Two future members of 10CC languished in 1960s’ obscurity with The Mockingbirds.
How To Find A Lover—The Mockingbirds
- Track 70, disc 3
- Year: 1965
- From: Manchester, UK.
More about Nuggets II
Credits
1/19. YOU STOLE MY LOVE – The Mockingbirds (U.K.)
(Graham Gouldman)
PERSONNEL/GRAHAM GOULDMAN: vocals, guitar * STEVE JACOBSON: guitar * BERNARD BASSO: bass * KEVIN GODLEY: drums, vocals * [plus JULIE DRISCOLL: backing vocals]
Produced by CHARLES HARVEY * Directed by PAUL SAMWELL-SMITH & GIORGIO GOMELSKY
Recorded in London, England
Immediate single #IM-015 (1965)
The Mockingbirds
Graham Gouldman formed The Mockingbirds in 1964, with two members of his previous band, Whirlwinds, and drummer Kevin Godley.
Gouldman was a very successful songwriter in the mid-1960s. During 1965 and 1966, only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones spent more time on the UK charts.
Graham wrote “No Milk Today,” “Listen People,” “East West,” “Ooh She’s Done It Again”; he was just a phenomenal songsmith. I mean, everything he played to me, I loved. And it’s the construction. We turned down Carole King songs and Neil Diamond songs, but we never ever turned down a Graham Gouldman song.
Peter Noone, Herman’s Hermits
Somehow, Gouldman’s success as a songwriter didn’t translate to success for his own band.
Graham Gouldman’s songs were hits for The Yardbirds (“For Your Love,” “Heart Full Of Soul,” “Evil Hearted You”), The Hollies (“Look Through Any Window,” “Bus Stop”), and Herman’s Hermits (“No Milk Today”), but his own group couldn’t seem to crack the charts, despite some quality releases.
Their third single–“You Stole My Love,” released on Immediate Records in October 1965–is a case in point. Launched on the heels of two consecutive Gouldman-penned hits by The Yardbirds (and in the same month as a third), “You Stole My Love” has a haunting melody, a compelling guitar hook, and an exciting, dynamic arrangement–but saleswise it went nowhere.
Mike Stax, Nuggets liner notes
You Stole My Love
The Mockingbirds had already had their demo of ‘For Your Love’ rejected as being too uncommercial – before seeing The Yardbirds have a hit with it.
‘You Stole My Love’ is full of ideas, maybe too busy for its own good. It starts like a Hollies song and features lovely backing vocals from Julie Driscoll in the chorus. It changes time signatures after the chorus, switching from 4/4 to waltz time for the baroque-style bridge.
The Aftermath
The Mockingbirds recorded five singles in the 1960s, breaking up when they failed to succeed.
I was writing songs for everybody and anybody, but everything the Mockingbirds recorded was a failure and everything I gave away was a hit. Gradually I realized that the Mockingbirds weren’t going to make it, that there was some vital chemistry lacking.
Graham Gouldman
Gouldman and Godley enjoyed success with 10cc in the 1970s, with hits like ‘I’m Not In Love’ and ‘Dreadlock Holiday’. Gouldman revisited ‘You Stole My Love’ on his 2000 solo album And Another Thing…. – it’s a nice version, more streamlined than the original.
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It’s always fascinating how some songwriters have great success with others recording their songs, but not on their own or with their own bands. And I agree that Gouldman’s later solo version of “You Stole My Love” is superior.
Yeah, there are some interesting quotes in there about band chemistry etc. I think the slightly quirky approach of 10CC worked for Gouldman’s full-of-ideas songwriting.
That song was pretty good, Graham is a good song writer? Did he ever try to make it solo?
He’s made some solo albums, but he’s biggest as part of 10cc and as a behind-the-scenes writer in the 1960s.
Thanks…all of these years I still get Graham mixed up with Mitch Murray at times and they are night and day. Graham is so much better.
That really bites… that For Your Love was turned down…it all could have been different.
I love the intro to the song but I agree with your verdict…too much. It was like putting too many ingredients in a recipe. They had something good going with the intro. I don’t hate it…but it’s missing something.
I do like the solo version quite a bit.