Imagine you're in the sixties, and your favourite group has just released a new album. Well, this is it : "The BBC Sessions" ! The chance to hear that elusive B-side from their initial single "Is It Love" ; a lot of never-before-available songs: "Hello Josephine", "Watch Your Step", "(You´ve Been A) Bad Girl", "Dr. Feelgood", The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black", Buffalo Springfield's "Mr. Soul" and "Bluebird" ; tracks previewed on the BBC long before they got an official recording: "Hands Off !", "If I Were A Carpenter", "Run Colorado" ; and Harman, Wilson, Davies, Amey & Dymond going psychedelic on the back of their hits with their own "She´s So Good", "The Sun Goes Down", "Please", "Still Life". All these, played live in the studio, will be reviewed here one by one, including the Top Of The Pops songs that were not found in the BBC Archives : "Dancing In The Street", "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"... From A (A Bad Girl) to Z (Zabadak) here they come (not alphabetical, but in random order)
"The Rolling Stones only did about 12 BBC sessions, and so the fact that The Beatles did 52 is absolutely phenomenal".
Compared to these, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich totalled 96 BBC Sessions, including 44 week-long bookings that add up to 181 days more. The grand total of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich appearances at the BBC would then amount to 277, in 3 ½ years between April 1966 and October 1969.
(YOU'VE BEEN A) BAD GIRL
(You’ve Been A) Bad Girl is the jewel of the BBC sessions !
The only unreleased DDDBM&T track that was not a cover, but was penned by the group. The booklet included with the BBC CD's credits the song to "Harman/Wilson/Davies/Amey/Dymond" - as were all the songs written by the group in 1966/67, whether the five of them were involved or not. But the "Top Of The Pops" disc has the host, Brian Matthew, stating it is Dave Dee's songwriting.
(You’ve Been A) Bad Girl was first broadcast on 20 May 1967 on Saturday Club, and later included on the Top Of The Pops Transcription Disc n°147, dated 22 September 1967. Here's how Mario Sienknecht described it in Zabadak #3: An up-tempo number, very straightforward, fine vocals by Dave with background chorus by the rest of the band. Nice little guitar solo in the middle, very catchy, a melody you've heard two or three times before you are able to sing along to it. A hit!
But there again, we have two versions of the song, with a very subtle nuance. The second verse starts with "Once upon a time I thought our love was so great", followed by [I] "Thought it was impossible..." This "I" being added only in the second take, from this Transcription Disc.
Coincidentally, Paul Revere & The Raiders, the American "Teeny Bop" group Dave Dee & Co. have often been compared to, also left an unreleased track from their "Spirit Of '67" LP from January 1967 called: (You're A) Bad Girl. On 13 January 1967, Paul Jones released his second single: I’ve Been A Bad, Bad Boy.
FRUSTRATION
This song was a highlight of their first album in June 1966, and also became the B-side of "Hard To Love You" in Holland (and New-Zealand). In Argentina it even became the A-side (Hideaway being relegated to the flip). A characteristic Dave Dee & Co stomper, which they liked so much they still sang it through 1967. A live version (2:48) from the Pop Festival in Paris in June 1967 is available, where Dave Dee tends to stretch the song with 60 seconds of Oh! Oh! Oh! at the end. Probably inspired by the Stones' (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Frustration is the usual song constructed around 1st verse/2nd verse/guitar solo/repeat of 2nd verse. And this is the version broadcast on "Top Of The Pops" by the BBC, and known since 1986 (cf. Zabadak n°3). But the version found on the Official BBC Sessions is different : 1st verse/2nd verse/guitar solo/repeat of 1st verse (with a few differences when Dave shouts here and there, especially ad-libbing at the end). Since the song was featured on 2 "Top Of The Pops" programs in Summer 1966, and again in 2 more "Top Of The Pops" programs in Autumn 1967, then there must be at least two takes, the "official" one being the first (2:26), taped in 1966, as stated in the CD notes. The other one (2:31), closer to the album version, was probably taped at the BBC studios in Autumn 1967. This second take is quite different in the guitar treatment : a kind of wah-wah effect can be heard throughout, a little like that used on "I'll Love You".
DANCING IN THE STREET
In Zabadak n°3, from December 1986, Mario Sienknecht wrote his comments on the available Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich "Live Tapes" :
This is Martha Reeves & the Vandellas' classic done in much the same style than the original. Dave Dee's lead vocals are accompanied by some fine backing vocals from the other members of the band. As it's quite a short song there are no solos. Again this one was not released on record but most probably it was done onstage. Remember in 1966 to 1968 it was a common thing for white bands to perform soul songs which were very popular at the time. (Page 8)
Unfortunately, this song could not be found in the BBC archives. On tape, it is introduced by Brian Matthew thus : "...Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich! And it’s a good thing Dave Dee’s not still a copper ‘cos he’s Dancing In The Street!" And it is followed in a sort of medley by "Help Me". So it probably dates from late '66 or rather early '67. The track lists from the Transcription Discs made in the first half of 1967 are not available.
Danish Radio, Top of the Pops, 1967: Dancing In The Street/Help Me (Medley)
HELP ME
Once again, we have two BBC versions of this Rock'n'Roll track sung by Beaky. He can also be seen lip-synching the words in a show broadcast by Norwegian TV in 1967.
The "official" version made available on CD was recorded on 6 February 1967, and broadcast in Saturday Club five days later. There's another version, practically identical, that has been circulating among collectors. Only the guitar solo played by Tich Amey is a bit different... The song is only 3 seconds shorter, ending with a shouted "Hey" on the last drum roll.
This version comes from a "Top Of The Pops" Transcription Disc, made around the same time, and also presented by Brian Matthew. Dancing In The Street/Help Me are played in a kind of Medley, both parts being introduced by the D.J.
Check the Covers section to read about the original version made by Steve Rowland.
BBC Sessions
This song was a highlight of their first album in June 1966, and also became the B-side of "Hard To Love You" in Holland (and New-Zealand). In Argentina it even became the A-side (Hideaway being relegated to the flip).
Once again, we have two BBC versions of this Rock'n'Roll track sung by Beaky. 
