Y is for the Yardbirds (ABC Wednesday)

I was surprised to discover that The Yardbirds apparently still exist as a band in 2017, albeit with only one founding member, drummer Jim McCarty.

As the Rolling Stone bio indicates, they “may not have been as famous as their British Invasion contemporaries…, but the pioneering blues-based combo introduced three of the most famous and influential guitarists of the rock era: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.”

The original band was Keith Relf (vocals, harmonica); Anthony “Top” Topham and Chris Dreja (guitars), Paul “Sam” Samwell-Smith (bass), and McCarthy. Clapton joined the band in October 1963, replacing Topham, who was only 16 and forced to quit by his parents. But “Slowhand” left the group in March 1965 when they got less bluesy and more pop-driven; eventually he helped form Cream.

Clapton was replaced by Beck, through October 1966. Page joined in June 1966 until the last throes of the Yardbirds in July 1968. He then formed the New Yardbirds in October 1968, which evolved into Led Zeppelin.

Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja reformed the Yardbirds in 1992 with John Idan handling bass and lead vocals. Since then, the group has operated off and on with various band permutations, including, for a time, original guitarist Topham.

The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, with members Keith Relf, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, Paul Samwell-Smith, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page.

All references to chart action refers to the Billboard (US) Hot 100 pop charts.

Listen to:

Good Morning, School Girl (1964, Sonny Boy” Williamson cover) here or here
I Ain’t Got You (1965) here or here
I Wish You Would (1965, early single) here or here

For Your Love (#6 in 1965, written by Graham Gouldman; recording of this song drove Clapton out of the band) here or here
Heart Full Of Soul (#9 in 1965, Gouldman) here or here
I’m A Man (#17 in 1965) here
Train Kept A Rollin’ (1965) here or here
You’re a Better Man Than I (1965) here or here

Shape of Things (#11 in 1966, written by the band) here or here
Over Under Sideways Down (#13 in 1966, written by the band) here or here
Happening Ten Years Time Ago (#30 in 1966, written by the band) here or here

ABC Wednesday – Round 20

Author: Roger

I'm a librarian. I hear music, even when it's not being played. I used to work at a comic book store, and it still informs my life. I won once on JEOPARDY! - ditto. View all posts by Roger

15 thoughts on “Y is for the Yardbirds (ABC Wednesday)”

I considered the Yardbirds for Y, but then I knew, Roger, that you would have all this wonderful information, and I would probably only have a video. Thank you for this.

As I say so often…I guess I live under a rock.
Their music isn’t familiar to me at all.
Thanks for all the info though.

Lovely introduction, I had never heard of them before.

Don’t really remember them but your post is most informative as always ~ thanks, ^_^

As usual with British acts of this era, the US and UK albums differed; in one case, the American disc was named after the current single, which was “Over Under Sideways Down,” while the Brits picked up on an LP technically called Yardbirds but was universally referred to as Roger the Engineer, drawn by Chris Dreja for the cover.

Vaguely familiar. Can’t say I know any of their songs.

kinda bluesy

Yay for the Yardbirds!

A sound of the 60’s, very memorable.
Ann

I’m sure you’ve seen Blow-Up, which features the Yardbirds (with Page) playing the weirdest concert ever. Just bizarre. The movie is terrible, but I guess it’s something to see just because of its reputation.