Usually, when we here at American Songwriter include a video link to a song we’re profiling in an article like this, we tend to use the original studio recording wherever possible. The idea is to give you the best possible representation.
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But in the case of Freddie and the Dreamers, one of the most unique bands to have success within the British Invasion, we had to give you a clip of one of their performances of “I’m Telling You Now,” their biggest U.S. hit. It’s the only way to properly display what these guys were about.
Like Dreamers Do
Freddie Garrity did a little bit of everything before showbiz shined its light on him, including a gig as a milkman. In the ‘50s, the Manchester native, like many other British youngsters of the era, got caught up in the skiffle craze and began forming bands.
One of those bands, the Kingfishers, eventually morphed into Freddie and the Dreamers. Other members of the band at the time they caught fire in Great Britain in the early ‘60s included guitarists Roy Crewdson and Derek Quinn, drummer Bernie Dwyer, and bassist Peter Birrell.
The Dreamers generally relied upon cover songs and material from other songwriters. Mitch Murray, who provided hits for Gerry and the Pacemakers like “How Do You Do It” (originally intended for The Beatles), co-wrote “I’m Telling You Now” with Garrity, and it hit No. 2 in England in 1963.
The Shtick and the Hit
The music was only part of the story with Freddie and the Dreamers and that’s probably for the best, because their output was a bit slight compared to some of the other British Invasion bands. Garrity was a fearless showman out in front of the group, prone to letting loose with wild yelps on the mic, pulling faces, and leaping wildly about.
His most memorable technique for grabbing attention was to rhythmically wave his arms and legs about in exaggerated fashion, with the Dreamers following along as they played their instruments. This move became known as “The Freddie” dance, even spawning its own song by the band (“Do the Freddie”).
Oddly enough, Freddie and the Dreamers were pretty much old news in their home country by the time they broke through in the U.S. Two years after its UK release, “I’m Telling You Now” was rereleased as a single. With Garrity and his band leading a charm offensive in memorable TV performances, the song went to No. 1 on the stateside charts in 1965.
What is “I’m Telling You Now” About?
Look, we’re not here to pretend “I’m Telling You Now” is Shakespeare. Mitch Murray knew his way around a pop melody, and his ability to hit you with the catchiest part of the tune right off the bat carries the song a long way. Lyrically, it’s simply a narrator making clear how he loves a girl, and doing so again and again so there can be no mistake.
You get the gist right off the bat: I’m telling you now / I’m telling you right away / I’ll be saying for many a day / I’m in love with you now. It’s all about the redundancy, as you can tell. More of the same in the bridge: Do you think I’m fooling / When I say, “I love you”?
It all goes down quite smoothly and relatively harmlessly. Freddie and the Dreamers weren’t built for long-term success, as their jokey stance rendered it impossible for them to mature in their approach as other peers did. But with “I’m Telling You Now,” they briefly stood at the top, arms and legs flying about all the way.
Photo by Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty Images
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