Up-to-dates

We’re halfway through 1965 in our journey through the charts of the past, let’s hear what they sound like…

Songs of the month

[new] “A Little Bit Of Heaven” – Ronnie Dove
“A Walk In The Black Forest” – Horst Jankowski
[new] “A World Of Our Own” – Seekers
[new] “Baby I’m Yours” – Barbara Lewis
“Back In My Arms Again” – Supremes
“Before And After” – Chad & Jeremy
“Cara Mia” – Jay & The Americans
“Catch The Wind” – Donovan
“Crying In The Chapel” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Don’t Just Stand There” – Patty Duke
[new] “Down In The Boondocks” – Billy Joe Royal
[new] “Easy Question” – Elvis Presley
“For Your Love” – Yardbirds
[new] “Girl Come Running” – Four Seasons
“Give Us Your Blessings” – Shangri-Las
“Help Me Rhonda” – Beach Boys
[new] “Here Comes The Night” – Them
[new] “Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me” – Mel Carter
“Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte” – Patti Page
“I Can’t Help Myself” – Four Tops
[new] “I Got You Babe” – Sonny & Cher
[new] “I Like It Like That” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “I Want Candy” – Strangeloves
[new] “I’m A Fool” – “Dino Desi & Billy”
[new] “I’m Henry The Viii I Am” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “I’m Henry Viii I Am” – Herman’s Hermits
“I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” – Otis Redding
“Last Chance To Turn Around” – Gene Pitney
“Laurie” – Dickey Lee
[new] “Marie” – Bachelors
“Mr. Tambourine Man” – Byrds
“Oo Wee Baby I Love You” – Fred Hughes
[new] “Pretty Little Baby” – Marvin Gaye
“Satisfaction” – Rolling Stones
[new] “Save Your Heart For Me” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
[new] “Set Me Free” – Kinks
“Seventh Son” – Johnny Rivers
“Shakin’ All Over” – Guess Who
[new] “Sitting In The Park” – Billy Stewart
[new] “Sunshine Lollipops And Rainbows” – Lesley Gore
[new] “Take Me Back” – Little Anthony & The Imperials
[new] “Theme From A Summer Place” – Lettermen
[new] “To Know You Is To Love You” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “Tonight’s The Night” – Solomon Burke
[new] “Too Many Rivers” – Brenda Lee
“What The World Needs Now Is Love” – Jackie Deshannon
[new] “What’s New Pussycat” – Tom Jones
“Wonderful World” – Herman’s Hermits
“Wooly Bully” – Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
“Yes I’m Ready” – Barbara Mason
[new] “You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy” – Jan & Dean
“You Turn Me On” – Ian Whitcomb

[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 9th the flashcube was introduced by the American camera manufacturer Kodak at its factory in Rochester, New York, as an accessory that would allow flash photography on its small Instamatic cameras for indoor picture taking. The disposable flashcube allowed an amateur photographer to take four flash images in rapid succession without having to change the bulb… which makes no sense to anyone under 40? I do remember flashcubes from my childhood – ridiculous to think now that the ability to flashfill was an expensive and limited ability. Of course now its free, it pains me to see people use flash completely unnecessarily these days. This ad for them is a great slice of ’60s.

On the 25th Bob Dylan upset many of his fans at the Newport Folk Festival purists by “going electric” in a live performance, but opened the era of folk rock, with the themes of folk music accompanied by the electric guitar. However, an author who was present at the festival would write later that it was a myth that Dylan had been booed as he played.

Then to close the month, on the 31st, with a nationwide ban going into effect on August 1, the very last cigarette commercial on British television was broadcast. The final telly ad was for Rothmans cigarettes. This ’64 ad may not have been that, but its another great slice of the ’60s.

What’d Sadie think?

A week at the top for “I Can’t Help Myself” by the Four Tops before four weeks at the top for a Sadie sing-a-long favourite, “Satisfaction” by these new Rolling Stones chaps.

Loved ’em

A classic from Tom Jones, “What’s New Pussycat?” in the charts this months. An excuse to watch the eponymous film’s trailer. I’m quite sure I’ve seen everything Woody Allen has done, except for this and I’m not sure why.

• “Don’t Just Stand There” – Patty Duke
• “Down In The Boondocks” – Billy Joe Royal
• “I Got You Babe” – Sonny & Cher
• “I Want Candy” – Strangeloves
• “Pretty Little Baby” – Marvin Gaye
• “Sitting In The Park” – Billy Stewart
• “To Know You Is To Love You” – Peter & Gordon
• “Tonight’s The Night” – Solomon Burke
• “Too Many Rivers” – Brenda Lee
• “What’s New Pussycat” – Tom Jones
  
  

Liked ’em

• “A Little Bit Of Heaven” – Ronnie Dove
• “A World Of Our Own” – Seekers
• “Baby I’m Yours” – Barbara Lewis
• “Easy Question” – Elvis Presley
• “Girl Come Running” – Four Seasons
• “Here Comes The Night” – Them
• “Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me” – Mel Carter
• “I Like It Like That” – Dave Clark Five
• “I’m A Fool” – “Dino Desi & Billy”
• “I’m Henry Viii I Am” – Herman’s Hermits
• “Marie” – Bachelors
• “Save Your Heart For Me” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
• “Set Me Free” – Kinks
• “Take Me Back” – Little Anthony & The Imperials
• “Theme From A Summer Place” – Lettermen

Leave ’em

• “Sunshine Lollipops And Rainbows” – Lesley Gore
• “You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy” – Jan & Dean

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

It’s starting to feel like Autumn here in 2024, just as it’s starting to feel like the ’60s are really here this month in our journey back in time…

Songs of the month

[new] “A Walk In The Black Forest” – Horst Jankowski
“Baby The Rain Must Fall” – Glenn Yarbrough
“Back In My Arms Again” – Supremes
[new] “Before And After” – Chad & Jeremy
[new] “Cara Mia” – Jay & The Americans
“Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – Sounds Orchestral
[new] “Catch The Wind” – Donovan
[new] “Concrete And Clay” – Unit Four Plus Two
“Count Me In” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“Crying In The Chapel” – Elvis Presley
“Do The Freddie” – Freddie & The Dreamers
“Engine Engine #9” – Roger Miller
[new] “For Your Love” – Yardbirds
[new] “Give Us Your Blessings” – Shangri-Las
“Help Me Rhonda” – Beach Boys
[new] “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte” – Patti Page
“I Can’t Help Myself” – Four Tops
“I’ll Never Find Another You” – Seekers
[new] “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” – Otis Redding
“It’s Not Unusual” – Tom Jones
“Just A Little” – Beau Brummels
“Just Once In My Life” – Righteous Brothers
“Last Chance To Turn Around” – Gene Pitney
[new] “Laurie” – Dickey Lee
“Lonely” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “Mr. Tambourine Man” – Byrds
“Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” – Herman’s Hermits
“Nothing Can Stop Me” – Gene Chandler
[new] “Oo Wee Baby I Love You” – Fred Hughes
“Queen Of The House” – Jody Miller
“Reelin’ And Rockin'” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “Satisfaction” – Rolling Stones
[new] “Seventh Son” – Johnny Rivers
[new] “Shakin’ All Over” – Guess Who
“She’s About A Mover” – Sir Douglas Quintet
“Silhouettes” – Herman’s Hermits
“Ticket To Ride” – Beatles
“True Love Ways” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “Voodoo Woman” – Bobby Goldsboro
[new] “What In The World’s Come Over You” – Jackie Deshannon
[new] “What The World Needs Now Is Love” – Jackie Deshannon
[new] “Wonderful World” – Herman’s Hermits
“Wooly Bully” – Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
[new] “Yes I’m Ready” – Barbara Mason
[new] “You Turn Me On” – Ian Whitcomb
“You Were Made For Me” – Freddie & The Dreamers
[new] “You Were Only Fooling” – Vic Damone

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

In “events from the past I’d have loved to attend” history, on the 11th Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Harry Fainlight, Gregory Corso, and Andrei Voznesensky were among the readers at the International Poetry Incarnation (billed as “Poets of the World, Poets of Our Time”).

Then the next day The Beatles were appointed Members of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. The honour was among the 1,800 nominations made by Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Since it was unusual for popular musicians to be appointed as MBEs, a number of previous recipients complained and protested: MP Hector Dupuis commented, “British royalty has put me on the same level as a bunch of vulgar numbskulls”. Ouch. Big respect to this AP story from the time, entitled “M.B.Eatles”.

And on the 30th, New York became the first state in the United States to require apartment building landlords to provide a peephole for all entrance doors for apartment units. The bill, prompted by an increase in crime and signed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller, gave landlords six months to make the necessary installation so that tenants could see outside without opening the door. No video on peepholes specifically, but some great footage of life in New York in 1965…

What’d Sadie think?

Just a week a piece at the top of the hit parade for “Help Me Rhonda” by the Beach Boys, “Back In My Arms Again” by the Supremes, “I Can’t Help Myself” by the Four Tops , and the chart newcomer “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds.

Loved ’em

It’s starting to sound like how I think of the ’60s with the likes of folk rock classics, “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds hitting the charts.

• “Catch The Wind” – Donovan
• “For Your Love” – Yardbirds
• “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” – Otis Redding
• “Mr. Tambourine Man” – Byrds
• “Satisfaction” – Rolling Stones
• “Shakin’ All Over” – Guess Who
• “What In The World’s Come Over You” – Jackie Deshannon

Liked ’em

• “A Walk In The Black Forest” – Horst Jankowski
• “Before And After” – Chad & Jeremy
• “Cara Mia” – Jay & The Americans
• “Concrete And Clay” – Unit Four Plus Two
• “Give Us Your Blessings” – Shangri-Las
• “Laurie” – Dickey Lee
• “Oo Wee Baby I Love You” – Fred Hughes
• “Seventh Son” – Johnny Rivers
• “Voodoo Woman” – Bobby Goldsboro
• “Wonderful World” – Herman’s Hermits
• “Yes I’m Ready” – Barbara Mason
• “You Turn Me On” – Ian Whitcomb
• “You Were Only Fooling” – Vic Damone

Leave ’em

• “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte” – Patti Page

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

It’s 55 years and 3 months before Sadie is born and 11 years and 9 months before Thomas is…let’s hear what May, 1965 sounds like!

Songs of the month

[new] “Baby The Rain Must Fall” – Glenn Yarbrough
[new] “Back In My Arms Again” – Supremes
“Bumble Bee” – Searchers
“Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” – Herman’s Hermits
“Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – Sounds Orchestral
“Count Me In” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
[new] “Crying In The Chapel” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Do The Freddie” – Freddie & The Dreamers
[new] “Dream On Little Dreamer” – Perry Como
[new] “Engine Engine #9” – Roger Miller
“Game Of Love” – Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
“Go Now” – Moody Blues
“Got To Get You Off My Mind” – Solomon Burke
[new] “Help Me Rhonda” – Beach Boys
[new] “I Can’t Help Myself” – Four Tops
[new] “I Do Love You” – Billy Stewart
“I Know A Place” – Petula Clark
“I’ll Be Doggone” – Marvin Gaye
“I’ll Never Find Another You” – Seekers
“I’m Telling You Now” – Freddie & The Dreamers
[new] “Iko Iko” – Dixie Cups
[new] “It’s Gonna Be Alright” – Gerry & The Pacemakers
“It’s Growing” – Temptations
[new] “It’s Not Unusual” – Tom Jones
[new] “Just A Little” – Beau Brummels
“Just Once In My Life” – Righteous Brothers
“Land Of 1000 Dances” – Cannibal & The Headhunters
[new] “Last Chance To Turn Around” – Gene Pitney
[new] “Lonely” – Bobby Vinton
“Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “Nothing Can Stop Me” – Gene Chandler
“Nowhere To Run” – Martha & The Vandellas
“One Kiss For Old Time’s Sake” – Ronnie Dove
“Ooo Baby Baby” – Miracles
[new] “Queen Of The House” – Jody Miller
[new] “Reelin’ And Rockin'” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “She’s About A Mover” – Sir Douglas Quintet
“Shotgun” – Junior Walker & The All Stars
“Silhouettes” – Herman’s Hermits
“Stop In The Name Of Love” – Supremes
“The Clapping Song” – Shirley Ellis
“The Last Time” – Rolling Stones
“The Race Is On” – Jack Jones
[new] “Ticket To Ride” – Beatles
“Tired Of Waiting For You” – Kinks
[new] “True Love Ways” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “We’re Gonna Make It” – Little Milton
[new] “Woman’s Got Soul” – Impressions
[new] “Wooly Bully” – Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
[new] “You Were Made For Me” – Freddie & The Dreamers

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On May 10th Warren Buffett, still a fairly obscure investor from Omaha, Nebraska and a recent millionaire, completed three years of purchasing stock in the Berkshire Hathaway Company, a financially ailing textile manufacturer, achieved a controlling interest, and fired the former president, Seabury Stanton. He would make this the lynchpin of an empire that would make him one of the richest people in the world.

On May 22nd the new sport of skateboarding received its first wide recognition as the first “Annual National Skateboard Championships” were conducted, in Anaheim, California.

And on the 24th the United Kingdom officially adopted the metric system of weights and measures, to be phased in over a ten-year period. Douglas Jay, the President of the Board of Trade, made the announcement to the press, and said that it would aid British companies trading with the rest of Europe. It seemed to actually take the full decade as this video from the English high street in 1973 shows…

What’d Sadie think?

Three weeks at the top for a personal fave, “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” by Herman’s Hermits before two classics get a week each – “Ticket To Ride” by the Beatles then “Help Me Rhonda” by the Beach Boys. Only a song like that could push a Beatles classic off the charts after only a week.

Loved ’em

Every couple of weeks there’s a song that makes me go, “wait, is this meant to be on the playlist?”. Generally because i’m sure it wasn’t released this early. Sometimes the answer is “no!” because the script that makes the playlists does sometimes get it wrong. But in this case yes, “It’s Not Unusual” by Tom Jones is from 1965. I guess I just picture him as classic seventies swinger.

“Queen Of The House” by Jody Miller is silly, but makes it here because its silly fun – it’s an answer song to the more timeless, “King of the Road”. I say the latter is more timeless but “Queen of the House” did alright in its own right, leading Miller to become the second female artist to win a country music Grammy award.

• “Help Me Rhonda” – Beach Boys
• “I Can’t Help Myself” – Four Tops
• “Iko Iko” – Dixie Cups
• “It’s Not Unusual” – Tom Jones
• “Last Chance To Turn Around” – Gene Pitney
• “Lonely” – Bobby Vinton
• “Queen Of The House” – Jody Miller
• “Ticket To Ride” – Beatles

Liked ’em

• “Baby The Rain Must Fall” – Glenn Yarbrough
• “Back In My Arms Again” – Supremes
• “Crying In The Chapel” – Elvis Presley
• “Do The Freddie” – Freddie & The Dreamers
• “Dream On Little Dreamer” – Perry Como
• “I Do Love You” – Billy Stewart
• “It’s Gonna Be Alright” – Gerry & The Pacemakers
• “Just A Little” – Beau Brummels
• “Nothing Can Stop Me” – Gene Chandler
• “Reelin’ And Rockin'” – Dave Clark Five
• “She’s About A Mover” – Sir Douglas Quintet
• “We’re Gonna Make It” – Little Milton
• “Woman’s Got Soul” – Impressions
• “You Were Made For Me” – Freddie & The Dreamers

Leave ’em

• “Engine Engine #9” – Roger Miller
• “True Love Ways” – Peter & Gordon
• “Wooly Bully” – Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs

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

As we hit March, 2024 and it starts to feel a little Autumnal here in Auckland, we turn our ears back to the sounds of April, 1965…

Songs of the month

[new] “Baby The Rain Will Fall” – Glenn Yarbrough
[new] “Bumble Bee” – Searchers
“Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – Sounds Orchestral
[new] “Come And Stay With Me” – Marianne Faithfull
[new] “Count Me In” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“Do The Clam” – Elvis Presley
“Do You Wanna Dance” – Beach Boys
“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” – Animals
“Eight Days A Week” – Beatles
“Ferry Cross The Mersey” – Gerry & The Pacemakers
[new] “Game Of Love” – Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
“Go Now” – Moody Blues
“Goldfinger” – Shirley Bassey
[new] “Got To Get You Off My Mind” – Solomon Burke
[new] “I Know A Place” – Petula Clark
[new] “I’ll Be Doggone” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “I’ll Never Find Another You” – Seekers
“I’m Telling You Now” – Freddie & The Dreamers
“If I Loved You” – Chad & Jeremy
[new] “It’s Growing” – Temptations
[new] “Just Once In My Life” – Righteous Brothers
“King Of The Road” – Roger Miller
[new] “Land Of 1000 Dances” – Cannibal & The Headhunters
“Little Things” – Bobby Goldsboro
“Long Lonely Nights” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” – Herman’s Hermits
“My Girl” – Temptations
“Nowhere To Run” – Martha & The Vandellas
[new] “Nowhere To Run” – Supremes
[new] “One Kiss For Old Time’s Sake” – Ronnie Dove
[new] “Ooo Baby Baby” – Miracles
“People Get Ready” – Impressions
“Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Bert Kaempfert
“Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Vic Dana
[new] “Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Wayne Newton
“Send Me The Pillow You Dream On” – Dean Martin
“Shotgun” – Junior Walker & The All Stars
[new] “Silhouettes” – Herman’s Hermits
“Stop In The Name Of Love” – Supremes
“The Birds And The Bees” – Jewel Akens
[new] “The Clapping Song” – Shirley Ellis
[new] “The Last Time” – Rolling Stones
“The Race Is On” – Jack Jones
“This Diamond Ring” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“Tired Of Waiting For You” – Kinks
[new] “When I’m Gone” – Brenda Holloway
“Yeh Yeh” – Georgie Fame

[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 5th at the 37th Academy Awards, “My Fair Lady” won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

On the 16th in Huntsville, Alabama, scientists made the first test of the most powerful rocket engine system ever developed, the powerful first stage of the three-stage Saturn rocket, composed of five engines that could combine for 7.5 million pounds of thrust.

“The thunderous sound of the first static test of this stage,” an author would later note, “brought home to many observers that the Kennedy goal” (of sending a man to the Moon before the end of the decade) “was within technological grasp.”

Then on the 19th what would become known as “Moore’s Law”, that computing power would double every two years, was first suggested by Gordon Moore in an article in Electronics magazine, titled “Cramming More Components onto Integrated Circuits”. “The complexity for minimum component costs has increased at a rate of roughly a factor of two per year,” he wrote. Within three years, Moore would become co-founder of the transistor and microprocessor manufacturer Intel and his “law” would hold for decades.

What’d Sadie think?

A week at the top for “Stop In The Name Of Love” by the Supremes before a couple for Freddie & The Dreamers with “I’m Telling You Now”, with the month rounded out by the “Game Of Love” by Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders.

Loved ’em

• “Come And Stay With Me” – Marianne Faithfull
• “Game Of Love” – Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
• “I’ll Be Doggone” – Marvin Gaye
• “I’ll Never Find Another You” – Seekers
• “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” – Herman’s Hermits
• “Nowhere To Run” – Supremes
• “The Clapping Song” – Shirley Ellis

Liked ’em

• “Baby The Rain Will Fall” – Glenn Yarbrough
• “Bumble Bee” – Searchers
• “Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – Sounds Orchestral
• “Count Me In” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
• “Got To Get You Off My Mind” – Solomon Burke
• “I Know A Place” – Petula Clark
• “It’s Growing” – Temptations
• “Just Once In My Life” – Righteous Brothers
• “Land Of 1000 Dances” – Cannibal & The Headhunters
• “One Kiss For Old Time’s Sake” – Ronnie Dove
• “Ooo Baby Baby” – Miracles
• “Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Wayne Newton
• “Silhouettes” – Herman’s Hermits
• “The Last Time” – Rolling Stones
• “When I’m Gone” – Brenda Holloway

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

It’s 55 years and 5 months before Sadie is born and 11 years and 11 months before Thomas is. How’s that for a set of numbers? Let’s go hear what March, 1965 sounds like…

Songs of the month

“All Day And All Of The Night” – Kinks
[new] “Ask The Lonely” – Four Tops
“Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” – Herman’s Hermits
[new] “Come Home” – Dave Clark Five
[new] “Do The Clam” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Do You Wanna Dance” – Beach Boys
[new] “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” – Animals
“Downtown” – Petula Clark
“Eight Days A Week” – Beatles
“Ferry Cross The Mersey” – Gerry & The Pacemakers
[new] “Go Now” – Moody Blues
“Goldfinger” – Shirley Bassey
“Goodnight” – Roy Orbison
“Hurts So Bad” – Little Anthony & The Imperials
“I Go To Pieces” – Peter & Gordon
[new] “I’m Telling You Now” – Freddie & The Dreamers
“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” – Buck Owens
[new] “If I Loved You” – Chad & Jeremy
“King Of The Road” – Roger Miller
“Laugh Laugh” – Beau Brummels
“Little Things” – Bobby Goldsboro
[new] “Long Lonely Nights” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “Midnight Special” – Johnny Rivers
“My Girl” – Temptations
[new] “Nowhere To Run” – Martha & The Vandellas
[new] “People Get Ready” – Impressions
“Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Bert Kaempfert
[new] “Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Vic Dana
[new] “Send Me The Pillow You Dream On” – Dean Martin
“Shake” – Sam Cooke
[new] “Shotgun” – Junior Walker & The All Stars
[new] “Stop! In The Name Of Love” – Supremes
[new] “Stranger In Town” – Del Shannon
“Tell Her No” – Zombies
“The Birds And The Bees” – Jewel Akens
“The Boy From New York City” – Ad-Libs
“The Jolly Green Giant” – Kingsmen
“The Name Game” – Shirley Ellis
[new] “The Race Is On” – Jack Jones
“This Diamond Ring” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
[new] “Tired Of Waiting For You” – Kinks
“Twine Time” – Alvin Cash
[new] “Yeh Yeh” – Georgie Fame
“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” – Righteous Brothers

[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 first of the month Olympic swimming champion and 1964 Australian of the Year Dawn Fraser was banned from competition for ten years by the Australian Amateur Swimming Union, in apparent disapproval of her partying lifestyle and for her behavior during the 1964 Summer Olympics…. (apparently she wore a non-regulation swimming costume, oo-eer!)

On the 10th, in “look how far we’ve come in a short time” news, in France, the cabinet of President Charles de Gaulle approved a bill to remove many of the restrictions placed on married women, in what Information Minister Alain Peyrefitte described as “a veritable emancipation of the wife”. At the time, married women were not allowed to take a job, open a bank account, or spend their own earnings without their husband’s consent.

In a big month for the space race, on the 18th Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov left the airlock on his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes and 9 seconds becoming the first person to “walk in space”.

Then on the 23rd, the relative lagards, the United States launched Gemini 3, the first crewed mission of the Gemini program, the nation’s first space mission with two astronauts, and the first maneuverable spacecraft from any nation. The crew were command pilot Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom and pilot Astronaut John W. Young. The Gemini capsule (named for the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” by Grissom, who managed to escape his Mercury-Redstone 4 capsule in 1961 before it sank) made three orbits around the Earth.

What’d Sadie think?

A week at the top for “My Girl” – Temptations before “Eight Days A Week” takes it for two weeks, and “Stop! In The Name Of Love”, a great newcomer by the Supremes rounds out the month.

Loved ’em

Favourite new tune of the month has to be the Animals with “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, a cover of a Nina Simone original from the year prior.

• “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” – Animals
• “I’m Telling You Now” – Freddie & The Dreamers
• “Midnight Special” – Johnny Rivers
• “People Get Ready” – Impressions
• “Stop! In The Name Of Love” – Supremes
• “Yeh Yeh” – Georgie Fame
  
  

Liked ’em

• “Ask The Lonely” – Four Tops
• “Come Home” – Dave Clark Five
• “Do The Clam” – Elvis Presley
• “Do You Wanna Dance” – Beach Boys
• “Go Now” – Moody Blues
• “If I Loved You” – Chad & Jeremy
• “Long Lonely Nights” – Bobby Vinton
• “Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Vic Dana
• “Shotgun” – Junior Walker & The All Stars
• “Send Me The Pillow You Dream On” – Dean Martin
• “Stranger In Town” – Del Shannon
• “The Race Is On” – Jack Jones
• “Tired Of Waiting For You” – Kinks
  

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

I’ve just had my Birthday in 2024 and we’re now only…12 years before I was born as we listen to the hits of February, 1965!

Songs of the month

“All Day And All Of The Night” – Kinks
“Bye Bye Baby” – Four Seasons
[new] “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” – Herman’s Hermits
“Come See About Me” – Supremes
“Don’t Forget I Still Love You” – Bobbi Martin
“Downtown” – Petula Clark
[new] “Eight Days A Week” – Beatles
[new] “Ferry Cross The Mersey” – Gerry & The Pacemakers
[new] “For Lovin’ Me” – Peter Paul & Mary
“Give Him A Great Big Kiss” – Shangri-Las
[new] “Goldfinger” – Shirley Bassey
[new] “Goodnight” – Roy Orbison
“Have You Looked Into Your Heart” – Jerry Vale
“Heart Of Stone” – Rolling Stones
“Hold What You’ve Got” – Joe Tex
“How Sweet It Is” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “Hurts So Bad” – Little Anthony & The Imperials
“I Feel Fine” – Beatles
“I Go To Pieces” – Peter & Gordon
“I’ll Be There” – Gerry & The Pacemakers
[new] “I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” – Buck Owens
“Keep Searchin'” – Del Shannon
[new] “King Of The Road” – Roger Miller
[new] “Laugh Laugh” – Beau Brummels
[new] “Lemon Tree” – Trini Lopez
“Let’s Lock The Door” – Jay & The Americans
[new] “Little Things” – Bobby Goldsboro
“Look Of Love” – Lesley Gore
“Love Potion No. 9” – Searchers
[new] “Love Potion No.9” – Searchers
“My Girl” – Temptations
[new] “No Arms Can Ever Hold You” – Bachelors
[new] “Paper Tiger” – Sue Thompson
[new] “Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Bert Kaempfert
“Shake” – Sam Cooke
“Tell Her No” – Zombies
“The ‘in’ Crowd” – Dobie Gray
[new] “The Birds And The Bees” – Jewel Akens
[new] “The Boy From New York City” – Ad-Libs
“The Jolly Green Giant” – Kingsmen
“The Name Game” – Shirley Ellis
“This Diamond Ring” – Gary Lewis & The Playboys
“Thou Shalt Not Steal” – Dick & Deedee
[new] “Twine Time” – Alvin Cash
[new] “What Have They Done To The Rain” – Searchers
“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” – Righteous Brothers

[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 the 10th the first “one-shot” vaccine against the measles was made available to American physicians. The new measles shot, using a greatly-weakened strain of the measles virus, was 99% effective in providing a lifelong immunity to the illness.

On the fifteenth a new red and white maple leaf design was inaugurated as the flag of Canada, replacing the Union Flag and the Canadian Red Ensign. Did not know they’d kept the union jack around that long myself!

Then on the 21st Malcolm X was assassinated at Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom. As he was preparing to deliver a speech to the Organization of Afro-American Unity, he opened with the greeting As-Salaam Alaikum and the audience acknowledged with Wa-Alaikum-Salaam. At that moment, a man in the crowd shouted “N*****! Get your hand outta my pocket!” to a person sitting next to him, an apparent signal for four other spectators to stage a fight. Malcolm said, “Hold it. Let’s cool it, brothers”, and was shot in the chest by a man who approached the stage with a Luger pistol.

What’d Sadie think?

2 weeks at the top for “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by the Righteous Brothers and then for “This Diamond Ring” by Gary Lewis & The Playboys.

Loved ’em

I’ve always loved the Ad-Libs’ “The Boy From New York City”, just such a joyful song. Seems to be a bit of a big city meme going on with this and “Downtown” in the charts. News to me, when I dug into this, was that the latter classic homage to NYC is is written and produced by English composer Tony Hatch and recorded by a British singer (Petula Clark). Interesting anecdote,

I was staying at a hotel on Central Park and I wandered down to Broadway and to Times Square and, naively, I thought I was downtown. … I loved the whole atmosphere there and the [music] came to me very, very quickly”. He was standing on the corner of 48th Street waiting for the traffic lights to change, looking towards Times Square when “the melody first came to me, just as the neon signs went on.”

“Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” – Herman’s Hermits
“Eight Days A Week” – Beatles
“Ferry Cross The Mersey” – Gerry & The Pacemakers
“Goldfinger” – Shirley Bassey
“Goodnight” – Roy Orbison
“King Of The Road” – Roger Miller
“Love Potion No.9” – Searchers
“The Boy From New York City” – Ad-Libs

Liked ’em

“For Lovin’ Me” – Peter Paul & Mary
“Hurts So Bad” – Little Anthony & The Imperials
“Laugh Laugh” – Beau Brummels
“Lemon Tree” – Trini Lopez
“Little Things” – Bobby Goldsboro
“No Arms Can Ever Hold You” – Bachelors
“Paper Tiger” – Sue Thompson
“Red Roses For A Blue Lady” – Bert Kaempfert
“The Birds And The Bees” – Jewel Akens
“Twine Time” – Alvin Cash
“What Have They Done To The Rain” – Searchers

Leave ’em

“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” – Buck Owens

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