"Buckaroo" #60 12/25/1965

We close out 1965 with this week's #1 country tune by Buck Owens and his backing group, the Buckaroos, which made a small dent on the pop charts. It features the sparkling guitar work of the late Don Rich. To my knowledge, this is still the last instrumental to reach #1 on the country charts.

Buck Owens - Buckaroo

"Let's Get Together" #31 12/25/1965

Today's tune was first done by a folk group, the Kingston Trio, in '64. With a slightly altered title and arrangement, it became a Top 5 hit for the Youngbloods in the summer of '69. (Hey, there's an idea for a song title.) This would be the second and last Top 40 record for We Five.

We Five - Let's Get Together

"Puppet On A String" #14 12/25/1965

Elvis had a new movie out at this time but no songs from "Harum Scarum" were deemed single-worthy. They decided to release this track from almost a year earlier. The original master tape sped up at the end; The King almost sounded like he was inhaling helium before it was corrected in the 90's.

Elvis Presley - Puppet On A String

"Don't Think Twice" #12 12/25/1965

The Four Seasons had difficulty recording this Bob Dylan song, so to lighten the mood Frankie Valli started singing it way over the top. The other guys, tongues firmly planted in cheeks, joined in - and it worked. It was released under the assumed name of The Wonder Who? so as not to offend the empty suits at their label.

The Wonder Who? - Don't Think Twice

"Fever" #7 12/25/1965

Peggy Lee had the first hit with this in 1958; Elvis had a very good remake as well in 1960. Today's tune is the McCoys version, with a slightly different arrangement that sounded suspiciously like their previous "Hang On Sloopy." Guess what? I got a fever, and the only prescription is MORE COWBELL!!

McCoys - Fever

"Make The World Go Away" #6 12/25/1965

A textbook "Nashville Sound" record from Eddy Arnold that reached #1 on the country charts. Originally done by Ray Price, it's been covered by everyone from Elvis to Donny and Marie Osmond. This helped define the more pop-sounding "countrypolitan" music in the 60's and 70's.

Eddy Arnold - Make The World Go Away

"Over And Over" #1 12/25/1965

Hope y'all are having a fantastic Christmas - we sure are! This one from the Dave Clark Five held down the #1 spot on Christmas Day of 1965, with a remake of the B-side of "Rockin' Robin" by Bobby Day from '58. It was the DC5's only chart-topper in America.

Dave Clark Five - Over And Over

Merry Christmas!

Years ago I worked weekends and holidays in radio. I would always close out my last show before Christmas with this from Leroy Anderson, one that he was said to have composed in the middle of an August heat wave in New England. Merry Christmas to all!

Leroy Anderson - Sleigh Ride

"O Holy Night" Aaron Neville

The Neville Brothers, from New Orleans, can play just about any style of music and do it exquisitely. First time I heard Aaron Neville sing "Ave Maria" it brought tears to my eyes - and I'm not even Catholic. This is one of the best versions of "O Holy Night" you'll hear anywhere.

Aaron Neville - O Holy Night

"You Won't See Me" Album cut

Here's a song from "Rubber Soul" that was part of an all night marathon 13-hour recording session to complete the album by the deadline. Anne Murray re-did this quite nicely in the mid-70's. Paul said that was his favorite cover of their songs. By now in '65, the Beatles had just wrapped up what proved to be their final UK concert tour.

Beatles - You Won't See Me

"Here It Comes Again" #27 12/18/1965

The followup to "You've Got Your Troubles" from the Fortunes. They wouldn't have another major US hit until the early 70's and "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again." In about six months, their manager would be murdered over the operations of a pirate radio station.

Fortunes - Here It Comes Again

"Sunday And Me" #18 12/18/1965

We present the first hit record written by Neil Diamond - his tune "I'm A Believer" would soon be huge for the Monkees before his solo career took off. This would also be the last Top 20 single for Jay and the Americans until their remake of the Drifters' "This Magic Moment" in '69.

Jay and the Americans - Sunday And Me

"England Swings" #8 12/18/1965

A Top 5 country record and a Top 10 pop hit from Roger Miller, who turned the word England into three syllables (Eng-uh-lund). Although this came out at the height of Swinging London of the 60's, the song reinforces every stereotype Americans have about the place - bobbies on bicycles and all that.

Roger Miller - England Swings

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" #3 12/18/1965

Bet you can name this in one note. That screaming intro is soooo burned into our collective memory. This was James Brown's highest charting pop record, but he had 99 Top 100 and 17 #1 R&B singles over a six decade career. Yet he only had two gold records because his label(s) were too cheap to have them certified.

James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)

"White Christmas" (Drifters)

Yes, Bing Crosby had the definitive version, but this one from 1954 by the Drifters is just classic. Their take features Bill Pinckney on bass vocals and Clyde McPhatter with the high tenor. It was featured in "Home Alone" in the 90's and saw a resurgence. Worth playing any time of the year.

Drifters - White Christmas

"Mystic Eyes" #33 12/11/1965

The last Top 40 record from Them, as their original version of "Gloria" flopped in a few months when the Shadows of Knight had the much bigger hit. Van Morrison left the group soon afterward. The video appears to be from a Dick Clark visit to London for "Where The Action Is."

Them - Mystic Eyes

"I'm A Man" (Yardbirds) #17 12/11/1965

The British Invasion showed that those blokes were way more well-versed in American blues music than we were. The Yardbirds were in the forefront, as they re-did this Bo Diddley tune with their standard rave-up treatment (a double-time section in the middle). A Top 5 UK single with great guitar work from Jeff Beck.

Yardbirds - I'm A Man

"Hang On Sloopy" (Ramsey Lewis Trio) #11 12/11/1965

Boy, today's song made the rounds in the 60's. This jazz-flavored instrumental version by the Ramsey Lewis Trio was recorded at the Lighthouse Café at the foot of the pier in Hermosa Beach, CA. The other two guys left Mr. Lewis to form Young-Holt Unlimited not long afterward.

Ramsey Lewis Trio - Hang On Sloopy

"I Will" #10 12/11/1965

Yesterday would've been Frank Sinatra's 100th birthday. Today we give you fellow Rat Packer Dean Martin and one of his seven Top 10 pop songs. He had 20 Top 10's on the easy listening charts, which only existed since the early 60's. Hard to tell how many more he would've had in that category.

Dean Martin - I Will

Happy 100th, Ol' Blue Eyes!

If anyone had said in my teens and 20's that I would ever get into Sinatra, I would've wanted what they were smoking. Now I can truly appreciate what Frank did, when real singers actually sang instead of using autotune and real musicians played real arrangements, like this one by Nelson Riddle. The trombone solo is out of control.

Frank Sinatra - I've Got You Under My Skin

"I Can Never Go Home Anymore" #6 12/11/1965

The next to last Top 40 record from the Shangri-Las, about not getting the chance to say goodbye. Always important to tell people you love them while you still can. Very poignant.

Shangri-Las - I Can Never Go Home Anymore

"Let's Hang On!" #3 12/11/1965

As described in the "Jersey Boys" musical and film, the Four Seasons were successful and then encountered some lean times. (How it was portrayed in the play and movie differs a tad from reality, but it's poetic license.) This one broke the slump and put them firmly back on top. Absolutely a personal favorite.

Four Seasons - Let's Hang On!

"O Tannenbaum" Merry Christmas!!

Hard to believe "A Charlie Brown Christmas" turned 50 this year. The thought of jazz-inspired music within a cartoon was kind of revolutionary in 1965. Vince Guaraldi was a San Francisco-based pianist who was asked to compose and/or arrange those songs...and it worked.

Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum

"I've Just Seen A Face" Album cut

The Fab Four could play some country music if they wanted to. This one off the UK "Help!" album and the US "Rubber Soul" sounds the way it must have in the beginning with John, Paul and George on acoustics...and Ringo. They also recorded "Act Naturally" and "Yesterday" at the same session.

Beatles - I've Just Seen A Face

"It's Only Love" RIP, John Lennon

It's been 50 years since "Rubber Soul" and 35 years ago today since the senseless death of John Lennon. He thought this was trite album filler, but anyone would've loved to have a tune this strong. It was on the UK "Help!" LP but Capitol held it back over here for "Rubber Soul." One of my favorites. Miss you, John.

Beatles - It's Only Love

"Something About You" #19 12/4/1965

Another one from Motown tunesmiths Holland-Dozier-Holland that became a Top 20 pop hit and a Top 10 R&B hit for the Four Tops. Those guys hardly ever missed with their compositions. Amazing how many peoples' careers H-D-H aided over the years.

Four Tops - Something About You

"Make It Easy On Yourself" #16 12/4/1965

These guys were the British Invasion in reverse - Americans who had more success over there than here. They were the Walker Brothers, none of them named Walker and who weren't brothers. Jerry Butler had a hit with this Bacharach/David song in '62 (a not-yet-famous Dionne Warwick did the demo). A #1 record in the UK.

Walker Brothers - Make It Easy On Yourself

"May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" #15 12/4/1965

A phrase uttered by Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" became the subject of a #1 country and Top 20 pop record. It happened for Little Jimmy Dickens, who was 4'11" and came from near Beckley, WV, played a guitar bigger than he was, and who was believed to have introduced the rhinestone suit to country music.

Little Jimmy Dickens - May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose

"Run Baby Run" #12 12/4/1965

The last Top 40 record from the Newbeats, where three white singers from Nashville sounded like they were doing a Motown arrangement - and they pulled it off. Sadly, Larry Henley (the falsetto dude) passed away just over a year ago.

Newbeats - Run Baby Run

"Turn! Turn! Turn!" #1 12/4/1965

Adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes. Maybe King Solomon should've gotten a composing credit, as he was generally acknowledged to have written that biblical passage. Trivia: In recording "Mr. Tambourine Man" the Wrecking Crew did most all the music, the Byrds supplied the vocals, and it was completed in a couple of takes. The Byrds did the whole thing this time, and needed 78 takes.

Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn!

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" Album cut

The Beatles didn't just break the rules - they wrote new ones for everyone else to follow. The "Rubber Soul" LP, released 50 years ago today in Britain and three days later in America, was light years beyond anything else out there at the time. Plus, it was only three years removed from their "yeah, yeah, yeah" mop-top beginnings. Groundbreaking stuff.

Beatles - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

"Take Me" Bonus

A Top 10 country hit from the legendary George Jones that surprisingly wasn't all that twangy. George re-did this in the early 70's with his then-new wife Tammy Wynette and made the Top 10 all over again. Quite the accomplishment, because a great song always rises to the top.

George Jones - Take Me

"The Pied Piper" #87 11/27/1965

The hit version came along a few months later by Crispian St. Peter, but here's the original by the Changin' Times. Half of the duo, Artie Kornfeld, would become famous as the chief promoter of the Woodstock festival in 1969. He and Mama Cass Elliot attended American University in DC together.

The Changin' Times - The Pied Piper