#163 – Chains with Susan Cowsill (singer, songwriter; The Cowsills)

This 1963 album Please Please Me album track is a great example of the Beatles understanding the value in digging through record store racks for songs other bands weren’t playing. “Chains,” a Goffin/King song gave George Harrison a vocal spotlight on the Beatles’ debut album, and a place for their impeccable three part harmonies to have a home. There’s a great innocence to this track, as the band’s love of R&B and girl groups shines through on this song. Maybe it’s a lightweight track, but good grief it sure is catchy, and they sing the hell out of it.

We’re honored to have rock and roll royalty join us this week on the podcast. At the age of 8, Susan Cowsill joined her brothers and mother in the family band The Cowsills, and hit the charts with classics like “The Rain, The Park, and Other Things,” “Indian Lake,” “Hair,” and “Love American Style.” The band would serve as the blueprint for The Partridge Family in the early 1970s, but have had an amazing career of their own. Susan has the unique perspective of being on the charts at the same time as the Beatles, and has some great stories to go along with it. In addition to a busy solo career with her own music and working on other’s records, she’s still touring with her brothers Bob and Paul, and they can be heard this summer on the Happy Together tour, which is one of the most fun shows you can catch if you love great 60s pop and rock. They’ve also got their own podcast, The Cowsills Podcast, and it’s a great glimpse into the fun these siblings are still having after all these years. Susan’s on the the BEST voices in rock and pop history, one of the nicest people in the game, and we’re so happy to have her on our show!

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