Despite massive popularity in their home base (and state) of Tampa, FL, the most national success The Birdwatchers ever achieved was with this excellent Beatle-esque number which peaked at #125 in Billboard. The group even had some national exposure on the popular "Where The Action Is" TV show.
While the song may be a TAD bit slight, it's infectious and driven along by a great groove and excellent harmonies.
from 1966...
THE BIRDWATCHERS - I'M GONNA LOVE YOU ANYWAY
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2 comments:
Wow! This is the first time I've heard this recording. Yes Beatle-esque, with a little McCoys and Kinks and Gerry and the Pacemakers. What a combo --
Thanks for preserving the record and making it available. It captured the excitement of the music of the mid-sixties.
Hey, the band was actually *from* Tampa, but all of their music was recorded in South Florida. The Ft. Lauderdale / Miami area. The songs that charted locally were on the AM station WQAM (and another which I forget), which is now sports radio. I live in South Florida and can vouch for the station's locality.
Also, the song was said to have been heavily inspired by The McCoys' "Hang On Sloopy," which had taken the nation by storm.
Another fun fact: The Birdwatchers name is actually meant to mean the "girl" watchers, as "bird" is a British slang for "girl" and the band renamed themselves to The Birdwatchers from The Apollos just after the British Invasion.
Tons of more awesome information such as this on A Bit Like You And Me, if you'd like to stop by sometime.
Thanks for posting this great song!
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