Today’s classic song of the day is “Like to Get to Know You” by Spanky and Our Gang. This single, released in March of 1968, went to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #13 on the Cash Box Top 100, but has become a well-deserved staple of oldies radio.
“Like to Get to Know You” was written by Stuart Scharf, a prolific producer and studio musician. The song was the group’s last big hit, following “Sunday Will Never Be the Same” (#9 in 1967), “Lazy Day” (#14 in 1967), and “Sunday Mornin'” (#30 in 1968). The group, which first got together in 1966, broke up in 1969 following guitarist Malcom Hale’s death.
Spanky and Our Gang was a sunshine pop or baroque pop group that featured intricate harmonies. Elaine “Spanky” McFarlane had a sweet but powerful voice, not unlike that of “Mama” Cass Elliott’s; not surprisingly, she replaced Ms. Elliott in the New Mamas and the Papas from 1982 to 1993.
Unfortunately, neither Spanky or the rest of Our Gang had much solo success after the group broke up. Spanky McFarlane and drummer John “The Chief” Seiter are the only two original members of the group still alive; guitarist Lefty Baker (who joined in mid-1967) passed away in 1971, bassist Paul “Oz” Bach passed in 1998, guitarist Nigel Pickering passed in 2011, and, as previously noted, lead guitarist Malcom Hale passed in 1966.
And here’s your daily bonus video of the day, Spanky and Our Gang lip synching “Like to Get to Know You” on the March 24, 1968, episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. They pulled out all the video production tricks on this one.
