Author: Thomas Scovell

A week in fiji for Sadie’s Nana’s birthday so we have skipped a newsletter. You can go back to listen to April, 1961 before delving into May, 1961 below.

Songs of the month

“A Hundred Pounds Of Clay” – Gene Mcdaniels
“Apache” – Jorgen Ingmann
“Asia Minor” – Kokomo
“Baby Blue” – Echoes
[new] “Barbara Ann” – Regents
“Blue Moon” – Marcels
[new] “Bonanza” – Al Caiola
“Breakin’ In A Brand New Broken Heart” – Connie Francis
[new] “Bumble Boogie” – B. Bumble & The Stingers
“But I Do” – Clarence Frogman Henry
“Daddy’s Home” – Shep & The Limelites
“Dedicated To The One I Love” – Shirelles
“Don’t Worry” – Marty Robbins
[new] “Flaming Star” – Elvis Presley
“Funny” – Maxine Brown
[new] “Girl Of My Best Friend” – Ral Donner
[new] “Hello Mary Lou” – Ricky Nelson
[new] “Hello Walls” – Faron Young
[new] “I Feel So Bad” – Elvis Presley
“I’ve Told Every Little Star” – Linda Scott
“Just For Old Time’s Sake” – Mcguire Sisters
[new] “Little Devil” – Neil Sedaka
[new] “Lullaby Of Love” – Frank Gari
[new] “Mama Said” – Shirelles
[new] “Mess Around” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Moody River” – Pat Boone
“Mother-In-Law” – Ernie K-Doe
“On The Rebound” – Floyd Cramer
“One Mint Julep” – Ray Charles
[new] “Peanut Butter” – Marathons
“Please Love Me Forever” – Cathy Jean & The Roommates
“Pony Time” – Chubby Checker
“Portrait Of My Love” – Steve Lawrence
[new] “Raindrops” – Dee Clark
“Runaway” – Del Shannon
[new] “Running Scared” – Roy Orbison
[new] “Stand By Me” – Ben E. King
“Surrender” – Elvis Presley
“Take Good Care Of Her” – Adam Wade
[new] “That Old Black Magic” – Bobby Rydell
“Tonight I Fell In Love” – Tokens
“Tonight My Love Tonight” – Paul Anka
[new] “Tragedy” – Fleetwoods
[new] “Travellin’ Man” – Ricky Nelson
[new] “Triangle” – Janie Grant
[new] “What’d I Say” – Jerry Lee Lewis
[new] “You Always Hurt The One You Love” – Clarence Frogman Henry
“You Can Depend On Me” – Brenda Lee

[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 betting shops became legal in the United Kingdom, permitting UK residents to place bets, through a bookie, on horse races without going to the track. Classic news archive of the transition from illegal to sanctioned betting below…

Then on the 5th the USA come in second in the space race when at 9:34 am, Alan Shepard became the first American in space as Freedom 7 lifted off from Cape Canaveral. Shepard’s spacecraft, first of the Mercury program, reached an altitude of 115 miles (185 km) without achieving orbit, and was recovered 19 minutes later by the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain.

On the 9th, describing American television as “a vast wasteland”, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Newton N. Minow addressed the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, and implied that the FCC might not renew licenses of those entities that failed to upgrade their product,

I invite each of you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there, for a day, without a book, without a magazine, without a newspaper, without a profit and loss sheet or a rating book to distract you. Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland,” said Minow. “You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western bad men, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons. And endlessly, commercials — many screaming, cajoling, and offending. And most of all, boredom. True, you’ll see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, I only ask you to try it.

So… TV hasn’t changed much then?

What’d Sadie think?

3 weeks at the top for “Runaway” by Del Shannon before “Mother-In-Law” by Ernie K-Doe and new track, “Travellin’ Man”, by Ricky Nelson have a week each.

Loved ’em

Some real classics new to the charts this week!

• “Barbara Ann” – Regents
• “Bonanza” – Al Caiola
• “Hello Mary Lou” – Ricky Nelson
• “Little Devil” – Neil Sedaka
• “Stand By Me” – Ben E. King
• “Travellin’ Man” – Ricky Nelson

Liked ’em

• “Bumble Boogie” – B. Bumble & The Stingers
• “Flaming Star” – Elvis Presley
• “Girl Of My Best Friend” – Ral Donner
• “I Feel So Bad” – Elvis Presley
• “Lullaby Of Love” – Frank Gari
• “Mama Said” – Shirelles
• “Mess Around” – Chubby Checker
• “Moody River” – Pat Boone
• “Raindrops” – Dee Clark
• “Running Scared” – Roy Orbison
• “That Old Black Magic” – Bobby Rydell
• “Triangle” – Janie Grant
• “What’d I Say” – Jerry Lee Lewis
• “You Always Hurt The One You Love” – Clarence Frogman Henry

Leave ’em

• “Peanut Butter” – Marathons
• “Tragedy” – Fleetwoods

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

We were away in Fiji for a family holiday this week back in 2023, so it’s straight into the music of April, 1961…

Songs of the month

[new] “A Hundred Pounds Of Clay” – Gene Mcdaniels
“Apache” – Jorgen Ingmann
“Asia Minor” – Kokomo
“Baby Blue” – Echoes
“Blue Moon” – Marcels
[new] “Breakin’ In A Brand New Broken Heart” – Connie Francis
[new] “But I Do” – Clarence (Frogman) Henry
“But I Do” – Clarence Frogman Henry
[new] “Daddy’s Home” – Shep & The Limelites
“Dedicated To The One I Love” – Shirelles
“Don’t Worry” – Marty Robbins
“Ebony Eyes” – Everly Brothers
[new] “Find Another Girl” – Jerry Butler
[new] “Funny” – Maxine Brown
“Gee Whiz” – Carla Thomas
[new] “Hide Away” – Freddy King
[new] “I’ve Told Every Little Star” – Linda Scott
[new] “Just For Old Time’s Sake” – Mcguire Sisters
“Lazy River” – Bobby Darin
“Model Girl” – Johnny Maestro
[new] “Mother-In-Law” – Ernie K-Doe
“On The Rebound” – Floyd Cramer
[new] “Once Upon A Time” – Rochell & The Candles
[new] “One Mint Julep” – Ray Charles
“Please Love Me Forever” – Cathy Jean & The Roommates
[new] “Please Tell Me Why” – Jackie Wilson
“Pony Time” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Portrait Of My Love” – Steve Lawrence
“Runaway” – Del Shannon
“Spanish Harlem” – Ben E. King
“Surrender” – Elvis Presley
“Take Good Care Of Her” – Adam Wade
“Think Twice” – Brook Benton
[new] “Tonight I Fell In Love” – Tokens
[new] “Tonight My Love Tonight” – Paul Anka
[new] “Trust In Me” – Etta James
“Walk Right Back” – Everly Brothers
“Wheels” – String-A-Longs
“Where The Boys Are” – Connie Francis
[new] “You Can Depend On Me” – Brenda Lee

[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 April television commercials were introduced to New Zealand, which had one station (AKTV2) in Auckland, and on which TV was allowed for 28 hours per week, spread over five days… No film of the first ads but naturally there’s archive of a Rugby game in NZ from 1961 so here that is…

Meanwhile on more varied TV in the USA, singer Barbra Streisand made her national television debut, as a guest on Tonight Starring Jack Paar which you can see below.

On the 12th at 2:07 p.m. local time (9:07 a.m. Moscow, 0607 UTC and 1:07 a.m. in New York), Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was launched from Baikonur, in the Kazakh SSR, on the Vostok 1 (East 1) rocket and became the first human being to go into outer space. Gagarin made one orbit of the Earth before re-entering, and landed at 10:55 a.m., 15 miles (24 km) southwest of the city of Engels in Russia’s Saratov Oblast

Then, in further proof of the Soviet’s might… The preliminary stage of the Bay of Pigs Invasion commenced as eight Douglas B-26B Invader bombers attacked Cuban airfields at San Antonio de Los Baños, Ciudad Libertad, and Santiago de Cuba airport. As the video below says, “nothing epitomizes the disastrous Cuba policy of the United States better than the abortive, three-day, failed Bay of Pigs invasion conducted by anti-Castro Cuban exiles in April 1962. In the annals of half-assed CIA operations, this debacle ranks close to the top of the list of Agency disasters.”

What’d Sadie think?

Three weeks at number 1 for “Blue Moon” by Marcels before “Runaway” by Del Shannon
takes it for the final week of April.

Loved ’em

• “Daddy’s Home” – Shep & The Limelites
• “I’ve Told Every Little Star” – Linda Scott
• “Mother-In-Law” – Ernie K-Doe
• “Tonight My Love Tonight” – Paul Anka
• “Trust In Me” – Etta James
• “You Can Depend On Me” – Brenda Lee

Liked ’em

• “A Hundred Pounds Of Clay” – Gene Mcdaniels
• “Breakin’ In A Brand New Broken Heart” – Connie Francis
• “But I Do” – Clarence (Frogman) Henry
• “Find Another Girl” – Jerry Butler
• “Funny” – Maxine Brown
• “Hide Away” – Freddy King
• “Just For Old Time’s Sake” – Mcguire Sisters
• “Once Upon A Time” – Rochell & The Candles
• “Please Tell Me Why” – Jackie Wilson
• “Portrait Of My Love” – Steve Lawrence
• “Tonight I Fell In Love” – Tokens

Leave ’em

• “One Mint Julep” – Ray Charles

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

A new feature this month for the intro. Given the primary audience for this whole thing is Sadie, some handy (auto-generated) math for if she ever comes back and reads these later in life…

It’s 59 years and 5 months before Sadie is born and 15 years and 11 months before Thomas is.

Now let’s go back there and listen to March, 1961…

Songs of the month

“All In My Mind” – Maxine Brown
“Angel On My Shoulder” – Shelby Flint
[new] “Apache” – Jorge Ingmann
“Apache” – Jorgen Ingmann
[new] “Asia Minor” – Kokomo
[new] “Baby Blue” – Echoes
“Baby Sittin’ Boogie” – Buzz Clifford
[new] “Blue Moon” – Marcels
[new] “But I Do” – Clarence Frogman Henry
“Calcutta” – Lawrence Welk
“Calendar Girl” – Neil Sedaka
“Dedicated To The One I Love” – Shirelles
“Don’t Worry” – Marty Robbins
“Ebony Eyes” – Everly Brothers
“Emotions” – Brenda Lee
“Exodus” – Ferrante & Teicher
[new] “For My Baby” – Brook Benton
“Gee Whiz” – Carla Thomas
“Good Time Baby” – Bobby Rydell
[new] “Happy Birthday Blues” – Kathy Young & The Innocents
[new] “Hearts Of Stone” – Bill Black’s Combo
[new] “Lazy River” – Bobby Darin
“Little Boy Sad” – Johnny Burnette
[new] “Model Girl” – Johnny Maestro
[new] “On The Rebound” – Floyd Cramer
[new] “Please Love Me Forever” – Cathy Jean & The Roommates
“Pony Time” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Ram-Bunk-Shush” – Ventures
[new] “Runaway” – Del Shannon
“Shop Around” – Miracles
“Spanish Harlem” – Ben E. King
“Surrender” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Take Good Care Of Her” – Adam Wade
[new] “The Watusi” – Vibrations
“There’s A Moon Out Tonight” – Capris
“Think Twice” – Brook Benton
[new] “Utopia” – Frankie Gari
“Walk Right Back” – Everly Brothers
“What A Price” – Fats Domino
[new] “Wheels” – Billy Vaughn Orchestra
“Wheels” – String-A-Longs
“Where The Boys Are” – Connie Francis
“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” – Shirelles
“Wings Of A Dove” – Ferlin Husky
“You Can Have Her” – Roy Hamilton
[new] “You’re Sixteen” – Johnny Burnette

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

Mon March 5th at a press conference at Andrews Air Force Base, spokesmen for the U.S. Air Force Research and Development command announced that they had developed an atomic clock “so accurate that its biggest error would not exceed one second in 1271 years”, and, at 62 pounds (28 kg), light enough that it could be used on aircraft in place of the existing system of crystal oscillators. Conventional atomic clock units, though more accurate, weighed over 600 pounds (270 kg) and were impractical for flight. A decade later atomic clocks were used on planes in the Hafele-Keating experiment to prove one of Einsteins’ theories.

Speaking of nuclear and 1961, here’s a peak into 1961 via a UK Civil Defence Corps training film.

On March 11 “Ken”, a doll to accompany the popular Barbie that had been brought out by the Mattel toy company introduced on March 9, 1959, was introduced at the annual American International Toy Fair in New York City. Here’s the launch advert…

Then on the 16th “The Absent-Minded Professor”, a Disney comedy science fiction film starring Fred MacMurray, was released in the USA and became one of the most popular movies of the year.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s two weeks at number one for “Pony Time” by Chubby Checker then two for “Surrender” by Elvis Presley.

Loved ’em

Sadie is really starting to listen and sing-a-long to songs. Exemplified by the first loved ’em song this week “Model Girl” by Johnny Maestro. “You’re my model girl” was sung along to as, “you’re my mumma girl!”… undoubtedly in part because her mother was away for the weekend and she was missing her terribly. Too cute.

• “Model Girl” – Johnny Maestro
• “Blue Moon” – Marcels
• “But I Do” – Clarence Frogman Henry
• “Runaway” – Del Shannon
• “The Watusi” – Vibrations
• “You’re Sixteen” – Johnny Burnette

Liked ’em

• “Apache” – Jorge Ingmann
• “Asia Minor” – Kokomo
• “Baby Blue” – Echoes
• “For My Baby” – Brook Benton
• “Happy Birthday Blues” – Kathy Young & The Innocents
• “Hearts Of Stone” – Bill Black’s Combo
• “Lazy River” – Bobby Darin
• “On The Rebound” – Floyd Cramer
• “Ram-Bunk-Shush” – Ventures
• “Utopia” – Frankie Gari
• “Wheels” – Billy Vaughn Orchestra

Leave ’em

• “Please Love Me Forever” – Cathy Jean & The Roommates
• “Take Good Care Of Her” – Adam Wade

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

It’s end of March, 2023 as we tune into the sounds of February, 1961…

Songs of the month

“Ghost Riders in the Sky” – Ramrods
[new] “All In My Mind” – Maxine Brown
“Angel Baby” – Rosie & Originals
“Angel Baby” – Rosie & The Originals
[new] “Angel On My Shoulder” – Shelby Flint
[new] “Apache” – Jorgen Ingmann
“Are You Lonesome Tonight” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Baby Sittin’ Boogie” – Buzz Clifford
[new] “C’est Si Bon” – Conway Twitty
“Calcutta” – Lawrence Welk
“Calendar Girl” – Neil Sedaka
“Corinna Corinna” – Ray Peterson
[new] “Dedicated To The One I Love” – Shirelles
[new] “Don’t Worry” – Marty Robbins
[new] “Ebony Eyes” – Everly Brothers
“Emotions” – Brenda Lee
“Exodus” – Ferrante & Teicher
[new] “Gee Whiz” – Carla Thomas
[new] “Good Time Baby” – Bobby Rydell
“I Count The Tears” – Drifters
[new] “If I Didn’t Care” – Platters
[new] “Jimmy’s Girl” – Johnny Tillotson
“Last Date” – Floyd Cramer
[new] “Little Boy Sad” – Johnny Burnette
“My Empty Arms” – Jackie Wilson
“North To Alaska” – Johnny Horton
“Once In A While” – Chimes
“Pepe” – Duane Eddy
[new] “Pony Time” – Chubby Checker
“Rubber Ball” – Bobby Vee
“Sailor” – Lolita
“Shop Around” – Miracles
[new] “Spanish Harlem” – Ben E. King
[new] “Story Of My Life” – Paul Anka
[new] “Surrender” – Elvis Presley
[new] “The Story Of My Life” – Paul Anka
“There She Goes” – Jerry Wallace
“There’s A Moon Out Tonight” – Capris
[new] “Think Twice” – Brook Benton
[new] “Walk Right Back” – Everly Brothers
[new] “What A Price” – Fats Domino
“Wheels” – String-A-Longs
“Where The Boys Are” – Connie Francis
“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” – Shirelles
“Wings Of A Dove” – Ferlin Husky
“Wonderland By Night” – Bert Kaempfert
[new] “You Can Have Her” – Roy Hamilton

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On February 1st the push-button telephone was put into public service for the first time, as Bell Telephone test marketed its “Touch-Tone” service for its customers in the cities of Carnegie, Pennsylvania and Findlay, Ohio. Rural New Zealand was somewhat behind the times in telephonic technology however… when I was 5 in Mangaturoto in the ’80s we still had a crank phone where you couldn’t dial a number manually and had to ask at the exchange. Then in the late ’80s in Sandspit we had a dial-phone on a shard party line where you could listen in on other people’s calls! We didn’t get a push-button phone until the ’90s I believe. 3 decades after this great video…

On February 19th, led by British author and activist Bertrand Russell, the Committee of 100 and a crowd of 5,000 people staged a sit-down protest at the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, London, demanding that the U.K. call off its agreement to bring nuclear missiles to the British Isles. As one author notes, “Somewhat to the distress of Russell … police took no action on this occasion.”

On February 28th, Under United States law, 38 U.S.C. 101 (29)(A), the Vietnam Era began which refers to “The period beginning on February 28, 1961, and ending on May 7, 1975, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period.”

What’d Sadie think?

A week at the top for “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by the Shirelles before

“Calcutta” by Lawrence Welk takes it out for two. The month is rounded out by new to the charts, “Pony Time” by Chubby Checker.

Loved ’em

• “All In My Mind” – Maxine Brown
• “Apache” – Jorgen Ingmann
• “Dedicated To The One I Love” – Shirelles
• “Gee Whiz” – Carla Thomas
• “Good Time Baby” – Bobby Rydell
• “If I Didn’t Care” – Platters
• “Little Boy Sad” – Johnny Burnette
• “Pony Time” – Chubby Checker
• “Spanish Harlem” – Ben E. King
• “Walk Right Back” – Everly Brothers

Liked ’em

• “Angel On My Shoulder” – Shelby Flint
• “Baby Sittin’ Boogie” – Buzz Clifford
• “Don’t Worry” – Marty Robbins
• “Ebony Eyes” – Everly Brothers
• “Jimmy’s Girl” – Johnny Tillotson
• “Story Of My Life” – Paul Anka
• “Surrender” – Elvis Presley
• “What A Price” – Fats Domino
• “You Can Have Her” – Roy Hamilton

Leave ’em

• “Think Twice” – Brook Benton

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

It’s a belated summer here in Auckland of 2023, as we zip back to hear how 1961 sounded…

Songs of the month

“A Thousand Stars” – Kathy Young & The Innocents
[new] “Angel Baby” – Rosie & Originals
“Angel Baby” – Rosie & The Originals
“Are You Lonesome Tonight” – Elvis Presley
“Baby Oh Baby” – Shells
“Blue Tango” – Bill Black’s Combo
[new] “C’est Si Bon” – Conway Twitty
“Calcutta” – Lawrence Welk
[new] “Calendar Girl” – Neil Sedaka
“Corinna Corinna” – Ray Peterson
[new] “Emotions” – Brenda Lee
“Exodus” – Ferrante & Teicher
[new] “Gee Whiz” – Innocents
“He Will Break Your Heart” – Jerry Butler
[new] “I Count The Tears” – Drifters
[new] “I’m Hurtin’” – Roy Orbison
[new] “It’s Now Or Never” – Elvis Presley
“Last Date” – Floyd Cramer
“Lonely Teenager” – Dion
[new] “Lovey Dovey” – Buddy Knox
“Many Tears Ago” – Connie Francis
[new] “My Empty Arms” – Jackie Wilson
“My Girl Josephine” – Fats Domino
[new] “My Last Date With You” – Skeeter Davis
“North To Alaska” – Johnny Horton
[new] “Once In A While” – Chimes
[new] “Pepe” – Duane Eddy
“Perfidia” – Ventures
“Rubber Ball” – Bobby Vee
“Ruby” – Ray Charles
“Sailor” – Lolita
[new] “Shop Around” – Miracles
“Sway” – Bobby Rydell
[new] “The Hoochi Coochi Coo” – Hank Ballard
[new] “There She Goes” – Jerry Wallace
[new] “There’s A Moon Out Tonight” – Capris
[new] “Wheels” – String-A-Longs
[new] “Where The Boys Are” – Connie Francis
“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” – Shirelles
“Wings Of A Dove” – Ferlin Husky
“Wonderland By Night” – Anita Bryant
“Wonderland By Night” – Bert Kaempfert
“Wonderland By Night” – Louis Prima
[new] “You Are The Only One” – Ricky Nelson
“You’re Sixteen” – Johnny Burnette

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

Some history

On the first day of the new year the British farthing coin, used since the 13th century, and worth 1/4 of a penny, ceased to be legal tender.

And then Australia became the second nation to permit the sale of the birth control pill, and the first to allow the Scherer oral contraceptive, with brand name of Anovlar. The G.D. Searle pill Enovid had been permitted in the United States in May 1960. An amusing video from Australia of 1961 on the topic of “should tbe bikini be banned?” feels like an appropriate accompaniment to this one step forward…

On January 5th “Mister Ed”, one of the first “fantasy sitcoms” on American television, premiered as a syndicated TV program and would be picked up by the CBS network beginning on October 1. The show ran for five years, ending on February 6, 1966. But was still screening in NZ in the 1980s as I remember it as a child…

Then on the 20th John F. Kennedy took the oath of office as the 35th president of the United States. For the first time, the event was shown on color television, pioneered by the NBC network.

Finally, to end the month, Ham, a 17 kg male chimpanzee, was rocketed into space from Cape Canaveral aboard Mercury-Redstone 2, in a test of the Project Mercury capsule, thereby becoming the first hominid in space. During the powered phase of the flight, the thrust of the propulsion system was considerably higher than planned. The over-acceleration of the launch vehicle coupled with the velocity of the escape rocket caused the spacecraft to attain a higher altitude and a longer range than planned. However, spacecraft recovery was unaffected. Ham appeared to be in good physiological condition, but sometime later when he was shown the spacecraft it was visually apparent that he had no further interest in cooperating with the space flight program…

What’d Sadie think?

Three weeks at number 1 for “Wonderland By Night” by Bert Kaempfert then the last week goes to “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by the Shirelles.

Loved ’em

Sadie was a particular fan of our first song on the loved ’em list this week, she heard it and asked for her little angel mouse doll to play with as she sang along.

• “Angel Baby” – Rosie & Originals
• “C’est Si Bon” – Conway Twitty
• “Calendar Girl” – Neil Sedaka
• “I Count The Tears” – Drifters
• “It’s Now Or Never” – Elvis Presley

Liked ’em

• “Emotions” – Brenda Lee
• “Gee Whiz” – Innocents
• “I’m Hurtin’” – Roy Orbison
• “Lovey Dovey” – Buddy Knox
• “Once In A While” – Chimes
• “Shop Around” – Miracles
• “The Hoochi Coochi Coo” – Hank Ballard
• “There She Goes” – Jerry Wallace
• “There’s A Moon Out Tonight” – Capris
• “Wheels” – String-A-Longs
• “Where The Boys Are” – Connie Francis
• “You Are The Only One” – Ricky Nelson

Leave ’em

• “My Empty Arms” – Jackie Wilson
• “My Last Date With You” – Skeeter Davis
• “Pepe” – Duane Eddy

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

The end of our first year in the 1960s already – time sure does fly at 4x life. A few Xmas tunes on the charts for us to enjoy unseasonably…

Songs of the month

“A Thousand Stars” – Kathy Young & The Innocents
“Alone At Last” – Jackie Wilson
[new] “Angel Baby” – Rosie & The Originals
“Are You Lonesome Tonight” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Baby Oh Baby” – Shells
[new] “Blue Tango” – Bill Black’s Combo
[new] “Calcutta” – Lawrence Welk
[new] “Corinna Corinna” – Ray Peterson
“Don’t Be Cruel” – Bill Black’s Combo
[new] “Exodus” – Ferrante & Teicher
[new] “Fools Rush In” – Brook Benton
“Georgia On My Mind” – Ray Charles
“He Will Break Your Heart” – Jerry Butler
[new] “Hucklebuck” – Chubby Checker
[new] “I Gotta Know” – Elvis Presley
“I Want To Be Wanted” – Brenda Lee
“I’ll Save The Last Dance For You” – Damito Jo
“Last Date” – Floyd Cramer
[new] “Last Date” – Lawrence Welk
“Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go” – Hank Ballard
“Like Strangers” – Everly Brothers
[new] “Little Drummer Boy” – Harry Simeon Chorale
[new] “Lonely Teenager” – Dion
“Many Tears Ago” – Connie Francis
[new] “Many Years Ago” – Connie Francis
“My Girl Josephine” – Fats Domino
[new] “My Girl Jospehine” – Fats Domino
“New Orleans” – Gary Us Bonds
“North To Alaska” – Johnny Horton
“Perfidia” – Ventures
“Poetry In Motion” – Johnny Tillotson
[new] “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee
[new] “Rubber Ball” – Bobby Vee
[new] “Ruby” – Ray Charles
[new] “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” – David Seville & The Chipmunks
[new] “Sad Mood” – Sam Cooke
“Sailor” – Lolita
“Save The Last Dance For Me” – Drifters
“Sleep” – Little Willie John
“Stay” – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
“Sway” – Bobby Rydell
“To Each His Own” – Platters
[new] “White Christmas” – Bing Crosby
[new] “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” – Shirelles
[new] “Wings Of A Dove” – Ferlin Husky
[new] “Wonderland By Night” – Anita Bryant
“Wonderland By Night” – Bert Kaempfert
[new] “Wonderland By Night” – Louis Prima
“You Talk Too Much” – Joe Jones
“You’re Sixteen” – Johnny Burnette

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On December 8th the Musical “Peter Pan”, starring Mary Martin, is broadcast on NBC as a special event, videotaped in coloyr for future rebroadcasts.

Then on December 9th the first episode of the long-running ITV drama Coronation Street aired in Britain. It was originally planned to be a 16-part drama but became such a success that, running five times or more per week, it continued past its 10,000th episode in its 60th anniversary year…

And on December 21 Ornette Coleman recorded his influential album “Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation”, and establishes the name for the ‘Free Jazz’ sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdzHZ1BtdyI

What’d Sadie think?

Finally some consistency at the top of the charts with 5 weeks at number 1 for Elvis’ classic – “Are You Lonesome Tonight”.

Loved ’em

• “Angel Baby” – Rosie & The Originals
• “Hucklebuck” – Chubby Checker
• “Many Years Ago” – Connie Francis
• “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee
• “Rubber Ball” – Bobby Vee
• “Sad Mood” – Sam Cooke
• “White Christmas” – Bing Crosby
• “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” – Shirelles

Liked ’em

• “Baby Oh Baby” – Shells
• “Blue Tango” – Bill Black’s Combo
• “Corinna Corinna” – Ray Peterson
• “Exodus” – Ferrante & Teicher
• “Fools Rush In” – Brook Benton
• “I Gotta Know” – Elvis Presley
• “Last Date” – Lawrence Welk
• “Lonely Teenager” – Dion
• “Ruby” – Ray Charles
• “Wonderland By Night” – Anita Bryant
• “Wonderland By Night” – Louis Prima
• “Little Drummer Boy” – Harry Simeon Chorale
• “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” – David Seville & The Chipmunks

Leave ’em

• “Calcutta” – Lawrence Welk
• “Wings Of A Dove” – Ferlin Husky

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