"Easier Said Than Done" is a popular song sung by The Essex that was a number-one song in the United States during 1963. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on July 6, 1963, and remained there for two weeks. The song was written by William Linton and Larry Huff.
Rock 'n' roll music of the fifties and early sixties was very deceptive. It came out at a time when the genre was not taken very seriously as a form of expression. While its commercial potential was undeniable, the music itself was dismissed as primitive, simplistic, and eminently disposable. And some of it was. However, much of it touched deeper chords in its intended audience than anyone ever expected. Case in point, "Easier Said Than Done," by the Essex, their biggest hit and a number-one single, which came out in the summer of 1963.
The Essex were active-duty members of the United States Marine Corps at the time, as was Linton, who wrote the song at the request of Essex member Walter Vickers. Linton said the song's rhythm was inspired by the sound of the Teletype machines in the communications office at Camp Lejeune. The group was not thrilled with the song, but recorded it for use as the B-side of their debut single, "Are You Going My Way". The recording was unusually short, and editing was used to repeat part of the recording; even so, the song was only a little over two minutes. The single was released in May 1963, but "Easier Said Than Done" quickly emerged as the more popular side. The song became a major hit with broad appeal, reaching number one on both the pop and rhythm and blues charts. The song became the title track of the group's first album, which reached number 113 on the Billboard album chart, becoming their only charting album.
No comments:
Post a Comment