BILL MESNIK OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS PRESENTS: THE SUNNY SIDE OF MY STREET - SONGS TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD - EPISODE #53: GLAD ALL OVER by The Dave Clark 5 (Epic, 1964)

DIG THIS WITH BILL MESNIK AND RICH BUCKLAND- THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS

It came roaring out of the car radio speakers like a sonic boom, powered by Dave Clark’s “Air Hammer” pulsating drum beats and Denis Payton’s beefy saxophone. (Clearly, this was inspirational to Clarence Clemons, when crafting Bruce Springsteen’s, E-Street sound.) Mike Smith, on double-tracked lead vocal and Vox organ may have looked like the leader, with his cute Paul McCartney face, but without a doubt this was the drummer’s party.

Dave Clark, (b.1939) is an entrepreneurial former stunt-man, who parlayed his Tottenham sound into a multi-million dollar concern; he owned all his masters from day one, re-releasing them, to universal acclaim, on CD in 1993; the other song writers in the group shared writing credits with Clark unquestioningly - even if he hadn’t written a line. The Dave Clark 5 started as a teenage skiffle group to raise funds for his school football team to go to the Netherlands, and, fittingly, this song became an anthem for several teams throughout the years. Can’t you just picture the screaming hordes bellowing GLAD ALL OVER when their team scores a goal?

Glad All Over nudged the indomitable Beatles’ I Want To Hold Your Hand off the UK’s #1 slot, and the band was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2008. It’s the pinnacle of Sunny Songdom - nothing but pure, adrenalized fun.