Top 10 Songs By The Fourmost

Feature Photo: Trent Williams III, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 The Fourmost Songs list presents the best songs by The Fourmost including the hits “A Little Lovin,’ “Hello Little Girl” and more. After best friends Brian O’Hara and Joey Bower opted to form the band known as Two Jays in 1957, it didn’t take long before the roster increased to four bandmates with the inclusion of Billy Hatton and Brian Redman. Now becoming the Four Jays, the group would later increase from a four-man band to five in 1961 with Mike Millward, then six in 1962 with Dave Lovelady. Now as a six-man band, the Four Jays officially changed its name to Fourmost. The start of Fourmost’s recording career saw a number of singles performed by the group that was originally penned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. In 1965, the group recorded and released their only studio album of the decade, First and Fourmost.

Cutting Losses & Ties

When Mike Millward died suddenly in 1966 from leukemia, his death shook his Fourmost bandmates, as well as the fans. Taking his place as the group’s rhythm guitarist was George Peckham who stayed with the group for three years before he left and was replaced by Joey Bower. As of 1980, the majority of Fourmost went their own way to pursue other interests, leaving only O’Hara to carry on with a new roster of band members.

Eventually, O’Hara sold the band’s name and dropped out of the roster himself. In 1999, O’Hara committed suicide, the same year EMI Records released a CD stereo version of the group’s original 1965 album. In 2018, the only surviving member left of the original Fourmost band, Dave Lovelady, joined a group of other infamous acts from the 1960s for their Sensational 60s Experience Tour. Technically, Fourmost is still in business as a band but the roster now features Kevin Clarkson, Lee Clarkson, Matt Johnson, and Des Thurlby.

The Fourmost Discography

There were two studio albums recorded and released by Fourmost. The first was in 1965, titled First and Fourmost. The second was in 1975, The Fourmost. In 2005, a compilation album version of First and Fourmost was released before the CD and DVD recording release of The Fourmost Live at The Club Tropicana. Its 2007 release featured the lineup of Kevin Clarkson, Bill Haisman, John Richards, and Gary Pearson. In total there were thirteen singles released, along with a number of cover songs originally recorded and released by other artists, namely The Beatles, as the lineup of The Fourmost was heavily influenced and inspired by this iconic group.

Top 10 The Fourmost Songs

#10 – The ‘In’ Crowd

Originally performed by Dobie Gray, 1864’s “The ‘In’ Crowd” was a song covered by Fourmost in 1965 that featured Mike Millward as lead vocalist. Inspired by Gray’s powerful Motown performance, Millward’s version featured an impressive brass section from the instrumental British instrumental pop group, Sounds Incorporated. Although not released as a single, this incredible version served as a decent feather in Millward’s cap before he lost his battle with leukemia and died suddenly in 1966.

In this musical testimony as members of “The ‘In’ Crowd,” they share their euphoric feeling as people treated with a better level of respect by a population that otherwise wouldn’t give them much notice. As a band, the Fourmost were very popular in the cabaret circuit and still perform today, albeit it with a brand new lineup since their humble 1960s beginnings.

#9 – Rosetta

“Rosetta” was among many songs previously recorded by the Beatles that would also be performed by Fourmost. With Paul McCartney himself playing piano on the version covered by Fourmost, this 1968 single was recorded and released by the CBS record label as a suggestion made by Paul McCartney. This would be among the final studio recordings Fourmost did as they shifted focus to perform in the cabaret circuit instead.

They became very popular as a group after deciding to do so. As for “Rosetta,” the incredible song was released as a single by Fourmost but it never made an impression on any of the official music charts. This easy-listening musical of a love interest has remained a cult favorite among the fans who are just in love with this somewhat playful tune as the narrator is with his special “Rosetta.”

#8 – Auntie Maggie’s Remedy

George Formby’s “Auntie Maggie’s Remedy” was covered by the Fourmost as a comedic single in 1966 and was well-received by the fans and the music critics despite its failure to make an impression on any of the official music charts. The Fourmost was best known for covering musical material previously recorded by other artists and was very successful on the cabaret music scene, especially throughout the UK region. For Fourmost, “Auntie Maggie’s Remedy” expanded the group’s musical repertoire with the addition of comedy put into their act.

#7 – Here, There and Everywhere

The love ballad, “Here, There and Everywhere,” was one of several songs Fourmost covered that was first recorded by the Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, this single was recorded and released by both bands in 1966. Despite its regard as one of the greatest songs of all time by some critics in the music industry, it never became a big hit on any of the official music charts. It was, and still is, a fan favorite who found this incredible love song timeless. The inspiration behind “Here, There and Everywhere” came from one of Brian Wilson’s biggest hits, “God Only Knows.”

#6 – I’m in Love

In 1963, “I’m in Love” peaked at number seventeen on the UK Singles Chart as the second single released by Fourmost to become a hit for the Merseybeat band. Merseybeat was a popular form of pop music in the Liverpool, England music scene during the 1960s that fused rock and roll, skiffle, and traditional pop to form its own musical sound. In 1964, along with the musical British Invasion, the influence of this music style worked started to become popular in Canada and the United States of America. “I’m in Love” was credited to the writing team of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and was one of many singles Fourmost covered as part of their own discographic portfolio.

#5 – How Can I Tell Her

“How Can I Tell Her” was a number thirty-three hit on the UK Singles Chart, a single that was released by Fourmost in 1964. Fourmost’s combination of march-style music with pop features the group’s concern about how to approach the love interest that has won over their heart. As one of the few original recordings released by Fourmost, it was also among the group’s most successful. With a Beatles-like sound to this talent pool, Fourmost’s “How Can I Tell Her” served as a representation of how likable they were as recording artists and stage performers. The shy boy innocence behind this song saw the lyrics every bit as playful as the instruments that made this song a crowd-pleasing classic.

#4 – Girls Girls Girls

Originally recorded by The Coasters in 1961, “Girls Girls Girls,” was also covered by Elvis Presley in 1962 as part of the soundtrack of a movie he starred in also titled Girls Girls Girls. In 1965, Fourmost covered this single well enough for it to become a hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking as high as number thirty-three there while in Australia at number twenty-one. Their version met with better chart success than The Coasters’ original, which only charted as high as number ninety-six on the US Billboard Hot 100, and Elvis Presley’s version, which peaked at number fifty in Belgium. The group’s infatuation with the ladies was just so well played by Fourmost that it understandably became a comedic favorite, especially with the Chipmunk-style infusion that bridged into this highly entertaining number.

#3 – Baby I Need Your Loving

Originally released in 1964 by the Four Tops, what was a major R&B hit for the quartet became a number twenty-four hit by Fourmost on the UK Singles Chart after they recorded this single the same year. It was also charted as high as number sixty-three in Australia. While Fourmost may not have shared the epic-level success the Four Tops did with their version, it was still enough to impress the UK fan base with their pop-style coverage of this all-time classic.

#2 – Hello Little Girl

On the UK Singles Chart, “Hello Little Girl” was a number nine hit after it was released as The Fourmost’s debut single in 1963. Penned by John Lennon but also credited to Paul McCartney, this was a song The Beatles performed during a 1962 audition that failed to win the Fab Four a recording contract with Decca Records. In 1963, it was recorded and released as a single by The Fourmost after O’Hara received it as a demo tape by The Beatles a few days beforehand. The magnificent performance of the Fourmost while performing this single witnessed them at their rhythmic best, earning them the right to be called one of the best musical talents the UK had to offer.

#1 – A Little Lovin

“A Little Lovin'” became a number six hit on the UK Singles Chart after it was released in 1964, as well as a number ninety-eight hit in Australia. It was not only one of Fourmost’s highest-charted hits but it also served as the final occasion the group would realize a top twenty hit in their home nation throughout the duration of their career as recording artists.

“A Little Lovin'” served as the Fourmost’s signature hit as the narrator made a request from his love interest to give him some love before he embarks on what would be a lengthy amount of time away. As one of the original songs released from The Fourmost’s collection of recordings, this upbeat love song justifiably won over the UK audience in a big way.