Written by: Leiber-Stoller
Recorded: 1 January 1962
Producer: Mike Smith
Released: 21 November 1995
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass
John Lennon: backing vocals, rhythm guitar
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar
Pete Best: drums
Available on:
Anthology 1
The Beatles recorded a version of Searchin', a 1957 hit for The Coasters, during their ill-fated audition for Decca on 1 January 1962.
Searchin' was the song that helped The Coasters cross over from the R&B charts to rock 'n' roll stardom. Its b-side, Young Blood, was also recorded by The Beatles, during a June 1963 recording session for the BBC radio show Pop Go The Beatles.
The Quarrymen had played Searchin' from their earliest days, following the news that someone in Liverpool was in possession of a copy. The single was released in March 1957, just two months before John Lennon first met Paul McCartney.
A rumour reached town one day that there was a man over the hills who had the record Searchin' by The Coasters. Colin [Hanton], the drummer with John's skiffle group, knew him and so there was a great trek to find the man, and indeed we found him. And relieved him of it. It was too big a responsibility for him to keep. We couldn't return it. We just had to have it; it was like gold dust. Searchin' became a big number with The Beatles; we always used to do it at the Cavern.
Anthology
Searchin' is believed to have been the final song performed during the group's audition for Decca Records in 1962. With its novelty vocals, including some uneasy falsetto and unconvincing American accent from McCartney, the song gave little indication of The Beatles' rock 'n' roll
The Decca recording was released on Anthology 1 in 1995, although the introduction was omitted; the full version has circulated on bootleg recordings since the 1970s.
In 1982 Searchin' was one of eight songs chosen by Paul McCartney as his Desert Island Discs.
Lyrics
Gonna find her
Gonna find her
Well searchin', mama
Yeah, honey searchin'
Searchin' every which a-way, yeah yeah
Oh lord I've gone searchin'
My good lord, searchin'
You know honey
Searchin' every which a-way, yeah yeah
But like that northwest Mountie, yeah
You know I'll bring her in some day
Gonna find her
Gonna find her
Well Charlie Chan, Simon Smith
Got nothin', child, on a-me
Sergeant Friday and a-Peter Gunn
And, ooh, Alan B
No matter where she's hiding
She's gonna see me coming
Gonna walk right down that street
Like a Bulldog Drummon
Yeah 'cause I'm searchin'
Whoa, honey, searchin'
Oh my goodness
Searchin' every which a-way, yeah yeah
But like a northwest Mountie
You know I'll bring her in some day
Gonna find her
Gonna find her
Well now Charlie Chan, Simon Smith
Got nothin', child, on a-me
Sergeant Friday and a-Peter Gunn
And ooh Alan B
Yeah, 'cause no matter where she's a-hidin'
She's gonna see me comin'
I'm gonna walk right down that street
Like a Bulldog Drummon
Ah searchin', yeah
Searchin', oh my my goodness
Searchin' every which a-way, yeah yeah
But like a northwest Mountie
You know I'll bring her in some day
Gonna find her
Gonna find her
Yeah yeah lord, gonna find her
I'm gonna find her
'Gonna find her, Gonna find her'
Yeaaaaaaaah - searchin'......
This is the best pre-fab song, cover, performance, or whatever (including Some Other Guy)
A head banger... For real. Heavy guitar strummin, pulsing drums, bass, and an outstanding freeway vocal by Paul...
Smooth backing by Lennon/Harrison.(Gonna find her)
This rocks!
It's only flaw is: it's too darn short.
And the sound quality's poor, - though it has this Beatles-in-the-garage kind of charms...
Should've been a 9 minute strumm-a-long, like the Velvet Underground used to go on and on and on and louder and heavier...
(Gonna find her) Yeah-heah, cus I'm searchin'
X