Category: Monthly

It’s nearing Q4 2023 as we head back to surf the sounds of April, 1963…

Songs of the month

“All I Have To Do Is Dream” – Richard Chamberlain
“Baby Workout” – Jackie Wilson
“Blame It On The Bossa Nova” – Eydie Gorme
[new] “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” – Andy Williams
[new] “Charms” – Bobby Vee
“Do The Bird” – Dee Dee Sharp
[new] “Don’t Be Afraid Little Darlin’” – Steve Lawrence
[new] “Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad” – Cookies
“Don’t Set Me Free” – Ray Charles
[new] “Follow The Boys” – Connie Francis
[new] “Foolish Little Girl” – Shirelles
“He’s So Fine” – Chiffons
“Hey Paula” – Paul And Paula
[new] “I Got What I Wanted” – Brook Benton
“I Wanna Be Around” – Tony Bennett
[new] “I Will Follow Him” – Little Peggy March
[new] “If You Wanna Be Happy” – Jimmy Soul
“In Dreams” – Roy Orbison
“Laughing Boy” – Mary Wells
“Let’s Limbo Some More” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Losing You” – Brenda Lee
[new] “Mecca” – Gene Pitney
[new] “Mr. Bass Man” – Johnny Cymbal
[new] “On Broadway” – Drifters
“One Broken Heart For Sale” – Elvis Presley
“Our Day Will Come” – Ruby And The Romantics
“Our Winter Love” – Bill Pursell
[new] “Out Of My Mind” – Johnny Tillotson
[new] “Over The Mountain” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “Pipeline” – Chantays
[new] “Puff The Magic Dragon” – “Peter Paul And Mary”
[new] “Reverend Mr. Black” – Kingston Trio
“Rhythm Of The Rain” – Cascades
“Ruby Baby” – Dion
[new] “Sandy” – Dion
“South Street” – Orlons
[new] “Surfin’ Usa” – Beach Boys
[new] “Take These Chains From My Heart” – Ray Charles
“The End Of The World” – Skeeter Davis
[new] “Tom Cat” – Rooftop Singers
“Twenty Miles” – Chubby Checker
“Walk Like A Man” – Four Seasons
[new] “Watermelon Man” – Mongo Santamaria
“What Will Mary Say” – Johnny Mathis
“Wild Weekend” – Rebels
[new] “You’re The Reason I’m Livin’” – Bobby Darin
“You’re The Reason I’m Living” – Bobby Darin
[new] “Young And In Love” – Dick And Deedee
[new] “Young Lovers” – Paul And Paula

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On the 4th The Beatles performed at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, UK, for a fee of £100, having accepted a personal request from schoolboy David Moores, a fellow Liverpudlian (and later chairman of Liverpool F.C.)

The next day the Soviet Union accepted an American proposal to establish a Moscow–Washington hotline so that the leaders of the two nations could communicate directly with each other in order to avoid war. Originally, the hot line was a teletype system rather than a direct voice line.

Then on the 8th at the 35th Academy Awards ceremony, Lawrence of Arabia won the Best Picture Oscar. Gregory Peck won Best Actor for To Kill a Mockingbird, while Anne Bancroft won Best Actress for portraying Helen Keller’s teacher in The Miracle Worker.

What’d Sadie think?

3 weeks at the top for “He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons before newcomer “I Will Follow Him” by Little Peggy March rounds out the month.

Loved ’em

Our favourite song from April, 1963… wasn’t actually meant to be on our charts. Due to a error in the script that builds our youtube music playlists – “I Wish I Were a Princess” by (Little) Peggy March appeared. Unlike “I Will Follow Him” which peaked at number 1, this tune by the 15-year old singer, only rose as high as number 32. (Our cut-off for inclusion is number 30 on the charts) But Sadie absolutely loved the tune and it has been on repeat all weekend back here in 2023. So happy error!

• “Surfin’ Usa” – Beach Boys
• “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” – Andy Williams
• “Foolish Little Girl” – Shirelles
• “Puff The Magic Dragon” – “Peter Paul And Mary”
• “I Will Follow Him” – Little Peggy March
• “If You Wanna Be Happy” – Jimmy Soul
• “Losing You” – Brenda Lee
• “On Broadway” – Drifters
• “Take These Chains From My Heart” – Ray Charles

Liked ’em

• “Charms” – Bobby Vee
• “Don’t Be Afraid Little Darlin’” – Steve Lawrence
• “Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad” – Cookies
• “Follow The Boys” – Connie Francis
• “I Got What I Wanted” – Brook Benton
• “Mecca” – Gene Pitney
• “Mr. Bass Man” – Johnny Cymbal
• “Out Of My Mind” – Johnny Tillotson
• “Over The Mountain” – Bobby Vinton
• “Pipeline” – Chantays
• “Sandy” – Dion
• “Tom Cat” – Rooftop Singers
• “Watermelon Man” – Mongo Santamaria
• “You’re The Reason I’m Livin’” – Bobby Darin
• “Young Lovers” – Paul And Paula

Leave ’em

• “Reverend Mr. Black” – Kingston Trio
• “Young And In Love” – Dick And Deedee

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

A weekend spent at the parks of Auckland kicking around with Sadie, so it must be spring in 2023! But let’s head back to March 1963, after what was by all accounts the coldest winter on record for the UK, to hear what it sounded like..

Songs of the month

“Alice In Wonderland” – Neil Sedaka
[new] “All I Have To Do Is Dream” – Richard Chamberlain
[new] “Baby Workout” – Jackie Wilson
“Blame It On The Bossa Nova” – Eydie Gorme
[new] “Boss Guitar” – Duane Eddy
[new] “Butterfly Baby” – Bobby Rydell
“Call On Me” – Bobby Bland
“Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – Vince Guaraldi Trio
[new] “Do The Bird” – Dee Dee Sharp
[new] “Don’t Set Me Free” – Ray Charles
“Fly Me To The Moon” – Joe Harnell Orchestra
“From A Jack To A King” – Ned Miller
[new] “Greenback Dollar” – Kingston Trio
[new] “He’s So Fine” – Chiffons
“He’s Sure The Boy I Love” – Crystals
“Hey Paula” – Paul And Paula
[new] “Hitch Hike” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “I Wanna Be Around” – Tony Bennett
“In Dreams” – Roy Orbison
[new] “Laughing Boy” – Mary Wells
[new] “Let’s Limbo Some More” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Let’s Turkey Trot” – Little Eva
“Little Town Flirt” – Del Shannon
“Mama Didn’t Lie” – Jan Bradley
“One Broken Heart For Sale” – Elvis Presley
“Our Day Will Come” – Ruby And The Romantics
“Our Winter Love” – Bill Pursell
“Rhythm Of The Rain” – Cascades
“Ruby Baby” – Dion
“Send Me Some Lovin’” – Sam Cooke
[new] “South Street” – Orlons
“The End Of The World” – Skeeter Davis
“The Gypsy Cried” – Lou Christie
“The Night Has A Thousand Eyes” – Bobby Vee
[new] “Twenty Miles” – Chubby Checker
“Up On The Roof” – Drifters
“Walk Like A Man” – Four Seasons
“Walk Right In” – Rooftop Singers
“What Will Mary Say” – Johnny Mathis
“Wild Weekend” – Rebels
“You’re The Reason I’m Living” – Bobby Darin
“You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” – Miracles

[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 5th In Camden, Tennessee, 30-year-old country music superstar Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash along with fellow performers Harold “Hawkshaw” Hawkins, 41, and Lloyd “Cowboy” Copas, 49, and their manager, Randy Hughes, who was piloting the Piper Comanche airplane. At 4x life this somewhat closer to the 1959 death of The Big Bopper in a similar plane crash… but either way, small planes seemed like a thing to avoid for stars of the time surely?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NGndepUSJ8

Then the next day in the UK, Great Britain’s longest, coldest winter in the 20th century started to come to an end, with the ground being snow-free for the first time since the blizzard over the Christmas period. Many places saw their first frost-free night of the year and since before Christmas.

On the 22nd The Beatles released their first album, Please Please Me… which I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot of very soon.

What’d Sadie think?

Three weeks at the top for “Walk Like A Man” by the Four Seasons before a week at the top for “Our Day Will Come” by Ruby And The Romantics.

During the sessions that produced the recording of catchy, but toxically masculine, “Walk Like a Man”, the fire department received an emergency call from the Abbey Victoria Hotel (the building that housed the Stea-Phillips Recording Studios). As producer Bob Crewe was insisting upon recording the perfect take, smoke and water started to seep into the studio; the room directly above the studio was on fire, but Crewe had blocked the studio door. He continued recording until firemen used their axes on the door and pulled Crewe out….

Loved ’em

• “All I Have To Do Is Dream” – Richard Chamberlain
• “Baby Workout” – Jackie Wilson
• “Do The Bird” – Dee Dee Sharp
• “He’s So Fine” – Chiffons
• “Let’s Limbo Some More” – Chubby Checker

Liked ’em

• “Boss Guitar” – Duane Eddy
• “Butterfly Baby” – Bobby Rydell
• “Don’t Set Me Free” – Ray Charles
• “Greenback Dollar” – Kingston Trio
• “Hitch Hike” – Marvin Gaye
• “I Wanna Be Around” – Tony Bennett
• “Laughing Boy” – Mary Wells
• “Let’s Turkey Trot” – Little Eva
• “South Street” – Orlons
• “Twenty Miles” – Chubby Checker

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

It’s 57 years and 6 months before Sadie is born and exactly 14 years before Thomas is. How are we already getting so close to my own birth? Either time is passing at 4x speed or I’m getting old…but both? 😉 Let’s hear what February, 1963 sounds like!

Songs of the month

[new] “Alice In Wonderland” – Neil Sedaka
[new] “Blame It On The Bossa Nova” – Eydie Gorme
[new] “Call On Me” – Bobby Bland
[new] “Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – Vince Guaraldi Trio
“Cinnamon Cinder” – Pastel Six
“Don’t Make Me Over” – Dionne Warwick
“Everybody Loves A Lover” – Shirelles
[new] “Fly Me To The Moon” – Joe Harnell Orchestra
“From A Jack To A King” – Ned Miller
“Go Away Little Girl” – Steve Lawrence
“Half Heaven Half Heartache” – Gene Pitney
[new] “He’s Sure The Boy I Love” – Crystals
“Hey Paula” – Paul And Paula
“Hotel Happiness” – Brook Benton
“I Saw Linda Yesterday” – Dickey Lee
“I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter” – Connie Francis
[new] “In Dreams” – Roy Orbison
“It’s Up To You” – Rick Nelson
“Limbo Rock” – Chubby Checker
“Little Town Flirt” – Del Shannon
“Loop De Loop” – Johnny Thunder
[new] “Love Makes The World Go ’round” – Paul Anka
[new] “Mama Didn’t Lie” – Jan Bradley
“My Colouring Book” – Kitty Kallen
“My Colouring Book” – Sandy Stewart
“My Dad” – Paul Petersen
[new] “One Broken Heart For Sale” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Our Day Will Come” – Ruby And The Romantics
[new] “Our Winter Love” – Bill Pursell
[new] “Proud” – Johnny Crawford
[new] “Rhythm Of The Rain” – Cascades
[new] “Ruby Baby” – Dion
[new] “Send Me Some Lovin’” – Sam Cooke
“Tell Him” – Exciters
“Telstar” – Tornados
[new] “The End Of The World” – Skeeter Davis
[new] “The Gypsy Cried” – Lou Christie
“The Night Has A Thousand Eyes” – Bobby Vee
“Two Lovers” – Mary Wells
“Up On The Roof” – Drifters
[new] “Walk Like A Man” – Four Seasons
“Walk Right In” – Rooftop Singers
[new] “What Will Mary Say” – Johnny Mathis
[new] “Wild Weekend” – Rebels
[new] “You’re The Reason I’m Living” – Bobby Darin
“You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” – Miracles

[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 19th Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique” was published, a landmark event in the Feminist Movement in the United States and globally. An interview with her from 1964 below.

Then on the 22nd another iconic female character came into the public consciousness with the birth of Pebbles Flintstones in an episode of the eponymous cartoon called “The Blessed Event”.

Then on the 28th american comedian Lenny Bruce was convicted by a jury in a Chicago municipal court on charges of obscenity arising from his profanity-laced performance at the Gate of Horn nightclub on December 5. Fuck that.

What’d Sadie think?

A week at the top spot for “Walk Right In” by the Rooftop Singers before its three in pole position for Paul and Paula with “Hey Paula”.

Loved ’em

A truly classic Roy Orbison song in the charts this month, “In Dreams”. To quote wikipedia, “The song has a unique structure in seven musical movements in which Orbison sings through two octaves, beyond the range of most rock and roll singers.”.

Perhaps I’m more familiar with it from it’s 1980’s revival, “It gained notability again in 1987 when Orbison released a re-recorded anthology of his greatest hits; the year prior David Lynch had used the song provocatively in his neo-noir Blue Velvet, helping to revive Orbison’s career.”

• “In Dreams” – Roy Orbison
• “Mama Didn’t Lie” – Jan Bradley
• “Ruby Baby” – Dion
• “The End Of The World” – Skeeter Davis
• “Walk Like A Man” – Four Seasons
• “Wild Weekend” – Rebels

Liked ’em

• “Alice In Wonderland” – Neil Sedaka
• “Blame It On The Bossa Nova” – Eydie Gorme
• “Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – Vince Guaraldi Trio
• “Fly Me To The Moon” – Joe Harnell Orchestra
• “He’s Sure The Boy I Love” – Crystals
• “Love Makes The World Go ’round” – Paul Anka
• “One Broken Heart For Sale” – Elvis Presley
• “Our Winter Love” – Bill Pursell
• “Proud” – Johnny Crawford
• “Rhythm Of The Rain” – Cascades
• “Send Me Some Lovin’” – Sam Cooke
• “The Gypsy Cried” – Lou Christie
• “Our Day Will Come” – Ruby And The Romantics

Leave ’em

• “What Will Mary Say” – Johnny Mathis
• “You’re The Reason I’m Living” – Bobby Darin

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

It’s 57 years and 7 months before Sadie is born and 14 years and 1 months before Thomas is…yes it’s January, 1963 so let’s hear what the new year sounds like!

Songs of the month

“Big Girls Don’t Cry” – Four Seasons
“Bobby’s Girl” – Marcie Blane
“Chains” – Cookies
[new] “Cinnamon Cinder” – Pastel Six
“Dear Lonely Hearts” – Nat King Cole
“Don’t Hang Up” – Orlons
[new] “Don’t Make Me Over” – Dionne Warwick
“Everybody Loves A Lover” – Shirelles
[new] “From A Jack To A King” – Ned Miller
“Go Away Little Girl” – Steve Lawrence
[new] “Half Heaven Half Heartache” – Gene Pitney
[new] “Hey Paula” – Paul And Paula
“Hotel Happiness” – Brook Benton
[new] “I Saw Linda Yesterday” – Dickey Lee
[new] “I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter” – Connie Francis
“It’s Up To You” – Rick Nelson
“Keep Your Hands Off My Baby” – Litta Eva
“Limbo Rock” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Little Town Flirt” – Del Shannon
[new] “Loop De Loop” – Johnny Thunder
“Love Came To Me” – Dion
[new] “Monster’s Holiday” – Bobby Boris Pickett And The Crypt-Kickers
[new] “My Colouring Book” – Kitty Kallen
[new] “My Colouring Book” – Sandy Stewart
“My Dad” – Paul Petersen
“Pepino The Italian Mouse” – Lou Monte
“Release Me” – Esther Phillips
[new] “Remember Then” – Earls
“Return To Sender” – Elvis Presley
“Ruby Ann” – Marty Robbins
[new] “Shutters And Boards” – Jerry Wallace
“Tell Him” – Exciters
[new] “Telstar” – Tornadoes
“Telstar” – Tornados
“The Lonely Bull” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
“The Night Has A Thousand Eyes” – Bobby Vee
“Two Lovers” – Mary Wells
“Up On The Roof” – Drifters
[new] “Walk Right In” – Rooftop Singers
“Wiggle Wobble” – Les Cooper And The Soul Rockers
“You Are My Sunshine” – Ray Charles
[new] “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” – Miracles
“Zip A Dee Doo Dah” – Bob B. Soxx And The Blue Jeans

[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 day of the new year Osamu Tezuka’s “Tetsuwan Atomu” (“Astro Boy”), Japan’s first serialized animated series based on the popular manga, was broadcast for the first time.

On the 10th the American 1962 film “Cape Fear”, was finally released in the United Kingdom, but only after Thompson agreed to 161 cuts of dialogue ordered by the censors of the British Board of Film Classification in order to avoid an “X” rating.

The next day The Beatles released “Please Please Me” in the United Kingdom, with “Ask Me Why” as the B-side. The group would perform the song on TV two days later on the ITV program Thank Your Lucky Stars. “Please Please Me” would become the first Beatles’ single to reach #1 in the UK. No footage from that year, but a performance on the show from next year below.

And in a big month for ’60s brit bands, The Rolling Stones, with Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Brian Jones, pianist Ian Stewart, bass guitarist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts first played together as a group, with a performance at The Flamingo Club in the West End of London.

No recording of that either, but here’s a Rice Krispies commercial the band apparently performed early in their career.

Then on the 23rf British MI5 agent Kim Philby, who was secretly working for the Soviet Union as a double agent for the NKVD, disappeared after having a drink with a colleague at a hotel in Beirut. Five months later, on July 30, the Soviet Union would announce that he had been given asylum there and would confirm his identity as a Soviet spy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE8C3w2xFH8

What’d Sadie think?

“Telstar” by the Tornados has a week at the top of the charts before “Go Away Little Girl” by Steve Lawrence has two. Then we have new-to-the-charts “Walk Right In” by Rooftop Singers rounding out the month.

Loved ’em

• “I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter” – Connie Francis
• “Little Town Flirt” – Del Shannon
• “Don’t Make Me Over” – Dionne Warwick
• “Walk Right In” – Rooftop Singers
• “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” – Miracles
  

Liked ’em

• “Cinnamon Cinder” – Pastel Six
• “From A Jack To A King” – Ned Miller
• “Half Heaven Half Heartache” – Gene Pitney
• “Hey Paula” – Paul And Paula
• “I Saw Linda Yesterday” – Dickey Lee
• “Loop De Loop” – Johnny Thunder
• “Monster’s Holiday” – Bobby Boris Pickett And The Crypt-Kickers
• “My Colouring Book” – Kitty Kallen
• “My Colouring Book” – Sandy Stewart
• “Remember Then” – Earls

Leave ’em

• “Shutters And Boards” – Jerry Wallace

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

It’s feeling very spring like here in 2023 as we turn our ears back to December of 1962 and hear the Four Seasons singing that… “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”!

Songs of the month

“All Alone Am I” – Brenda Lee
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” – Four Seasons
“Bobby’s Girl” – Marcie Blane
[new] “Chains” – Cookies
“Close To Cathy” – Mike Clifford
“Dance With The Guitar Man” – Duane Eddy
[new] “Dear Lonely Hearts” – Nat King Cole
[new] “Desafinado” – Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd
“Desafinado” – Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd
“Do You Love Me” – Contours
“Don’t Hang Up” – Orlons
[new] “Eso Beso” – Paul Anka
[new] “Everybody Loves A Lover” – Shirelles
“Gina” – Johnny Mathis
[new] “Go Away Little Girl” – Steve Lawrence
“He’s A Rebel” – Crystals
[new] “Hotel Happiness” – Brook Benton
“I Can’t Help It” – Johnny Tillotson
“I’ve Got A Woman” – Jimmy Mcgriff
[new] “It’s Up To You” – Rick Nelson
“Keep Your Hands Off My Baby” – Litta Eva
[new] “Let’s Go” – Routers
“Limbo Rock” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Love Came To Me” – Dion
[new] “My Dad” – Paul Petersen
“My Own True Love” – Duprees
“Next Door To An Angel” – Neil Sedaka
“Nothing Can Change This Love” – Sam Cooke
“Only Love Can Break A Heart” – Gene Pitney
[new] “Pepino The Italian Mouse” – Lou Monte
“Release Me” – Esther Phillips
“Return To Sender” – Elvis Presley
“Ride” – Dee Dee Sharp
[new] “Ruby Ann” – Marty Robbins
“Rumours” – Johnny Crawford
[new] “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” – Four Seasons
[new] “Tell Him” – Exciters
“Telstar” – Tornados
“The Cha Cha Cha” – Bobby Rydell
[new] “The Little Drummer Boy” – Harry Simeon Chorale
“The Lonely Bull” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
[new] “The Night Has A Thousand Eyes” – Bobby Vee
[new] “The Push And Kick” – Mark Valentino
[new] “Two Lovers” – Mary Wells
[new] “Up On The Roof” – Drifters
“What Kind Of Fool Am I” – Sammy Davis Jr.
[new] “Wiggle Wobble” – Les Cooper And The Soul Rockers
[new] “You Are My Sunshine” – Ray Charles
[new] “Your Cheating Heart” – Ray Charles
[new] “Zip A Dee Doo Dah” – Bob B. Soxx And The Blue Jeans
[new] “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” – Bob B. Soxx And The Blue Jeans

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On August the 14th the U.S. spacecraft Mariner 2 became the first Earth probe to successfully transmit data from another planet, as it flew by Venus. The data showed for the first time the surface temperature of Venus, found to be 482 °C, and revealed “a planet inhospitable to life”, which “dashed hopes for a tropical, watery planet filled with aquatic and amphibious creatures”, in the words of one observer.

On the 22nd for the first time, a song by a British band reached #1 on the American singles chart. More than a year before The Beatles began music’s “British Invasion”, the instrumental song “Telstar” became a hit for The Tornados.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ee6p4z29Q

And on the 30th “Blowin’ in the Wind”, Bob Dylan’s most iconic song, was performed for the first time, as part of a BBC television play called “Madhouse On Castle Street”. Dylan was 21 (having never left America before), when he visited London for the first time in December 1962, to take part in a BBC play. He appeared as “Bobby the hobo” and sang four songs, including the first ever broadcast of “Blowin’ in the Wind”.”

What’d Sadie think?

The Four Seasons classic, and Sadie sing-a-long fave, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” is at the top for 3 weeks this December before the aforementioned “Telstar” by the Tornados rounds out the month with 2 weeks at number 1.

Loved ’em

• “Love Came To Me” – Dion
• “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” – Four Seasons
• “Tell Him” – Exciters
• “Two Lovers” – Mary Wells
• “Up On The Roof” – Drifters
• “You Are My Sunshine” – Ray Charles
• “Your Cheating Heart” – Ray Charles

Liked ’em

• “Dear Lonely Hearts” – Nat King Cole
• “Desafinado” – Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd
• “Eso Beso” – Paul Anka
• “Everybody Loves A Lover” – Shirelles
• “Go Away Little Girl” – Steve Lawrence
• “It’s Up To You” – Rick Nelson
• “Let’s Go” – Routers
• “My Dad” – Paul Petersen
• “Ruby Ann” – Marty Robbins
• “The Night Has A Thousand Eyes” – Bobby Vee
• “The Push And Kick” – Mark Valentino
• “Wiggle Wobble” – Les Cooper And The Soul Rockers
• “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” – Bob B. Soxx And The Blue Jeans
  
  

Leave ’em

• “Chains” – Cookies
• “Hotel Happiness” – Brook Benton
• “Pepino The Italian Mouse” – Lou Monte

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

According to the automated math that gets pre-populated for me here it’s 57 years and 9 months before Sadie is born and 14 years and 3 months before Thomas is as we explore the sounds of November, 1962… but much more importantly, it’s 3 years since Sadie was actually born!

Wow.

Happy birthday Sadie ada Cayce Scovell! You came into our life 5 weeks early, the tiniest most precious wee thing, and are now a full-on threenager who commands everyones attention with her kindness, humour and intelligence and is already out-witting your poor parents. Can’t wait to see what you do next.

And happy birthday to this project – we’ve now covered nearly 13 years of musical history across 155 weekly playlists!

(Also we skipped a week of posting the blog post due to being busy, so here’s a link to October, 1962 for those who want to make sure they listen to everything in order. On that note, we always listen to the playlist no matter what – and these are available on my Youtube account if anyone ever wants to find one easily. Literally just search for month and year and my name and they’ll come up.)

Songs of the month

“All Alone Am I” – Brenda Lee
“Alley Cat” – Bent Fabric
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” – Four Seasons
[new] “Bobby’s Girl” – Marcie Blane
“Close To Cathy” – Mike Clifford
[new] “Dance With The Guitar Man” – Duane Eddy
[new] “Desafinado” – Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd
“Do You Love Me” – Contours
[new] “Don’t Hang Up” – Orlons
“Gina” – Johnny Mathis
[new] “Green Onions” – Booker T. And The Mgs
“He’s A Rebel” – Crystals
[new] “I Can’t Help It” – Johnny Tillotson
“I Left My Heart In San Francisco” – Tony Bennett
“I Remember You” – Frank Ifield
[new] “I Was Such A Fool” – Connie Francis
[new] “I’ve Got A Woman” – Jimmy Mcgriff
“James” – Sue Thompson
[new] “Keep Your Hands Off My Baby” – Litta Eva
[new] “Leah” – Roy Orbison
“Let’s Dance” – Chris Montez
“Limbo Rock” – Chubby Checker
[new] “Love Me Tender” – Richard Chamberlain
“Monster Mash” – Bobby Boris Pickett And The Crypt-Kickers
[new] “My Own True Love” – Duprees
“Next Door To An Angel” – Neil Sedaka
“Nothing Can Change This Love” – Sam Cooke
“Only Love Can Break A Heart” – Gene Pitney
“Patches” – Dickey Lee
“Popeye The Hitchiker” – Chubby Checker
“Ramblin’ Rose” – Nat King Cole
[new] “Release Me” – Esther Phillips
“Return To Sender” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Ride” – Dee Dee Sharp
[new] “Rumours” – Johnny Crawford
“Sherry” – Four Seasons
“Surfin’ Safari” – Beach Boys
[new] “Telstar” – Tornados
[new] “That Stranger Used To Be My Girl” – Trade Martin
“The Cha-Cha-Cha” – Bobby Rydell
[new] “The Lonely Bull” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
“Torture” – Kris Jensen
“Warmed Over Kisses” – Brian Hyland
“What Kind Of Fool Am I” – Sammy Davis Jr.

[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 3rd the earliest use of the term “personal computer” by the media was made in The New York Times in a story about John W. Mauchly’s speech the day before to the American Institute of Industrial Engineers. Mauchly, “inventor of some of the original room-size computers” said that “in a decade or so”, everyone would have their own computer with “exchangeable wafer-thin data storage files to provide inexhaustible memories and answer most problems”. Mauchly was quoted as saying, “There is no reason to suppose the average boy or girl cannot be master of a personal computer.” Indeed!

On the same day, which was clearly big for coining terms, “country music” replaced what had been referred to as “country and western”, Billboard magazine renamed its “Hot C&W Singles” chart to “Hot Country Singles” and stopped referring to “western” music altogether.

On the 24th the first episode of the influential British satire show “That Was The Week That Was” was broadcast on BBC Television. No recording of that on Youtube, but here’s one from the next year.

And here in New Zealand Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson became Governor-General of New Zealand – not that interesting in and of itself but telling as the last British native to be appointed to that position. More than 70 years later we’re still part of the Commonwealth and have the British monarch as or head-of-state however.

What’d Sadie think?

Two weeks a piece at the top for “He’s A Rebel” by the Crystals then the classic “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by the Four Seasons.

Loved ’em

• “Desafinado” – Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd
• “Don’t Hang Up” – Orlons
• “Release Me” – Esther Phillips

Liked ’em

• “Bobby’s Girl” – Marcie Blane
• “Dance With The Guitar Man” – Duane Eddy
• “I Can’t Help It” – Johnny Tillotson
• “I Was Such A Fool” – Connie Francis
• “I’ve Got A Woman” – Jimmy Mcgriff
• “Leah” – Roy Orbison
• “My Own True Love” – Duprees
• “Love Me Tender” – Richard Chamberlain
• “Ride” – Dee Dee Sharp
• “Rumours” – Johnny Crawford
• “That Stranger Used To Be My Girl” – Trade Martin

Leave ’em

• “Telstar” – Tornados
• “The Lonely Bull” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

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