"The One On The Right Is On The Left" #46 3/26/1966

Some humorous political commentary from Johnny Cash that not only was a Top 5 country hit, but just as relevant today as it was in '66. Like the song says, sometimes if you have political convictions, keep them to yourself. As detailed in the movie "Walk The Line," by this point Johnny was having issues with those funny little white pills. He eventually turned it around and had his greatest success. Truly one of America's greatest country voices.

Johnny Cash - The One On The Right Is On The Left

"It's Too Late" (Bobby Goldsboro) #23 3/26/1966

Not to be confused with the later similarly titled Carole King record. Bobby was part of the Webs, the top frat party band on campus while he attended Auburn University. He got an offer he couldn't pass up, so he left school, went to Birmingham to make a record and hooked up with some guys who eventually became Roy Orbison's backup group. Bobby stayed with Roy for two and one-half years before going solo.

Bobby Goldsboro - It's Too Late

"You Baby" #20 3/26/1966

The third Top 40 record for the Turtles. They started out as a surf rock band called the Crossfires, then discovered Bob Dylan's music and became the Tyrtles, a play on spelling much like the Beatles. The stylized thing didn't take. It would be a year until their next hit, one that helped define the 60's.

Turtles - You Baby

"Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" #18 3/26/1966

The Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team at Motown did it again with this Top 5 R&B tune from the Four Tops. Like so many hits from that legendary label, the backing female vocals were by the Andantes with music from the Funk Brothers. I highly recommend "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown," a fantastic movie about those unsung folks behind the scenes at Hitsville, USA.

Four Tops - Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)

"634-5789 (Soulsville, USA)" #13 3/26/1966

Some Memphis-style R&B from "Wicked" Wilson Pickett. It was co-written by Steve Cropper of Booker T and the MG's and the Blues Brothers band, and Eddie Floyd, who would score a hit in a few months with "Knock On Wood." The phone number in the title eventually had to be taken out of service all over the country due to people dialing it at random hours and pissing off the homeowners. The same thing happened years later with "867-5309."

Wilson Pickett - 634-5789 (Soulsville, USA)

"Homeward Bound" #5 3/26/1966

After their first album flopped in 1964, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel went their own ways. Paul wound up in England, met a female, and tried to make a go of it with his music. He reportedly wrote this song while in a railway station (and missing his girl) on his way to London. I guess he had a ticket for his destination. Then "The Sounds Of Silence" became a hit, and he and Art got back together. Apparently the girl stayed behind.

Simon and Garfunkel - Homeward Bound

"Nowhere Man" #3 3/26/1966

John Lennon said this song was a cry for help. His marriage was crumbling, he was exhausted mentally from the whole Beatlemania thing, and the recreational drug use was kicking in big time. Starting next week in '66, the band would begin work on their LP, "Revolver." I always thought George used a Rickenbacker guitar on this lead part. Turned out it was a Fender Stratocaster with the audio processing run in a chain through three sound mixing boards, with the treble maxed out on each one. John played those fills in the same way. My radio and musician friends will get the references.

Beatles - Nowhere Man

"What Goes On" #81 3/19/1966

Today and tomorrow, we give you both sides of the current Beatles single. Our B-side is a rarity in that the writing credit reads Lennon-McCartney-Starkey, though Ringo said he only contributed about five words plus the lead vocals. Definitely a Carl Perkins-style country flavor to this one, as they stated many times he was a big influence on them. Again, I had to use the Rock Band video game to get a suitable YouTube clip. Whatever it takes...

Beatles - What Goes On

"Wait" Album cut

One from "Rubber Soul," interesting in that John and Paul traded off the lead vocals here. Soon enough, that kind of sharing would be almost unheard of. It was intended to be on their UK "Help!" album, but was deleted at the last minute and brought back to complete RS under deadline. The legal eagles are making it harder to find Beatles clips on YouTube, so I had to use one from the Rock Band video game. BTW this song wasn't on the '66 Shea Stadium playlist. At least the song is unedited.

Beatles - Wait

"Somewhere There's A Someone" #32 3/19/1966

Here's a Top 5 easy listening hit from Dino Paul Crocetti, the butcher's son from Stubenville, Ohio who the world knew as Dean Martin. This record certainly had that "Everybody Loves Somebody" feel. Those after-hours shows he and the Rat Pack did at the Sands in Vegas were the stuff of legend. Dino was a blackjack dealer in his youth, and sometimes would help out at the casino tables at 3 AM to the delight of the players.

Dean Martin - Somewhere There's A Someone

"Husbands And Wives" #26 3/19/1966

Roger Miller was known for all those screwball country songs, but he certainly was capable of writing insightful tunes as well. He had a Top 5 on the country charts with this poignant record. Brooks and Dunn took their cover version to #1 on that side in the late 90's. It's surely one of the most well written songs I've ever heard.

Roger Miller - Husbands And Wives

"My Baby Loves Me" #22 3/19/1966

Here's one from Martha and the Vandellas - except the Vandellas didn't appear on the record. I couldn't determine why they didn't. Backing vocals were by Motown's in-house female singing group, the Andantes, and by a little outfit we like to call the Four Tops. If you worked at Hitsville, U.S.A., you had access to some capable assistance, I'm sure.

Martha and the Vandellas - My Baby Loves Me

"Love Makes The World Go Round" #11 3/19/1966

A one-hit wonder from Deon Jackson, this record broke out all over America...thanks to a radio station in Canada. One of the legendary Top 40 outlets, the Big 8, CKLW in Windsor, Ontario (across the river from Detroit), was the first big-city station to play this 45 in heavy rotation. I'd have that station playing on my little GE transistor radio under the pillow many a night instead of sleeping.

Deon Jackson - Love Makes The World Go Round

"19th Nervous Breakdown" #2 3/19/1966

Like so many others by this point in the 60's, the Rolling Stones were getting farther away from love songs and into more vague musical concepts. Didn't stop this record from becoming #1 in the UK and a Top 5 in America for Mick and the boys.

Rolling Stones - 19th Nervous Breakdown

"At The Scene" #18 3/12/1966

The Dave Clark Five, with few exceptions, weren't exactly known as a finesse band. Most of the time, their sound was more straightforward, thumping rock and roll. Our selection today sort of tried to bridge the gap between those styles. It was never released as a single in the UK.

Dave Clark Five - At The Scene

" 'Batman' Theme" #17 and #35 3/12/1966

We got a two-fer Thursday! "Batman" had become a national phenomenon within a couple of months of its premiere on ABC. These two versions of the theme each peaked this week in '66. The original was from Neil Hefti, who also composed "The Odd Couple" theme for TV. The higher charting version was by the Wrecking Crew, working as the Mar-Ketts. I'm almost sure the legendary Hal Blaine played the outrageous drum part.

Mar-Ketts - Batman Theme

Neil Hefti - Batman Theme

"The Cheater" #12 3/12/1966

Our tune today is another one-hit wonder, this time from Bob Kuban and the In-Men. They were from St. Louis, but this record is still a mainstay of the Carolina beach music scene. Nope, not California surfing and hot rods and all - Carolina beach music is a whole different genre. Turned out their lead singer, Walter Scott, was later murdered by his wife...for actually being a cheater.

Bob Kuban and the In-Men - The Cheater

"I Fought The Law" #9 3/12/1966

An absolute favorite of mine from El Paso's Bobby Fuller Four. It was originally done by the post-Buddy Holly version of the Crickets. A few months later in July '66, Bobby was found dead under mysterious circumstances in L.A. - it was ruled a suicide, but the evidence strongly suggested otherwise. Had there been a modern "CSI" it almost surely would've been ruled a homicide. Reportedly he was seeing the ex-girlfriend of a fellow connected to the wise guys. Video is from "Hollywood a Go Go."

Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law

"Elusive Butterfly" #5 3/12/1966

A one-hit wonder from Bob Lind, another casualty of sudden fame who got caught up in substance abuse. It took him years to become clean. The Wrecking Crew provided the backing tracks. Bassist Carol Kaye said she hit a wrong note and kind of slid into the correct place. She wanted another take, but the producer said that it worked and left the mistake in - a happy accident that Carol would occasionally work into her repertoire.

Bob Lind - Elusive Butterfly

Thank you, Peter Noone!

So yeah, I've done this silly little blog for the last couple of years about my love of 60's music. Yesterday I wrote some complimentary things about Herman's Hermits and their successful chart run. Imagine my surprise when I get a FB like...from Peter Noone and the band's FB page! It's legit. Thank you, Peter!

"California Dreamin' " #4 3/12/1966

The 60's started out with all those surfing and hot rod and beach movies, with its way of life glorified. The Mamas and the Papas took that laid-back California Myth about five steps further with their breakthrough record. They sang backup on the original as done by Barry McGuire, Mr. Eve Of Destruction. The producer, Lou Adler, decided to issue a remake with them substituting the lead vocals (with the Wrecking Crew providing backing tracks on both versions) and that became the much bigger hit. Bud Shank played the flute solo. Video is from the "Hollywood Palace" TV show.

Mamas and Papas - California Dreamin'

"Listen People" #3 3/12/1966

The eighth straight Top 10 in America for Herman's Hermits in less than 18 months. What a track record for Peter Noone and the boys. Yet another hit written by Graham Gouldman, who composed numerous hits not only for these guys, but the Yardbirds, the Hollies and other acts with a Manchester connection. Remember, not all British rock came out of London or Liverpool.

Herman's Hermits - Listen People

RIP, Keith Emerson

Man, what is going on with all these deaths in the music world in 2016? Makes me glad we were just a little of' weekend bar band. RIP, Keith.

"I Confess" #80 3/5/1966

Here's the first record for the New Colony Six, straight outta Chicago. A few weeks ago we said Paul Revere and the Raiders were the only 60's band rockin' the 1776 look. I confess (ha, ha) I stand corrected. These two bands even auditioned for Dick Clark's "Where The Action Is" and met each other at the same hotel in L.A., spotting each other in the same style of clothing. The Raiders were hired. This record barely made a blip nationally, but got as high as #2 in Chicagoland on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey.

New Colony Six - I Confess

"Batman!" #66 3/5/1966

Everyone tried to cash in on the Batman craze, but Jan and Dean get bonus points for making correct reference to THE Batman, which was his name in the early days of the comic book. It was a much darker character then, which was the vibe Hollywood has tried to capture lately. This was their last single before Jan Berry had his horrific wreck near the real Dead Man's Curve on Sunset Boulevard in L.A. in April of 1966.

Jan and Dean - Batman!

RIP, Sir George Martin

Given the state of 60's technology, the things Sir George Martin did were beyond cutting edge - he set the bar for record production. When "Strawberry Fields Forever" was in the works, John Lennon decided the first part of one take and the remainder of another was what he wanted as the final product. Not a problem, except they were in different keys and tempos. When Sir George told him for those reasons they couldn't be spliced together, John just said, "You can fix it." And...he fixed it, speeding one up and slowing the other down and making a masterpiece. RIP, Sir George. He really was The Fifth Beatle.

"Long Live Our Love" #33 3/5/1966

The other day we mentioned how few records on the rock charts in the 60's supported our military. Here's another in that category regarding a girl whose guy was being deployed, as performed by the Shangri-Las. It was their last hit of any consequence. Lead singer Mary Weiss resurfaced years later assisting Steven Tyler on Aerosmith's remake of their "(Remember) Walking In The Sand."

Shangri-Las - Long Live Our Love

"I See The Light" #26 3/5/1966

Today we feature the first hit from the Five Americans, a Dallas bar band. Every city had a local "Bandstand"-type TV program back then. Our video today comes from WFAA Channel 8 in the Metroplex on a show called "Sump'n Else," done in a glass fishbowl storefront at an upscale shopping center in North Dallas near the SMU campus. Videotape was expensive and was reused, so very few performances from that show survive today. A young Morgan Fairchild auditioned several times to be a dancer but she didn't make it. Their bass player later designed the logo for Chili's and their keyboardist wrote "Dark Lady" for Cher.

Five Americans - I See The Light

"What Now My Love" #14 3/5/1966

Sonny and Cher scored a decent hit with one of the hundreds of versions of this, originally a French-language tune from 1961. Everyone from Elvis to Chet Atkins has recorded this ditty over the years. An instrumental version by Herb Alpert will show up in this space in a few weeks. Sonny used to be Phil Spector's right hand man in the studio, and that influence shows in the production.

Sonny and Cher - What Now My Love

"Working My Way Back To You" #9 3/5/1966

Another very strong Top 10 effort from the Four Seasons. They were in the middle of some internal turmoil, as noted in "The Jersey Boys" musical and movie. Founding member Nick Massi had just left the band and the group's arranger, Charles Calello, was his temporary replacement. I believe the video is from "Hullabaloo" - it sure looks like that set. The Spinners actually had the bigger hit covering this in 1979 as part of a medley.

Four Seasons - Working My Way Back To You

"Ballad Of The Green Berets" #1 3/5/1966

Given the anti-war sentiment of the 60's, it was interesting this record became a #1 hit for Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler, a combat medic in Vietnam with the Green Berets who was wounded in action. His Special Forces unit was on patrol and encountered the enemy, and he was stabbed with a punji stick dipped in fecal matter. He wrote this song while recovering from the infection. Barry later shot and killed in self-defense a stalker of his woman, and was later shot himself during a robbery while in Guatemala reportedly training Contra rebels. Barry never recovered and died in 1989.

Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler - Ballad Of The Green Berets

"Anyone Who Had A Heart" (Cilla Black) Bonus

Had an extra day to fill this week due to Leap Year, so I thought I'd go back and pull out a British #1 record that either did nothing or was never even released in the US. Dionne Warwick had a Top 10 hit with it, but Cilla Black reached #1 in the UK in early '64 covering this Bacharach/David tune. When her music career wound down, Cilla became a long time TV hostess - they're called presenters over there. She passed away last year as the result of injuries from a fall. Trivia: Petula Clark (pre-"Downtown") recorded this in French, Spanish and Italian and had huge hits on the continent.

Cilla Black - Anyone Who Had A Heart

"Red Hot" #82 2/26/1966

Another off-the-wall record from Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, who seemed to be trapped by the novelty success of "Wooly Bully" in '65. It was first done in the 50's by Tarpon Springs, Fla. (Tampa Bay area) native Billy Emerson, who met Ike Turner while in the Air Force in Greenville, Miss. and then relocated to Memphis and its music scene.

Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs - Red Hot

"Waitin' In Your Welfare Line" #57 (#1 Country) 2/26/1966

Occasionally a really twangy country hit would make inroads on the pop charts. Witness Buck Owens, who had 21 #1 country singles of which this was an example. He had his own syndicated TV show in the 60's and then spent almost 20 years co-hosting "Hee Haw." Buck also owned considerable real estate and might have been considered the Trump of Bakersfield.

Buck Owens - Waitin' In Your Welfare Line

"Call Me" #22 2/26/1966

Originally an album track for Petula Clark, today's entry became a Top 5 easy listening hit for Chris Montez. After his initial success in 1962 with "Let's Dance" (forever ingrained in our memories from the food fight scene in "Animal House"), Chris got out of the biz for a few years. When he returned and signed with A&M Records, Herb Alpert advised him to do more mellow material. Right call.

Chris Montez - Call Me