"Baby Please Don't Go" #102 4/24/1965

This blues standard can be traced to several 19th century work songs - reminds you of "Blazing Saddles" right? A UK Top 10 from a 19-year-old Van Morrison and Them that "bubbled under" the Hot 100 in America. Again, Jimmy Page is alleged to have played on this, although his contribution is unclear. The B-side "Gloria" got more airplay over here and was re-released several times; that garage-band classic lost out to a version by the Chicago-based Shadows of Knight.

Them - Baby Please Don't Go

"Girl Don't Come" #42 4/24/1965

Sandie Shaw was a lot like Cliff Richard in that she did great in the UK, but couldn't buy a hit record in the US in the 60's. Cliff eventually had success in America by the late 70's, but this was her biggest hit over here. Her trademark move was performing while barefoot. Video is from "Ready Steady Go!" - check out the countdown segment.

Sandie Shaw - Girl Don't Come

"Land Of 1000 Dances" #30 4/24/1965

The only hit for a group with one of the greatest band names ever, Cannibal and the Headhunters. Supposedly while in high school, lead singer Frankie Garcia went all Mike Tyson on another student, thus the nickname "Cannibal." Written and originally recorded by New Orleans' own Chris Kenner and a hit again in the fall of '66 by the wicked Wilson Pickett, reaching the Top 10.

Cannibal and the Headhunters - Land Of 1000 Dances

"Bumble Bee" #21 4/24/1965

Originally done by LaVern Baker in the 50's, this was the final US Top 40 appearance for the Searchers. They would go on to have several more hits in their native UK.  In 1964, they were the second group from Liverpool (after the Beatles) to have a hit record in America.

Searchers - Bumble Bee

"The Clapping Song" #8 4/24/1965

Surely one of the more unusual Top 10 records of the 60's by Shirley Ellis. I am serious...and don't call me Shirley! This song got stuck in my head for weeks one time. I couldn't stop hearing: 3, 6, 9, the goose drank wine, the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line, the line broke, the monkey got choked and we all went to heaven in a little row boat...aaauuugghhh!

Shirley Ellis - The Clapping Song

"Tired Of Waiting For You" #6 4/24/1965

Here's the highest charting US single for the Kinks until "Come Dancing" also reached #6 in the 80's. Back in August 1964, these guys were still on the way up, and appeared at a concert that month in Blackpool, UK along with the Beatles (after they had made it) and another scuffling young band called The Who. It blows my mind to picture those three bands on the same bill!

Kinks - Tired Of Waiting For You

"The Game Of Love" #1 4/24/1965

Another British Invasion record topping the US charts. Wayne Fontana left the Mindbenders shortly after their one American hit...and was never heard from again over here. The band would score again with "A Groovy Kind Of Love" which was re-done by Phil Collins in the 80's. Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman of that version of the group would go on to form 10cc in the 70's.

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders - The Game Of Love

"Ribbon Of Darkness" Bonus

Today's tune, written by Gordon Lightfoot, debuted on the country charts this week in 1965 and would become the eleventh #1 record for Marty Robbins. Connie Smith re-did the song in 1969 as well and was reasonably successful, too. One of my absolute country favorites.

Marty Robbins - Ribbon Of Darkness

"Never, Never Leave Me" #54 4/17/1965

At the height of her career, Mary Wells jumped to 20th Century Fox Records for the then-hefty sum of $200,000. She had a very acrimonious split from Motown, and Mary bounced around to several other labels over the next few years. This and all her subsequent singles failed to reach the Top 40.

Mary Wells - Never, Never Leave Me

"Peaches 'n' Cream" #36 4/17/1965

The biggest individual hit for the Ikettes, backup singers for Ike and Tina Turner in the 60's. Two things stand out; there was quite a bit of turnover in the group, and none of them got paid very much. Ike made sure those girls were hosed out of royalties due from any of their recordings. Wow.

Ikettes - Peaches 'n' Cream

"Come And Stay With Me" #26 4/17/1965

A UK Top 5 written by Jackie DeShannon, the story goes that this record came about as the result of a shagging. Marianne Faithfull was on tour with Jackie and others, and Tony Calder (Marianne's manager) was rooming on the road with pre-Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. Well, Jimmy locked Tony out one night because he was getting busy with Ms. DeShannon, and Tony yelled from the hallway, "At least write us a song!" Shall we shag now or shall we shag later?

Marianne Faithfull - Come And Stay With Me

"Red Roses For A Blue Lady" (Wayne Newton) #23 4/17/1965

We give you the third of three versions of this song to chart simultaneously, this one by Mr. Las Vegas himself. It was his next hit after "Danke Schoen" which itself found new life in a recent TV ad. Wayne had well-publicized legal issues with NBC News over his once-vast holdings in Vegas which implied he had dealt with some wise guys. Nowadays he's in bankruptcy proceedings and had to put his Vegas compound, Casa de Shenandoah, up for sale.

Wayne Newton - Red Roses For A Blue Lady

"The Race Is On" (Jack Jones) #15 4/17/1965

Pop music throughout the years has seen many whitebread remakes of R&B and country hits - Pat Boone made a career of it - but this one is right up there as far as removing all emotion from the song. George Jones in 1965 (the original version) and Sawyer Brown in the 80's both reached the Top 5 on the country charts with this one. MOR (middle-of-the-road) got in on the "fun" with Jack Jones.

Jack Jones - The Race Is On

"Go Now" #10 4/17/1965

Here's the first hit for the Moody Blues, with future Wings member Denny Laine on lead vocals. They wouldn't have another American hit record until "Nights In White Satin" and "Tuesday Afternoon" several years later. Video is from "Hullaballoo" - for several months, the show had a London-based segment presented by Brian Epstein. He's the guy on the stool offstage in this clip.

Moody Blues - Go Now

"Mr. Pitiful" #41 4/10/1965

A Top 10 R&B tune that the great Otis Redding co-wrote with Steve Cropper in about 10 minutes. This record features all those Stax Records musicians from Memphis backing up Otis - that fantastic horn section, Isaac Hayes on piano (long before he was the voice of Chef on "South Park") and Booker T. and the MG's as well. As good as it gets.

Otis Redding - Mr. Pitiful

"If I Loved You" #23 4/10/1965

Occasionally, a Broadway show tune would become a hit on the rock charts. Today's selection by Chad and Jeremy is from "Carousel" and was written by Rogers and Hammerstein in 1945. A quality song will always rise to the top.

Chad and Jeremy - If I Loved You

RIP, Percy Sledge "Take Time To Know Her"

Another 60's star gone. He recorded most of his music in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Like so many, he signed away the rights to his biggest hit because he "didn't know any better." Wow.

Percy Sledge - Take Time To Know Her

"Send Me The Pillow You Dream On" #22 4/10/1965

We give you one of the more notable remakes of this former Top 5 country record originally done by Hank Locklin in 1958. Johnny Tillotson also had a hit as well, but The King of Cool puts his own unique spin here. I don't know the source of the video, but Dino is introduced by Johnny Carson, and then Dean wonders why his cigarette has no writing on it.

Dean Martin - Send Me The Pillow You Dream On

"Long, Lonely Nights" #17 4/10/1965

You knew what you were getting with a Bobby Vinton record - a very pleasant, moving ballad that more often than not would be a hit. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Bobby Vinton - Long, Lonely Nights

"Do You Wanna Dance?" #12 4/10/1965

One of those rare songs that was a hit in the 50's, 60's and 70's. This record was done first by Bobby Freeman in 1958 and (with a slower tempo) became Bette Midler's first single, which reached the Top 20 in 1972. The Beach Boys' arrangement here is pretty good, too.

Beach Boys - Do You Wanna Dance?

"Nowhere To Run" #8 4/10/1965

This has a lot of similarities to Martha and the Vandellas' previous hit "Dancing In The Streets" right down to using tire chains as percussion. The video looks to be from "Where The Action Is" which premiered in June 1965. It does appear to have been taped at the Ford assembly plant in Dearborn, MI with all those '65 Mustangs rolling off the production line. No way OSHA would allow that today.

Martha and the Vandellas - Nowhere To Run

"I'm Telling You Now" #1 4/10/1965

Freddie Garrity (of Freddie and the Dreamers) was 5'3" and perhaps the most spastic front man in rock music until Joe Cocker came along. Love the band choreography on this video. Not sure what TV show this comes from.

Freddie and the Dreamers - I'm Telling You Now

"Come See" #40 4/3/1965

This was the final Top 40 hit for Major Lance. He had a couple more R&B hits, but wound up spending four years in jail for cocaine possession and died in 1994 from heart disease. Today's selection was written and co-produced by Curtis Mayfield.

Major Lance - Come See

"Boys" Album Cut

Originally the B-side of the Shirelles' first hit, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," this was always Ringo's vocal spot during the Beatles' concerts. Today's song was cut out of a British ITV special called "Around The Beatles" from '64, and the video didn't surface for 30 years.  A few weeks after this was filmed, Ringo took ill the day before a scheduled world tour commenced, and Jimmie Nicol filled in for the first few dates.

Beatles - Boys

"I Can't Explain" #93 4/3/1965

Normally, I wouldn't get this geeked about a 45 that only charted for one week and at that, topped out at #93 - but it was the first American release for the Who. Pete Townshend admitted this was totally based on the Kinks' "All Day And All Of The Night" which is understandable, since both bands shared a record producer. Nowadays this song is a staple of classic rock radio. A personal favorite.

Who - I Can't Explain

"Do The Clam" #21 4/3/1965

This was an attempt to provide Elvis with a dance craze record. It didn't catch on. From his movie "Girl Happy" which was set at spring break in Fort Lauderdale. Definitely not the debauchery we see these days at Panama City Beach and South Padre Island.

Elvis Presley - Do The Clam

"Red Roses For A Blue Lady" (Vic Dana) #10 4/3/1965

Here's the second of three versions of this song appearing simultaneously on the Hot 100 in the spring of 1965. Vic Dana was a tap dancer and singer, and was discovered by Sammy Davis, Jr. who had a similar set of tools. Vic made the Top 50 in 1970 with Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" which was a bigger hit for UB40 in the 80's.

Vic Dana - Red Roses For A Blue Lady

"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" #15 4/3/1965

Some pretty intense music from Eric Burdon and the Animals. It was originally done at a much slower tempo by Nina Simone, then re-done in the 70's by Santa Esmerelda with a much faster disco arrangement. Video is from the Ed Sullivan show.

Animals - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

"Shotgun" #4 4/3/1965

One of the ultimate party records of the 60's, with that blistering sax from Junior Walker. Years later he would contribute a similarly smokin' solo to Foreigner's "Urgent." If you can't dance to this, please check yourself into the local funeral parlor. That is all.

Jr. Walker and the All Stars - Shotgun

"Chains" (Beatles) Album Cut

The Fab Four recorded for Capitol in the US and Parlophone in the UK, both run by EMI. Capitol passed on their first three 45's, so EMI licensed those to other US labels. When Beatlemania happened, Vee-Jay re-released their material, which caused a protracted legal battle settled by Capitol for a tidy sum, who then put out this album and called it "The Early Beatles" which contains today's song. Vee-Jay also had rights to all the early Four Seasons records...and still went broke! This was originally done by the Cookies in 1962.

Beatles - Chains

"Please Let Me Wonder" #52 3/27/1965

Here's the B-side of the Beach Boys' "Do You Wanna Dance" which would itself peak in a few weeks. It was another instance of the A- and B-sides of a 45 charting separately, which Billboard did from 1958 until late 1969. Far be it for me to explain their methodology.

Beach Boys - Please Let Me Wonder