Lies (The Knickerbockers song)

Here is what original Knickerbockers member Beau Charles said about the song's behind-the-scenes story:

"We desperately tried to write something that sounded like the British Invasion'. We wrote 'Lies' in less than one half hour. We demo-ed it in New York." After a Jerry Fuller inspired re-arrangement, the track was recorded at Sunset Sound in West Hollywood with Bruce Botnick as the Engineer. Things were not quite right, so the multi-track master was taken to Leon Russell's house in Hollywood Hills. Jerry Fuller knew Leon and "Leon had this great little studio - just a four track". The band recorded the vocals there and overdubbed a new guitar part that was recorded from a beat up old Fender guitar amp that gave the guitar sound a meaty, edgy feel".[4]

With the three-way vocal harmonies, succeed by John Charles, Beau Charles, and Buddy Randall, Lies stood out due to its Beatles-esque sound. The Knickerbockers would become regulars on Dick Clark's Where The Action Is. Their debut album was released a few months later, in early 1966, and was named after the hit, and featured the song on there too.[5] Lies entered the Billboard Hot 100 in the final week of December 1965[6] went to number 20 on the charts in late January 1966,[7] and was, in total, on the Hot 100 for thirteen weeks, before leaving the charts in February 1966, last placed at number 34.[8]

• Buddy Randall - lead vocals (died 1998)
• Beau Charles - guitar, harmonizing vocals
• John Charles - bass, harmonizing vocals
• Jimmy Walker - drums (died 2020)

• The Ventures on their 1965 album Where the Action Is.[9]
• Nancy Sinatra on her 1966 album Boots.[10]
• The T-Bones on their 1966 album No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In).[11]
• Gary Lewis & the Playboys on their 1967 album Gary Lewis & the Playboys.[12]
• Lulu on her 1966 album From Lulu...with Love.[13]
• Styx on their 1974 album Man of Miracles.[14] Record World said that it's "one midwestern hit that still sounds like a national smash."[15]
• Tarney/Spencer Band on their 1979 album Run for Your Life.[16]
• Linda Ronstadt on her 1982 album Get Closer.[17]
• The Delmonas on their 1985 album Dangerous Charms.[18]
• The Undead on their 1986 album Never Say Die![19]
• The Landlords on their 1987 EP Our Favorite Songs![20]
• The Basement Wall on their 1993 compilation album There Goes the Neighborhood! Volume 2 Featuring The Basement Wall.[21]
• The Fireballs on their 2006 compilation album Firebeat! The Great Lost Vocal Album.[22]
• The Brymers on their 2007 compilation album Sacrifice.[23]
• The Black Belles as the B-side to their 2010 single "What Can I Do?"[24]

• List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States