Author: Thomas Scovell

It’s turning into a scorching summer down under in Auckland of 2024 as we turn our ears back to August of 1964…

Songs of the month

“A Hard Day’s Night” – Beatles
[new] “Ain’t She Sweet” – Beatles
[new] “Al-Di-La” – Ray Charles Singers
[new] “And I Love Her” – Beatles
[new] “Because” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “Bread And Butter” – Newbeats
[new] “C’mon And Swim” – Bobby Freeman
“Can’t You See That She’s Mine” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “Clinging Vine” – Bobby Vinton
“Dang Me” – Roger Miller
“Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” – Gerry And The Pacemakers
“Don’t Throw Your Love Away” – Searchers
“Don’t Worry Baby” – Beach Boys
“Everybody Loves Somebody” – Dean Martin
“Farmer John” – Premiers
[new] “G.T.O.” – Ronny And The Daytonas
“Good Times” – Sam Cooke
[new] “Handy Man” – Del Shannon
[new] “How Do You Do It” – Gerry And The Pacemakers
“How Glad I Am” – Nancy Wilson
“I Get Around” – Beach Boys
[new] “I Like It Like That” – Miracles
“I Wanna Love Him So Bad” – Jelly Beans
[new] “I’ll Cry Instead” – Beatles
[new] “I’ll Keep You Satisfied” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
[new] “In The Misty Moonlight” – Jerry Wallace
[new] “It Hurts To Be In Love” – Gene Pitney
[new] “Just Be True” – Gene Chandler
“Keep On Pushing” – Impressions
[new] “Maybe I Know” – Lesley Gore
[new] “Maybelline” – Johnny Rivers
“Memphis” – Johnny Rivers
“My Boy Lollipop” – Millie
“Nobody I Know” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “People Say” – Dixie Cups
“People” – Barbra Streisand
“Rag Doll” – Four Seasons
[new] “Selfish One” – Jackie Ross
“Steal Away” – Jimmy Hughes
[new] “Such A Night” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Sugar Lips” – Al Hirt
[new] “Tell Me” – Rolling Stones
“The Girl From Ipanema” – Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
[new] “The House Of The Rising Sun” – Animals
“The Little Old Lady From Pasadena” – Jan & Dean
“Try It Baby” – Marvin Gaye
“Under The Boardwalk” – Drifters
[new] “Walk-Don’t Run ’64” – Ventures
“Where Did Our Love Go” – Supremes
“Wishin’ And Hopin’” – Dusty Springfield
[new] “You Never Can Tell” – Chuck Berry
[new] “You’re My World” – Cilla Black

[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 8th a Rolling Stones concert in the Netherlands resort of Scheveningen, near The Hague, ended in a near riot after the Stones had played only four songs.

Then on the 2rd The Beatles performed at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, one of the two concerts that were compiled as the live album “The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl”.

On the 27th, also in Hollywood, Walt Disney’s hit film Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews in the title role and Dick Van Dyke, made its first appearance, with a première at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The film would go on to become Disney’s biggest moneymaker to date, and would win five Academy Awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actress for Andrews.

What’d Sadie think?

Two weeks at the top for “A Hard Day’s Night” – Beatles before a week for Dean Martin’s “Everybody Loves Somebody” and then the Supremes ask, “Where Did Our Love Go” – Supremes at the top for a week.

Loved ’em

• “And I Love Her” – Beatles
• “Bread And Butter” – Newbeats
• “I’ll Keep You Satisfied” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
• “Just Be True” – Gene Chandler
• “Tell Me” – Rolling Stones
• “The House Of The Rising Sun” – Animals
• “You Never Can Tell” – Chuck Berry

Tune of the week is definitely “House of the Rising Sun”, as a traditional folk song recorded by an electric rock band, it has been described as the “first folk rock hit”. It has quite the storied past so we’ll leave that to wikipedia.

Liked ’em

• “Ain’t She Sweet” – Beatles
• “Al-Di-La” – Ray Charles Singers
• “Because” – Dave Clark Five
• “C’mon And Swim” – Bobby Freeman
• “G.T.O.” – Ronny And The Daytonas
• “Handy Man” – Del Shannon
• “How Do You Do It” – Gerry And The Pacemakers
• “I’ll Cry Instead” – Beatles
• “It Hurts To Be In Love” – Gene Pitney
• “Maybe I Know” – Lesley Gore
• “Maybelline” – Johnny Rivers
• “People Say” – Dixie Cups
• “Selfish One” – Jackie Ross
• “Such A Night” – Elvis Presley
• “Walk-Don’t Run ’64” – Ventures
• “You’re My World” – Cilla Black

Leave ’em

• “Clinging Vine” – Bobby Vinton
• “In The Misty Moonlight” – Jerry Wallace
• “Sugar Lips” – Al Hirt

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

Happy New Year from here in January of 2024! Our fourth, calendar, year of this project… A busy Xmas with family so here’s June which we didn’t post, before we tune into July of 1964….

Songs of the month

[new] “A Hard Day’s Night” – Beatles
“A World Without Love” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “Alone” – Four Seasons
“Bad To Me” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
“Can’t You See That She’s Mine” – Dave Clark Five
“Chapel Of Love” – Dixie Cups
[new] “Dang Me” – Roger Miller
“Diane” – Bachelors
“Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” – Gerry And The Pacemakers
“Don’t Throw Your Love Away” – Searchers
“Don’t Worry Baby” – Beach Boys
[new] “Everybody Loves Somebody” – Dean Martin
[new] “Farmer John” – Premiers
“Good Times” – Sam Cooke
[new] “Hey Harmonica Man” – Stevie Wonder
[new] “How Glad I Am” – Nancy Wilson
“I Get Around” – Beach Boys
[new] “I Wanna Love Him So Bad” – Jelly Beans
“I’ll Touch A Star” – Terry Stafford
[new] “Keep On Pushing” – Impressions
“Little Children” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
“Love Me Do” – Beatles
“Love Me With All Your Heart” – Ray Charles Singers
“Memphis” – Johnny Rivers
“My Boy Lollipop” – Millie
“My Guy” – Mary Wells
“No Particular Place To Go” – Chuck Berry
[new] “Nobody I Know” – Peter & Gordon
“People” – Barbra Streisand
“Rag Doll” – Four Seasons
[new] “Rag Doll” – Searchers
[new] “Remember Me” – Rita Pavone
[new] “Steal Away” – Jimmy Hughes
“Tell Me Why” – Bobby Vinton
“The Girl From Ipanema” – Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
[new] “The Little Old Lady From Pasadena” – Jan & Dean
“Today” – New Christy Minstrels
“Try It Baby” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “Under The Boardwalk” – Drifters
“Walk On By” – Dionne Warwick
[new] “What’s The Matter With You Baby” – Marvin Gaye And Mary Wells
[new] “Where Did Our Love Go” – Supremes
[new] “Wishin’ And Hopin’” – Dusty Springfield
“Yesterday’s Gone” – Chad Stewart And Jeremy Clyde

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On July 2nd U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, finally abolishing racial segregation in the United States in public schools, public accommodations and travel, and in voting registration.

Across the pond on the 6th The Beatles’ first feature film, “A Hard Day’s Night”, premiered in the United Kingdom.

Still in the UK, on the 15th, the “topping out” ceremony was held to mark the completion of what was, at the time, the tallest building in the United Kingdom, the Post Office Tower (aka the iconic “BT Tower”) in London.

Then on the 31st of July, Jim Reeves, 40, American country singer, was killed when the small plane he was piloting encountered a violent thunderstorm while flying over Brentwood, Tennessee.

What’d Sadie think?

Two weeks at the top for “I Get Around” by the Beach Boys before the Four Seasons take over with “Rag Doll”.

Loved ’em

Some real classics in the playlist this month, from yet another Beatles hit to “Under the Boardwalk”, and hits from The Supremes and Dusty Springfield.

• “A Hard Day’s Night” – Beatles
• “Dang Me” – Roger Miller
• “Hey Harmonica Man” – Stevie Wonder
• “How Glad I Am” – Nancy Wilson
• “The Little Old Lady From Pasadena” – Jan & Dean
• “Under The Boardwalk” – Drifters
• “What’s The Matter With You Baby” – Marvin Gaye And Mary Wells
• “Where Did Our Love Go” – Supremes
• “Wishin’ And Hopin’” – Dusty Springfield

Liked ’em

• “Alone” – Four Seasons
• “Everybody Loves Somebody” – Dean Martin
• “Farmer John” – Premiers
• “I Wanna Love Him So Bad” – Jelly Beans
• “Keep On Pushing” – Impressions
• “Nobody I Know” – Peter & Gordon
• “Rag Doll” – Searchers
• “Steal Away” – Jimmy Hughes

Leave ’em

• “Remember Me” – Rita Pavone
• “Tell Me Why” – Ray Charles Singers

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

It’s 56 years and 2 months before Sadie is born and 12 years and 8 months before Thomas is… so let’s hear what June, 1964 sounds like!

Songs of the month

“A World Without Love” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “Bad To Me” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
[new] “Be Anything” – Connie Francis
[new] “Beans In My Ears” – Serendipity Singers
“Bits And Pieces” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “Can’t You See That She’s Mine” – Dave Clark Five
“Chapel Of Love” – Dixie Cups
“Cotton Candy” – Al Hirt
“Diane” – Bachelors
“Do You Love Me” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” – Gerry And The Pacemakers
[new] “Don’t Throw Your Love Away” – Searchers
[new] “Don’t Worry Baby” – Beach Boys
“Every Little Bit Hurts” – Brenda Holloway
[new] “Good Times” – Sam Cooke
“Hello Dolly” – Louis Armstrong
“I Don’t Want To Hurt Anymore” – Nat King Cole
[new] “I Get Around” – Beach Boys
[new] “I’ll Touch A Star” – Terry Stafford
“I’m So Proud” – Impressions
“It’s Over” – Roy Orbison
“Little Children” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
“Love Me Do” – Beatles
“Love Me With All Your Heart” – Ray Charles Singers
[new] “Memphis” – Johnny Rivers
[new] “My Boy Lollipop” – Millie
“My Guy” – Mary Wells
[new] “No Particular Place To Go” – Chuck Berry
“Once Upon A Time” – Marvin Gaye And Mary Wells
“P.S. I Love You” – Beatles
“People” – Barbra Streisand
[new] “Rag Doll” – Four Seasons
“Romeo And Juliet” – Reflections
[new] “Tears And Roses” – Al Martino
“Tell Me Why” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “The Girl From Ipanema” – Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
[new] “Three Window Coupe” – Rip Chords
“Today” – New Christy Minstrels
[new] “Try It Baby” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “Viva Las Vegas” – Elvis Presley
“Walk On By” – Dionne Warwick
“What’d I Say” – Elvis Presley
[new] “What’s The Matter With You Baby” – Marving Gaye And Mary Wells
[new] “Yesterday’s Gone” – Chad Stewart And Jeremy Clyde

[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 4th the Beatles began their first, and only, world concert tour starting with a performance at the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, and a second concert two days later at a concert hall in the village of Blokker, Netherlands, followed by visits to Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Because drummer Ringo Starr was hospitalized for acute tonsillitis, Jimmie Nicol took his place for the first eight shows on the tour. Here’s a video of The Beatles arriving in NZ on that leg of the tour…

And in a continuation of the British Invasion, the Rolling Stones were introduced to the American public in a pre-recorded segment of the ABC television show The Hollywood Palace. Although they had been flown to Los Angeles for the taping and played three songs, the only part that was televised was a 45-second segment of “I Just Want to Make Love to You” and host Dean Martin made derogatory remarks about the Stones, including “Their hair is not long. It’s just smaller foreheads and higher eyebrows.” Someone feeling increasingly irrelevant perhaps?

And in weightier news, on the 12th Nelson Mandela and seven co-defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment in the infamous Rivonia Trials. Goldberg would be sent to Pretoria, while Mandela and the other black defendants went to the Robben Island prison. Mandela wouldn’t be released until 1990.

What’d Sadie think?

Three weeks at number 1 for “Chapel Of Love” by the Dixie Cups and then a week for Peter & Gordon’s “A World Without Love”.

Loved ’em

• “Bad To Me” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
• “Can’t You See That She’s Mine” – Dave Clark Five
• “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” – Gerry And The Pacemakers
• “Don’t Throw Your Love Away” – Searchers
• “Don’t Worry Baby” – Beach Boys
• “Good Times” – Sam Cooke
• “I Get Around” – Beach Boys
• “My Boy Lollipop” – Millie
• “The Girl From Ipanema” – Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
• “Viva Las Vegas” – Elvis Presley
• “What’s The Matter With You Baby” – Marving Gaye And Mary Wells

Liked ’em

• “Be Anything” – Connie Francis
• “I’ll Touch A Star” – Terry Stafford
• “No Particular Place To Go” – Chuck Berry
• “Tears And Roses” – Al Martino
• “Three Window Coupe” – Rip Chords
• “Try It Baby” – Marvin Gaye

Leave ’em

• “Beans In My Ears” – Serendipity Singers
• “Yesterday’s Gone” – Chad Stewart And Jeremy Clyde

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

It’s 56 years and 4 months before Sadie is born and 12 years and 10 months before Thomas is…and we missed sending the newsletter this week, so let’s jump straight into the tunes of April, 1964!

Songs of the month

[new] “Ain’t Nothing You Can Do” – Bobby Bland
[new] “Bits And Pieces” – Dave Clark Five
“Blue Winter” – Connie Francis
“Can’t Buy Me Love” – Beatles
“Dawn” – Four Seasons
[new] “Dead Man’s Curve” – Jan And Dean
[new] “Do You Want To Know A Secret” – Beatles
“Don’t Let The Rain Come Down” – Serendipity Singers
[new] “Ebb Tide” – Lenny Welch
[new] “Forever” – Pete Drake And His Talking Steel Guitar
“Fun Fun Fun” – Beach Boys
“Glad All Over” – Dave Clark Five
“Hello Dolly” – Louis Armstrong
[new] “Hey Bobba Needle” – Chubby Checker
“Hi-Heel Sneakers” – Tommy Tucker
[new] “Hippy Hippy Shake” – Swinging Blue Jeans
“I Love You More And More Every Day” – Al Martino
“I Want To Hold Your Hand” – Beatles
“It Hurts Me” – Elvis Presley
“It’s In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)” – Betty Everett
[new] “It’s Over” – Roy Orbison
“Java” – Al Hirt
“Kissin’ Cousins” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Money” – Kingsmen
[new] “My Guy” – Mary Wells
“My Heart Belongs To Only You” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “Nadine” – Chuck Berry
“Navy Blue” – Diane Renay
“Needles And Pins” – Searchers
“Please Please Me” – Beatles
[new] “Ronnie” – Four Seasons
[new] “Shangri-La” – Robert Maxwell
“She Loves You” – Beatles
“Stay” – Four Seasons
“Suspicion” – Terry Stafford
[new] “That’s The Way Boys Are” – Lesley Gore
[new] “The Matador” – Major Lance
“The Way You Do The Things You Do” – Temptations
[new] “Think” – Brenda Lee
“Twist And Shout” – Beatles
[new] “White On White” – Danny Williams
“You’re A Wonderful One” – Marvin Gaye

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On April 7th IBM announced the System/360 mainframe computer system, the first commercially available system to use micro-miniaturized logic circuits.The new machine, which IBM chairman Thomas J. Watson Jr. described as “the beginning of a new generation—not only of computers—but their application in business, science and government”, was shown off at meetings in 165 cities.

On the 13th the 36th Academy Awards ceremony were held. Sidney Poitier became the first black person to win an Academy Award in the category Best Actor in a Leading Role, for his performance in Lilies of the Field – trailer below.

And on the 20th the first jar of Nutella, a “hazelnut cocoa spread” now popular around the world, was shipped from the Ferrero factory in Italy.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s four weeks at number 1 for The Beatles with “Can’t Buy Me Love”. The first week of the month sees even more extreme domination though…

yes they held the top 5 spots!

Loved ’em

• “Ain’t Nothing You Can Do” – Bobby Bland
• “Bits And Pieces” – Dave Clark Five
• “Do You Want To Know A Secret” – Beatles
• “Hippy Hippy Shake” – Swinging Blue Jeans
• “My Guy” – Mary Wells
  

Liked ’em

• “Dead Man’s Curve” – Jan And Dean
• “Ebb Tide” – Lenny Welch
• “Forever” – Pete Drake
• “Hey Bobba Needle” – Chubby Checker
• “It’s Over” – Roy Orbison
• “Money” – Kingsmen
• “Nadine” – Chuck Berry
• “Ronnie” – Four Seasons
• “Shangri-La” – Robert Maxwell
• “That’s The Way Boys Are” – Lesley Gore
• “The Matador” – Major Lance
  

Leave ’em

• “Think” – Brenda Lee
• “White On White” – Danny Williams

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

A merry Xmas from December, 2023! We’re in Raumati enjoying family time by the pool and the beach. As a result of a hectic last week of work before the break we did miss posting April, 1964 – which I highly recommend so you can experience the madness of The Beatles holding position 1…2…3…4…and 5 on the charts all at once. Then come back and listen to May, 1964…

Songs of the month

[new] “A World Without Love” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “A World Without Love” – Peter And Gordon
“Ain’t Nothing You Can Do” – Bobby Bland
“Bits And Pieces” – Dave Clark Five
“Can’t Buy Me Love” – Beatles
[new] “Chapel Of Love” – Dixie Cups
[new] “Cotton Candy” – Al Hirt
[new] “Dead Man’s Curve” – Jan & Dean
“Dead Man’s Curve” – Jan And Dean
[new] “Diane” – Bachelors
[new] “Do You Love Me” – Dave Clark Five
“Do You Want To Know A Secret” – Beatles
“Don’t Let The Rain Come Down” – Serendipity Singers
[new] “Don’t Let The Rain Come Down” – Serenditity Singers
“Ebb Tide” – Lenny Welch
[new] “Every Little Bit Hurts” – Brenda Holloway
“Forever” – Pete Drake And His Talking Steel Guitar
“Glad All Over” – Dave Clark Five
“Hello Dolly” – Louis Armstrong
[new] “I Don’t Want To Hurt Anymore” – Nat King Cole
[new] “I’m So Proud” – Impressions
“It’s In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)” – Betty Everett
“It’s Over” – Roy Orbison
[new] “Kiss Me Sailor” – Diane Renay
[new] “Little Children” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
[new] “Love Me Do” – Beatles
[new] “Love Me With All Your Heart” – Ray Charles Singers
“Money” – Kingsmen
[new] “My Girl Sloopy” – Vibrations
“My Guy” – Mary Wells
“Nadine” – Chuck Berry
“Needles And Pins” – Searchers
[new] “Once Upon A Time” – Marvin Gaye And Mary Wells
[new] “P.S. I Love You” – Beatles
[new] “People” – Barbra Streisand
[new] “Romeo And Juliet” – Reflections
“Ronnie” – Four Seasons
“Shangri-La” – Robert Maxwell
[new] “Shangri-La” – Vic Dana
“Suspicion” – Terry Stafford
[new] “Tell Me Why” – Bobby Vinton
“That’s The Way Boys Are” – Lesley Gore
“The Matador” – Major Lance
[new] “The Very Thought Of You” – Rick Nelson
“The Way You Do The Things You Do” – Temptations
[new] “Today” – New Christy Minstrels
“Twist And Shout” – Beatles
[new] “Walk On By” – Dionne Warwick
[new] “What’d I Say” – Elvis Presley
“White On White” – Danny Williams
[new] “Wish Someone Would Care” – Irma Thomas
“You’re A Wonderful One” – Marvin Gaye

[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 2nd of the month the long running BBC television documentary series “Horizon “was broadcast for the first time, with the new BBC-2 network presenting “The World of Buckminster Fuller”.

Then on May the 4th, well before anyone could make Star Wars jokes, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution, by voice vote, recognizing that bourbon whiskey was a “distinctive product of the United States” and asking that U.S. government agencies “take appropriate action to prohibit the importation into the United States of whiskey designated as bourbon whiskey”.

On the 16th twelve young men in New York City publicly burned their draft cards to protest against the Vietnam War, the first mass act of resistance in the history of the war and an ongoing symbol of resistance by youth for the next decade.

What’d Sadie think?

One more week for “Can’t Buy Me Love” by the Beatles after over a month of dominance before Louis Armstrong’s “Hello Dolly” takes the top for a week followed by two weeks for Mary Wells with the classic “My Guy”.

Loved ’em

• “A World Without Love” – Peter & Gordon
• “Chapel Of Love” – Dixie Cups
• “Do You Love Me” – Dave Clark Five
• “Love Me Do” – Beatles
• “My Girl Sloopy” – Vibrations
• “Walk On By” – Dionne Warwick

Liked ’em

• “Cotton Candy” – Al Hirt
• “Every Little Bit Hurts” – Brenda Holloway
• “I Don’t Want To Hurt Anymore” – Nat King Cole
• “I’m So Proud” – Impressions
• “Kiss Me Sailor” – Diane Renay
• “Little Children” – Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
• “Love Me With All Your Heart” – Ray Charles Singers
• “Once Upon A Time” – Marvin Gaye And Mary Wells
• “P.S. I Love You” – Beatles
• “People” – Barbra Streisand
• “Romeo And Juliet” – Reflections
• “Shangri-La” – Vic Dana
• “Tell Me Why” – Bobby Vinton
• “The Very Thought Of You” – Rick Nelson
• “Today” – New Christy Minstrels
• “What’d I Say” – Elvis Presley
• “Wish Someone Would Care” – Irma Thomas

Leave ’em

• “Diane” – Bachelors
• “Don’t Let The Rain Come Down” – Serenditity Singers

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

Welcome to the on-again-off-again Summer of December 2023, where we find ourselves jumping in our time machine and transporting back to March, 1964…

Songs of the month

“A Fool Never Learns” – Andy Williams
“Abigal Beecher” – Freddy Cannon
[new] “Bird Dance Beat” – Trashmen
[new] “Blue Winter” – Connie Francis
“California Sun” – Rivieras
[new] “Can’t Buy Me Love” – Beatles
“Dawn” – Four Seasons
[new] “Don’t Let The Rain Come Down” – Serendipity Singers
“Fun Fun Fun” – Beach Boys
[new] “Glad All Over” – Dave Clark Five
“Good News” – Sam Cooke
[new] “Hello Dolly” – Louis Armstrong
“Hey Little Cobra” – Rip Cords
[new] “Hi-Heel Sneakers” – Tommy Tucker
“I Love You More And More Every Day” – Al Martino
[new] “I Love You More And More Everyday” – Al Martino
“I Only Want To Be With You” – Dusty Springfield
“I Saw Her Standing There” – Beatles
“I Want To Hold Your Hand” – Beatles
[new] “I Wish You Love” – Gloria Lynne
[new] “It Hurts Me” – Elvis Presley
[new] “It’s In His Kiss (Shoop Shoop Song)” – Betty Everett
“Java” – Al Hirt
[new] “Kissin’ Cousins” – Elvis Presley
[new] “My Bonnie” – Beatles With Tony Sheridan
[new] “My Heart Belongs To Only You” – Bobby Vinton
“Navy Blue” – Diane Renay
[new] “Needles And Pins” – Searchers
[new] “Oh Baby Can’t You Weep” – James Brown
“Oh Baby Don’t You Weep” – James Brown
“Penetration” – Pyramids
“Please Please Me” – Beatles
“See The Funny Little Clown” – Bobby Goldsboro
“She Loves You” – Beatles
[new] “Stay” – Four Seasons
“Stop And Think It Over” – Dale And Grace
[new] “Suspicion” – Terry Stafford
“Talking About My Baby” – Impressions
“The Shelter Of Your Arms” – Sammy Davis Jr.
[new] “The Way You Do The Things You Do” – Temptations
[new] “Twist And Shout” – Beatles
“Um Um Um Um Um Um” – Major Lance
“Who Do You Love” – Sapphires
“You Don’t Own Me” – Lesley Gore
[new] “You’re A Wonderful One” – Marvin Gaye

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On March the 13th a classic cautionary tale in “not wanting to get involved” happened when the murder of Kitty Genovese took place outside her apartment building in the upper-middle-class neighborhood of Kew Gardens in the New York borough of Queens and resulting in the coining of the psychological concept of “the bystander effect”. More recent studies have indicated the actual events of that night were distorted to fit the theory.

On the 17th what would become known as the “domino theory” became the basis for American policy on Vietnam, after U.S. President Johnson approved National Security Action Memorandum 288 and the recommendations made to him by Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. “We seek an independent non-Communist South Vietnam,” McNamara wrote, adding that “unless we can achieve this objective… almost all of Southeast Asia will probably fall under Communist dominance”.

On the 28th, not long after they’d taken over the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, wax likenesses of The Beatles were put on display in London’s Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. The Beatles were the first pop stars to be displayed at the museum.

Then on the 20th the classic game show “Jeopardy!”, created by Merv Griffin, made its debut in the U.S., appearing on the NBC television network.

What’d Sadie think?

The month belongs, again, to the Beatles. Two weeks for “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and then two for “She Loves You” at the top. We also see the return of Elvis to the charts, who had recently finished his military service.

But it really belongs to Sadie, as ever, who delighted in changing the lyrics of various songs this week. “Oh yeah, yeah, yeah” became “oh no! no! no!” and other less repeatable twists. Bless!

Loved ’em

• “Can’t Buy Me Love” – Beatles
• “Hello Dolly” – Louis Armstrong
• “It’s In His Kiss (Shoop Shoop Song)” – Betty Everett
• “The Way You Do The Things You Do” – Temptations
• “Twist And Shout” – Beatles

Liked ’em

• “Blue Winter” – Connie Francis
• “Don’t Let The Rain Come Down” – Serendipity Singers
• “Glad All Over” – Dave Clark Five
• “Hi-Heel Sneakers” – Tommy Tucker
• “I Love You More And More Everyday” – Al Martino
• “I Wish You Love” – Gloria Lynne
• “It Hurts Me” – Elvis Presley
• “Kissin’ Cousins” – Elvis Presley
• “My Bonnie” – Beatles With Tony Sheridan
• “My Heart Belongs To Only You” – Bobby Vinton
• “Needles And Pins” – Searchers
• “Oh Baby Can’t You Weep” – James Brown
• “Stay” – Four Seasons
• “Suspicion” – Terry Stafford
• “You’re A Wonderful One” – Marvin Gaye

Leave ’em

• “Bird Dance Beat” – Trashmen

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.