and The Whispers backed them up. Awesome night and better still I cracked a bird!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pLTEXU-JPQ

OK, on to the backstabbing. KevinWong6588 writes:

Actually recorded as a 1963 demo by UK band The Foursights [an “[e]arly 1960s UK beat group from Leicester” (Discogs, https://www.discogs.com/artist/3508683-The-Four-Sights-2)], later released as a single in U.S. in 1965. The London Knights were often billed as an obscure Los Angeles garage band with a 1965/1966 release on the Mike label, but later confirmed to be actually a 1963 demo by The Foursights and not a American group. Writer/producer Bess Coleman was a friend of Jackie DeShannon and a press officer for the Beatles under Epstein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pLTEXU-JPQ

Foursight member Tim Airey:

[W]e made a second demo and the record from that was supposed to have been released in the States under the name of “The London Knights.” However, the story we were fed is that the tapes of the original recording were messed up by the studio sound engineer and so the record was never released. But then, out of the blue, during the first week of March 2003, I received the following E-mails from Lyndsay in TooWoomba, Australia:

“Hello Tim, This is a long story, but I’m hoping you can help me out: I’ve been researching the original versions of Australian pop records from the 50s, 60s & 70s. My ultimate aim is to put this data up on a website, if I ever get organised enough. In 1966, top Aussie band “Ray Brown & The Whispers” had a #1 hit here called “Fool, Fool, Fool.” The B-side, a song called “Go To Him,” has become a much-loved oldie – a kind of a cult classic, you could say. Up till now, my research has led to a Los Angeles band called the “London Knights,” a name you mention on your Foursights webpage! The mystery for Aussie music nuts like me has always been that Ray Brown’s Aussie version came out in 1965; whereas, the London Knights’ version is apparently from 1966. In spite of this, Ray Brown’s is still referred to as a “cover version.” Now, your Foursights webpage appears to clear up that mystery, since the Foursights recorded the original in 1963! One puzzle remains: Your page says that the “London Knights” reissue never happened because the tapes were messed up, yet there does appear to have been a 1966 release by the London Knights, on the Mike label (#MK 4200). . . . I’ve had an e-mail from Artie Wayne, who is credited with Bess Coleman as co-writer . . . of “Go To Him.” Artie tells me he remembers recording “Go To Him” with “The London Knights,” and remembers Bess’s brother Bill. . . . The only thing I’m wondering now: is it possible (since the original demo came to nought) that Bill Coleman re-recorded the song later with Artie Wayne? That’s just a hunch, and probably way off mark, but I’d be interested to hear from you (if you’re still reading this!). Cheers, Lyndsay Martin in Toowoomba, Australia.”

. . . . When I played the mp3, I realised immediately that it was, in fact, the Foursights singing on the original demo from 1963. There was no mistaking Dave’s voice. It was not the US “London Knights” at all. . . . Overall, I think there was some deceit involving us . . . who were told that the demo was a no go because the original tapes were no ruined. We were young naive teenagers and I think that we were deliberately kept in the dark (if not outright deceived). . . . [W]e received not a penny for our released record on the Columbia label.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050508080109/www.leicesterandleicestershire.com/Foursights.htm

Here are the London Knights/Foursights:

I have added a Facebook page for Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock! If you like what you read and hear and feel so inclined, please visit and “like” my Facebook page by clicking here.

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.