It became the most requested song in Dallas before the band even had a record in stores.
The Five Americans started out as The Mutineers at Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma, and moved to Dallas in 1964. In 1965 they recorded a handful of their own songs at a small local studio and took them to Ken Dowe, a DJ at KLIF. He heard nothing special in most of them, but he loved “I See the Light.” Keyboardist John Durrill, who sang lead, called it a strange song and recording. Dowe, he said, broke the group.
The record first came out on Abnak, a Dallas label. After it became a regional hit, the master was leased to Hanna-Barbera Records for national distribution. In 1966 it reached No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 18 in Canada.
A year later they had their biggest hit with “Western Union,” which went to No. 5. But this is the one that started it all.
Here they are playing it on the Sump’n Else Show in Dallas in 1967, with host Ron Chapman. A strange song, a screaming vocal, and a radio DJ who knew a hit when he heard one. Turn it up.
