1964 The Honeycombs: Have I The Right

Third and final number one from Joe Meek's studio at 304 Holloway Road, 'Have I The Right' plays out as a song of two halves that manages to come together into something as unique as it's plagiarised. As a band, The Honeycombs came with the hardwired gimmick of female drummer Honey Lantree, though to the credit of all this was never pushed as a selling point. Even so, her drumming takes precedence throughout this and provides a stiff backbone for a set of verses criss crossed with streaks of scratchy guitar that whine like overhead power lines on a hot day before falling into a chorus cribbed straight from the Everly's 'Walk Right Back', albeit fresh from a hard session pumping iron down the gym.

"Come right back I just can't bear it, I've got this love and I long to share it" - Dennis D'Ell barks out his commands in a voice that brooks no dissent while behind him Lantree punctuates each word with a booming drum thump to emphasise his intent. Past and future, 'Have I The Right' provides a pivotal point for 1964; it's the pin holding a Catherine wheel that dizzily alternates its direction of spin but with the self confidence to not tear itself apart with the conflict. That's down to the sure hand of Joe - in may ways, 'Have I The Right' was a more modern recording than 'Telstar'; it certainly sounds more 'modern' (and packs more oomph) than The Dead End Kids would be punk version in 1977 anyway. In short, a terrific shot of energy from an unjustifiably forgotten band.