features in: Album Chart of 1968 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s |

Now finding themselves out of favour in the States, the UK would now be graced with the new Dave Clark Five LP, “5 By 5 = GO!: 14 Titles By Dave Clark Five” (EMI Columbia SCX 6309), released in November 1968. Of course, in true DC5 fashion things were even a bit messy at that as three of tracks had previously featured on American LP’s - “A Little Bit Now” (Everybody Knows, 1968), “When I’m Alone” (Having A Wild Weekend, 1965) and “I Still Need You” (Satisfied By You, 1966). Most of the recordings are reportedly new although a few of the other titles are previously uneleased from the vaults, with recording dates unspecified. It’s a new “A-list” album by the skin of it’s teeth…
Side 1 (subtitled the GO!! side) opens with the outright soulful stomp of the aforementioned “A Little Bit Now” (a fine cover of the old Majors hit) and immediately moves on to a stoner rock vibe with “Maze Of Love”. confused.com already. All things to all men can never be done - their biggest folly in my un-humble opinion. “Return My Love” reverts to what you’d expect from the DC5 - a well driven, harmony laden stomp, this time dramatically led with a classically infused yet pumping piano. Jerry Lee will be proud. Denis Payton’s understated sax accompaniment really makes it happen on this one. He’s long been a bit of an unsung hero in this band. Generally, the GO!! side is their rockiest yet, keyboard infused blues, proper digging on The Yardbirds and The Doors. Having said that, the side closes with “The Red Balloon”, a good fun pop-bop, Scaffold-inspired cover of the tune done by Raymond Froggatt earlier in 1968. Could’ve been a Eurovison stormer! Amazingly, it’s Dave Clark who takes lead vocal for the first time in the band’s recorded history! A monumental moment in the DC5 story. And hey, whaddya know, the boy’s got a fair bit of character - and he can hold a tune.
Side 2 (subtitled the SLOW!! side) opens with a big production, saccharine laced cover of The Drifters “Please Stay”. There are two potential approaches here. a) Reach for the bucket and spewforth. b) Sing along lustily. You’ll feel better with b. That’s what I do ;-) It’s the old Engelbert-as-ironic approach. “Devoted To You” goes down the Flying Burrito Brothers route. I’m not too convinced. That ever-present underlying MOR threat rears it’s ugly head on “34-06” as the entirety of side 2 fails to inspire, eventually plummeting to Bachelors-like hell for the closing “No-One Can Break A Heart Like You”. What a strange old band they were to be sure…
The Jukebox Rebel
24–Mar–2013
Tracklist |
A1 | [02:45] ![]() |
A2 | [02:37] ![]() |
A3 | [02:56] ![]() |
A4 | [02:37] ![]() |
A5 | [02:08] ![]() |
A6 | [02:10] ![]() |
A7 | [03:02] ![]() |
B1 | [03:17] ![]() |
B2 | [02:53] ![]() |
B3 | [02:06] ![]() |
B4 | [02:47] ![]() |
B5 | [02:30] ![]() |
B6 | [02:21] ![]() |
B7 | [02:36] ![]() |