It’s fair to say that music history can be divided into two eras—before The Beatles and after them.
The dynamic quartet of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr brought together a mix of natural charisma, hard work, and exceptional talent, especially when it came to songwriting.
The Lennon-McCartney duo became a driving force that launched the band from Liverpool into international fame, creating the phenomenon of Beatlemania and continuing their influence for decades.
With countless records under their belt, they still hold the title for the best-selling act of all time. The group achieved a remarkable twenty No. 1 singles in the US and eighteen in the UK.
Considering their immense success, it’s easy to assume that they wouldn’t need any outside influence or consider songs from other writers. But there was one instance where that almost happened with a song that became a major hit for another rising British band in the ‘60s.
The song in question? ‘For Your Love,’ which ended up being a major success for The Yardbirds, hitting No. 3 in the UK and marking their breakthrough in the US as well.
‘For Your Love’ was crafted by a young, 19-year-old musician named Graham Gouldman, who at the time was part of his own group, The Mockingbirds.
Though many now know Gouldman as the singer and bassist for the soft rock band 10cc, his musical journey started much earlier. Inspired by the British Invasion bands, he penned ‘For Your Love’ after being captivated by The Animals’ classic ‘House of the Rising Sun.’
“I was really drawn to that song,” Gouldman shared. “It resonated with me, and I became so fond of the chord sequence that I used the first two chords for ‘For Your Love.'”
However, things didn’t start off smoothly. Columbia Records passed on The Mockingbirds’ demo of the track, and both Herman’s Hermits and The Animals also declined to record it. Herman’s Hermits eventually included it on their debut album, but it wasn’t an instant hit.
Gouldman’s manager then came up with the bold idea of pitching the song to The Beatles.
In an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Gouldman reflected on the idea, saying, “Oh, yeah. It was a crazy idea, really.”
At the time, Gouldman had attended a Beatles concert during their Another Beatles Christmas Show in 1964 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. Among the supporting acts was The Yardbirds, whose manager came across Gouldman and saw potential in ‘For Your Love.’
“Every cloud has a silver lining,” Gouldman said. “While The Beatles didn’t go for the song, The Yardbirds needed new material, and my manager thought, ‘Why not give it a shot with them?'”
Gouldman continued, “It’s funny how things work out. Whether it was a coincidence or not, it sure seemed like fate that led to the song being picked up by The Yardbirds instead of The Beatles. Who knows how things might’ve changed if they had taken it? Maybe it wouldn’t have been a hit for them, and the whole course of music history could’ve been different.”
After The Yardbirds recorded and released ‘For Your Love’ in 1965, their style shifted towards a more mainstream, commercial sound.
Gouldman went on to write two more hits for the band, ‘Heart Full of Soul’ and ‘Evil Hearted You,’ both of which reached the top five in the charts.
However, this success came at a price. The band’s shift away from their original blues sound caused tension, leading to Eric Clapton’s departure from the group. He left to join John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and The Yardbirds replaced him with Jeff Beck, who was later followed by Jimmy Page. Page would, of course, go on to form Led Zeppelin, creating another legendary chapter in rock history.
It’s interesting to imagine how things might’ve played out if The Beatles had taken on ‘For Your Love.’ While it’s all speculation, it’s safe to say the music world might have looked a little different.
