"Ask Me" #12 11/28/1964

Here's an instance where the B-side of a 45 did somewhat better than the A-side, although I have seen record sleeves of this one with each song given top billing. Beats me. By now, Elvis wasn't quite the market force he had been earlier in his career, but he and Colonel Parker still sold a ton of product.

Elvis Presley - Ask Me

"You Really Got Me" #7 11/28/1964

Sorry for the lateness of today's post - we were traveling for Thanksgiving. In one year on the Hot 100 from fifty years ago, we've gone from "Dominique" by the Singing Nun...to this!!

Our featured song today may have been the hardest rockin' song of 1964. The Kinks' Dave Davies achieved the distortion for the iconic intro by sticking pinholes into his amplifier speaker, then slicing said speaker with a razor. Their record producer, Shel Talmy, worked with The Who a few years later, and Pete Townshend admitted they stole the band's early sound from the Kinks. Van Halen had a GREAT remake of this on their debut album, but it's hard to beat the original!

Kinks - You Really Got Me

"Leader Of The Pack" #1 11/28/1964

A textbook example of the "teen tragedy" songs that the Shangri-Las took to #1. As with their previous hit, Billy Joel claimed to have played piano on the demo - others who were there differ. A very odd video clip with lots of big hair, and a surprise guest.

Shangri-Las - Leader Of The Pack

Happy Turkey, Turkey, Turkey!

Enjoy yourselves and your families and loved ones today!

"Needle In A Haystack" #45 11/21/1964

The Velvelettes got lost in the shuffle at Motown in the 60's and never really had that breakthrough hit on the Hot 100 - they did somewhat better on the R&B charts.

Velvelettes - Needle In A Haystack

"When You Walk In The Room" #35 11/21/1964

Boy, I was surprised this barely cracked the Top 40. It really should've done better. Written by Jackie DeShannon, and charted again by Pam Tillis on the country side 30 years later.

Searchers - When You Walk In The Room

"Who Can I Turn To?" #33 11/21/1964

Another MOR (middle-of-the-road) record by Tony Bennett that made it into the upper half of the Hot 100, in the midst of everything else going on at the time.

Tony Bennett - Who Can I Turn To?

"Is It True" #17 11/21/1964

Originally this record was only supposed to be released in the UK. Eventually Brenda Lee's label (Decca) released it in the US as well. The guitarist is...Jimmy Page. Yes, THAT Jimmy Page.

Brenda Lee - Is It True

"Ain't That Loving You Baby" #16 11/21/1964

From 1958-69, Billboard would list A- and B-sides of a 45 separately. Sometimes the B-side charted higher than the A-side. This happened here - we'll feature the flip side (which did better) of this record soon. This was recorded in 1958 while Elvis was on furlough from the Army, but wasn't released until late '64.

Elvis Presley - Ain't That Loving You Baby

"Come A Little Bit Closer" #3 11/21/1964

This guy had SUCH a set of pipes. Definitely a personal favorite. Clip is from "Where The Action Is" and is sufficiently goofy.

Jay and the Americans - Come A Little Bit Closer

RIP, Jimmy Ruffin

One more artist who has been here and now departed...Jimmy Ruffin (from Collinsville, Miss., near Meridian) recorded one of the most iconic Motown songs ever, "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted." His followup single was pretty doggone good, too.

Jimmy Ruffin - I've Passed This Way Before

"It Ain't Me Babe" Bonus

Turned out Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash were fans of each other's music. Who woulda thunk it? Johnny (with June Carter) had a Top Five country hit with this one, which got as high as #58 on the Hot 100 in November 1964. The Turtles broke through with their version in '65.

Johnny Cash and June Carter - It Ain't Me Babe

"Once A Day" Bonus

This one "bubbled under" the Hot 100, but starting next week in 1964, it began an eight week run at the top of the country charts. It was the first debut #1 single by a female country singer - it would be 27 years until Trisha Yearwood did it again with "She's In Love With The Boy" in 1991. Connie Smith is currently married to Philadelphia, Mississippi's own Marty Stuart.

Connie Smith - Once A Day

"Wendy" #44 11/14/1964

I was quite surprised to find this record, to me one of the most recognizable Beach Boys songs ever, didn't even make the Top 40 in its original release. It did appear several years later as the B-side of "Good Vibrations" worldwide, except in the U.S. *shrug*

Beach Boys - Wendy

"The Door Is Still Open To My Heart" #6 11/14/1964

They used to call this MOR music - middle of the road. In the midst of the British Invasion, Motown, etc., a song by Dino or Frank or Sammy would sneak onto the Hot 100. Don't you like it that we can still recognize these guys solely by their first names?

Dean Martin - The Door Is Still Open To My Heart

"Have I The Right?" #5 11/14/1964

This was a #1 record in the UK that made the Top 5 stateside. I can't recall another act that had a major hit with a female drummer until the Carpenters came along in the early 70's. A quirky production by Joe Meek - google him for an interesting read sometime.

Honeycombs - Have I The Right?

"When You're Young And In Love" #48 11/7/1964

From time to time we feature records from the middle to lower reaches of the Hot 100 from this week in 1964 that ought to have done better. Ruby and the Romantics recorded this first - it's been done by others over the years. Written by DC's own Van McCoy way before he did "The Hustle."

Ruby and the Romantics - When You're Young And In Love

"I'm Crying" #19 11/7/1964

Usually, British rockers in the 60's had a better handle than their U.S. counterparts on what American rock and roll should sound like. Here's a perfect example - this record was positively smokin' hot for the times. The sound mix on this clip is a little bit off, but enjoy!!

Animals - I'm Crying

"I Like It" #17 11/7/1964

Just like another little band called the Beatles, these guys were from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein and had their records produced by George Martin. This was their second UK single in '63 and their third US hit in '64. The British Invasion rolls on.

Gerry and the Pacemakers - I Like It

"I Don't Want To See You Again" #16 11/7/1964

Another tune written by Lennon/McCartney that was deemed not Beatle-worthy, so it was given to someone else, who made it a hit. Their throwaways were far better that most people's best. Mostly it's a Paul composition.

Peter and Gordon - I Don't Want To See You Again

"Everybody Knows" #15 11/7/1964

Another somewhat mellow track from the DC5. It was their sixth hit in the US in '64 alone. Those British groups sure cranked out the product back then.

Dave Clark Five - Everybody Knows

"Tobacco Road" #14 11/7/1964

This and the next three posts are for records that topped out in consecutive positions this week in 1964. The Nashville Teens were British, not American, and this was their only hit over here. It was rather hard rockin' for the times. Written by John D. Loudermilk, who came from the wrong side of the tracks in Durham, NC, and also wrote "Talk Back Trembling Lips," "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Waterloo," "Indian Reservation" and a whole bunch of country hits for George Hamilton IV.

Nashville Teens - Tobacco Road

"Chug-A-Lug" #9 11/7/1964

A Top Five country hit from 1964 that made the Top Ten on the pop charts as well. Roger Miller was always a little bit squirrelly back then, but he could write a thought-provoking song, too (see "Husbands And Wives") and also wrote a well-received Broadway show, "Big River."

Roger Miller - Chug-A-Lug

"Let It Be Me" #5 11/7/1964

This was a French language song written in 1955, and was a huge hit in 1960 for the Everly Brothers. An excellent remake by two stalwarts of Chicago R&B.

Jerry Butler and Betty Everett - Let It Be Me

"Last Kiss" #2 11/7/1964

There was a strange "teen tragedy" sub-genre of rock music in the 50's and 60's, of which this song is the perfect example. The BBC even banned these types of records. It was re-made by Pearl Jam in the 90's (rather wretchedly, IMHO). J. Frank Wilson never could deal with being a one-hit wonder and died an alcoholic in 1991 at age 49.

J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers - Last Kiss

"All Cried Out" #41 10/31/1964

Why this wasn't a bigger hit completely eludes me. I absolutely dug Dusty Springfield.

Dusty Springfield - All Cried Out

"Softly, As I Leave You" #27 10/31/1964

In the midst of the British Invasion and Motown and all that, we find Ol' Blue Eyes. This was Frank's highest charting Hot 100 record for a while, until "Strangers In The Night." Doo bee doo bee doo...

Frank Sinatra - Softly, As I Leave You

"Ride The Wild Surf" #16 10/31/1964

If Jan and Dean weren't doing hot rod songs, they were doing surfing songs, like the theme from this movie of the same name. The scene with the stars pretending to surf in front of a blue screen is sooooo cheesy. Check out a naturally blonde Barbara Eden (before "Jeannie") - with brunette hair!!

Jan and Dean - Ride The Wild Surf

"Little Honda" #9 10/31/1964

The Hondells were a studio creation of producer Gary Usher. He hired several of the famed Wrecking Crew musicians (Glen Campbell played the prominent guitar part), and used one of the studio singers to front the faux group for personal appearances. Brian Wilson wrote this song, as the Beach Boys first recorded it to use as an album filler. Clip is from "Shindig."

Hondells - Little Honda

"Baby Love" #1 10/31/1964

This was the second of 12 #1's for the Supremes, and was deliberately structured to sound like their first chart topper "Where Did Our Love Go" right down to the foot stomps in the intro. That's how things were done back in the day, and it seemed to work.

Supremes - Baby Love