Well a few days of sunshine back here in New Zealand of 2023, then its back to the rain. So let’s escape to the sounds of October, 1960…
Songs of the month
[new] “A Fool In Love” – Ike & Tina Turner
“A Million To One” – Jimmy Charles
[new] “Alone At Last” – Jackie Wilson
[new] “Artificial Flowers” – Bobby Darin
[new] “Blue Angel” – Roy Orbison
“Chain Gang” – Sam Cooke
“Devil Or Angel” – Bobby Vee
[new] “Diamonds And Pearls” – Paradons
[new] “Don’t Be Cruel” – Bill Black’s Combo
“Dreamin'” – Johnny Burnette
“Finger Poppin’ Time” – Hank Ballard
[new] “Georgia On My Mind” – Ray Charles
“I Want To Be Wanted” – Brenda Lee
“I’m Not Afraid” – Ricky Nelson
“It’s Now Or Never” – Elvis Presley
“Kiddio” – Brook Benton
[new] “Last Date” – Floyd Cramer
[new] “Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go” – Hank Ballard
[new] “Let’s Think About Living” – Bob Luman
“Lucille” – Everly Brothers
“Mission Bell” – Donnie Brooks
[new] “Move Two Mountains” – Marv Johnson
“Mr. Custer” – Larry Verne
[new] “My Heart Has A Mind Of It’s Own” – Connie Francis
“My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own” – Connie Francis
“Never On Sunday” – Don Costa
[new] “New Orelans” – Gary Us Bonds
[new] “North To Alaska” – Johnny Horton
“Over The Rainbow” – Demensions
“Pineapple Princess” – Annette & The Afterbeats
[new] “Poetry In Motion” – Johnny Tillotson
[new] “Run Samson Run” – Neil Sedaka
“Save The Last Dance For Me” – Drifters
[new] “Sleep” – Little Willie John
“So Sad” – Everly Brothers
[new] “Stay” – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
[new] “Summer’s Gone” – Paul Anka
“The Same One” – Brook Benton
“The Twist” – Chubby Checker
“The Twist” – Hank Ballard
“Theme From The Apartment” – Ferrante & Teicher
“Three Nights A Week” – Fats Domino
[new] “To Each His Own” – Platters
[new] “Togetherness” – Frankie Avalon
[new] “Twistin’ Usa” – Danny & The Juniors
“Volare” – Bobby Rydell
“Walk Don’t Run” – Ventures
“Yogi” – Ivy Three
“You Mean Everything To Me” – Neil Sedaka
[new] “You Talk Too Much” – Joe Jones
[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 Nigeria, formerly a British African colony, became an independent nation of 35,000,000 people, with the new flag hoisted in Lagos at 12:01 a.m. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became the first Prime Minister, and Nnamdi Azikiwe the Governor General, of the Federation of Nigeria.
On the 3rd “The Andy Griffith Show” was televised for the first time, making its American debut on the CBS television network at 9:30 pm in the first of 249 episodes. I definitely saw repeats as a child. But I remember Don Knotts more than Andy, I think from his later performance in ’70s classic “Threes Company”.
In a foreshadowing, on October 23rd a woman in Milwaukee splashed Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy with whiskey while he was riding in an open convertible, then tossed the drinking glass into the car. According to an AP report, “Kennedy wiped his face, picked up the tumbler, said calmly ‘here’s your glass’ and handed it back.” No arrests were made.
Then on the 25th the first fully electronic wristwatch, the Accutron 214, was unveiled by the Bulova Watch Company, along with the tiny watch battery to power it. Promoting the watch as the “First instrument of the space age you can wear and use!”, Bulova added “It doesn’t even tick … it hums!”. The least expensive, stainless steel model retailed for $175 equivalent to $1,480 USD today.
What’d Sadie think?
The number one can’t stick this month. A week for “My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own” by Connie Francis then Larry Verne’s “Mr. Custer” has one, before “Save The Last Dance For Me” by the Drifters splits two weeks with “I Want To Be Wanted” by Brenda Lee sandwiched in the middle.
Loved ’em
Occasionally a song makes me go “ok, the sound is changing” and other times I go, “oh wow I didn’t know their career started that early”. The first song in our Loved’ list this time is both – “A Fool In Love” by Ike & Tina Turner.
It was 21 year old Tina Turner’s first professional release although she had been recording with Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm since 1958. And it was the first national hit record for bandleader Ike Turner since the number-one R&B hit “Rocket 88” in 1951, for which he did not receive proper credit.
Some other great classics this month:
- “Blue Angel” – Roy Orbison
- “Georgia On My Mind” – Ray Charles
- “Let’s Think About Living” – Bob Luman
- “Poetry In Motion” – Johnny Tillotson
- “Stay” – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
Liked ’em
- “Alone At Last” – Jackie Wilson
- “Artificial Flowers” – Bobby Darin
- “Diamonds And Pearls” – Paradons
- “Don’t Be Cruel” – Bill Black’s Combo
- “Last Date” – Floyd Cramer
- “Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go” – Hank Ballard
- “Move Two Mountains” – Marv Johnson
- “My Heart Has A Mind Of It’s Own” – Connie Francis
- “New Orleans” – Gary Us Bonds
- “Run Samson Run” – Neil Sedaka
- “Sleep” – Little Willie John
- “Summer’s Gone” – Paul Anka
- “To Each His Own” – Platters
- “Twistin’ Usa” – Danny & The Juniors
- “You Talk Too Much” – Joe Jones
Leave ’em
- “Togetherness” – Frankie Avalon
Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.