Gerry Marsden Rip

[ranworthbreeze]

I was saddened to hear that Gerry Marsden died yesterday at a relatively early age of 78. It still riles me that their song You'll Never Walk Alone was revered by football fans rather than it being a classic hit.

 

[Maxwellian]

Not created as a football song, was part of carousel I think.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

I would say that it is a classic regardless. One thing I did find interesting was another track of theirs "I like it" was offered to The Beatles first who I thought wrote all their own songs.

[ranworthbreeze]

Gerry & the Pacemakers first three hits; How Do You Do It, I Like It and You'll Never Walk Alone. were hits whilst managed by Brian Epstein (the Beatles Manager).

 

[MaceSwinger]

34 minutes ago, Maxwellian said:

Not created as a football song, was part of carousel I think.

It was indeed, penned by the wonderful Rogers and Hammerstein. It appears twice, once in the second act after the leading lady's beloved has died, and again as a reprise for the finale. One of my favourite musicals, whether to watch, appear in on stage (as I did as a teenager) or to play the music from either in "the pit" or in concert. The opening piece, simply called "The Carousel Waltz" remains one of my favourite waltzes ever written.

It was also my late Nan's favourite piece of music. Play her that whilst moored up at Reedham, her favourite place, and she was a happy lady!

It'll always be more than just a football song to me for those reasons.

I'm rather too much of a sprog (at a spritely 36 years old) to have known loads of his music, but Ferry Across The Mersey was fantastic. His death truly is a loss.

[Vaughan]

This was all part of the "Mersea Beat" music which was "all the rage" at the time when I was a teenager.

It was not just the Beatles : there were so many others such as the Searchers and the Tremeloes, whose music is iconic.  What is more, it was British!  There was no American influence at that time.  In fact, they took it to America!

[JennyMorgan]

50 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

There was no American influence at that time.

Were Rodgers and Hammerstein not American? 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

50 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

 There was no American influence at that time. 

Most if not all musicians of that time listened to American music then took it forwards and created their sounds.

[Vaughan]

I had a feeling that might cause a discussion!

To me, as a teenager in that era of the "swinging sixties", it was British and most importantly, they were songs about how we all felt, as youngsters. The Beatles and their like, sang about young love. The passion, as well as the pain of it.