"Stay" (Four Seasons) #16 4/4/1964 Bonus

The week of April 4, 1964 was just amazing in pop music history, with the Beatles holding down the entire Top 5, etc. We'll touch on that from time to time in the coming weeks as I still play catch-up on stuff I missed in putting my blog together. The Four Seasons had recently jumped labels, so their former label Vee-Jay decided to cash in and release as much of their old material as possible, as was done previously with Beatles songs they licensed. This would be the last hit under that arrangement, however. It's a remake of the 1960 Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs original, which was the shortest #1 record of the rock era at 1:36. Jackson Browne also re-did this tune in the late 70's with his "Running On Empty" live album.

"My Heart Belongs To Only You" #9 3/28/1964 Bonus

We fire up the Wayback Machine once more for late March 1964 and the fifth Top 10 record for Bobby Vinton. Among others, Jackie Wilson previously recorded this.  It was the followup to "There! I've Said It Again" which was the final #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 before the Beatles conquered America and forever altered Western civilization. You could tell the music scene was changing right before our eyes. Bobby's career withstood the British onslaught and he came out relatively OK.

"God Only Knows" #39 9/24/1966

If anyone needed further evidence that Brian Wilson is an absolute musical genius, just listen to this record - and he and Tony Asher wrote the song in 45 minutes. The arrangement and recording took far, far longer, but it might be the most perfectly constructed song ever. Critics compared it to classical works by Handel and Chopin. From "Pet Sounds," this was the B-side to "Wouldn't It Be Nice" in the US (causing this to barely make the Top 40 on its own) but the A-side in most other countries. It was a rock music rarity in that it mentions God very prominently. Paul McCartney said this record directly inspired the Beatles' "Here, There And Everywhere." An amazingly beautiful arrangement with numerous Wrecking Crew members involved.

"7 And 7 Is" #33 9/24/1966

The highest charting record for the group Love. According to Wikipedia, this tune was covered by the likes of Rush, Alice Cooper, the Ramones and many others. Love was one of the ultimate 60's underground bands - not a lot of commercial success but very influential. They lived in a communal house called "The Castle." Far out, man.

"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" #18 9/24/1966

Marvin Gaye had the original hit in '64 of this Holland-Dozier-Holland Motown classic. James Taylor did a splendid, more laid back cover in the 70's and had a slightly bigger hit. In between, Junior Walker and the All-Stars did a pretty fine version here as well, punctuated as always by the smokin' sax of Mr. Walker.

"Eleanor Rigby" #11 9/24/1966

When Paul first conceived this tune, the woman's name was Daisy Hawkins. Boy, that would've turned out differently, eh? There was a real-life Eleanor Rigby who may have subliminally influenced his songwriting; she's buried at the church where Paul and John first met at a fair in 1957. He originally called the minister Father McCartney, but Paul felt people would interpret it as being about his dad, so he lifted the surname McKenzie out of a phone book. There really hadn't been any rock songs to date using only an octet (eight piece string section - four violins, two violas and two cellos) and vocals. Once again, the Beatles didn't just break the rules - they wrote new ones for everyone else to follow. The video is from the animated "Yellow Submarine" movie.

"Cherish" #1 9/24/1966

The first of two #1 hits for the Association, with lots of help from the Wrecking Crew. Their record label originally didn't want to release this as a single, saying it sounded "too old and archaic." I suppose too old and archaic worked! Many people think this is a cool wedding song, but the lyrics are actually about a guy wanting a girl he can't have. The Association became the first band to ever perform at any major rock music festival when they were the opening act at Monterey Pop in 1967.

"Who Do You Love" #25 3/14/1964 Bonus

From March 1964, the Sapphires got caught in the middle of shifting popular music tastes B.B. (Before Beatles) and A.B. (After Beatles). It might have been a bigger hit, but the record buying public wasn't quite ready yet for something that sounded this unique. That would soon change, however. Those great vocals were arranged by soon-to-be Philly soul music legend Kenny Gamble.

"Turn-Down Day" #16 9/17/1966

The second and last hit for the Cyrkle was sort of a slacker's anthem, all about doing nothing. These guys were one of many bands who followed the lead of the Beatles (a play on beetles, based on Buddy Holly and the Crickets) and used a stylized spelling of their group's name. After several other singles that were far less than successful, they broke up by the end of 1967.

"Born A Woman" #12 9/17/1966

This decidedly non-feminist record was the polar opposite of Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me" and became the first hit for Sandy Posey. She started out as a background singer on sessions by Elvis and Percy Sledge among others, and eventually made her way into the spotlight. Sandy gravitated into country music in the 70's with limited success. Along the way she married an Elvis impersonator. I think Rush Limbaugh still uses this for his "Feminist Update" segments. Haven't heard his show in years, though. Video is from "Where The Action Is."

"Guantanamera" #9 9/17/1966

Our song today was based on a little ditty about a peasant woman from the Guantánamo region of Cuba. It became a peace anthem of sorts when folkie Pete Seeger reworked it in the early 60's, right about the time of the Cuban missile crisis. Our younger fans can Google that reference. A vocal group from L.A., the Sandpipers (one of many using that name) took the tune into the Top 10.

"Wouldn't It Be Nice" #8 9/17/1966

The unique intro to this Beach Boys classic was played by Wrecking Crew member Barney Kessel on a homemade instrument. He took the strings and neck off a 12-string guitar and grafted them onto an oversized electrified mandolin. The ridiculously intricate harmonies took hours of rehearsal and countless takes. Mike Love started calling Brian Wilson "Dog Ears" because he apparently heard things in the vocal parts that mere humans could not. This is one of a number of songs where Mike filed a lawsuit years later in order to get co-writing credit. He contributed only the last two lines here.

"Bus Stop" #5 9/17/1966

The breakthrough record in America for the Hollies, their first Top 5 effort. Graham Gouldman (later of 10cc) wrote it while actually riding on a bus in his and the Hollies' hometown of Manchester in the UK. He said later that some of his songs took a lot of work, but this one just flowed right out. To me it's a tad reminiscent of the Beatles and "Things We Said Today" but still a definite personal favorite.

"Yellow Submarine" #2 9/17/1966

It was a testament to the power of the Beatles by now that they could release a nonsensical children's song as an A-side and still have it do so well. The recording sessions were a bit goofy, with lots of oddball sound effects and whatnot. Ringo's admittedly limited vocal ability worked just fine. I included two links here - the clip of the actual song may or may not work for you (thanks to the lawyers!) so I added the trailer for the movie that came out a couple of years later. You can tell the style of animation certainly influenced the future works of the Monty Python troupe. George Harrison later invested in the production of Python's "Life Of Brian."

Beatles - Yellow Submarine (Song)

Beatles - Yellow Submarine (movie trailer)

"Misery" Album cut

Our selection today is one of many early Beatles songs that were the subject of much legal wrangling. It was on their first UK album from EMI's Parlophone label in 1963. EMI-affiliated Capitol Records had turned it down in America, so Vee-Jay Records licensed the LP. Then Beatlemania happened, the Vee-Jay album eventually sold a million copies, and Capitol brought out their big-time lawyers to correct their own error in judgment. This particular tune didn't show up on a Capitol LP until 1980.

"Good News" #11 3/14/64 Bonus

We revisit March '64 and one off the final album released by Sam Cooke before his untimely death later that year. It was also the first album he'd done after his toddler son's accidental drowning. Tragic circumstances seemed to follow him around. This song was a reworking of an old spiritual. Sam started out singing gospel, then moved toward more secular stuff. His childhood friend on the West Side of Chicago was Lou Rawls, one of a very few who may have had a smoother voice than Sam.

"All Or Nothing" (Small Faces) Bonus

Here's a British #1 from today in 1966 that was never released in the US. Small Faces, so named because they all were 5'5" or less, was more famous for what their members did later on. Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood were in a later incarnation of the band, before Rod went on to immense solo success and Ronnie joined the Rolling Stones. Drummer Kenney Jones replaced the late Keith Moon in the Who and guitarist Steve Marriott formed Humble Pie alongside Peter Frampton. Ronnie Lane and Ian McLagan were also known for their work with others.

"Get Away" #70 9/10/1966

The second UK #1 for Georgie Fame was originally written as an ad (or as they say over there, an advert) jingle for a British oil company (or should I say, petrol company). The song kinda flopped in America, though. Georgie would have just one more chart record in the States, though he racked up a total of 13 Top 40 singles in England.

"With A Girl Like You" #29 9/10/1966

The followup to "Wild Thing" became a #1 hit in the UK for the Troggs, but didn't do nearly as well in the US. It's still a great garage rock anthem. There's a bootleg tape floating around of these guys bickering profanely in the studio, which supposedly became the basis of a scene in "This Is Spinal Tap." Wonder if their amps went to 11, or if their drummer ever spontaneously combusted on stage.

"The Monkees" TV Theme

"Here we come, walkin' down the street..." The Monkees were the Pre-Fab Four. On September 12, 1966, the TV show premiered but only lasted two seasons. These guys were not hired based solely on their musicianship. Micky Dolenz had been a child actor. Davy Jones was a stage actor and was in "Oliver!" when the cast was on Ed Sullivan the same night as the Beatles' first appearance. Michael Nesmith's mother invented Liquid Paper and he pretty much didn't need the money. Peter Tork was a scuffling musician whose buddy Stephen Stills told him to audition. The musical director, Don Kirshner, selected all the songs at first and used session musicians as the group only contributed vocals. That became a bone of contention, but I digress. The visual techniques they used expanded on the Beatles' movies and videos, and the show's style contributed mightily to the birth of MTV.

9/11

We'll be back tomorrow in this space. May we never forget, America. May we never, ever forget.

"Land Of 1000 Dances" #6 9/10/1966

Along with "Shotgun" this may be my favorite 60's dance record of them all! I have NEVER seen this fail to fill up a dance floor. Originally a minor hit by Chris Kenner out of New Orleans in 1963, it was covered in '65 by Cannibal and the Headhunters, still the best band name ever. Wilson Pickett went to Muscle Shoals to record this version full speed ahead as only he could. Positively smokin'. I dare you to stay in your seat!

"You Can't Hurry Love" #1 9/10/1966

The seventh #1 for the Supremes and the eighth for the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, being all the Supremes chart-toppers to date plus "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" for the Four Tops. These ladies had five straight #1's a few years earlier, and this began another run of four straight. It was the first of several 60's remakes Phil Collins would release in the 80's.

"Here, There And Everywhere" Album cut

IMHO this is one of the prettiest songs the Beatles ever recorded - as in history. EVER. Certainly it's right up there as the best love song they ever did. From "Revolver," Paul said that the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" was his major inspiration here. Those bands pushed each other to ever greater heights musically, which manifested itself with how "Good Vibrations" begat "Sgt. Pepper" at least to an extent. The clip has subtitles en Español.

"Till There Was You" Album cut

From Broadway's "The Music Man" and written by the same guy who wrote "76 Trombones" and "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas," those four guys from Liverpool covered this show tune on "Meet The Beatles!" It was one of the songs they did on their first Ed Sullivan appearance. The video here is from their Royal Variety performance in late 1963. They played this all the time in their Hamburg days to display their versatility. Hey, when you had to perform eight hours a night, every night, you pulled out material from any source.

"See The Funny Little Clown" #9 3/14/1964 Bonus

A Top 10 entry from March 1964 for Dothan, Alabama's own Bobby Goldsboro. He had just left Roy Orbison's band to embark on a solo career, and racked up the first of ten Top 40 records with this one. Bobby later went on to host his own syndicated TV show in the 70's and composed music for the sitcom "Evening Shade" in the 90's.

"The Shelter Of Your Arms" #17 3/7/1964 Bonus

Sammy Davis Jr. hadn't had a hit for several years until this one from March of '64. He wouldn't have another until 1968's "I've Gotta Be Me." No matter. Sammy was an integral part of what made old school Vegas go 'round, along with fellow Rat Pack members Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. They kept the Strip jumping back in the day. The tune was written by Jerry Samuels, who later became notorious as Napoleon XIV with our recent feature "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!"

Beam Me Up, Scotty

"Space...the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five year mission...to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before!" How ingrained in our collective memory is that? "Star Trek" (the original series) premiered on this date in 1966 and came close many times to cancellation before it finally happened after only three seasons. Highly illogical. The show became the definition of a cult classic, and 50 years later is still revered by Trekkies the world over. Live long and prosper.

"Sugar And Spice" #49 9/3/1966

The first national chart record for the Cryan' Shames, from the Chicago area. This was done initially by the Searchers in late '63, and was a hit for that British Invasion group in the UK and everywhere else but the States. The Shames did take it into the Top 5 locally on WLS, one of America's great AM rock stations in the 60's and 70's. Their drummer, Jim Pilster, adopted the stage name J.C. Hooke as he was born without a left hand and used a prosthetic curved in order to hold a drumstick.

Cryan' Shames - Sugar And Spice

"The Dangling Conversation" #25 9/3/1966

Their music was said to be what rock would sound like if it was performed by an English major (Paul Simon) and an art major (Art Garfunkel). Very cerebral - maybe too much here, as this was only a moderate US hit and didn't chart in England. Their first three records all made our Top 5 and the Top 20 over there. Folks thought their music was either somewhat pretentious, or very articulate. I'm in the latter category.

Simon and Garfunkel - The Dangling Conversation

"Say I Am (What I Am)" #21 9/3/1966

We give you the followup to "Hanky Panky" from Tommy James and the Shondells. Not by design, they wound up in the forefront of the bubblegum music scene for a while. Bubblegum was a quirky, upbeat little genre geared mainly toward pre-teens and younger teens. It was derided by some as fluff, which may be why Tommy and the band radically shifted gears with songs like "Crimson And Clover" by the late 60's.

Tommy James and the Shondells - Say I Am (What I Am)

"The Joker Went Wild" #20 9/3/1966

Brian Hyland was one of many American artists whose career was significantly affected by the British Invasion. This was his biggest hit since '62 and "Sealed With A Kiss." He was on tour with Dick Clark's Caravan Of Stars when they were in Dallas on November 22, 1963 and saw the Kennedy motorcade minutes before...well, you know. Brian's cousin by marriage was Larry Fine of the Three Stooges.

Brian Hyland - The Joker Went Wild

"Warm And Tender Love" #17 9/3/1966

Here's the followup to "When A Man Loves A Woman" for Percy Sledge. This one made the R&B Top 5 and firmly established him as a fine purveyor of Southern soul music, Muscle Shoals, Alabama chapter. That style wasn't quite as polished as say, Motown or Philly, but in its own way was certainly powerful and spoke to people. Can't ask for music to do more than that.

Percy Sledge - Warm And Tender Love

"Respectable" #15 9/3/1966

This really should've been the next single after "Time Won't Let Me" for the Outsiders, but they released "Girl In Love" instead. Although that was a decent song, it just didn't have the ooomph this one did, which was originally the followup to "Shout" for the Isley Brothers. After the Outsiders broke up, lead singer Sonny Geraci went on to front one-hit wonder Climax, who scored in the 70's with "Precious And Few."

Outsiders - Respectable

"My Heart's Symphony" #13 9/3/1966

The first seven singles by Gary Lewis and the Playboys all made the Top 10. This record, their eighth release, broke the streak. By this point Gary put down the drumsticks and concentrated strictly on being out front doing lead vocals. In a few months, he would be drafted and do his Army service in South Korea. The original version of this song is almost impossible to find on YouTube - licensing and all that. The one I did find has a video with absolutely nothing to do with the song. Just enjoy the 60's music!

Gary Lewis and the Playboys - My Heart's Symphony

"Blowin' In The Wind" (Stevie Wonder) #9 9/3/1966

One of the legendary protest songs that the 60's became known for. Written and done first in '62 by Bob Dylan, it has been covered hundreds of times over the years, with Peter, Paul and Mary's version among the most recognized. This take by Stevie Wonder more than holds its own. After hearing a white kid like Dylan capture the emotion of the civil rights movement with this song, Sam Cooke wrote one of the greatest tunes ever, "A Change Is Gonna Come" as a response.

Stevie Wonder - Blowin' In The Wind

"Working In The Coal Mine" #8 9/3/1966

There are no coal mines anywhere near New Orleans, but Big Easy native Lee Dorsey took this Allen Toussaint song about that subject into the Top 10. Even though he had success musically, Lee never really left his full-time vocation of owning an auto body shop. He'd come off the road, roll up his sleeves and go straight to the garage. Devo recorded a very industrial version of this in the 80's.

Lee Dorsey - Working In The Coal Mine

"Sunshine Superman" #1 9/3/1966

The first and only #1 record for counter-culture star Donovan. It's a little ditty that may or may not have been influenced by certain substances of the day. Donovan became the first British pop star busted for weed around this time. He would later be denied entry into the US, which cost him a shot at doing the Monterey Pop festival in '67. Future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones appeared here.

Donovan - Sunshine Superman

"Little Child" Album cut

One from the Fab Four that just doesn't get played a lot on the radio. From "Meet The Beatles!" this fun little rocker was written by John and Paul for Ringo to sing, but they wound up doing it themselves. Bluesman extraordinaire Delbert McClinton was in Bruce Channel's band ("Hey Baby") while touring the UK with the Fab Four in '62 and taught John how to play the harmonica, which he used here, on "Love Me Do" and others.

Beatles - Little Child

"Don't Bother Me" Album cut

Today, from "Meet The Beatles!" we present the first released recording written and sung by George Harrison. He admitted later it wasn't his best effort, but it was a start. In the early days, John and Paul would toss one of their compositions his way once in a while to sing, but George evolved into a more than capable songwriter. "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun" are proof of that. Our tune was part of a dance sequence in the movie "A Hard Day's Night."

Beatles - Don't Bother Me