Up-to-dates

I always like it when the 2024 month and our month in the past coincide- so here we are about to travel 58 years back in time…

Songs of the month

“A Groovy Kind Of Love” – Mindbenders
[new] “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” – Temptations
“Barefootin'” – Robert Parker
“Come On Let’s Go” – Mccoys
“Cool Jerk” – Capitols
[new] “Crying” – Jay & Americans
“Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind” – Lovin’ Spoonful
[new] “Dirty Water” – Standells
[new] “Don’t Bring Me Down” – Animals
[new] “Double Shot” – Swingin’ Medallions
[new] “Girl In Love” – Outsiders
“Good Lovin'” – Young Rascals
“Green Grass” – Gary Lewis & Playboys
[new] “Hanky Panky” – Tommy James & The Shond
[new] “He” – Righteous Brothers
[new] “Hold On I’m Comin'” – Sam & Dave
“How Does That Grab You Darlin'” – Nancy Sinatra
“I Am A Rock” – Simon & Garfunkel
“It’s A Man’s Man’s World” – James Brown
“Kicks” – Paul Revere & Raiders
[new] “Kicks” – Paul Revere & The Rai
[new] “Little Girl” – Syndicate Of Sound
“Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart” – Supremes
[new] “Mama” – B.J. Thomas
“Message To Michael” – Dionne Warwick
“Monday Monday” – Mamas & Papas
“Oh How Happy” – Shades Of Blue
[new] “Opus 17” – Four Seasons
“Paint It Black” – Rolling Stones
[new] “Paperback Writer” – Beatles
[new] “Popsicle” – Jan & Dean
[new] “Rain” – Beatles
“Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35” – Bob Dylan
[new] “Red Rubber Ball” – Cyrkle
“Road Runner” – Junior Walker & All Stars
“Sloop John B” – Beach Boys
“Strangers In The Night” – Frank Sinatra
“Sweet Talkin’ Guy” – Chiffons
“The More I See You” – Chris Montez
“The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” – Walker Brothers
“When A Man Loves A Woman” – Percy Sledge
[new] “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” – Dusty Springfield

[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 21st the film adaptation of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” premiered at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California, days after Jack Valenti of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) gave its approval in spite of the strictures of the MPAA’s Production Code, a prerequisite for being shown in most American cinemas. The Mike Nichols film could be distributed as long as the theater operator signed a rider to a standard contract “prohibiting anyone under the age of 18 from seeing the picture unless accompanied by an adult”, a forerunner to the “R” Rating that would be implemented as part of the limitations system that would be created in 1968.

On the 29th the first British credit card was introduced, as Barclays Bank introduced the Barclaycard which is an excuse to watch to some ol’ advertising…

Then at month’s end The Beatles performed at Budokan Hall in Tokyo, in the first of five concerts in Japan during a tour of Asia.

What’d Sadie think?

A week at the top for When A Man Loves A Woman” by Percy Sledge then two for “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones rounded out by The Beatles with “Paperback Writer”.

Loved ’em

• “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” – Temptations
• “Hold On I’m Comin'” – Sam & Dave
• “Kicks” – Paul Revere & The Rain
• “Paperback Writer” – Beatles
• “Rain” – Beatles
• “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” – Dusty Springfield

Liked ’em

• “Crying” – Jay & The Americans
• “Dirty Water” – Standells
• “Don’t Bring Me Down” – Animals
• “Double Shot” – Swingin’ Medallions
• “Girl In Love” – Outsiders
• “He” – Righteous Brothers
• “Little Girl” – Syndicate Of Sound
• “Mama” – B.J. Thomas
• “Opus 17” – Four Seasons
• “Red Rubber Ball” – Cyrkle

Leave ’em

• “Popsicle” – Jan & Dean

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

A busy week last week, so we didn’t get to writing the blog post till late, you can find April 1966 here, before tuning into the sounds of May of that year below…

Songs of the month

“A Groovy Kind Of Love” – Mindbenders
“A Sign Of The Times” – Petula Clark
[new] “Backstage” – Gene Pitney
“Bang Bang” – Cher
[new] “Barefootin'” – Robert Parker
[new] “Come On Let’s Go” – Mccoys
[new] “Cool Jerk” – Capitols
“Daydream” – Lovin’ Spoonful
[new] “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind” – Lovin’ Spoonful
“Eight Miles High” – Byrds
“Frankie And Johnny” – Elvis Presley
“Gloria” – Shadows Of Knight
“Good Lovin'” – Young Rascals
[new] “Green Grass” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“How Does That Grab You Darlin'” – Nancy Sinatra
[new] “I Am A Rock” – Simon & Garfunkel
[new] “I’ll Take Good Care Of You” – Garnet Mimms
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – B.J. Thomas
[new] “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” – James Brown
“Kicks” – Paul Revere & Raiders
“Leaning On The Lamp Post” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “Let’s Start All Over Again” – Ronnie Dove
[new] “Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart” – Supremes
[new] “Love’s Made A Fool Of You” – Bobby Fuller Four
“Message To Michael” – Dionne Warwick
“Monday Monday” – Mamas & Papas
[new] “Nothing’s Too Good For My Baby” – Stevie Wonder
[new] “Oh How Happy” – Shades Of Blue
[new] “Paint It Black” – Rolling Stones
“Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35” – Bob Dylan
“Rhapsody In The Rain” – Lou Christie
[new] “Road Runner” – Junior Walker & All Stars
“Secret Agent Man” – Johnny Rivers
“Shapes Of Things” – Yardbirds
“Sloop John B” – Beach Boys
“Soul And Inspiration” – Righteous Brothers
[new] “Strangers In The Night” – Frank Sinatra
[new] “Sweet Talkin’ Guy” – Chiffons
[new] “The A Team” – S/Sgt. Barry Sadler
[new] “The More I See You” – Chris Montez
[new] “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” – Walker Brothers
“This Old Heart Of Mine” – Isley Brothers
“Time Won’t Let Me” – Outsiders
“Together Again” – Ray Charles
“Try Too Hard” – Dave Clark Five
“When A Man Loves A Woman” – Percy Sledge

[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 17th Bob Dylan and the Hawks (later The Band) performed at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Dylan was booed by the audience because of his decision to tour with an electric band, the boos culminating in the famous “Judas” shout. Three years earlier, in his protest song “With God on Our Side”, Dylan had sung “Through many a dark hour/I’ve been thinking about this/That Jesus Christ/Was betrayed by a kiss/But I can’t think for you/You’ll have to decide/Whether Judas Iscariot/Had God on his side”.

Brilliant video of some youth of the day decrying the new Dylan sound below. (Fair enough, ‘I like the old Kanye’ too lads…)

And in more hippie-milestones on the 20th, Zal Yanovsky and Steve Boone, of the American folk-rock band the Lovin’ Spoonful, were arrested in San Francisco for possessing marijuana, marking the first time members of a popular music act were busted for possessing illegal drugs.

Then the next day, in Northern Ireland, the Protestant Ulster Volunteer Force issued its “declaration of war” against the Roman Catholic Irish Republican Army, a statement that appeared in Belfast newspapers. “From this day we declare war against the IRA”, UVF Chief of Staff William Johnston wrote. “Known IRA men will be executed mercilessly and without hesitation. We will not tolerate any interference from any source and we solemnly warn the authorities to make no more speeches of appeasement.”

Since starting this project I’ve actually received my Irish Citizenship, and will not this was not the country’s proudest day…

What’d Sadie think?

It’s a good three weeks at the top for the great “Monday Monday” by the Mamas & Papas before Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman” takes the spot.

Loved ’em

Some more classics this month but none more so than “Paint it Black” by the Stones, for many reasons a notable release in the hippie-era, not-least at the first popular song to feature a Sitar.

Then there’s James Browns’ “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” – which I’ll admit has one more “Man’s” than I realised in the title and which, more importantly, Rolling Stone magazine characterized (fairly!) as “biblically chauvinistic”. I’d like to think the tune has aged well, but the lyrics haven’t… except for how much they seem to echo some of the terrifying rhetoric one sees on X these days. Do better 2024!

• “Green Grass” – Gary Lewis & Playboys
• “I Am A Rock” – Simon & Garfunkel
• “I’ll Take Good Care Of You” – Garnet Mimms
• “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” – James Brown
• “Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart” – Supremes
• “Paint It Black” – Rolling Stones
• “Road Runner” – Junior Walker & All Stars
• “Strangers In The Night” – Frank Sinatra
• “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” – Walker Brothers
• “The More I See You” – Chris Montez

Liked ’em

• “Backstage” – Gene Pitney
• “Barefootin'” – Robert Parker
• “Come On Let’s Go” – Mccoys
• “Cool Jerk” – Capitols
• “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind” – Lovin’ Spoonful
• “Love’s Made A Fool Of You” – Bobby Fuller Four
• “Oh How Happy” – Shades Of Blue
• “Sweet Talkin’ Guy” – Chiffons
• “The A Team” – S/Sgt. Barry Sadler

Leave ’em

• “Let’s Start All Over Again” – Ronnie Dove

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

We’re late this week so let’s rush towards the sounds of April, 1966…

Songs of the month

“634-5789” – Wilson Pickett
“19Th Nervous Breakdown” – Rolling Stones
[new] “A Groovy Kind Of Love” – Mindbenders
[new] “A Sign Of The Times” – Petula Clark
“Baby Scratch My Back” – Slim Harpo
“Ballad Of The Green Berets” – S/Sgt. Barry Sadler
“Bang Bang” – Cher
“California Dreamin'” – Mamas & Papas
“Daydream” – Lovin’ Spoonful
[new] “Eight Miles High” – Byrds
“Elusive Butterfly” – Bob Lind
[new] “Frankie And Johnny” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Get Ready” – Temptations
[new] “Gloria” – Shadows Of Knight
[new] “Good Lovin'” – Young Rascals
“Homeward Bound” – Simon & Garfunkel
[new] “How Does That Grab You Darlin'” – Nancy Sinatra
“I Fought The Law” – Bobby Fuller Four
[new] “I Hear Trumpets Blow” – Tokens
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – B.J. Thomas
“It’s Too Late” – Bobby Goldsboro
[new] “Kicks” – Paul Revere & Raiders
[new] “Leaning On The Lamp Post” – Herman’s Hermits
“Listen People” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “Little Latin Lupe Lu” – Mitch Ryder & Detroit Wheels
“Love Makes The World Go Round” – Deon Jackson
“Magic Town” – Vogues
[new] “Message To Michael” – Dionne Warwick
[new] “Monday Monday” – Mamas & Papas
“Nowhere Man” – Beatles
[new] “Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35” – Bob Dylan
[new] “Rhapsody In The Rain” – Lou Christie
“Secret Agent Man” – Johnny Rivers
“Shake Me Wake Me” – Four Tops
[new] “Shapes Of Things” – Yardbirds
[new] “Sloop John B” – Beach Boys
[new] “Somewhere” – Len Barry
“Soul And Inspiration” – Righteous Brothers
[new] “Spanish Flea” – Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass
[new] “Sure Gonna Miss Her” – Gary Lewis & Playboys
“These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” – Nancy Sinatra
[new] “Think I’ll Go Somewhere And Cry Myself To Sleep” – Al Martino
“This Old Heart Of Mine” – Isley Brothers
“Time Won’t Let Me” – Outsiders
[new] “Together Again” – Ray Charles
[new] “Try Too Hard” – Dave Clark Five
“Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” – Norma Tanega
[new] “What Now My Love” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
[new] “When A Man Loves A Woman” – Percy Sledge
“Woman” – Peter & Gordon
“You Baby” – Turtles

[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 18th “The Cultural Revolution’\ was officially proclaimed in the People’s Republic of China, with the publication of the government announcement that gave the name that would define the era of upheaval. The official People’s Liberation Army daily newspaper published a front-page editorial with the title “Hold High the Great Red Banner of Mao Tse-tung’s Thought, and Actively Participate in the Great Socialist Cultural Revolution”

And on the 21st, the opening of the Parliament of the United Kingdom was televised for the first time. Glorious slice of technicolor pomp n ceremony below…

Then on the 30th regular hovercraft service began over the English Channel, between Ramsgate and Calais, with an SR.N6 transporting 36 passengers. It would be discontinued in 2000. The customers paid two pounds, two shillings (equivalent to $6.30) apiece for the journey. I remember really wanting to go on the hovercraft in 1985, when I first visited the UK, but we had to take the regular ferry as we had my Grandfather’s ashes to scatter overboard apparently.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s a week more at the top for “Ballad Of The Green Berets” by S/Sgt. Barry Sadler before “Soul And Inspiration” by the Righteous Brothers has a couple there, followed by a week for new track “Good Lovin'” by the Young Rascals.

Loved ’em

A big month for big hits! I was “this many years old” when I learnt the actual name of Bob Dylan’s “Everybody must get stoned…” – oops!

• “Gloria” – Shadows Of Knight
• “Message To Michael” – Dionne Warwick
• “Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35” – Bob Dylan
• “Shapes Of Things” – Yardbirds
• “Eight Miles High” – Byrds
• “Get Ready” – Temptations
• “Monday Monday” – Mamas & Papas
• “Sloop John B” – Beach Boys
• “When A Man Loves A Woman” – Percy Sledge

Liked ’em

• “A Groovy Kind Of Love” – Mindbenders
• “Frankie And Johnny” – Elvis Presley
• “Good Lovin'” – Young Rascals
• “How Does That Grab You Darlin'” – Nancy Sinatra
• “I Hear Trumpets Blow” – Tokens
• “Kicks” – Paul Revere & The Raiders
• “Little Latin Lupe Lu” – Mitch Ryder & Detroit Wheels
• “Rhapsody In The Rain” – Lou Christie
• “Spanish Flea” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
• “Sure Gonna Miss Her” – Gary Lewis & Playboys
• “Together Again” – Ray Charles
• “Try Too Hard” – Dave Clark Five
  

Leave ’em

• “Leaning On The Lamp Post” – Herman’s Hermits
• “Somewhere” – Len Barry
• “Think I’ll Go Somewhere And Cry Myself To Sleep” – Al Martino
• “What Now My Love” – Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass

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

It’s a lovely sunny autumnal day in 2024 as we write this. Let’s use music to transport us back to March, 1966…

Songs of the month

[new] “634-5789” – Wilson Pickett
[new] “19Th Nervous Breakdown” – Rolling Stones
“At The Scene” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “Baby Scratch My Back” – Slim Harpo
“Ballad Of The Green Berets” – S/Sgt. Barry Sadler
[new] “Bang Bang” – Cher
“Barbara Ann” – Beach Boys
“Batman Theme” – Marketts
“California Dreamin'” – Mamas & Papas
“Call Me” – Chris Montez
“Crying Time” – Ray Charles
[new] “Daydream” – Lovin’ Spoonful
“Don’t Mess With Bill” – Marvellettes
“Elusive Butterfly” – Bob Lind
“Going To A Go-Go” – Miracles
[new] “Homeward Bound” – Simon & Garfunkel
[new] “Husbands & Wives” – Roger Miller
“I Fought The Law” – Bobby Fuller Four
“I See The Light” – Five Americans
[new] “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – B.J. Thomas
[new] “It’s Too Late” – Bobby Goldsboro
“Lightnin’ Strikes” – Lou Christie
“Listen People” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “Little Latin Lupe Lu” – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
[new] “Love Makes The World Go Round” – Deon Jackson
[new] “Magic Town” – Vogues
[new] “My Baby Loves Me” – Martha & The Vandellas
“My Love” – Petula Clark
“My World Is Empty Without You” – Supremes
[new] “Nowhere Man” – Beatles
[new] “One More Heartache” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “Secret Agent Man” – Johnny Rivers
[new] “Shake Me Wake Me” – Four Tops
[new] “Soul And Inspiration” – Righteous Brothers
[new] “Sure Gonna Miss Her” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“The Cheater” – Bob Kuban & The In-Men
“These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” – Nancy Sinatra
[new] “This Old Heart Of Mine” – Isley Brothers
[new] “Time Won’t Let Me” – Outsiders
“Uptight” – Stevie Wonder
[new] “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” – Norma Tanega
“What Now My Love” – Sonny & Cher
“When Liking Turns To Loving” – Ronnie Dove
[new] “Woman” – Peter & Gordon
“Working My Way Back To You” – Four Seasons
“You Baby” – Turtles
“Zorba The Greek” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

[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 London Evening Standard published an interview with John Lennon of The Beatles, in an article headlined “How Does a Beatle Live? John Lennon Lives Like This”. One of the topics covered was his religious views, and the article, syndicated in papers worldwide, made little impact at first, including Lennon’s statement that “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first— rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” But when the article appeared in the teen magazine Datebook in July, however, Lennon’s statement proved a backlash against the popular British group in advance of their American tour.

Here’s a bizarre interview where a member of the KKK denounce the evil Beatles…

On the 23rd, for the first time in 400 years, the spiritual leaders of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England met openly, as Pope Paul VI received the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, in Rome. The following day, they issued “The Common Declaration”, pledging to inaugurate between their followers “a serious dialogue which, founded on the Gospels and on the ancient common traditions, may lead to that unity in truth, for which Christ prayed”

And on the 29th, in what one author would later describe as “a psychiatrist’s worst nightmare”, University of Texas student Charles Whitman confided to the University Health Center staff psychiatrist, Dr. Maurice D. Heatly, about a recurring fantasy of “going up on the Tower” (the observation deck of the 30-story Main Building that overlooked the campus) “and shooting people”. Dr. Heatly scheduled Whitman for a follow-up appointment, but prescribed no medication. Four months later, on August 1, the former U.S. Marine would use his sniper training and shoot 42 people, 15 of them fatally, in addition to five others murdered earlier in the day.

It wasn’t the first warning sign missed, several years earlier in 1962, he remarked to a fellow student, “A person could stand off an army from atop of [the Main Building’s clock tower] before they got him.”

What’d Sadie think?

Just as we see the charts begin to be filled with the “counterculture” we see the tension in society as its “Ballad Of The Green Berets” by S/Sgt. Barry Sadler that is number 1 for the whole month…keeping the iconic “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” by Nancy Sinatra from the top. The pro-military song was a patriotic song, written by an actual Staff Sergeant, at a time that protests against the Vietnam war were beginning to grow.

Loved ’em

• “634-5789′ – Wilson Pickett
• “19Th Nervous Breakdown” – Rolling Stones
• “Bang Bang” – Cher
• “Daydream” – Lovin’ Spoonful
• “Homeward Bound” – Simon & Garfunkel
• “My Baby Loves Me” – Martha & The Vandellas
• “Nowhere Man” – Beatles
• “Shake Me Wake Me” – Four Tops
• “This Old Heart Of Mine” – Isley Brothers
• “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” – Norma Tanega

Not the most obvious track, certainly not as classic as many of the others, to do a deep dive on but “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” by Norma Tanega turns out to be extremely important.

Firstly, the weird title, “Tanega’s impetus for the song came from living in a New York City apartment building that did not allow dogs; instead she owned a cat which she named “Dog” and took for walks.” Ok!

But off the back of this successful song, “In 1966, Tanega traveled to England to promote her music. Her tour included a performance on the ITV program Ready Steady Go!, where she met British pop singer Dusty Springfield. After Tanega returned to the U.S., Springfield made many transatlantic calls to her and accrued a large phone bill. On a visit to New York, Springfield entered a romantic relationship with Tanega. They returned to England and lived together for five years. The couple took up residence in London’s Kensington district, where Tanega continued to paint and play music. Springfield recorded many of Tanega’s songs.”

Quite the cat dog tale!

Liked ’em

• “Baby Scratch My Back” – Slim Harpo
• “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – B.J. Thomas
• “It’s Too Late” – Bobby Goldsboro
• “Love Makes The World Go Round” – Deon Jackson
• “Magic Town” – Vogues
• “One More Heartache” – Marvin Gaye
• “Secret Agent Man” – Johnny Rivers
• “Time Won’t Let Me” – Outsiders
• “Woman” – Peter & Gordon

Leave ’em

• “Husbands And Wives” – Roger Miller
• “Little Latin Lupe Lu” – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
• “Soul And Inspiration” – Righteous Brothers
• “Sure Gonna Miss Her” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys

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

It’s only February, 1966 in our journey – 11 years before Thomas is born… When we get into the single digits this writer is going to start to feel very old! Let’s listen to the hits of the day,

Songs of the month

[new] “A Hard Day’s Night” – Ramsey Lewis Trio
“A Must To Avoid” – Herman’s Hermits
“A Well Respected Man” – Kinks
“As Tears Go By” – Rolling Stones
[new] “At The Scene” – Dave Clark Five
“Attack” – Toys
[new] “Ballad Of The Green Berets” – S/Sgt. Barry Sadler
“Barbara Ann” – Beach Boys
[new] “Batman Theme” – Marketts
[new] “California Dreamin'” – Mamas & Papas
[new] “Call Me” – Chris Montez
“Crying Time” – Ray Charles
“Day Tripper” – Beatles
[new] “Don’t Mess With Bill” – Marvellettes
[new] “Elusive Butterfly” – Bob Lind
“Five O’clock World” – Vogues
“Going To A Go-Go” – Miracles
[new] “I Fought The Law” – Bobby Fuller Four
[new] “I See The Light” – Five Americans
“It Was A Very Good Year” – Frank Sinatra
“Jenny Take A Ride” – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
[new] “Just Like Me” – Paul Revere & Raiders
“Just Like Me” – Paul Revere & The Raiders
“Lies” – Knickerbockers
“Lightnin’ Strikes” – Lou Christie
“Like A Baby” – Len Barry
[new] “Listen People” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “Michelle” – David & Jonathan
[new] “My Baby Loves Me” – Martha & Vandellas
“My Love” – Petula Clark
“My World Is Empty Without You” – Supremes
[new] “Night Time” – Strangeloves
“No Matter What Shape” – T-Bones
“She’s Just My Style” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“Sounds Of Silence” – Simon & Garfunkel
“Spanish Eyes” – Al Martino
[new] “The Cheater” – Bob Kuban & In-Men
“The Duck” – Jackie Lee
“The Men In My Little Girl’s Life” – Mike Douglas
[new] “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” – Nancy Sinatra
“Uptight” – Stevie Wonder
“We Can Work It Out” – Beatles
[new] “What Now My Love” – Sonny & Cher
[new] “When Liking Turns To Loving” – Ronnie Dove
[new] “Working My Way Back To You” – Four Seasons
[new] “You Baby” – Turtles
“You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice” – Lovin’ Spoonful
“Zorba The Greek” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

[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 3rd the uncrewed Soviet Luna 9 became the first object to make a controlled landing on the Moon, touching down in the Oceanus Procellarum. It began transmitting signals four minutes later, and within 20 minutes of landing, sent back the first ground-level photographs of the Moon’s surface. The pictures would yield an important discovery, demonstrating that the surface of the Moon was solid rock, rather than the accumulation of eons of dust deposits, and therefore would be suitable for a human landing. Nor was it cheese as some had speculated…

On the 10th “Valley of the Dolls”, by author Jacqueline Susann, was released by publisher and quickly rose to become the number one best-selling novel. Susann had obtained a list of the bookstores, from a friend, upon which The New York Times relied on sales figures to determine its bestseller list. She then used her own money to buy large quantities of the book at these stores, resulting in her novel going to #1 on the list. Valley of the Dolls would go on to rank among the best selling novels of all time – mostly sold to actual readers eventually.

Then in a curious case of multiple media-frauds in a month – In an attempt to give an artificial boost to the Nielsen ratings, by cheating on the rating reports for a television presentation of “An Evening with Carol Channing”, Rex Sparger conspired with Channing’s husband, producer Charles Lowe, to pay viewers in 58 households in Ohio and Pennsylvania to watch the entire program. The Nielsen company’s screening procedures detected the unusual spike of viewers in those locations, and omitted the areas from its sample that evening.

What’d Sadie think?

Two weeks at the top for “My Love” by Petula Clark before a week for Lou Christie’s “Lightnin’ Strikes” and then Nancy Sinatra’s classic, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'”.

Loved ’em

• “California Dreamin'” – Mamas & Papas
• “Don’t Mess With Bill” – Marvellettes
• “I Fought The Law” – Bobby Fuller Four
• “Just Like Me” – Paul Revere & Raiders
• “My Baby Loves Me” – Martha & Vandellas
• “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” – Nancy Sinatra
• “What Now My Love” – Sonny & Cher
• “Working My Way Back To You” – Four Seasons
  

A classic of the california’ sound and countercultural era, “Califonia Dreamin'” was written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips while they were living in New York City during a particularly cold winter. It took two years, and the evolution of a couple of bands into The Mama & Papas before it was released. Apparently Michelle Phillips wrote the lyrics, “Well, I got down on my knees, and I pretend to pray,” but Cass Elliot had sung “began” on the original recording and had continued doing so on tour until corrected by Phillips.

Here’s the story retold many years later:

Also of interest, Nancy Sinatra’s song (written by Lee Hazlewood) was inspired by a line spoken by her father, Frank Sinatra, in the comedy-western film 4 for Texas, “They tell me them boots ain’t built for walkin’.”

Liked ’em

• “At The Scene” – Dave Clark Five
• “Batman Theme” – Marketts
• “Call Me” – Chris Montez
• “Elusive Butterfly” – Bob Lind
• “I See The Light” – Five Americans
• “Listen People” – Herman’s Hermits
• “Michelle” – David & Jonathan
• “Night Time” – Strangeloves
• “The Cheater” – Bob Kuban & The In-Men
• “You Baby” – Turtles

Leave ’em

• “A Hard Day’s Night” – Ramsey Lewis Trio
• “Ballad Of The Green Berets” – S/Sgt. Barry Sadler

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

It’s time to start including, relevant, potentially embarrassing anecdotes about Sadie in these updates so she has something to be mortified about when she reads them in a decade or two’s time. (Hello Sadie of the future, love you!)

She’s got an excellent ear for lyrics and will often say “why did they say [xyz]” when I don’t even think she’s listening. And has become adept at turning lyrics into other things. But she’s 3, so lots of these are scatalogical obviously.

This week for instance, she came out of the toilet while Sinatra’s “It was a Very Good Year” was playing and started singing, “It was a verrrrry good Pooooo”.

Sorry Sadie, but it was hilarious.

Songs of the month

[new] “A Must To Avoid” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “A Sweet Woman Like You” – Joe Tex
[new] “A Well Respected Man” – Kinks
“As Tears Go By” – Rolling Stones
[new] “Attack” – Toys
[new] “Barbara Ann” – Beach Boys
[new] “Crying Time” – Ray Charles
[new] “Day Tripper” – Beatles
“Don’t Think Twice” – Wonder Who
“Ebb Tide” – Righteous Brothers
“England Swings” – Roger Miller
“Fever” – Mccoys
“Five O’clock World” – Vogues
“Flowers On The Wall” – Statler Brothers
“Going To A Go-Go” – Miracles
“Hang On Sloopy” – Ramsey Lewis Trio
“I Can Never Go Home Anymore” – Shangri-Las
“I Got You (I Feel Good)” – James Brown
“I Hear A Symphony” – Supremes
“It Was A Very Good Year” – Frank Sinatra
“It’s My Life” – Animals
“Jenny Take A Ride” – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
[new] “Just Like Me” – Paul Revere & The Raiders
“Let’s Hang On” – Four Seasons
[new] “Lies” – Knickerbockers
[new] “Lightnin’ Strikes” – Lou Christie
[new] “Like A Baby” – Len Barry
“Make The World Go Away” – Eddy Arnold
“My Love” – Petula Clark
[new] “My World Is Empty Without You” – Supremes
[new] “No Matter What Shape” – T-Bones
“One Has My Name” – Barry Young
“Over And Over” – Dave Clark Five
“Puppet On A String” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Sandy” – Ronny & The Daytonas
[new] “Satin Pillows” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “She’s Just My Style” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
[new] “Sounds Of Silence” – Simon & Garfunkel
[new] “Spanish Eyes” – Al Martino
“Sunday And Me” – Jay & The Americans
[new] “The Duck” – Jackie Lee
“The Little Girl I Once Knew” – Beach Boys
“The Men In My Little Girl’s Life” – Mike Douglas
[new] “Thunderball” – Tom Jones
“Turn Turn Turn” – Byrds
[new] “Uptight” – Stevie Wonder
[new] “We Can Work It Out” – Beatles
“You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice” – Lovin’ Spoonful
“Zorba The Greek” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On Jan 5th, Because of the poor quality of the sound recording of their August 15 concert at Shea Stadium, The Beatles went into a studio and re-recorded most of their songs for dubbing in a TV documentary; crowd noises were dubbed in as well to make the film seem like the original performance. “But what you see in the film,” an author would later write, “is what happened that night, and the thrill of the event is clear.”. Probably wouldn’t get away with that today…

On the 12th a childhood favourite television series, Batman, produced by William Dozier and starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin, was first broadcast. Each weekly episode was a two-part cliffhanger, following a formula of the heroes facing their demise from the villain on Wednesday evening, and the duo’s escape and triumph on the Thursday instalment.

And on the 17th, three hydrogen bombs were dropped on Spain near the coastal town of Palomares, and a fourth one fell into the deep ocean, after the B-52 bomber carrying them collided with a KC-135 refueling airplane. Fortunately, none of the bombs detonated, though each of the four Mark 28 thermonuclear warheads had a 70-kiloton yield. Tthe B-52 was flying at 9,400 m and preparing for a refueling in midair, but accidentally pitched upward and rammed the tanker plane, spilling jet fuel that ignited on both aircraft. One of the H-bombs parachuted to the ground unscathed; two more fell at high speed, and the conventional explosives in their casing scattered radioactive plutonium over 558 acres (almost one square mile) of countryside.

When I started reading that story I was like “why have I never heard of this?!” until the second sentence in…

What’d Sadie think?

It’s a battle for the top spot between “Sounds Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel and “We Can Work It Out” by the Beatles as they trade places at the top multiple times across the month.

Loved ’em

• “A Sweet Woman Like You” – Joe Tex
• “A Well Respected Man” – Kinks
• “Barbara Ann” – Beach Boys
• “Day Tripper” – Beatles
• “Spanish Eyes” – Al Martino
• “Thunderball” – Tom Jones
• “Uptight” – Stevie Wonder
• “We Can Work It Out” – Beatles

Liked ’em

• “A Must To Avoid” – Herman’s Hermits
• “Attack” – Toys
• “Crying Time” – Ray Charles
• “Just Like Me” – Paul Revere & The Raiders
• “Lies” – Knickerbockers
• “Lightnin’ Strikes” – Lou Christie
• “Like A Baby” – Len Barry
• “My World Is Empty Without You” – Supremes
• “No Matter What Shape” – T-Bones
• “Sandy” – Ronny & The Daytonas
• “Satin Pillows” – Bobby Vinton
• “She’s Just My Style” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
• “The Duck” – Jackie Lee

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