Los Bravos – Black Is Black

This song has always sounded really good…especially in headphones.  Los Bravos were a Spanish beat group quintet with a German lead singer named Mike Kogel. They were one of the few rock groups from a non-English speaking country to have an international hit, in part because they were one of the few Spanish acts to sing in English. They formed in 1965 and were based in Madrid.

The song peaked at #1 in Canada, #4 on the Billboard 100, and #2 in the UK in 1966. This song was written by the British team of Michelle Grainger, Tony Hayes, and Steve Wadey.

In America, the group followed this up with the unfortunately titled “Going Nowhere,” which reached #91 later in 1966. “Bring A Little Lovin” did a little better, going to #51 in 1968. In the UK, their only other chart entry was “I Don’t Care,” which went to #16 in 1966.

Vox Continental Organ

The organ you hear is a Vox Continental that Manuel Fernández played on this track. This instrument was used on many classic tracks from the ’60s, including “96 Tears” and “The House Of The Rising Sun.”

Kogel was not a native English speaker (he had to have the lyrics written out phonetically), and his vocals had unusual intonations. When this song was released…some thought Gene Pitney was singing it because Mike Kogel sounded so much like him.

The British producer Ivor Raymonde took a trip to that country and signed the group, who at the time were using the name Mike & The Runaways. He brought them to London and had them record “Black Is Black,” which was their first release as Los Bravos.

Black is Black

Black is black, I want my baby back
It’s grey, it’s grey, since she went away, oh oh
What can I do, ’cause I, I’m feelin’ blue

If I had my way, she’d be here today
But she’d go in time, and leave me to cry again, oh no
What can I do, ’cause I, I’m feelin’ blue

I can’t choose, it’s too much to lose when our love’s too strong
Maybe if she would come back to me, then I can’t go wrong

Bad is bad, that I feel so sad
It’s time, it’s time, that I felt peace of mind, oh oh
What can I do, ’cause I, I’m feelin’ blue

I can’t choose, it’s too much to lose when our love’s too strong
Maybe if she would come back to me, then I can’t go wrong

Black is black, I want my baby back
It’s grey, it’s grey, since she went away, oh oh
What can I do, ’cause I, I’m feelin’ blue

‘Cause I, I’m feelin’ blue, ’cause I, I’m feelin’ blue

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

39 thoughts on “Los Bravos – Black Is Black”

  5. Another great track, this. I remember @ 1977 La Belle Epoque did a really cheesy, disco cover of it. It was brilliant in its own way – a song us teenage limeys would shuffle around to while on one of our first holidays on Spain with our pals. (That’s about right, Paul, yeah? ) 😉 😀

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  6. I remember the song but didn’t know the band’s story. Thanks. I do remember thinking he sounded like Gene Pitney. The Vox Continental (along with the Farfisa copy/response) had a lot to do with the mid-60s sound before everyone realized the Hammond B-3 sounded so much better (unless you really wanted that sound). Augie Meyers (of the Sir Douglas Quintet and Texas Tornadoes) may be one of the few to stick with Vox throughout his career.

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  7. I wouldn’t have guessed this was sung by someone who didn’t speak English. He does have a unique accent, but I didn’t attribute it to anything other than region. This is another very-60s song. The opening line is delivered so clearly, it grabs the listener. It’s easy to hear and stay with.

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    1. And that organ constantly going over that riff makes it irresitable in some ways. I would have never thought he didn’t speak english.

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  12. Yep , as Lisa says. ‘I Don’t Care’ has one of the most insistent/persistent/irritating up front sound ever. There is an early-mid 60s Girl Group song, one of those Miracalette/Marvellette ones that has another brain drilling Vox or similar sound; but whoever it was escapes me now. Those shrill organ fills do my head in at times!

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      1. Having said that about the Vox, I do recall the Farfisa too. I saw a T shirt with the Farfisa logo on it- ‘that is one any guy in a band could wear ironically’ is what I thought at the time.

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      2. As I told someone else…when a B-3 Hammond came along…everything else didn’t matter to me as much…keyboard wise.

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  16. I liked this one as a kid, and even more as a teenager, just so exciting! I like that it was a Spanish band too, and it got a big makeover in 1977 by La Belle Epoque, a disco smash across Europe. Nothing like the original, but great fun in its own right 🙂

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