"Keep On Dancing" #4 10/30/1965

A one-hit wonder straight outta Memphis that was so short the producer tacked the song's intro onto the end, just to make it two minutes long. The lead singer (but not on their one hit) was pro wrestling's Jimmy Hart - yes, The Mouth Of The South was in a rock band first. Today's clip is a montage of dance scenes from 60's sitcoms.

Gentrys - Keep On Dancing

"A Lover's Concerto" #2 10/30/1965

A true rarity - a pop record based on Bach's Minuet in G Major, except this is in 4/4 time and Bach did it in 3/4 time. The Toys were a girl group from the Jamaica section of Queens, NYC who recorded for a label owned by Bob Crewe, the Four Seasons' producer.

Toys - A Lover's Concerto

"Hello Vietnam" #1 Country 10/23/1965

The pop charts reflected an anti-war sentiment all throughout the 60's, which fed into an anti-troop sentiment as well. Hopefully we've learned from that. The country charts had a very different take. This one from Johnny Wright, married to legend Kitty Wells, was included on the "Full Metal Jacket" soundtrack.

Johnny Wright - Hello Vietnam

"Autumn Leaves '65" #92 10/23/1965

One of the standards from the Great American Songbook, this has been recorded many, many times. Surprisingly, Roger Williams still has the only piano instrumental to ever reach #1 on the pop charts. He re-did it in '65 but I can't find that anywhere on YouTube, so here's his 1955 version.

Roger Williams - Autumn Leaves '65

"Early Morning Rain" #91 10/23/1965

Recorded by dozens ranging from Bob Dylan to Elvis to Jerry Reed, this composition helped put Gordon Lightfoot on the map as a songwriter. It wasn't that big of a chart record for Peter, Paul and Mary, but it became one of their signature tunes.

Peter, Paul and Mary - Early Morning Rain

"I Live For The Sun" #51 10/23/1965

It's well documented how Murry Wilson was incredibly domineering and psychologically abusive toward his sons Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson - so much that the Beach Boys fired him as their manager. Murry then hired a total ripoff group called the Sunrays, right down to them wearing striped shirts on stage. Their one "hit" didn't even crack the Top 50.

Sunrays - I Live For The Sun

"Act Naturally" #47 10/23/1965

A country #1 by Buck Owens in '63, it was the intended A-side of the current Beatles single with Ringo's vocals, but radio stations flipped it over and "Yesterday" became the hit. Written by Moorhead, Mississippi's Johnny Russell, who also did "Rednecks, White Socks And Blue Ribbon Beer" in the 70's and wrote "Let's Fall To Pieces Together" for George Strait in the 80's.

Beatles - Act Naturally