Black Is Black

S of Boston...Harmonics in a perons voice give then a unique signature...I agree with you that this was Gene Pitney....if it wasn't, well....the guy needs to lighten up on his
Pitney impressions!lol

Gene Pitney and session players collaborated on Black is Black, and the credit was given to Los Bravos. This is normal in the record business. Pitney, who was in need of money, could not use his name as he was under contract, therefore legally he could not acknowledge his participation.

When this song first came out in Australia I remember the DJ saying that the singer Los Bravos could not speak English and that he sang the words from memory.

4/27/10 Don't know how old this comment board is but the name of the lead singer of is MIKE KENNEDY, not Mike Kogel. He had a solo, bit-more-than-minor,hit single in 1971/72 called "Louisiana". Look at videos on utube and tell me it's not the same guy. Also, the commentary from that song states he was the lead singer for Los Bravos. As to his national origin, I've no idea. Perhaps he changed his name post-Los Bravos, but that would make little sense. Thank you. Bill
(Our sources, including the Billboard Book of Top 40 hits, list the lead singer as Mike Kogel - editor)

Hello, I´m sorry that my english is not very good. The original writters of the song are Wadey, Hayes & Grainger.In the french version it appears Hallady, but I think that is because he addapted to french but sure he did not write the song originally.There has been some controversial about the black is black recording, but as far as I know the voice and the choir are from Mike and Tony (original singer and original guitar player) , but all the instruments are playted by session players , not by Los Bravos. This is a great band with very good records.

The band were an amalgamation of two pop groups, Los Sonor and The Runaways. Los Bravos' lead singer, Mike Kogel, was from Germany.

Does anybody know who's the writer of this great song?

Gene Pitney (dec.) also di "Something's gotten hold of my heart" (and a rendition in the 80's with Marc Almond)

Okay, EMI publishing has the writers of the song as Wadey, Hayes & Grainger, but when you look up the French version it is listed as Hallyday/Wadey/Hayes/Grainger

You can see the 60s video of los bravos singing the song on Youtube. The lipsink was perfect if it were one which I don't believe, it simply was done too well.

My question is this: Who wrote the song first? Los Bravos or Johnny Haliday the French singer who had a huge hit with Noir C'est Noir in 1965-6 and who as far as I know even now claims to be the original writer/performer.

You can see Johnny Haliday's version on DailyMotion.com

Doesn't look as though my last comment got on,didn't think it was in breach of the guidelines? I was told,that after a rift with Los Bravos,the actual singer of Black is Black was a guy called Skip Wilson,aka Chris L***. to protect his anonymity. I have heard him sing the number,live, and it rings true to me.Yes,very Gene Pitney as were the other songs Skip sung.
G. (Ex Blackjacks)

Actually, I always assumed the lead in Black is Black was sung by Jose Feliciano

Gene Pitney once commented that when he first heard the song he racked his brain trying to remember doing the session for the song, that's how much the lead vocal resembles his.

You've never heard of Gene Pitney? "Town Without Pity", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", "Only Love Can Break A Heart", "It Hurts To Be In Love", "24 Hours From Tulsa". He is also in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.

I meant who's Jene Pitney? I think I've heard of Jene Pitney, but I couldn't tell you why.

A great horn chart on this record, certainly a first if not a close second for orginality in its day, perhaps inspiring Stevie Wonder on his "Uptight." A summer record that sounded great on AM!

This is a great song, and kind of a forerunner to early metal or punk if you think about it.

quote: Ain't it funny, how a tune can bring back a memory, take you to another place in time, and completely change your state of mind?

Mentioned in the song Big Cheese by Nirvana

I still don't believe you. That is a dead on Gene Pitney vocal