The year is 1964. The air crackles with the sound of youth and transatlantic urgency. The world had just been irrevocably altered by the arrival of The Beatles, but in their wake, a second wave of invasion was already cresting. While Liverpool championed the Merseybeat sound, Tottenham offered a louder, sweatier, and more visceral counterpoint: the Tottenham Sound, led by the colossal rhythmic attack of The Dave Clark Five. They were a machine built for short, sharp shocks of pure rock and roll energy, and few tracks embody that ethos quite like their late-1964 single, “Any Way You Want It.”
This piece of music arrived at a pivotal moment in the band’s career. Having already scored transatlantic hits like “Glad All Over” and “Bits and Pieces,” the DC5 were establishing themselves as the loudest, most formidable challenge to the Fab Four’s dominance. The track was released in October 1964 on the Columbia label in the UK, and featured on the US Coast to Coast album a few months later, solidifying the group’s relentless push into the American market. It was a certified hit, charting well in both the UK and US, demonstrating their continuing, if briefly sustained, status as global contenders. Unusually for the time, the band maintained tight control over their output; the track was written by the drummer himself, Dave Clark, and produced by a combination of Clark and engineer Adrian Kerridge, credited pseudonymously as Adrian Clark. This self-production was a key factor in forging their unique, bombastic sonic identity.
The Sonic Architecture of a Two-Minute Blast
The immediate, defining characteristic of “Any Way You Want It” is its sheer volume and relentless drive. It launches not with a gentle fade or a building riff, but a sudden, violent eruption of rhythm. The opening drum pattern, a thundering 4/4 stamp, is pure, unadulterated Dave Clark. The sound is not merely played; it is pulverized. This is rock drumming as an act of physical force, each strike on the snare and tom amplified to an almost comical degree by the cavernous reverb that became the DC5’s signature.
This production choice—that massive, echoing room sound—is everything. It gives the track an arena-sized sound even on a cheap transistor radio. Mike Smith’s lead vocal, a tough, soulful roar, is pushed right to the front, often doubled or triple-tracked to match the rhythmic onslaught. When he sings the title refrain, it feels less like an invitation and more like an ultimatum. The vocal chorus, a fervent, five-man shout-back, further drives home the track’s sense of communal, joyous abandon.
Beneath the vocal and rhythmic dominance, the band’s other elements provide crucial texture. Lenny Davidson’s guitar work is functional and driving, providing a raw, slightly fuzzed-out foundation rather than flamboyant lead lines. The simplicity is the genius. He delivers short, clipped, high-energy rhythm chords that interlock tightly with the bass of Rick Huxley. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the almost percussive role of Mike Smith’s piano, hammering out simple, yet essential chordal jabs that thicken the middle register. The arrangement is simple: a fast, short verse-chorus structure with a shouted bridge. There is no time for grand gestures or complex shifts; the track achieves its emotional impact through repetition and sheer, joyous force.
The Gritty Glamour of the Tottenham Sound
The DC5 were often dismissed by some critics for this simplicity, their sound contrasted with the more musically sophisticated, lyrically ambitious work emerging from their peers. But this criticism misses the point entirely. The power of a track like “Any Way You Want It” lies in its lack of finesse, its commitment to a raw, unpolished kinetic energy. It is a gloriously blunt instrument. The message is as direct as the beat: simple, unconditional devotion and unbridled, youthful desire.
The song’s texture, that massive wash of echo, gives the impression of a band playing in a massive hall, the microphones placed far back to capture the room’s wild ambience. For a brief moment, their sound was the sound of teenage freedom. Contrast this grit with the smoother, more melodic polish of some contemporary British acts. The DC5 represented the pure, exhilarating noise of rock and roll’s past while propelling it forward with the power of modern amplification and production trickery. They were a band designed to be heard over the screams of a thousand fans.
Today, when we listen to this track on modern premium audio equipment, the impact of the production is astonishing. The clarity reveals just how hard every component is being driven, from Dave Clark’s punishing snare to the blaring saxophone of Denis Payton, which rips through the middle eight, sounding like a desperate, joyous shout from the street corner. It’s a remarkable example of how a limited sonic palette, when deployed with maximum intensity and a distinctive studio signature, can become an indelible signature.
“It is a sound so perfectly calibrated for chaos, so wonderfully unrefined, that it becomes its own form of high art.”
This track is the essence of a bygone era, yet it continues to speak to us. It’s a track for driving fast, for dancing without inhibition, for turning the volume up until the speakers protest. It serves as a reminder that not every great piece of music needs a symphony orchestra or a labyrinthine structure. Sometimes, all you need is a primal beat, a shouted affirmation, and a whole lot of echo.
The Enduring Appeal of the Unconditional Anthem
In a world saturated with carefully curated playlists and endless selection via a music streaming subscription, the brevity and directness of “Any Way You Want It” becomes a refreshing shock. It demands nothing of the listener but participation. It does not ask for complex interpretation; it asks for a head-shake and a foot-stomp.
Think of a modern listener, perhaps someone who discovered the Ramones or Kiss first—both bands who later covered the track. They would immediately recognize the core appeal: the driving force, the lyrical repetition that morphs from an insistence into a chant. It’s the ultimate expression of rock and roll’s foundational principle: a simple, three-chord promise delivered with world-conquering confidence. The Dave Clark Five were masters of this particular alchemy, and this single remains one of their most powerful distillations of it. It is a magnificent, two-minute explosion of beat-era swagger that still sounds impossibly loud six decades later.
Take a moment, clear the digital noise, and let this track blast you back to 1964. You will find that the energy is not diminished, merely waiting to be unleashed.
🎶 Listening Recommendations (Adjacent Mood/Era/Arrangement)
- “Bits and Pieces” – The Dave Clark Five (1964): Features the same relentless, percussive energy and massive drum sound, a perfect companion piece.
- “Do You Love Me” – The Contours (1962): Shares a similar fast tempo, call-and-response vocal structure, and raw, high-energy delivery that transcends its genre.
- “I’m Into Something Good” – Herman’s Hermits (1964): An early British Invasion hit that captures the enthusiastic, punchy spirit and simple, driving pop-rock arrangement.
- “She’s Not There” – The Zombies (1964): Offers a contrast of the era, showcasing the different, jazz-tinged, more sophisticated side of the British Invasion, but equally pivotal to the soundscape.
- “Hang On Sloopy” – The McCoys (1965): Another definitive mid-60s track built on a simple, driving groove and a repeated, anthemic chorus, perfect for a high-volume singalong.
- “Wooly Bully” – Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs (1965): Raw, irreverent garage-rock with a simple structure and chant-like vocals that matches the visceral energy of the DC5.