It’s April, 1962 and for the first time it’s occurred to me to see if I could find any evidence of April Fool’s being made that year. And yes indeed, in Sweden the local TV station tricked people into thinking they could make their B&W TV into a Colour one,
“Sweden’s Sveriges Television, which trotted out a “technical expert” to explain on-air — in thoroughly technical terms — how a thinly stretched nylon screen in front of a television would bend light’s wavelengths and produce a color image. The thousands who tried it learned quickly that there was no such trick — and were out a pair of stockings to boot.”
Now let’s go listen to the tunes of the month…
Songs of the month
“Bonnie” – Bobby Rydell
[new] “Cinderella” – Jack Ross
“Come Back Silly Girl” – Lettermen
[new] “Dear One” – Larry Finnegan
“Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You” – Connie Francis
“Dream Baby” – Roy Orbison
“Duke Of Earl” – Gene Chandler
[new] “Everybody Loves Me But You” – Brenda Lee
[new] “Funny Way Of Laughin'” – Burl Ives
[new] “Ginny Come Lately” – Brian Hyland
“Good Luck Charm” – Elvis Presley
“Her Royal Majesty” – James Darren
“Hey Baby” – Bruce Channel
[new] “Hide Nor Hair” – Ray Charles
“Johnny Angel” – Shelley Fabares
[new] “Johnny Jingo” – Hayley Mills
“Let Me In” – Sensations
“Love Letters” – Ketty Lester
“Love Me Warm And Tender” – Paul Anka
“Lover Please” – Clyde Mcphatter
“Mashed Potato Time” – Dee Dee Sharp
“Midnight In Moscow” – Kenny Ball
[new] “Nut Rocker” – B. Bumble And The Stingers
[new] “Old Rivers” – Walter Brennan
[new] “P.T. 109” – Jimmy Dean
“Please Don’t Ask About Barbara” – Bobby Vee
[new] “She Can’t Find Her Keys” – Paul Petersen
[new] “She Cried” – Jay And The Americans
“She’s Got You” – Patsy Cline
[new] “Shout Shout” – Ernie Maresca
[new] “Shout” – Joey Dee And The Starlighters
“Slow Twistin'” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Soldier Boy” – Shirelles
[new] “Soul Twist” – King Curtis
[new] “Stranger On The Shore” – Acker Bilk
[new] “The Jam” – Bobby Gregg
[new] “Twist Twist Senora” – Gary Us Bonds
“Twistin’ The Night Away” – Sam Cooke
[new] “What’d I Say” – Bobby Darin
“What’s Your Name” – Don And Juan
[new] “When My Little Girl Is Smiling” – Drifters
“Where Have All The Flowers Gone” – Kingston Trio
[new] “You Better Move On” – Arthur Alexander
“You Win Again” – Fats Domino
“Young World” – Rick Nelson
[new] = New to the chart this week.
You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.
This month in history
On the 1st of the month The “New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation” was established in line with the UK’s BBC model after the rapid rise of the popularity of TV in NZ.
On April 17th Bob Dylan, who had recently released his debut album as we mentioned lat week, made the first public performance of what would become his signature song, “Blowin’ in the Wind”. The setting was Gerde’s Folk City, a “jazz club” located in New York City’s Greenwich Village.
An on April 30th aAn array of 27 items of bite-size food were sampled and tested for possible inclusion in the USA’s Project Mercury space flights. I remember being fascinated by space food when I was in primary school and doing a project on it during the 1980s.
What’d Sadie think?
Two weeks at number 1 for “Johnny Angel” by Shelley Fabares before yet another hit for Elvis with “Good Luck Charm” for two. And this month those “Twist” songs that peaked last month, keep coming with new variations on a theme…
Loved ’em
- “Hide Nor Hair” – Ray Charles
- “She Cried” – Jay And The Americans
- “Shout Shout” – Ernie Maresca
- “Shout” – Joey Dee And The Starlighters
- “What’d I Say” – Bobby Darin
Liked ’em
- “Dear One” – Larry Finnegan
- “Everybody Loves Me But You” – Brenda Lee
- “Funny Way Of Laughin'” – Burl Ives
- “Ginny Come Lately” – Brian Hyland
- “Johnny Jingo” – Hayley Mills
- “Nut Rocker” – B. Bumble And The Stingers
- “P.T. 109” – Jimmy Dean
- “Soldier Boy” – Shirelles
- “Soul Twist” – King Curtis
- “The Jam” – Bobby Gregg
- “Twist Twist Senora” – Gary Us Bonds
- “When My Little Girl Is Smiling” – Drifters
- “You Better Move On” – Arthur Alexander
Leave ’em
- “Cinderella” – Jack Ross
- “Old Rivers” – Walter Brennan
- “She Can’t Find Her Keys” – Paul Petersen
- “Stranger On The Shore” – Acker Bilk
Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.