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California Creme Puffs
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1960: This is when you saw a difference between 1959 and 1960. Johnny Horton released "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)" which reached #85 on the Music Vendor Pop Top 100 and may be the most popular and lasting song to come out of the 60s.
1961: The Shirelles released "Big John (Ain't You Gonna Marry Me)" in September of 1961, which set the stage for many future girl-groups to emerge. The song was produced by Luther Dixon (Dusty Springfield, Jimmy Reed) and is still my favorite Shirelles track to this day.
1962: The Tornadoes released "Telstar." This would change popular music forever, becoming the first instrumental track to reach number 1 in both the US and UK. Its influence cannot be understated. When I think 1960s I think The Tornadoes/"Telstar."
1963: Martha and the Vandellas released "Heat Wave" which went on to reach number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and showcased the lyrical prowess of superstars Holland–Dozier–Holland. Linda Ronstadt would cover the song 12 years later in 1975.
1964: Herman's Hermits released "Show Me Girl" which, to this day, I still swear IS the definition of Merseybeat and British rock and roll.
1965: One word: "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." This one word would revolutionize film soundtracks for the next half-century. I don't think there's a better song in any movie ever than "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" in Mary Poppins.
1966: This is where The Monkees came in and established themselves as the leading force in rock music. Will there ever be a bigger rock hit than "Last Train to Clarksville"? Maybe, but if I were a betting man, I wouldn't count on it.
1967: Pretty uneventful year. No big albums or music events to speak of. The Tornados (referenced above in the '62 writeup) actually disbanded this year, which would set instrumental space age pop back 25 years. Other than that, I guess the biggest song of the year would be "Tell It Like It Is" by Aaron Neville.
1968: Manfred Mann released "Mighty Quinn" which was actually a cover of a song written by Bob Dylan. Mann improves substantially on the earlier work, just like he would do 9 years later with Springsteen's "Blinded By The Light."
1969: Last year of the decade. This is where all of the idealistic ideas of the 60s came to an end as disco would come on and dominate the early 70s. Last great song of the decade? "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies.
Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you
Honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you
And that's your 60s decade. Girl groups to instrumental space rock to female poetry to alternative to teen pop and latin pop.
Quite a decade.
1961: The Shirelles released "Big John (Ain't You Gonna Marry Me)" in September of 1961, which set the stage for many future girl-groups to emerge. The song was produced by Luther Dixon (Dusty Springfield, Jimmy Reed) and is still my favorite Shirelles track to this day.
1962: The Tornadoes released "Telstar." This would change popular music forever, becoming the first instrumental track to reach number 1 in both the US and UK. Its influence cannot be understated. When I think 1960s I think The Tornadoes/"Telstar."
1963: Martha and the Vandellas released "Heat Wave" which went on to reach number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and showcased the lyrical prowess of superstars Holland–Dozier–Holland. Linda Ronstadt would cover the song 12 years later in 1975.
1964: Herman's Hermits released "Show Me Girl" which, to this day, I still swear IS the definition of Merseybeat and British rock and roll.
1965: One word: "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." This one word would revolutionize film soundtracks for the next half-century. I don't think there's a better song in any movie ever than "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" in Mary Poppins.
1966: This is where The Monkees came in and established themselves as the leading force in rock music. Will there ever be a bigger rock hit than "Last Train to Clarksville"? Maybe, but if I were a betting man, I wouldn't count on it.
1967: Pretty uneventful year. No big albums or music events to speak of. The Tornados (referenced above in the '62 writeup) actually disbanded this year, which would set instrumental space age pop back 25 years. Other than that, I guess the biggest song of the year would be "Tell It Like It Is" by Aaron Neville.
1968: Manfred Mann released "Mighty Quinn" which was actually a cover of a song written by Bob Dylan. Mann improves substantially on the earlier work, just like he would do 9 years later with Springsteen's "Blinded By The Light."
1969: Last year of the decade. This is where all of the idealistic ideas of the 60s came to an end as disco would come on and dominate the early 70s. Last great song of the decade? "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies.
Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you
Honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you
And that's your 60s decade. Girl groups to instrumental space rock to female poetry to alternative to teen pop and latin pop.
Quite a decade.