5 MAN ELECTRICAL BAND 1969-75
The group's new single "It Never Rains On Maple Lane" b/w "Private Train" was a mild success in Canada; the A-side only made it to #67 on the charts, but after two weeks on the charts the single was flipped over and B-side "Private Train" made it into the top 40, peaking at #37. Their album, meanwhile, contained a mixture of new material and older recordings originally released as by The Staccatos (including "Half Past Midnight") and was similarly successful in Canada. But again, follow-up singles failed to click in Canada, and in the US, the band had still failed to chart at all. At the end of 1969, the band ended their relationship with Capitol and signed with MGM Records. .
The band's first two singles on MGM (released in 1970) struggled, both charting in the mid-50s in Canada, and missing the US charts altogether. The group's 1970 album Good-byes and Butterflies created a minor controversy with a front cover picture that featured a marijuana plant; the album was withdrawn and subsequently reissued with a new cover..
International success had still completely eluded the band when in 1971, their label reissued the second MGM single "Hello Melinda, Goodbye" b/w "Signs" with one crucial difference: the sides were reversed. Suddenly, the group's fortunes changed drastically. Disc jockeys and the public immediately took to "Signs" (written by Les Emmerson); it reached #4 in Canada, #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and went to #1 in Australia for nearly 2 months. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in August 1971..
A string of hits followed in the next few years: “Absolutely Right”, “Money Back Guarantee”, “Werewolf”, “I’m A Stranger Here” and several others, all written by Emmerson. Outside of Canada, most of these were minor hits, but the band continued with a steady flow of releases and concert dates. In 1972, the band issued Coming Of Age, their third album as Five Man Electrical Band. Emmerson, who was more interested in recording in the studio than in playing live, also established a parallel solo career in 1972. .
Around the same time, the group began to fracture. Mike Bell, now going by his birth name of Michael Belanger, left the group partway through the recording of their 1973 album Sweet Paradise, and bassist Brian Rading left just as the album was being finished. The album spun off a few hits, including "I'm A Stranger Here", their highest-ever charting hit in their native Canada. Emerson, Gerow and Rick Belanger consequently attempted to keep things going with new players for a time, but Five Man Electrical Band's days were numbered; while singles appeared in 1974 and '75, their chart success outside of Canada was minimal. .
Rick Belanger left the group in 1974, leaving Emmerson and Gerow as the only remaining permanent members of the ostensibly "Five Man" band. Shortly thereafter, when 1975's "Johnny Get A Gun" peaked at a lowly #69 in Canada, Emmerson and Gerow decided to throw in the towel, and Five Man Electrical Band quietly dissolved..
-- Signs Lyrics.
And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why He said you look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do So I took off my hat I said imagine that, huh, me working for you woah! .
Sign Sign everywhere a sign Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign.
And the sign said anybody caught trespassing would be shot on sight So I jumped on the fence and yelled at the house, Hey! what gives you the right To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in If God was here, he'd tell you to your face, man you're some kinda sinner.
Sign Sign everywhere a sign Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign..
Now, hey you Mister! can't you read, you got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat You can't even watch, no you can't eat, you ain't suppose to be here Sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside Uh! And the sign said everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all, I didn't have a penny to pay, so I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign I said thank you Lord for thinking about me, I'm alive and doing fine.
Sign Sign everywhere a sign Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind Do this, don't do that, cant you read the sign!.