Category: Monthly

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.

Ok, so we said Beatlemania was here last week…but wait till you see this month’s charts!

Songs of the month

“A Fool Never Learns” – Andy Williams
[new] “Abigal Beecher” – Freddy Cannon
“Anyone Who Had A Heart” – Dionne Warwick
“As Usual” – Brenda Lee
“Baby I Love You” – Ronettes
[new] “California Sun” – Rivieras
“Daisy Petal Pickin’” – Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
[new] “Dawn” – Four Seasons
“Dominique” – Singing Nun
“Drag City” – Jan And Dean
“For You” – Rick Nelson
“Forget Him” – Bobby Rydell
[new] “Fun Fun Fun” – Beach Boys
[new] “Good News” – Sam Cooke
“Hey Little Cobra” – Rip Cords
“Hooka Tooka” – Chubby Checker
[new] “I Love You More And More Every Day” – Al Martino
[new] “I Only Want To Be With You” – Dusty Springfield
[new] “I Saw Her Standing There” – Beatles
“I Want To Hold Your Hand” – Beatles
[new] “It’s All In The Game” – Cliff Richard
[new] “Java” – Al Hirt
[new] “Letter From Sherry” – Dale Ward
“Louie Louie” – Kingsmen
“Midnight Mary” – Joey Powers
[new] “Navy Blue” – Diane Renay
[new] “Oh Baby Don’t You Weep” – James Brown
“Out Of Limits” – Marketts
[new] “Penetration” – Pyramids
[new] “Please Please Me” – Beatles
“Popsicles And Icicles” – Murmaids
[new] “See The Funny Little Clown” – Bobby Goldsboro
[new] “She Loves You” – Beatles
[new] “Shelter Of Your Arms” – Sammy Davis Jr.
“Since I Fell For You” – Lenny Welch
“Somewhere” – Tymes
[new] “Southtown Usa” – Dixiebelles
[new] “Stop And Think It Over” – Dale And Grace
“Surfin’ Bird” – Trashmen
“Talking About My Baby” – Impressions
“The Nitty Gritty” – Shirley Ellis
[new] “The Shelter Of Your Arms” – Sammy Davis Jr.
“There I’ve Said It Again” – Bobby Vinton
“Um Um Um Um Um Um” – Major Lance
[new] “What Kind Of Fool” – Tams
[new] “What’s Easy For Two Is So Hard For One” – Mary Wells
“When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes” – Supremes
“Whispering” – Nino Tempo And April Stevens
[new] “Who Do You Love” – Sapphires
“You Don’t Own Me” – Lesley Gore

[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 7th the governments of the United Kingdom and France made simultaneous announcements in London and Paris that they had reached an agreement for construction of the first railway tunnel underneath the English Channel. The original plan for the proposed Channel Tunnel (which would open 30 years later, in 1994) was for a 33-mile-long (53 km) railroad tunnel running from Dover to Sangatte. It was apparently immediately nicknamed, “The Chunnel”.

Across the Atlantic, the very next day, The Beatles arrived from England at New York City’s JFK International Airport on Pan American Airlines Flight 101 from London, and received a tumultuous reception from a throng of screaming fans, marking the first occurrence of “Beatlemania” in the United States.

On the 9th The Beatles then appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in New York City, marking their first live performance on American television. According to an AP report, “The 721 members of the audience — mostly young girls — kept up a steady stream of squeals, sighs and yells.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9HXjuTE9Uk

What’d Sadie think?

And here we have it – Beatlemania has truly arrived, with 4 weeks at number 1 for “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and 4 songs on the charts.

Loved ’em

• “Good News” – Sam Cooke
• “I Only Want To Be With You” – Dusty Springfield
• “I Saw Her Standing There” – Beatles
• “Please Please Me” – Beatles
• “She Loves You” – Beatles

Liked ’em

• “California Sun” – Rivieras
• “Dawn” – Four Seasons
• “Fun Fun Fun” – Beach Boys
• “It’s All In The Game” – Cliff Richard
• “Java” – Al Hirt
• “Navy Blue” – Diane Renay
• “Oh Baby Don’t You Weep” – James Brown
• “See The Funny Little Clown” – Bobby Goldsboro
• “Shelter Of Your Arms” – Sammy Davis Jr.
• “Southtown Usa” – Dixiebelles
• “What Kind Of Fool” – Tams
• “What’s Easy For Two Is So Hard For One” – Mary Wells

Leave ’em

• “I Love You More And More Every Day” – Al Martino
• “Letter From Sherry” – Dale Ward
• “Penetration” – Pyramids
• “Stop And Think It Over” – Dale And Grace
• “Who Do You Love” – Sapphiress

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

We were too busy to post the blog last week (remember the playlist is always on my Youtube.) so first here’s December, 1963. And now to hear what the brand new year sounds like…welcome to 1964!

Songs of the month

[new] “A Fool Never Learns” – Andy Williams
[new] “Anyone Who Had A Heart” – Dionne Warwick
“As Usual” – Brenda Lee
[new] “Baby I Love You” – Ronettes
“Be True To Your School” – Beach Boys
“Can I Get A Witness” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “Daisy Petal Pickin’” – Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
“Dominique” – Singing Nun
“Drag City” – Jan And Dean
“Drip Drop” – Dion Di Muci
“Everybody” – Tommy Roe
[new] “For You” – Rick Nelson
[new] “For Your Precious Love” – Garnett Mimms
“Forget Him” – Bobby Rydell
“Have You Heard” – Duprees
[new] “Hey Little Cobra” – Rip Cords
[new] “Hooka Tooka” – Chubby Checker
[new] “I Want To Hold Your Hand” – Beatles
“I’m Leaving It Up To You” – Dale And Grace
“Kansas City” – Trini Lopez
“Loddy Lo” – Chubby Checker
“Louie Louie” – Kingsmen
“Midnight Mary” – Joey Powers
[new] “Out Of Limits” – Marketts
“Popsicles And Icicles” – Murmaids
“Pretty Paper” – Roy Orbison
“Quicksand” – Martha And The Vandellas
“Since I Fell For You” – Lenny Welch
[new] “Somewhere” – Tymes
“Surfin’ Bird” – Trashmen
[new] “Talkback Trembling Lips” – Johnny Tillotson
[new] “Talking About My Baby” – Impressions
[new] “That Lucky Old Sun” – Ray Charles
[new] “The Boy Nexy Door” – Secrets
“The Nitty Gritty” – Shirley Ellis
“There I’ve Said It Again” – Bobby Vinton
“Turn Around” – Dick And Deedee
[new] “Um Um Um Um Um Um” – Major Lance
[new] “When The Lovelight Stars Shining Through His Eyes” – Supremes
[new] “Whispering” – Nino Tempo And April Stevens
“Wives And Lovers” – Jack Jones
“You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry” – Caravelles
[new] “You Don’t Own Me” – Lesley Gore

[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 day of the year the British music chart television program, “Top of the Pops”, made its debut on the BBC network. The program would become one of the world’s longest-running weekly music show in television history.

On the 3rd, millions of americans got their first view of The Beatles and heard their new song, “She Loves You”, as they watched film footage on The Jack Paar Program.

Then as Beatlesmania made its way across the atlantic Chicago’s Vee-Jay Records released “Introducing… The Beatles” to get the jump on Capitol Records’ release of “Meet the Beatles!”, scheduled for January 20. Capitol obtained a restraining order against Vee-Jay on January 16 to prevent further sales, although Vee-Jay would defy the order by releasing the album again on February 10 and spending nine weeks with the second most popular selling album, behind Capitol’s number one seller

On the 29th the film “Dr. Strangelove” (subtitled “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”) opened in the U.S. theaters. Along with four other movies “dealing with fictitious presidents of the United States”, advance publicity and the release had been put on hold after the assassination of John F. Kennedy the previous November.

What’d Sadie think?

“There I’ve Said It Again” by Bobby Vinton dominates the chart top all month. But it’s the arrival of The Beatles with “I want to hold your hand” that is the real stand out of this week’s charts. Young Sadie went crazy for it and spent some time dancing around the lounge hold but mum and dad’s hands. Too cute.

Loved ’em

• “Anyone Who Had A Heart” – Dionne Warwick
• “Baby I Love You” – Ronettes
• “I Want To Hold Your Hand” – Beatles
• “That Lucky Old Sun” – Ray Charles
• “You Don’t Own Me” – Lesley Gore

Liked ’em

• “Daisy Petal Pickin’” – Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
• “For You” – Rick Nelson
• “For Your Precious Love” – Garnet Mimms
• “Hey Little Cobra” – Rip Cords
• “Hooka Tooka” – Chubby Checker
• “Out Of Limits” – Marketts
• “Somewhere” – Tymes
• “Talkback Trembling Lips” – Johnny Tillotson
• “Talking About My Baby” – Impressions
• “The Boy Next Door” – Secrets
• “Um Um Um Um Um Um” – Major Lance
• “When The Lovelight Stars Shining Through His Eyes” – Supremes
• “Whispering” – Nino Tempo And April Stevens

Leave ’em

• “A Fool Never Learns” – Andy Williams

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

It’s 56 years and 8 months before Sadie is born and 13 years and 2 months before Thomas is…let’s hear how 1963 closed out with December’s playlist.

Songs of the month

[new] “As Usual” – Brenda Lee
[new] “Baby Don’t You Weep” – Garnet Mimms And The Enchanters
“Be True To Your School” – Beach Boys
“Bossa Nova Baby” – Elvis Presley
“Can I Get A Witness” – Marvin Gaye
“Deep Purple” – Nino Tempo And April Stevens
“Dominique” – Singing Nun
[new] “Drag City” – Jan And Dean
“Drip Drop” – Dion Di Muci
“Everybody” – Tommy Roe
[new] “Forget Him” – Bobby Rydell
[new] “Have You Heard” – Duprees
“Hey Little Girl” – Major Lance
“I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight” – Barry And The Tamarlanes
“I’m Leaving It Up To You” – Dale And Grace
[new] “In My Room” – Beach Boys
“It’s All Right” – Impressions
[new] “Kansas City” – Trini Lopez
“Little Red Rooster” – Sam Cooke
“Living A Lie” – Al Martino
“Loddy Lo” – Chubby Checker
“Louie Louie” – Kingsmen
“Maria Elena” – Los Indios Tabajaras
[new] “Midnight Mary” – Joey Powers
[new] “Nitty Gritty” – Shirley Ellis
“Papa Joe’s” – Dixiebelles
[new] “Popsicles And Icicles” – Murmaids
[new] “Pretty Paper” – Roy Orbison
[new] “Quicksand” – Martha And The Vandellas
“She’s A Fool” – Lesley Gore
“Since I Fell For You” – Lenny Welch
“Sugar Shack” – Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
[new] “Surfin’ Bird” – Trashmen
[new] “Talk Back Trembling Lips” – Johnny Tillotson
[new] “The Boy Next Door” – Secrets
[new] “The Nitty Gritty” – Shirley Ellis
[new] “There I’ve Said It Again” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “Turn Around” – Dick And Deedee
“Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa” – Gene Pitney
“Walking The Dog” – Rufus Thomas
“Washington Square” – Village Stompers
[new] “Wives And Lovers” – Jack Jones
“Wonderful Summer” – Robin Ward
“You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry” – Caravelles

[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 5th the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) completed its investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy less than two weeks after the crime, as Director J. Edgar Hoover approved the final report of the bureau inquiry. The FBI’s conclusion was that Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby had each acted alone, and independently of each other. Of course conspiracy theories persist to this day. No footage of that but a classic piece of TV footage as Walter Cronkite announces his assassination the previous month.

On the 20th for the first time since the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961, residents of West Berlin were allowed to cross into East Berlin. By agreement between West Germany and East Germany, West German applicants were granted one-day passes in order to visit with family members in the Communist-controlled east side during the Christmas holidays. Because we’ve just mentioned JFK, here he is in June of that year giving his famous speech at the Berlin Wall.

On the 21st “The Daleks”, a serial that began with the fifth episode of the “Doctor Who” science fiction television series, saw the introduction of the Dalek, the most famous of all the nemeses in the program’s history. In the episode “The Dead Planet”, the Doctor and his three companions arrived in the TARDIS on the planet Skaro, although viewers would not see what a Dalek looked like until the December 28 show.

What’d Sadie think?

Four weeks at the top for The Singing Nun with “Dominique” this month.

Loved ’em

• “Baby Don’t You Weep” – Garnet Mimms And The Enchanters
• “Nitty Gritty” – Shirley Ellis
• “Surfin’ Bird” – Trashmen
• “Wives And Lovers” – Jack Jones

Of course very notoriously, in NZ, in the ’80s “Surfin’ Bird” was repurposed to promote Bluebird crisps. The height of advertising.

Liked ’em

• “As Usual” – Brenda Lee
• “Drag City” – Jan And Dean
• “Forget Him” – Bobby Rydell
• “Have You Heard” – Duprees
• “In My Room” – Beach Boys
• “Kansas City” – Trini Lopez
• “Midnight Mary” – Joey Powers
• “Popsicles And Icicles” – Murmaids
• “Pretty Paper” – Roy Orbison
• “Quicksand” – Martha And The Vandellas
• “Talk Back Trembling Lips” – Johnny Tillotson
• “The Boy Next Door” – Secrets
• “Turn Around” – Dick And Deedee

Leave ’em

• “There I’ve Said It Again” – Bobby Vinton

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

It’s starting to feel a lot like xmas! In both 2023 and 1963 as we find ourselves n November of the year in both time periods. Let’s jump back to the ’60s and see what it sounded like…

Songs of the month

[new] “500 Miles Away From Home” – Bobby Bare
“Be My Baby” – Ronettes
[new] “Be True To Your School” – Beach Boys
“Blue Bayou” – Roy Orbison
“Blue Velvet” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “Bossa Nova Baby” – Elvis Presley
“Busted” – Ray Charles
[new] “Can I Get A Witness” – Marvin Gaye
“Cross Fire” – Orlons
“Cry Baby” – Garnet Mimms
“Cry Baby” – Garnet Mimms And The Enchanters
[new] “Cry To Me” – Betty Harris
“Deep Purple” – Nino Tempo And April Stevens
[new] “Dominique” – Singing Nun
“Don’t Think Twice” – “Peter Paul And Mary”
“Donna The Prima Donna” – Dion Di Muci
[new] “Down At Papa Joe’s” – Dixiebelles
[new] “Drip Drop” – Dion Di Muci
“Everybody” – Tommy Roe
“Fools Rush In” – Rick Nelson
[new] “Hey Little Girl” – Major Lance
“Honolulu Lulu” – Jan And Dean
[new] “I Adore Him” – Angels
“I Can’t Stay Mad At You” – Skeeter Davis
[new] “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight” – Barry And The Tamarlanes
“I’m Leaving It Up To You” – Dale And Grace
“It’s All Right” – Impressions
[new] “It’s Alright” – Impressions
[new] “Little Red Rooster” – Sam Cooke
[new] “Living A Lie” – Al Martino
[new] “Loddy Lo” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Louie Louie” – Kingsmen
“Maria Elena” – Los Indios Tabajaras
“Mean Woman Blues” – Roy Orbison
[new] “Misty” – Lloyd Price
“Papa Joe’s” – Dixiebelles
“Part Time Love” – Little Johnny Taylor
[new] “Saturday Night” – New Christy Minstrels
“She’s A Fool” – Lesley Gore
[new] “Since I Fell For You” – Lenny Welch
“Sugar Shack” – Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
“Talk To Me” – Sunny And The Sunglows
“That Sunday That Summer” – Nat King Cole
“The Grass Is Greener” – Brenda Lee
[new] “Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa” – Gene Pitney
[new] “Walking Proud” – Steve Lawrence
[new] “Walking The Dog” – Rufus Thomas
“Washington Square” – Village Stompers
[new] “Wonderful Summer” – Robin Ward
[new] “You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry” – Caravelles
“You Lost The Sweetest Boy” – Mary Wells
[new] “Your Other Love” – Connie Francis

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

Some news stories I come across are small things, but in some ways point out just how much changed. Such as this one, on the 3rd Barry E. Steiner, a 20-year old medical student at Boston University, was arrested at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport after having flown hundreds of thousands of miles on stolen airplane tickets. At the time it was commonplace to purchase a ticket at the airline counter, have the ticket agent fill it out, and then to board the airplane. Steiner’s method was simply to reach behind an unattended counter at an airport, steal blank tickets, write in the flight number and destination of his choice, and then walk on to the appropriate plane. Yeah…a bit more security at airports today!

Then on the 18th the first electronic push-button telephone with touch-tone dialing was commercially offered by Bell Telephone in the USA to customers in the Pittsburgh area towns of Carnegie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

And on the 22nd United States president John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Kennedy was riding as a passenger in a Lincoln Continental motorcade in Dealey Plaza of Downtown Dallas, Texas. A story we’ve all seen at least one movie or documentary on so here’s…another one.

What’d Sadie think?

Two weeks at the top for “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs before a week for “Deep Purple” by Nino Tempo and April Stevens which is then beat out by Dale & Grace’s, “I’m Leaving It Up To You”.

Loved ’em

• “500 Miles Away From Home” – Bobby Bare
• “Bossa Nova Baby” – Elvis Presley
• “Can I Get A Witness” – Marvin Gaye
• “Louie Louie” – Kingsmen
• “Since I Fell For You” – Lenny Welch
• “Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa” – Gene Pitney
• “Walking The Dog” – Rufus Thomas

Some great tunes this month. The stand-out, in terms of a new sound on our charts is The Kingsmen’s cover of “Louie Louie”. According to wikipedia it is the world’s most recorded rock song, with published estimates ranging from over 1,600 to more than 2,000 versions. Their cover has been cited, variously, as the “rosetta stone” of garage rock, the defining “ur-text” of punk rock, and “the original grunge classic”. As wikipedia also notes, “Rock critics Dave Marsh and Greil Marcus believe that virtually all punk rock can be traced back to a single proto-punk song, ‘Louie Louie’.” In short…quite the tune.

The backstory about the original song writer and performer Richard Berry, who sold the rights before it became a real hit, is also worth a read,

“In the mid-1980s, Berry was living on welfare. Drinks company California Cooler wanted to use “Louie Louie” in a commercial, but discovered it needed Berry’s consent because he still owned the radio and television performance rights. The company asked the Artists Rights Society to locate him which led to Berry’s taking legal action to regain his rights to the song. The settlement made Berry a millionaire.”

Liked ’em

• “Be True To Your School” – Beach Boys
• “Cry To Me” – Betty Harris
• “Dominique” – Singing Nun
• “Down At Papa Joe’s” – Dixiebelles
• “Drip Drop” – Dion Di Muci
• “Hey Little Girl” – Major Lance
• “I Adore Him” – Angels
• “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight” – Barry And The Tamarlanes
• “It’s Alright” – Impressions
• “Little Red Rooster” – Sam Cooke
• “Loddy Lo” – Chubby Checker
• “Misty” – Lloyd Price
• “Walking Proud” – Steve Lawrence
• “Wonderful Summer” – Robin Ward
• “Your Other Love” – Connie Francis

Leave ’em

• “Living A Lie” – Al Martino
• “Saturday Night” – New Christy Minstrels
• “You Don’t Have To Be A Baby To Cry” – Caravelles

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