The Yardbirds

“For Your Love” is an iconic song and one of my all time favourites. It also has a very cool and quirky video. That is the first time I have ever seen a piano with black keys. The song is also unusual in that it features a Harpsichord in it. “For Your Love” was a song released by the English group “The Yardbirds” in 1965. The Yardbirds formed in Swinging London in 1963.

Band Members and Name

The band’s members were Keith Relf, vocalist and harmonica player. Jim McCarty, Drummer, Chris Dreja, guitar and bass and producer Paul Samwell-Smith. Anthony Topham joined on lead guitar then left and was replaced by Eric Clapton in 1963. It is thought the name Yardbirds name came from Jack Kerouac’s novel “On the Road” and was in reference to Rail Yard Hobos.

For Your Love Band Members

This particular song featured Keith Relf as the lead vocalist, Eric Clapton on the guitar,
Chris Dreja on the guitar, Paul Samwell-Smith on bass and Jim McCarty on drums. Other musicians were brought in for the recording of this track which included Ron Prentiss for acoustic bass, Brian Auger for harpsichord and Denny Piercey on bongos.

For Your Love

“For Your Love” falls into the genre of Pop Rock and was their first Top Ten Hit in the UK, USA, Canada and Ireland. Their previous songs had more of a blues feel. Eric Clapton, an original member of the group did not like the direction the band took with this song and the commercial pop rock sound and quit the band the day it was released. He was replaced by Jeff Beck. Later Jeff Beck was replaced by Jimmy Page.

Graham Gouldman

The song was written by Graham Gouldman in his late teens. Originally for his band The Mockingbirds but their demo was rejected by Columbia at the time. It is thought the song was also rejected by Herman’s Hermits and The Animals. It found its way to the Yardbirds when their manager met Gouldman at a Beatles Christmas Show in 1964. Gouldman’s said his inspiration for the song was The Beatles.  “They were really my inspiration and gave me and I think a lot of other people the courage to actually do it. We all wanted to be like the Beatles”. (Wikipedia)  He was also thought to be influenced by The Animals.

Graham Gouldman and The Mockingbirds

“In 1965, the Mockingbirds began a regular warm-up spot for BBC TV’s Top of the Pops, transmitted from Manchester. Gouldman recalled: “There was one strange moment when the Yardbirds appeared on the show doing ‘For Your Love’. Everyone clamoured around them – and there I was just part of an anonymous group. I felt strange that night, hearing them play my song.” (Wikipedia)

Got to Hurry

The B side of For your Love was Got to Hurry. The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and were included in the Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

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(This post is by Anne-Marie at SupernaturalHippie.com – Not to be reproduced without prior consent.)