Heart Full of Soul - The Yardbirds | College Students' FIRST TIME REACTION! 

America was introduced to the music of The Yardbirds in 1965 with the single “For Your Love”. The group members were Keith Relf (vocals), Chris Dreja (guitar), Paul Samwell-Smith (Bass), Jim McCarty (drums), and Eric Clapton (lead guitar). The single was a hit (#6), but Eric Clapton immediately left the band, because he wanted to play the Blues. So he joined John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and Jeff Beck took his place. In July of 1965, The Yardbirds’ released the single “Heart Full Of Soul”. The Yardbirds would also have three hits in 1966…” Shapes Of Things”, “Over Under Sideways Down”, and “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago”…all with psychedelic arrangements, and excellent guitar work. When Jeff Beck fell ill and was hospitalized during a tour in 1966, Jimmy Page filled in for him and stayed in the band when Beck returned. Jeff Beck officially left The Yardbirds in November of 1967, and the band called it quits in mid-1968. As there had been appearances scheduled for later in 1968. Jimmy Page thought it would be an opportunity to rebuild the band. Through a recommendation, unknown vocalist Robert Plant was asked to join. He in turn recommended his drummer friend, John Bonham. Page had already worked with bassist/arranger John Paul Jones. So the band was ready. They did the dates under the name The Yardbirds, or sometimes The New Yardbirds before eventually becoming Led Zeppelin. As a RU-vid grandparent born during the Eisenhower Administration, I was there and saw Led Zep in 1973.

Most underrated band in history.. they paved the way for most rock music we heard in the late 60's and early 70's.

If you love Beck's rippin' guitar licks here ya'll HAVE to listen to "Over Under Sideways Down"

Page did replace Beck. Beck replaced Clapton. Page and Beck were in the band together but Page played bass at that time. Page was a well regarded session musicians and was friends with Beck before joining the band. Fun fact: there is a scene in a 60s movie called Blow Up that is part of a sequence where the MC goes through a club where the Yardbirds are on stage playing the riff from "Train Kept a Rollin", though the song at the time went by the title "Stroll On". On the stage together you see Beck and Page. Here's a link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jHqXWIoYRvA.html

When your "grandparents " continue to suggest songs you need to listen! You will never know the thrill of going from Top 40 hits on a transistor radio to the new underground FM radio. Mindblowing! The range of music never heard before was epic. Glad I was there to bear witness.

Notice how much this song sounds like the theme to “Secret Agent Man” for those of us who are a bit on the not so young side.

A&A, You’ll love their "Shapes of Things”!!

Music was so raw in those days....totally love it.

"Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (with both Beck and Page) is their absolute peak in my opinion, the gates of psychedelia are fully open on this one. That same year in 1966 a little-known American band called The Misunderstood recorded a bunch of even more out there and equally good demos in London in the same style before their lead singer had to flee to avoid being drafted to the Vietnam war and the band collapsed before it could release an album. Definitely worth checking both bands' output in 1966 (as well as that of the 13th Floor Elevators in Texas) to witness the first blooms of psychedelic rock pre-Hendrix/Floyd.

In 1965, I was 13 years old and remember watching the Yardbirds sing this on Either Shindig on ABC or Hullabaloo on NBC. My impression of them was that they were so different and cool. Heart Full of Soul is my favorite Yardbirds song.

Yardbirds are a must my boys. There is no denying Relfie’s voice.

The Yardbirds were way before my time but I’ve always loved their sound. My other favorites: “For Your Love,” “I’m A Man,” “Over Under Sideways Down,” “Shapes Of Things.”

I think "Shapes of Things" should come next. I know you're interested to compare the sound with and without Clapton, but I think the greater interest is in how they influenced subsequent artists, and "Shapes of Things" is trailblazing in its Eastern licks and feedback. Sounds good, too!

More than 50 years later, the Yardbirds are still one of my favorite bands. Although most people focus on the three great guitarists, much credit should go to Keith Relf, the charismatic vocalist and harmonica player. What a great singer he was - RIP

Two years after "Heart Full of Soul" was released, The Box Tops released their hit song "The Letter." Your mind will be blown away by 16yo Alex Chilton (later of Big Star) belting out the vocals. He had a heart and a voice absolutely FULL of soul!!!

Song written by the prolific songwriter Graham Gouldman. He was later a member of the band 10cc.

RIP Keith Relf and Jeff Beck. Although Keith, the lead singer had a serious case of asthma he was still able to play the harmonica quite well. A must listen song is . For Your Love.

“Train Kept A Rollin” by the Yardbirds is great garage rock and a heater.

I NEVER get tired of listening to this song. I guess that's why it's a classic. So much good sound; a reflection of that era. Ps: I feel educated on song title too.

The guitar part was Jeff Beck’s attempt at emulating a sitar. The band wanted to use a sitar for that part but couldn’t find someone to play it. Jeff asked to see if he could come up with something and offered to do the part on his guitar, and with a few twists of the knobs and the enlistment of very early effects pedals came up with the sound you hear. He was a genius.

When the old-school 60's rock sound is being infiltrated with the coming new wave of ideas in the same song, this is what you get. Lots of these old gems out there! That mix of the old sound and the new, heavier sound that these giants of rock were concocting like a witches brew turning everything heavier and more meaningful! Yardbirds, Kinks, Animals, The Byrds, Troggs, Blue Cheer, The Who, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, etc etc...

My first concert was The Yardbirds in Dec. of 1966. Jeff Beck had been on the tour until about a month before that show. Chris Dreja switched from rhythm guitar to bass for the remainder of the tour. Jimmy Page was already trying out some of the Zep stuff, even broke out the violin bow.

Transports me back in time - so very quintessential 1960's! Great groove.

This song, “For Your Love” and “Shapes of Things” were always on our set list in 7th and 8th grades (1965-67). Great songs and memories!

Haunting 60s classic. I think this was written by 10cc's Graham Gouldman, who wrote "Bus Stop" by The Hollies.

This sounded good on AM radio back in the day, but with earphones-🔥🔥🔥

This was nice & dark & I’ve loved it since it came out

"Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" is a very underrated song by The Yardbirds. I know you both will love it.

Took my daughter and granddaughter to see Jeff in Toronto in November, awesome show....we loved it....he was a giant...

Love this tune a lot, & play it often. Jeff's guitar has that sharp edge, on this track, that give me a gritty feel & I love to follow it with The Kinks, "Tired Of Waiting."

A is fair. Over, Under sideways down …. Heart Full Of Soul. A must.

Page started out as their Bass player I believe.

Oh my goodness, I had forgotten about this gem. Total nostalgic vibe.🌿 LOVE this song and the Yardbirds! They have such a long history of major artists. Check out "Shapes of Things" among others. Thanks so much guys for reacting to this one. 🧡

I love listening to you two music nerds analyzing these songs so dear to my heart!

A? A? Dear God. SSSSSSSS. This will be my longest comment ever, because this is my favorite song. EVER. First, this is the absolute definition and pinnacle of blues rock. Lyrically shows the singer ripping his heart out of his chest. Keith Relf's vocals are perfect for the lyrics. The background vocals! They feel like someone wailing off the side of a cliff. The guitar. Classic, brutal, beautiful. It's a short song, so maybe it went by so fast you guys didn't get the full effect of it, but listen again. If you look up "S tier" in the dictionary, Heart Full of Soul will start playing automatically.

Such a great song. Relf was an amazing lead singer.

The later day surviving Yardbirds created a band called Box Of Frogs. Every song had a different hotshot guitarist on their first album. The second album did the same thing but also switched vocalists on every song as well. A dude named Roger Chapman from a band called Family sang this this song on the second album. It's well worth a listen folks.

Had a garage band 65-67ish and played all the great Yardbird songs. We never made much money, but did play for high school dances for a couple years. Our claim to fame was opening for the Grass Roots on one occasion Also we did cut one LP. We were called January's Children as all of us were born in January.

Such a good song! 🎸❤

Omg guys......what a flashback for me! I'm sure it's been 50+ years since I've heard this, yet I still managed to remember all the lyrics.

A solid A, great song. This along with "For Your Love" and "Shapes of Things" are probably their biggest hits and a good place to start. Love that guitar and the vocals are pretty good as well. Thank You!

Rush covered this tune on their Feedbacks' album... "Feedback" by Rush was an album of all covers: "Mr. Soul" and "For What Its Worth" (Buffalo Springfield), "The Seeker" and "Summertime Blues" (The Who), "Crossroads" (Cream) and "Heart Full Of Soul", "Shape Of Things" (Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group). This album is worth having in your arsenal when the end of the world happens. This album would be be perfect for your Patreon full album review. Nothing but bangers. These were Rush's favorite tunes by other bands. Have a great life....

I saw Jeff Beck in concert a few years ago. He’s still got it. A true guitar god.

So The Yardbirds began in 1963 when four guys, Keith Relf, Paul Samuel-Smith, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty, who were all regulars at the Crawdaddy Club on Sundays to watch The Rolling Stones who had a residency there. The fifth member was a fifteen year old kit named Anthony 'Top' Topham who played guitar really well. However, his father did not approve of him playing with older teenagers and insisted he focus in school and pass his O Levels, which is a life defining school test British students have to take. Someone knew of this other kid in school who was said to be a real good player and that's how they approached Eric Clapton. They worked musically together well and took over the Stones residency spot at the Crawdaddy when the Stones went on to play theaters. The owner of the Crawdaddy, Giorgio Gomelsky, invested in the Yardbirds and got them to record live and sold the finished product as an album - Five Live Yardbirds. It sold reasonably well, they got signed and thus began their recording careers. After a few singles released throughout 1964 they did a less r&b, more commercial song named 'For Your Love' released in March 1965. Eric Clapton hated the commercial turn the band was taking, recorded the song as requested, and immediately left the band. Gomelsky knew Jimmy Page who was then a very much in demand studio musician that few people outside the recording business knew about. Offered the position he said no thank you. Gomelsky asked for suggestions and Page gave him the name Jeff Beck. Now Beck was in a band called The Trident still creating a fan base. Now, Page and Beck were from the same neighborhood, as was future sound engineer Glyn Johns and played with each other long before becoming professionals. So that's how Beck joined the Yardbirds in March of 1965. In 1966, their bass player Paul Samuel-Smith, who was already producing some of their recordings decided he didn't want to continue endlessly traveling playing every night and left the band to be a producer. So Beck called Page who at this point was considering joining a band and jumped at the chance. So Page joined the Yardbirds as a bass player but after a brief adjustment period, rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja took up the bass creating the now legendary dual lead guitars formation. It did not last long, however long enough for recording the excellent album 'The Yardbirds' better known worldwide as 'Roger The Engineer.' The album has at least four songs with both Beck and Page together on it. Management sent them to America tour traveling town to town on a bus with a bunch of other acts. Beck was outraged believing the band was at a different level than this and promptly walked out, took a plane and waited for them in Los Angeles, their last stop. They did the tour with just Page who blew the fans out of the water. When they finally arrived in Los Angeles, everyone feeling betrayed by Jeff, he was unceremoniously fired then and there. Page and Beck continued to be friends and Page actively worked on Jeff Becks first solo output in early 1967 (Beck's Bolero). The Yardbirds were now for the first time a four piece band. By June of 1968, everybody was tired and began considering other projects. Chris Dreja became a professional photographer, Jim McCarty and Keith Relf form the band 'Renaissance', and Jimmy Page revamped the Yardbirds with new players and called themselves 'The New Yardbirds'. They toured Scandinavia in Oct. 1968 and then changed their name to 'Led Zeppelin'. The name came from an off hand remark from Keith Moon during the sessions for Beck's Bolero back in 1967. The rest you probably already know. A version of the Yardbirds in the eighties recorded under the name Box of Frogs. Then again this time as The Yardbirds proper by the end of the century with Top Topham on guitar.

I think "For Your Love" is the only studio recording that Clapton is on. But their album called "Five Live Yardbirds" has an entire set of him playing. Like others said, they went more into a psych/pop lane and Clapton wanted to play straighter blues (slightly ironic since he then eventually ended up in Cream).

There was a man by the name of Charlie Parker, who was a jazz alto sax player. His nickname was Yardbird On Manhattan Island, there's a jazz club by the named Birdland that was named in his honor.

Ok hit The Yardbirds “over , under, sideways down” beck rocked it!

The Yardbirds are one of the great early English rock bands from the 60's. The band is known for starting the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page & Jeff Beck. The Yardbirds had a lot of great hits including "For Your Love", "Shapes Of Things", "Over Under Sideways Down", "I'm A Man", "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago", "Train Kept A-Rollin'", "I Ain't Got You" etc.

Page first played "Dazed and Confused" with the Yardbirds. He also used a blazing variation of the "D&C" solo for another Yardbirds song "Think About It" (it's killer!). Then, as the original band members dropped out one by one, he replaced with the Zep lineup under the name The New Yardbirds, before finally renaming band as Zep.

It definitely has that early 60's sound, but is an important song because you can hear the early sounds of where rock music would soon progress. It's too bad it is limited by the production of the time. I really love this song and its early psychedelic sound.

How's about Over Under Sideways Down?

I felt the same way when I was 14. Still love it.

Hot damn! I’ve requested this song often and am so glad y’all finally got to it. I knew you’d like it. Doesn’t get much better for 60s rock. ❤

This reminds me of my days spent in the basement where I grew up. My dad always indulged my love of music. He bought my first record player and this is one of the first 45's I bought. What a phenomenal song this was.

Anthony "Top" Topham (1947-2023) was the original guitarist in The Yardbirds... he was 15... he left to stay in Art school (and his parents disapproval of being in such a band...). When he left then Eric Clapton came in... Topham would rejoin the band a few times in the 2000's, as a guest and as a fulltime member... he passed on 23 January 2023, at age 75. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Topham

Beck was a guitar wizard. Long career, worth looking into a lot more

"Shapes Of Things" from early 1966 is likely the Yardbirds' most Led Zeppelinesque song. Rocker!

Great song from one of the most influential bands ever. For more, try Over, Under, Sideways, Down, another psychedelic classic. Yardbirds are at the birth of real Rock for me. Enjoy! 🎵🎤🎸🎹🎶

Alex and Geddy, of RUSH of course, would play an acoustic version of this in concert while Neil took a break. The crowd would sing the back up part. I think we might have surprised them. They seemed to get a kick out of it. Also you need to remember that this was recorded in 65 or 66. Probably in monophonic or mono as it likely said on the album cover. This was likely one of the more advanced recordings for the times.

This is a great song from the mid 60s!

Now just imagine hearing this song for the first time in 1965 🤯

Over, Under, Sideways, Down....most excellent!!

Side note on the Yardbirds. When they disbanded the lead singer Keith Relf and the Drummer Jim McCarty went off to found one of the great classical influenced prog bands Renaissance. After one album Relf and McCarty left but the band went on to become IMHO superior to the Moody's in that Classical Prog genre. Their lead singer Annie Haslam is a 5 octave revelation.That incarnation of the band found success in the UK and Europe with some reach into the US. Eventually you'll have to react to one of their classics. I favor Touching Once and Can You Hear Me, but Mother Russia, Ocean Gypsy, Song of Song of Scheherazade, Carpet of the Sun, or Ashes Are Burning probably have a greater cache. Bottom line, everything that came out of the Yardbirds pushed the boundaries of rock, even beyond the big 3 guitarists. Which is saying something. Sadly Relf was electrocuted by a wrongly grounded electric guitar in his home. Given his experimental and creative drive one can only wonder where he might have gone over a full career.

Rush has a great cover of this as well

I LOVE THIS SONG! For a band that was around for a short time, they made an amazing amount of great songs! Check out "Better Man Than I." That's another awesome song.

Now you are taking real serious music that blew our minds back in the day

Paige joined as the bass player, lol!

I'm old enough to be your grandparent, but I was in elementary school when this was a hit. I didn't know any of the names of the members of the group, I just loved everything I heard them do.

They inspired Steve Tyler of Aerosmith as a teen when he heard their “ Over Under Sideways Down”. They were the proto Led Zeppelin as Jimmy Page played with them as did Clapton and Beck! You can see Beck and Page jamming in Train Kept A Rollin with the Yardbirds in the movie Blowup from the 60’s. The clip’s on YT. This was from 1965-66.

Such a great all-star band! Truly. I'm glad you guys enjoyed annnnnnd Alex's bobble head was rockin too😅😅😅

Saw the Yardbirds (Beck) in Hollywood in '66 or '67. Great band, vocalist Relf played a great harmonica. "For Your Love" should the next song you check out.

Absolutely killer song! 'A' seems fair. Highly suggest checking the Rush cover of this, from the Feedback EP. They smashed it!

This was very radical in 1965 - you can hear the beginnings of psychedelia. Check out Shape Of Things! * I believe Zeppelin almost used the name The New Yardbirds

At this point (summer '65), it was just Beck in group. Page joined as the bass player in June '66, and replaced Beck on lead guitar when he left. Everyone but Page quit, and he continues as "The New Yardbirds" to cover dates in Scandinavia with the people who would become Led Zeppelin.

My band used to cover this in the late 80s-early 90s. Fun song!

I haven't heard this song in ages and forgot about it. Thanks for leading me back to it. I agree with "Over Under Sideways Down" for your next Yardbirds song. .

Beck and Clapton were both on the 1965 "For Your Love" album. Clapton was gone when this later September 1965 album was recorded. The November 1965 "Having a Rave Up with the Yardbirds" album had all Beck tracks on Side 1 and all Clapton tracks on Side 2. The 1966 album "Yardbirds aka Roger the Engineer" and the 1966 album "Over Under Sideways Down" were all Beck lead guitar. Beck left and Jimmy Page played lead on the March 1967 album "Little Games" which also featured a lot of guest bass and organ from John Paul Jones, as the origins of Led Zeppelin were being sowed.

Beck was the guitarist, and his use of fuzz and effect was very new, and inspired Keith Richards tone in Satisfaction.

It was Beck on the original version, Page does however have videos of him playing it later without Beck.

I had the good fortune to win this album in 1965 from a local radio station in Los Angeles, KFWB, as I was a member of their "Bomp Club". I might even still have my ID card some place. The entire album is still great today. Great band.

Written by Graham Gouldman in 1965, who I think was only 19 at the time and working in a tailors. He also wrote another hit for The Yardbirds, 'For your love' that you should check out. Over the next couple of years he wrote a string of chart hits for other artists. In 1972 he joined 10cc, as a singer and bassist, and remains the only consistent member of that band. He's touring the UK this month, (from 6th March 2023 )with an acoustic line up with his 'Heart full of song' tour, the range of songs this guy has written is amazing.

My Senior year of high school. This is one I’ll remember fondly the rest of my life.

Excellent choice, guys. Next one should be "Shapes of Things".

I love that song, I use to have it in a 45 record, sixties.

GREAT SONG!❤

Congrats -- you finally made it here. Remember that this was a transition time between the more pop style of the early Beatles into deeper, more soulful stuff. And the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's the following spring, 1967.

Absolutely love this song!!!!

Can we now hear some 10CC since we are finally getting to some Graham Gouldman songs..!! Come on guys, you did BUS STOP and loved it and now this! DIG into the 10CC already.. As far as Yardbirds goes "Evil Hearted YOU" next please..and Jeff solo... SITUATIONS🤟SITUATIONS🤟SITUATIONS🤟SITUATIONS🤟 insane rocker with the late great Cozy Powell on drums!

Ilove the Yardbirds so thanks for this one. Beckology is/was a three cd set that chronicles JB's time in the Yardbirds and even before through various incarnations. A very worthy purchase. JB is still the most innovative guitar play in my repertoire among the guitarists I've seen live Trower, Rory Gallagher, Mick Taylor (still hoping to catch him live), Martin Barre, EC, and Tommy Bolin (never saw him). I was blessed enough to see JB numerous times. Incomparable.

Thank you for doing the Yardbirds. One interesting bit of trivia, they were one of Joe Perry’s (Aerosmith lead guitarist) all time favorite bands.

Gents- first the next Yardbirds song should be "Over Under Sideways Down" more of a banger that would be A+ or S (at least for me)....second- this was the first song where Beck replaced Clapton and Page is SOMETIMES on ACOUSTIC guitar backing Beck's lead or is on bass depending on whether its a 1965 or 1966 or later live tour since Page was originally the bassist and then they had 2 lead guitarists before Beck left.. Beck is using Page's Fuzz pedal and was one of the first fuzz tracks recorded....even before the Stones' I Can't Get No Satisfaction... third, Page was in the band all the way to end after he joined as bassist along with lead singer Keith Relf. An interesting thing to hit would be the Yarbirds version of "Dazed and Confused" since Relf is on lead, Page is already doing the violin bow thing BUT the lyrics are different and Bonham isn't there. Finally since you watched the movie Spinal Tap on Patreon- that whole thing of the Originals and New Originals WAS basically a joke about the Yardbirds changing their name to the "New Yardbirds" which THEN changed their name to Led Zeppelin...Tragic Post Script lead singer Relf had a heart condition and after leaving the band to go solo he was playing around with an amp in his home recording studio and semi-electrocuted himself- he was found dead from a heart attack caused by Atrial fibrillation caused by the shock- if someone else had been with him they could have saved his life...

The guitarist was Jeff Beck (he came up with the catchy reoccurring intro too), and it was all because the original sound was done with a sitar, but the band didn't like it, so Jeff came up with far Eastern type riff that simulated the sitar sound. He was credited as 1 of the first "significant" use of the fuzz box, a precursor to the modern-day distortion box. BTW, Graham Gouldman, future member of 10cc, wrote the song !!! He also wrote 3 of their hits, including this one, Evil Heated You and For Your Love, and also wrote hits for The Hollies, Cher, The Shadows, and Herman's Hermits.

Jeff Beck & Tommy Bolin were great friends. It waa Bolin who inspired Beck to go into a jazz rock fusion direction Tommy Bolin - Homeward Strut

I love the simplicity of those tunes back then . So simple so great ! Brings me back to that great era.

Gotta hear For Your Love.

Great Band with many great offshoot bands. 👍👍👍

the producer wanted to use a sitar, Jeff said "no, I can do that". that's what he's doing in the beginning. the only effects they had were on the amp, tremelo and reverb. when Eric left he suggested Jimmy, but Jimmy was busy with studio work and suggested Jeff. the bass player left and Jimmy joined playing the bass. they can be seen playing together in the movie "Blow Up".

You've already received so many great comments to this video. I'd just note that those of 1965 kids interested in listening to rock as opposed to pop songs were listening to this.

Takes me back to Second grade. At home listening to my older brothers records. i loved this song then and now for its feel. I got pick up an acoustic and bang it out. All those guys were in the band at the same time. Led Zeppelin started out as The New Yardbirds.

The Band was looking to have a sitar play that lead (a Ravi Shankar type guy ) break but Beck said hell I can do that and make it sound a 100 times better...the man was a genius and the best guitar player of them all IMO