"What's New Pussycat?" #3 7/31/1965

The title song from the current Woody Allen-written movie was composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Of course, this was before all the weirdness started happening with Woody, we think. I'm almost positive the video today is from the Tom Jones TV show in the late 60's/early 70's. One of my favorite karaoke songs!

Tom Jones - What's New Pussycat?

"Tell Me What You See" Album cut

Another Beatles VI track that was released in America two months ahead of its first British appearance. This one has Paul on electric piano as well as bass - more proof of them evolving as a group into doing things in the studio they couldn't do in concert in 1965.

Beatles - Tell Me What You See

"You Like Me Too Much" Album cut

This and tomorrow's song were from the American album "Beatles VI" and weren't released in the UK until the "Help!" LP two months later. Just another instance of Capitol Records juggling content for the US market. George Harrison wrote and sang this one, which has three distinct piano parts. Sir George Martin and Paul played the intro, while John was on electric piano elsewhere.

Beatles - You Like Me Too Much

"It's Just A Little Bit Too Late" #45 7/24/1965

The follow-up to the #1 record "Game Of Love" and the last charting 45 in America for Wayne Fontana. He and the Mindbenders would split shortly afterward. Wayne and the group had a few more hits apiece in their native Britain, plus the band had one more huge US hit in '66.

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders - It's Just A Little Bit Too Late

"Set Me Free" #23 7/24/1965

The first few Kinks singles were pretty much slam-bang, loud rock and roll all the way. Today's tune was a tad more mellow. It seemed to work for them, as this one made the UK Top 10.

Kinks - Set Me Free

"Marie" #15 7/24/1965

The Bachelors were a vocal group with a folkie sound who had a string of hits, particularly in the UK and their native Ireland. A few months later in those countries, they scored with "The Sound Of Silence" way before Simon and Garfunkel did.

Bachelors - Marie

"(Such An) Easy Question" #11 7/24/1965

We had the B-side of this record from Elvis a few days ago. Here's the A-side, both from his current movie "Tickle Me." All nine songs in the film were on previous albums - this one was from "Pot Luck" in 1962. Not using any new music kept the movie's costs way down and it made an 8x return on investment, enough to keep the Allied Artists studio out of bankruptcy. The King saved the day.

Elvis Presley - (Such An) Easy Question

"What The World Needs Now Is Love" #7 7/24/1965

A Bacharach/David hit that was originally offered to, and turned down by, Dionne Warwick. Jackie DeShannon wrote songs for the Searchers and Marianne Faithfull among others, plus she co-wrote "Bette Davis Eyes" - Jackie's demo contained an odd beer barrel polka sort of piano part. Today's tune was forever immortalized in the first Austin Powers movie. Groovy, baby.

Jackie DeShannon - What The World Needs Now Is Love

"Boot-Leg" #58 7/17/1965

One from Booker T. and the MG's - except Booker T. Jones didn't play on this. According to Wikipedia, Steve Cropper said this studio jam was supposed to be credited to the Mar-Keys (another name the Stax house band went by besides the MG's), who did "Last Night" a few years earlier. The MG's sold more records at the time, so it went out under their name. Isaac Hayes actually played organ on this one.

Booker T. and the MG's - Boot-Leg

"It Feels So Right" #55 7/17/1965

We present the B-side of the current single from Elvis and his latest movie, "Tickle Me." The picture was made so cheaply that none of the songs were new - they all came from previous albums. This one was a throwaway from the first LP the King recorded after leaving the Army five years earlier. Check out how Elvis plays an electric guitar intro on an acoustic!

Elvis Presley - It Feels So Right

"Little Lonely One" #42 7/17/1965

The US follow-up to "It's Not Unusual" didn't do quite as well for Tom Jones. His next release would return him to chart success, though. Turns out Tom would hang out quite a bit with Elvis from this point until the King's passing over a decade later.

Tom Jones - Little Lonely One

"Girl Come Running" #30 7/17/1965

Not everything the Four Seasons released in the 60's was a huge hit. If you saw "The Jersey Boys," you know they had some (mostly) self-induced lean times. This one falls into that category. Good song, not great.

Four Seasons - Girl Come Running

"Here Comes The Night" #24 7/17/1965

Them was considered part of the British Invasion though they hailed from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They (or, "Them") had some serious attitude, way more than the Sex Pistols or the Ramones did in the punk rock movement in the 70's. This was their biggest US hit with Van Morrison as lead singer. He went solo about a year later and went on to much greater critical and public acclaim.

Them - Here Comes The Night

"A Little Bit Of Heaven" #16 7/17/1965

The fourth of eleven Top 40 hits in the 60's for Ronnie Dove. Not sure how popular he was in the rest of the country, but he was wildly successful in the Mid-Atlantic (DC and Baltimore) area. Most would be envious of that kind of a career.

Ronnie Dove - A Little Bit Of Heaven

"You Turn Me On" #8 7/17/1965

Here's a one-hit wonder, Englishman Ian Whitcomb. His brother Robin played tambourine on "I Got You Babe" which will show up in a few weeks in this space. I believe our video today is from the syndicated "Hollywood A Go-Go" and it's a textbook example of incredibly bad lip-synching, perhaps on purpose.

Ian Whitcomb - You Turn Me On

"Dizzy Miss Lizzy" Album cut

Another Beatles VI track that, like yesterday's feature, was originally done by Larry Williams. It showed up across the pond on the Help! album to be released in August '65. That version had 14 songs, as opposed to seven plus movie score filler in the US. The practice of Capitol radically altering the content and running order of the Fab Four's albums would end after Revolver in '66.

Beatles - Dizzy Miss Lizzy

"Bad Boy" Album cut

The Beatles recorded two songs as a thank you intended solely for the North American market in 1965. One of those, however, made it onto the UK "Help!" album. This is the other track, from Beatles VI in the States, originally done by New Orleans' own Larry Williams. It appeared eventually in Britain on a greatest hits LP for Christmas '66.

Beatles - Bad Boy

"A World Of Our Own" #19 7/10/1965

The second hit for the Seekers, like their first, was written by Dusty Springfield's brother Tom and made the Top Five in the UK and their native Australia. Yes, I gush like a real fan-boy, but I absolutely love Judith Durham's voice. What can I say?

Seekers - A World Of Our Own

"Laurie (Strange Things Happen)" #14 7/10/1965

Here's one from the teen tragedy genre, done by Dickey Lee. It's a variation on the "vanishing hitchhiker" theme, of which the country songs "Phantom 309" or the bluegrass tune "Bringing Mary Home" are examples. Dickey would have success in the country music field in the 70's. He also wrote the hits "She Thinks I Still Care" for George Jones and "Keeper Of The Stars" for Tracy Byrd.

Dickey Lee - Laurie (Strange Things Happen)

"A Walk In The Black Forest" #12 7/10/1965

I'm a sucker for the instrumentals of the 50's and 60's. This made it to #1 on the Billboard easy listening charts for German composer Horst Jankowski.  The un-translated title was "Eine  Schwarzwaldfahrt" - say that three times fast.

Horst Jankowski - A Walk In The Black Forest

"Wonderful World" #4 7/10/1965

Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits covered this one as a tribute to the great Sam Cooke, who co-wrote it along with big-time record producer Lou Adler and Herb Alpert. Sam's version plays in the background during John Belushi's famous cafeteria line scene in "Animal House" - ruined the song for me forever. Almost.

Herman's Hermits - Wonderful World

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" #1 7/10/1965

Bet you can name this in two notes - or less. It and "Sweet Home Alabama" are likely the most recognizable guitar intros in rock history. A good radio DJ will talk over a song intro right up to where the vocal starts - a better DJ won't talk over this one at all. The first #1 in the States for Mick and the boys, and a record as iconic of the 60's as can be. Hey hey hey, that's what I say...

Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

"You'll Never Walk Alone" #48 7/3/1965

Today's tune is from the 1945 musical "Carousel" and is the third time Gerry and the Pacemakers released it in America. The first time was in late December back in '63 (no, seriously!) and went to #1 in the UK while doing zilch here before Beatlemania. The second time, six months later, it was the US B-side of "How Do You Do It?" The song has become an anthem for soccer clubs worldwide, especially for the band's hometown Liverpool FC team.

Gerry and the Pacemakers - You'll Never Walk Alone

"Give Us Your Blessings" #29 7/3/1965

The girl group sound was on the decline by the summer of 1965. The Shangri-Las did their part to keep it going with this one, originally recorded in '63 by Ray Peterson. He also was the first to do "The Wonder Of You" which became one of Elvis's most recognizable songs, as well as a shining example of death rock, "Tell Laura I Love Her."

Shangri-Las - Give Us Your Blessings

Happy Birthday, Ringo!

Here's a solo effort from Ringo Starr that was released in between "It Don't Come Easy" and "Photograph" and also made the Top 10 for today's birthday boy. The phrase came from a friend, Marc Bolen of T. Rex. George Harrison produced the record and also played slide guitar. The piano was by Mr. "Dream Weaver" himself, Gary Wright.

Ringo Starr - Back Off Boogaloo

"Catch The Wind" #23 7/3/1965

The first single and first hit for Donovan, who was sort of the British version of Bob Dylan. He was 19 when this made the UK Top 5 and the US Top 30.

Donovan - Catch The Wind

"Shakin' All Over" #22 7/3/1965

No doubt, a personal favorite. The first hit for the Guess Who, except it sorta wasn't them. Chad Allan and the Expressions recorded this in their native Winnipeg, but some wiseass at the label printed the band name as "Guess Who?" to fool people into thinking it was a mystery act, possibly English. It went to #1 in Canada, almost made the Top 20 in America, the name stuck, Burton Cummings joined, Chad Allan left, they dropped the ?, succeeded in the Great White North and made it big in the US in '69 with "These Eyes." First concert I ever attended in 1971 was this group. A 1960 British hit for Johnny Kidd and the Pirates - best band name EVER!

Guess Who? - Shakin' All Over

"I've Been Loving You Too Long" #21 7/3/1965

Otis Redding had some success by 1965 on the R&B charts, but this was his first Top 40 record, which he co-wrote with the great Jerry Butler. It's believed Isaac Hayes played keyboards on this version; a later version had Booker T. Jones (of the legendary Memphis studio group the MG's) doing the same. I could keep dropping famous names, but Otis just plain rules with this one.

Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long

"Seventh Son" #7 7/3/1965

This one was written by blues great Willie Dixon. Johnny Rivers took it to #7 (I know, right?) in the seventh month of 1965 (1 + 9+ 6 + 5 = 21 divided by 3 = 7!!). Cosmic, man.

Johnny Rivers - Seventh Son

"For Your Love" #6 7/3/1965

Written by future 10cc member Graham Gouldman, this would be the last appearance with the Yardbirds by Eric Clapton. It was their first hit, but Clapton felt the band had gotten too commercialized. He would go on to other things (duh!!) and was replaced by Jeff Beck, who in turn was succeeded by Jimmy Page. The Yardbirds were the band of the guitar gods, and were one of the most influential groups in rock history.

Yardbirds - For Your Love

"Every Little Thing" Album cut

Another Beatles For Sale UK track that finally showed up in America on Beatles VI, this is one of those rarities where Paul wrote the song, but John sang it. Very much in the "No Reply" or "I'll Be Back" vein, and very much overlooked in their catalog. Plus, Ringo also got to play tympani!

Beatles - Every Little Thing

"Girl On The Billboard" #96 (#1 Country) 6/26/1965

A #1 country hit in May '65 that just cracked the Hot 100 by Del Reeves. It's a tale of highway lust about a trucker slogging down old US 66 each day between Chicago and St. Louis. Alas, the interstate put an end to those days. I kinda like getting off the interstate once in a while...

Del Reeves - Girl On The Billboard