Searchin'

{{other uses}} {{Infobox song | name = Searchin{{'-}} | cover = Coasters searchin3.jpg | alt = | caption =  | type = single | artist = [[the Coasters]] | album = The Coasters | A-side = [[Young Blood (The Coasters song)|Young Blood]] | released = {{Start date|1957|03}} | recorded = February 15, 1957 | studio = | genre = [[Rock and roll]], [[R&B]] | length = 2:36 | label = [[Atco Records|Atco]] | writer = [[Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]] | producer = Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller | prev_title = [[One Kiss Led to Another]] | prev_year = 1956 | next_title = Idol with the Golden Head | next_year = 1957 }}

"'''Searchin{{'-}}'''" is a song written by [[Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]] specifically for [[the Coasters]].<ref name=pc13/> [[Atco Records]] released it as a [[Single (music)|single]] in March 1957, which topped the [[List of number-one R&B hits (United States)|R&B Chart]] for twelve weeks. It also reached number three on the ''Billboard'' singles chart.

Although the Coasters had previously done well on the [[rhythm and blues]] charts, "Searchin{{'-}}" (along with "[[Young Blood (The Coasters song)|Young Blood]]" on the flip side) sparked the group's [[rock and roll]] fame.

==Writing== The lyrics, written by Leiber, use [[vernacular]] phrasing. The plot revolves around the singer's determination to find his love, wherever she may be, even if he must resort to detective work. The song's gimmick was to cite law-enforcement figures from popular culture such as [[Sherlock Holmes]], [[Charlie Chan]], [[Joe Friday]], [[Sam Spade]], [[Boston Blackie]], [[Bulldog Drummond]], and the [[North West Mounted Police (film)|North-West Mounted Police]] (the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police|Mounties]]).<ref name=pc13>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19762/m1/ |title=Show 13 - Big Rock Candy Mountain: Rock 'n' roll in the late fifties. [Part 3]}}</ref> The vocals of the Coasters' lead singer [[Billy Guy]] are raw and insistent. Driving the song is a pounding piano rhythm of two [[bass note]]s alternating on every second beat.<ref name="gillett">{{cite book | first=Charlie | last=Gillett | year= 1996 | title= The Rise of Rock and Roll | edition= (2nd Ed.) | publisher= Da Capo Press | location=New York, N.Y. | isbn= 0-306-80683-5 | page= 73}}</ref> The theme of the song is searching for love: "Well, I'm searching, Yeah I'm gonna find her". The [[refrain]] is simple variations of this phrase, "Gonna find her, yeah ah, gonna find her".<ref name=pc13/>

== Personnel== The song was recorded in Los Angeles on February 15, 1957.<ref>Peter Grendysa and Robert Pruter, ''Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974'' booklet notes (CD edition), Atlantic Records, 1991</ref>

* [[Mike Stoller]], piano * [[Gil Bernal]], saxophone * [[Barney Kessel]], guitar/mandolin * [[Adolph Jacobs]], guitar * Ralph Hamilton, bass * [[Jesse Sailes]], drums * [[Alvin Stoller|A.L. "Abe" Stoller]], drums * Joe Oliveria, congas<ref>''The Coasters: The Complete Singles As & Bs 1954-62'', Acrobat Licensing LTD., ADDCCD3180, 2016, UK</ref>

==Other versions== [[The Spencer Davis Group]] included the song on their 1965 album [[Their First LP]]. The album reached number six in the UK charts in towards the end of January 1966.

[[Otis Blackwell]] released a version of this song on his 1977 album titled ''These are my songs!''. Blackwell attributed the track to Lieber/Stoller, but the album brought to light many tracks for which Blackwell was the original composer. This was the only song on the album that was not a Blackwell composition.<ref>{{cite web|title=These Are My Songs! Review by Michael G. Nastos|website=[[AllMusic]] |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/these-are-my-songs!-mw0000883815#review|access-date=January 16, 2024}}</ref>

[[Johnny Rivers]] released a version of the song as a medley with "[[So Fine (Johnny Otis song)|So Fine]]", which reached number 113 on the U.S. pop chart in 1973.<ref>{{cite web|title=Johnny Rivers, "Searchin'/So Fine" Chart Position|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Searchin%27%2FSo+Fine+by+Johnny+Rivers&id=104425|access-date=August 28, 2018}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2020}}

Singer/songwriter [[Paul McCartney]] chose "Searchin{{'-}}" as one of his [[Desert Island Discs]] in 1982. He performed the song with [[the Beatles]] during their [[The Decca audition|audition for Decca Records]] on January 1, 1962 (with somewhat mangled lyrics that included a mention of ''[[Peter Gunn]]'').{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

The song was performed by [[Floyd Pepper]] in an episode of ''[[The Muppet Show]]''. It was famously used in [[Brad Bird]]'s 1999 animated film, ''[[The Iron Giant]]''.

The song was also recorded and performed by [[Sharon, Lois & Bram]] for both of their children's television series ''[[Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show]] ''(1987) and ''[[Skinnamarink TV]]'' (1997).

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Searchin'}} [[Category:Songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]] [[Category:1957 singles]] [[Category:The Coasters songs]] [[Category:The Beatles songs]] [[Category:The Hollies songs]] [[Category:The Spencer Davis Group songs]] [[Category:Atco Records singles]] [[Category:The Crickets songs]]