Tag: 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.

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