Zoot Suit/I'm the Face
| "Zoot Suit" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by the High Numbers | ||||
| B-side | "I'm the Face" | |||
| Released | 3 July 1964 | |||
| Recorded | June 1964 | |||
| Studio | Fontana, London, England | |||
| Genre | Mod | |||
| Length | 1:59 | |||
| Label | Fontana | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Peter Meaden | |||
| Producer(s) | Chris Parmeinter Peter Meaden | |||
| The High Numbers singles chronology | ||||
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"Zoot Suit" b/w "I'm the Face" was the first single of the British rock band the Who, who recorded it under the name the High Numbers in an attempt to appeal to a mod audience., as both songs embraced mod culture – a zoot suit being a fashionable item of clothing for mods, and a "Face" being mod slang for a well-respected member of mod society.
"Zoot Suit" was written by Peter Meaden, the band's first manager. The song is a direct copy of "Misery" by the American R&B group the Dynamics, while the B-side, "I'm the Face", is a copy of Slim Harpo's "I Got Love If You Want It." The single was meant for a mod audience, but failed to chart. The band changed their name back to The Who, found new management, and released their own composition "I Can't Explain", which became a top ten hit in the United Kingdom.