"The Carnival Is Over" Bonus

Here's one from late 1965 by the Seekers that topped the charts not only in the UK, but in Ireland and their native Australia. Yet this record didn't even crack the Hot 100 in America. It was based on the melody of an 1800's Russian folk song, with English lyrics by Tom Springfield (Dusty's brother). He wrote it after being in Rio and witnessing Carnival.

Seekers - The Carnival Is Over

"Batman And His Grandmother" #70 6/4/1966

Dickie Goodman made a career out of taking snippets from current hits and inserting some really corny topical dialogue around them. In a way, he could be considered the father of sampling. Rap music wouldn't be the same without this technique. The operatic singing you'll hear was from a novelty record we featured a few weeks ago called "Juanita Banana." Holy guano, Batman!

Dickie Goodman - Batman And His Grandmother

"Come On Let's Go" #22 6/4/1966

The third and final Top 40 hit for the McCoys was a remake of the first record in '58 by Ritchie Valens, who lost his life along with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper on February 3rd, 1959, The Day The Music Died. The McCoys broke up soon afterward, with guitarist and front man Rick Derringer along with brother Randy joining up with Johnny Winter, then with Johnny's brother Edgar Winter. Rick had a solo hit in the 70's with "Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo."

McCoys - Come On Let's Go

"It's A Man's Man's Man's World" #8 6/4/1964

A #1 R&B record from the Godfather of Soul. The title was a play on a relatively current movie comedy called "Its A Mad, Mad, Mad World." There were people who said James Brown had such sexist lyrics in this song. I beg to differ. A man can do great things, but it means nothing without a woman standing with him. Truth.

James Brown - It's A Man's Man's Man's World

"Tears" Bonus

A UK #1 for five weeks in the fall of 1965, Ken Dodd had the #3 single of the 60's over there, outdone only by a couple of Beatles records, "She Loves You" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand." His version was never released in America, but Bobby Vinton covered it at the time and only reached #59. This was a throwback to what British pop music sounded like earlier in that decade. The Beatles just HAD to happen.

Ken Dodd - Tears

"Gloria" (Them) #71 5/28/1966

This was the third time Them released "Gloria" in the US. It wasn't a charm. The first was the B-side of "Here Comes The Night" in '65; the second, a few months later as an A-side that only reached #93. This time around it lost out to the cover version by the Shadows of Knight. A lot of radio stations wouldn't play the Them record, since it contained the line "she comes up to my room." Times sure have changed. Hard to believe Van Morrison went from this to "Into The Mystic" in a few short years.

Them - Gloria

"The Ballad Of Irving" #34 5/28/1966

Lorne Greene had a one-off hit in '64 with a spoken word record about an Old West gunslinger, "Ringo." This was the comedic response by Frank Gallop, a long-time announcer for early TV shows starring Milton Berle and Perry Como. Did I mention the hero this time was Jewish, and the 142nd fastest gun in the West? 141 could draw faster than he, but Irving was looking for 143. They changed a line about a ten gallon yarmulke, afraid the gentiles wouldn't get the joke. Oy vey...

Frank Gallop - The Ballad Of Irving