I wasn't really sure where to put this, as it's sort of really a Retro topic, so apologies for repeating it here, I dint know how to transfer the first effort from Personal Charts forum...

 

OK, I’m old but not THAT old - I wasn’t making charts in 1959! I did my first one in 1968, became regular in 1971 and went comprehensive in 1975 (Top 50) and 1978 (Top 75). Along the way old records made the UK British Singles charts (and so became eligible for mine), or more recently (like the real download charts) album tracks and oldies can also chart (providing they make the various album or archive charts on the Official Charts Company site and haven’t charted before). The net effect is…lots of oldies have got to my Number One over the years, but I don’t like listing them in the year they peaked if they came out years before in the real world. So, I’ve listed by year of original release or chart entry in the real world, all that’s different is I list them within each year in the order they first charted and with total weeks at the top in brackets.

 

Phew! Hope that’s clear, and here’s the Year By Year list of tracks I loved more than any other tracks for at least one week, with musings, facts, trivia attached to avoid it being just a dull list. I hope!

1959:

 

Incredibly, after 44 years of charting, only one track pre-dating the 60’s has ever made it to my Number One. No Elvis, no Cliff, no Buddy Holly, no Nat King Cole! That was back in 1972, when it made the British charts again, and kick-started a second career for the artist, newly-relocated to the UK…

 

OH CAROL - Neil Sedaka (1 week)

 

This is a fifties pop gem written by one consistently great classically-trained pop songwriter about his crush on the greatest female pop songwriter of the era (and probably of all-time), Carol King. Brill Building jobbing song-writers, and popstars, I was 14 when I noticed this one, while 50’s rock’n’roll was getting a second-wind during the glamrock era. These days it sounds sweetly period-piece, like most of Neil Sedaka’s hits of that time, but it’s arguably the Seventies that produced his best work, and incredibly, gems like Laughter In The Rain, Bad Blood and The Immigrant didn’t quite make it to the top of my charts despite links to heroes like 10CC, Elton John and John Lennon! Ah well, at least two of them got to the Top in the States! I saw Neil Sedaka in concert around 2008, still in fine voice, and thoroughly charming. What a lovely man and there can’t be many fifties acts still touring in 2012!

 

1960:

 

And into the sixties, more of a fifties vibe still going on, so not only the odd few entries till things started kicking off in 1964 (or more tellingly, perhaps, from when I first became obsessed by pop music, Dr Who and comics age 6, so I have memories attached to the songs of the period that aren‘t there for these earlier ones).

APACHE - The Shadows (1 week)

Most-successful instrumental band of all-time, Cliff’s backing band ruled in the early 60’s. They were always on TV with their suits and synchronised guitar-movements, had a string of number ones, and were inspirational to many guitar-wannabees. Boys could like the Shads where girls tended to prefer Cliff. As The Drifters, they backed Cliff on his early “first proper British rock’n’roll” hits and carried on hitting into the 80’s. Apache was a cover, I think, but what a great romping early guitar anthem, even if it had to wait 45 years to reach my Number One after it had already done it in the UK!

 

[u]AT LAST - Etta James (2 weeks)[/u]

 

Etta James has become pretty well-known over the last few years, after decades of critical success, but not much commercial success since the early 60’s give or take the odd advert-related re-issue. A soul great, this song over the last 3 or 4 years has popped in and out the charts after use on reality singing shows like the X Factor, and finally made the Top 40 after her death in early 2012. It had already been a big hit in my charts but that was enough to give it the extra push to hit the top, I downloaded it, loved it, and it now holds the record for longest gap between release and hitting number one in my charts: almost 52 years! Or at least it did until 2013....

 

COME RAIN OR COME SHINE - Ray Charles (1 week)

 

2013, a TV advert, and a record I’d never heard before hits my Number One, to become the oldest recording to top my chart at 53 years from release to peak. Ray Charles’ 2nd topper chronologically, and with a sophisticated strings-heavy blues-style version of a 1946 movie song (musical St Louis Woman). Taken from the modestly-titled The Genius Of Ray Charles (well, he was, so it’s OK) 1959 album, it was a minor US Hot 100 hit in 1960 and 1968, but somehow I’d managed to avoid hearing it (that I recall) till that advert gave it a modern boost. Sultry, sophisticated, and what a great Charles vocal performance, it’s sublime, and high time it made the UK charts! Gorgeous.

 

THEME FROM A SUMMER PLACE - Percy Faith (1 week)

 

Percy was an orchestra leader born in the early 20th century. Around 100 years later this gorgeous instrumental was used as a Butlins TV ad in the UK and re-introduced it to older music fans old enough to remember it being everywhere growing up. Theme tune to a now-forgotten movie, the strings-based melody remains memorable and delightful, and the ad gave me an excuse to chart it at long last in 2014, and take the record (54 years) for longest-gap from release to top of my charts. So good, even Jasper in The Simpsons sings it and adds his own lyrics: “Theme From A Suuummer Place theme from a summer place”. And so on. Fabulous.

 

 

1961:

STAND BY ME - Ben E. King (1 week)

 

Singer with The Drifters during their greatest period of success, and classic tracks, Ben stepped out solo for this all-time great. Not initially a huge UK success (cover versions diminished it) the Stand By Me film got it widely-known in 1987, and it finally reached Number One in the UK charts and mine. Despite other great solo hits like Spanish Harlem, this remains his main claim to fame, and what a great vocal performance. Others have come close (and some have made my Number One with it! See 1975 when it comes) but not surpassed the original. Still think of the movie now though!

(MARIE’S THE NAME) HIS LATEST FLAME - Elvis Presley (2 weeks)

 

Logic dictates that with all the regular Elvis chart reissues over the years, and bearing that Elvis was huge fixture in everybody’s life in the 60’s and 70’s and a family favourite, that the King Of Rock’n’roll would have hit the top at least once with rock classics like That’s Alright Mama, Heartbreak Hotel or Jailhouse Rock, or one of his early pop biggies like Wooden Heart. He hasn’t yet though, this is the earliest one to do it: a romping catchy pop ditty, often looked down on by purists, but it’s a great pop song so boo hoo to you! It may be purely that his 60’s stuff was familiar to me growing up and his 50’s stuff wasn’t till I got a bit older, but we had Elvis singles and albums in the house, and we saw his movies like Fun In Acapulco and Speedway on TV and at the cinema, they were of the time, but the music spots sometimes had stuff to commend them… This track had 2 runs at the top, first in 2000, then in 2005 again, for one week each time.

 

SURRENDER - Elvis Presley (1 week)

 

Elvis’ Second Number One is another from his purple pop patch, an upbeat almost-Italian-flavoured belter, and like the last one Number One during the 2005 “one re-issue a week” campaign for Elvis Number Ones, after a previous Top 10 appearance in 2001. I actually had a vinyl picture cover re-issue of this I bought in 1977, so it was more of a 70’s nostalgia trip than 60’s. While these may not be Elvis’ greatest vocal moments (they came later), or influential (like his Sun Records and early RCA stuff), or interesting (as, say, Blue Moon was), hey I still say they are great pop toons…J

 

RUNNIN’ SCARED - Roy Orbison (1 week)

 

The Big ‘O’ for me is the greatest male vocalist of all-time, another huge family favourite as I was growing up, and his songs…well no-one could turn out quite a heart-wrenching dramatically-building ballad like Roy. Seemingly tragic in real-life, his songs seemed to hint at the dramas ahead. This was his early classic, after a few years of Elvis-styled rock’n’roll flavoured stuff, this defined his appeal and sound. In life we all like different types of music, we all have our favourites, but if these leave you unmoved, well you need to sit and listen to them until the judgement faux pas is blindingly clear! Hit the top in 2006...

 

 

1962

 

OK, it’s 1962, and The Last Year Before The Beatles changed everything, worldwide. Stars that were having hits, suddenly found they were yesterdays news, and British music was to conquer the world for the next few years. So, tail-end of an era and still a few records managed to hit my Number One:

 

NUT ROCKER - B. Bumble & The Stingers (4 weeks)

 

Novelty records. Usually that’s a dirty word, but in the 60’s there were plenty of good, and even amusing, examples of the genre. As a kiddie I loved them all, from A Windmill in Old Amsterdam to Right Said Fred. This one was semi-serious, and one I was introduced to in spring 1972 when it seemed positively ancient but made the UK Top 20 all over again, soooo catchy. What is it? It’s a 1962 UK Number One manic instrumental rock’n’roll version of The Nutcracker Suite. When the music teacher invited us to have one end of term “play your favourite singles” lesson, I brought this one in, cos it was sort of classical, but it turned out not so cool to the other kids who brought in stuff like Chicory Tip “Son Of My Father”. Hey ho, it’s a rocking bit of fun, and has been revived, against all the odds, by Radio One in 2012, for “It’s Friday and I’m Going Home” slot. Hey, waddya know, I was 40 years ahead of my time!

 

 

THE LOCOMOTION - Little Eva (1 week)

 

Another kiddie favourite from 1962, another Top 20 re-issued hit in 1972, and the first of many classic pop songs from Goffin & King songwriters. Who? That’ll be husband & wife pop hit machine Gerry Goffin and Carol King. Carol wrote the melodies, the same Carol who Neil Sedaka wrote Oh Carol for (see 1959), and the same one who had a UK hit with It Might As Well Rain Until September, a truly fab pop song that almost made the Top 30 again in 1972 - a certain Number One if it had done so, in my chart! Carol King had a stunning 10 years of songs, including this one, sung by her teenage babysitter. Yes, true! Little Eva became a pop star for a while, The Locomotion became regularly covered (and hits for the likes of Grand Funk Railroad - awful - in the States, and Kylie everywhere). Love Kylie, but her twee version isn’t a patch on the fun party railroad train dancing original.

 

I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - Ray Charles (1 week)

 

A blind Soul/blues singer covers a country & western classic ballad from the then late Hank Williams (I think) and delivers a strings-laden classic. Ray Charles was a great singer, and carried on having hits throughout his life, but he crossed genre boundaries and had a UK Number One with this gorgeous lament. Sadly, some of his other greats like Georgia On My Mind and Hit The Road Jack never qualified for my charts. At least not yet, they would be chart-toppers for sure. This one was on a fairly recent charting hits album package, which meant I could chart one track off it. I chose the best one in 2001.

 

WONDERFUL LAND - The Shadows (3 weeks)

 

The Shads second chart-topper, chronologically, but the first to chart as best track on their charting hits package 11 or 12 years ago. A theme is already starting to emerge: I love songs with sweeping strings, and this has one of the best examples on an instrumental (second only, perhaps, to Theme From A Summer Place). The melody is just magic, Hank Marvin’s twanging guitar lead is restrained, and in 50 years I have never ever stopped being moved by this beautiful record. Loved it at 5, loved it at 25, love it at nearly 55. The Shadows had loads more hits, many of them fun, one of them even a catchy Eurovision vocal pop hit, Let Me Be The One in 1975, but they never bettered this big UK seller and Number One which topped in 2004 in my world.

Edited April 21, 201411 yr by popchartfreak

60s and early 90s are most huge holes in my music knowledge.

(I know only the songs from Elvis in this part)

 

Sad, that amazing France Gall never had the singles in UK Charts. She must be the first queen in my charts.

"Baby pop", "Les Sucettes", "Poupee de cire, poupee de son" are my favourites, but most her songs from 1964-1966 were OK. I can believe, that these songs were recorded 45+ years ago, it's listen as bubblegum pop from the late 90s.

Famous scandal story about "Les Sucettes" here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Sucettes

Edited October 30, 201212 yr by AlexRange

60s and early 90s are most huge holes in my music knowledge.

(I know only the songs from Elvis in this part)

 

Sad, that amazing France Gall never had the singles in UK Charts. She must be the first queen in my charts.

"Baby pop", "Les Sucettes", "Poupee de cire, poupee de son" are my favourites, but most her songs from 1964-1966 were OK. I can believe, that these songs were recorded 45+ years ago, it's listen as bubblegum pop from the late 90s.

Famous scandal story about "Les Sucettes" here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Sucettes

 

Thanks Alex, you might like Carol King early songs, she was a great songwriter. France Gall was quite well known among music fans in the 60's and I think she was on TV a few times in the UK, but these days she's mostly known for Eurovision, I like what I've heard:) There was a famous French singer called Mireille Mathieu who was always on UK TV in the 60's and 70's, but even she didn't have much chart success.

 

cheers!

john:)

1963 

 

 

Be My Baby - The Ronettes (1 week)

 

In 1966 we got our first record player, dad was back from Aden and we lived in a Liverpool slum flat at a time when Liverpool had been ruling the world, pop-wise. A batch of singles dad bought would easily have had weeks at my number one, had I been compiling charts then, including The Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand and Can’t Buy Me Love, The Tornadoes Telstar, and above all this pop gem, Phil Spectors greatest girlgroup moment (fittingly with his wife in it). Long before he was a convicted murderer, Phil S was an immaculate pop producer of perfect pop confections like this. The Wall Of Sound became famous, Brian Wilson rated this the greatest pop record ever made and became inspired to do the same for The Beach Boys, and it’s certainly up there with his greatest records too. The beat, the song, the singing, it’s pop perfection. More famous these days from Dirty Dancing, to me it’s still a golden 1960’s pop memory, and one week at number one during a crowded 1974 chart full of golden oldies doesn’t do it justice. 10 weeks is more like it!

 

Up On The Roof  - The Drifters (1 week)

 

One of the early great black vocal groups, of what sort of merged into what became known as soul music, the Drifters had an ever-changing line-up of singers from the fifties to the present day. A Sugababes template, if you like. Their greatest era had Ben E King on lead vocal for goodies like Save The Last Dance For Me, and after his solo career took off (see Stand By Me) with Johnny Moore for goodies like At The Club, Saturday Night At The Movies and a pop chart career that stretched into the late 70’s. This is their greatest moment though, what a fabulous song, and another Goffin/King triumph. Even UK cover versions at the time which hogged the chart action, and subsequent abominations like Robson-Jerome (who at least got the song a deserved Number One chart position at long last), can’t dim this glorious definitive version which my Top spot in 2003.

Edited November 9, 201212 yr by popchartfreak

1963 part 2:

 

 

 

(You're The) Devil In Disguise - Elvis Presley (1 week)

 

Elvis’ 3rd Number One in my chart, and like the other two, thanks to the reissue singles campaign which resulted in Elvis getting more returns to the top spot (I still maintain he has 18 Number Ones, the last 3 were just returns to the top spot, albeit via reissues on cd single). Anyway, another romping pop gem from The King with a great tempo change for the gentle melodic “angel” segments building to the fast chorus belting out the title. Had I been compiling charts in 1966 there would have been two more (Crying In The Chapel, a gospel monster hit) and a very minor hit from 1968 from the film “Speedway” You’re Time Hasn’t Come Yet Baby - both of which I loved as a child. Speedway is Elvis’ best cheesy film because it has Nancy Sinatra in it, doing her own Groovy song (well, Lee Hazelwood’s).

 

In Dreams - Roy Orbison (1 week)

 

One week at the top doesn’t do this epic building ballad justice - it became one of my 80’s retro favourites, although Roy’s hits album was always on the turntable in our house when we were younger. This chart run though had to wait for a 21st Century Greatest Hits UK album chart entry to qualify to make my chart, belatedly in 2008. This is another perfect record, Roy’s brilliant vocal performance, the epic power-finale, and the journey from mellow towards that final note. What a fab Orbison song, what a singer. Brilliant.

 

Twist And Shout - The Beatles (1 week)

 

At last, The Fabs feature. My all-time favourite band, and the greatest pop act of all-time. There is no point arguing they ain’t, because no other act has any real substantial critical, creative, influential AND commercial basis to make a convincing alternative case. I daresay people will love other acts of their time more, and many may have the same or greater commercial success over the course of a long career (though none have come close to the intensity of success of those 7 years), but the Beatles did it all and did it first, and continue to remain relevant 50 years on. They only ever did one cover version which turned out to be the definitive version, and this is it: The Isley Brothers hit given a Liverpool frantic beat, and John Lennon’s Manic vocals were so over the top that his voice packed in after trying for this take. A great party record to this day, this 2009 Number One in my chart would have charted in the UK in 1963 had EP’s qualified for the singles chart, but in any case it finally entered when The Beatles were released onto itunes and this turned out to be one of the four Beatles oldies to hit the download era charts. Not that The Beatles needed others songs, from this point on they had their own increasingly sophisticated songs to draw on.

Edited November 9, 201212 yr by popchartfreak

So Beatles would have more #1s, than ABBA. :(

 

P.S : I'm busy today, but will to add all my thoughts about your # 1s on the weekend [in Saturday or Sunday]

So Beatles would have more #1s, than ABBA. :(

 

P.S : I'm busy today, but will to add all my thoughts about your # 1s on the weekend [in Saturday or Sunday]

 

No worries thanks Alex, yes my big three acts in terms of most number ones are Beatles, Abba and Pet Shop Boys. They are all close and I haven't counted who's 1,2,& 3 yet, so even I may be surprised! That's 60s 70s & 80s...:)

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE - Gerry & The Pacemakers (1 week)

 

A modern UK anthem, thanks largely these days to football club supporters and charity events, but originally this Liverpudlian-band cover from the musical "Carousel" was a huge pop hit in 1963. Gerry Marsden, still going strong, and his band were the first to manage 3 debut Number Number Ones in the UK charts, but this is the claim to fame, the definitive version guaranteed to give you shivers down the spine. Ferry Cross The Mersey and Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying were fine, Gerry’s very likeable, but this track is still charting well into the 21st Century, including the year it hit No.1 2010 and a chart entry again in 2012!

 

UE O MUITE ARUKO (SUKIYAKI) - Kyu Sakamoto (1 week)

 

A famous debut for world music atop the US charts in 1963 and a big hit in the UK, the Japanese-language MOR-strings-based jolly pop-song had a famous melody, even if no-one knew what the words meant. It didn’t matter. Kyu had a great singing voice, full of conviction and emotion, and the tune was classic. It still pops up in pop culture, such as Malcolm In The Middle TV sitcom, but it’s influence is more important as the first real non-European-language international hit. I like to think it was the birth of world music. Kyu sadly never followed it up, and died tragically as one of the passengers on the world’s biggest single airliner crash in Japan in 1985.

 

1964

 

LEADER OF THE PACK - The Shangri-Las (2 weeks)

 

We move into the period when I was getting into pop music now. We lived in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, and journeyed on the Tube into London sometimes, when it was Swinging! Oddly, this wasn’t one I knew - this became a big British hit in 1972, and I loved it then, for it’s first week at the top, and then again in 1976, when it made the UK Top 10 yet again. The ultimate consummate motorcycle tragedy record, the production is Spector-esque in stature (Shadow Morton) and the vocals superb - you believe every aching note is sincere! Great song, great use of sound effects in pop, and bonafide classic that never hit the top anywhere, I think. Scandalous! They had other great emotional pop hits in the States, but this is the one everyone knows.

 

BABY LOVE - The Supremes (1 week)

 

Everyone knew this song in the 60’s, and it's still well known even today. This was the song that launched The Supremes to pop stardom, and Diana Ross to international success. Why? It’s so catchy! Simple enough melody and lyrics, fairly laid-back uptempo Motown dance pop, and nowhere near their best record, but it’s fun. There were many more to come, but the first single “Where Did Our Love Go” got to the top as a cover in 1972, and this one did it for the original in 1974, when it was re-issued and hit the UK charts again. This was the first time a record I knew first time round made my charts 2nd time round. The floodgates had opened!

Edited April 21, 201411 yr by popchartfreak

"You'll Never Walk Alone" : I'm casual fan of football club "Celtic", but I didn't know, that this song was adopted by Celtic F.C. I thought, it's football anthem only for "Liverpool" (Heidi Range's favourite football club). Good song, very retro.

 

I don't like old girlbands from 60s, they are more R & B / soul , than pop.

 

When all songs were your number ones? Please, add the dates or years , if it's possible.

Edited November 6, 201212 yr by AlexRange

No worries thanks Alex, yes my big three acts in terms of most number ones are Beatles, Abba and Pet Shop Boys. They are all close and I haven't counted who's 1,2,& 3 yet, so even I may be surprised! That's 60s 70s & 80s...:)

Good day, John.

 

1. I have very similar situation for Steps / Sugababes / ABBA. Any group from these 3 have the strong reasons to be my all time # 1.

ABBA : Their music legacy is 8 studio albums with many amazing songs. They have more good songs, than Steps and Sugababes in summary.

Steps (with H & Claire material) : Very low number of fillers. "Another You, Another Me" don't have even 1 bad song. I dislike only 3-4 from all Steps music catalogue.

Sugababes (without 1 album) : Sugababes is most possible my # 1 in terms of most number ones, but they have many bad songs, even not all their singles were OK. I dislike their urban sounds, especially from "Angels With Dirty Faces".

 

but I :heart: Heidi Range, she is the most beautiful lady on the Earth in my eyes :angel:

 

2. From your favourites:

I adore ABBA, know only some huge songs from Pet Shop Boys (Go West, New York City Boy, Always On My Mind, It's A Sin), they are good pop group.

Beatles is the most popular group in the World, but they are very unknown band for me. I heard only some songs and nothing more. Maybe I would be checked any their songs, which were your # 1s from this thread.

 

"You'll Never Walk Alone" : I'm casual fan of football club "Celtic", but I didn't know, that this song was adopted by Celtic F.C. I thought, it's football anthem only for "Liverpool" (Heidi Range's favourite football club). Good song, very retro.

 

I don't like old girlbands from 60s, they are more R & B / soul , than pop.

 

When all songs were your number ones? Please, add the dates or years , if it's possible.

 

Thanks |Alex, yes i will add dates (I wrote the latest ones on the plane and didnt have access to notes:)

 

I know Liverpool well, too:) You may like the Shangi-Las as they were a proper teeny girl band (not soul), probably the first big girl band of the rock era, most of their songs are downbeat and sad, though, Like "Remember (Walking In The Sand)".

 

cheers!

john

Good day, John.

 

1. I have very similar situation for Steps / Sugababes / ABBA. Any group from these 3 have the strong reasons to be my all time # 1.

ABBA : Their music legacy is 8 studio albums with many amazing songs. They have more good songs, than Steps and Sugababes in summary.

Steps (with H & Claire material) : Very low number of fillers. "Another You, Another Me" don't have even 1 bad song. I dislike only 3-4 from all Steps music catalogue.

Sugababes (without 1 album) : Sugababes is most possible my # 1 in terms of most number ones, but they have many bad songs, even not all their singles were OK. I dislike their urban sounds, especially from "Angels With Dirty Faces".

 

but I :heart: Heidi Range, she is the most beautiful lady on the Earth in my eyes :angel:

 

2. From your favourites:

I adore ABBA, know only some huge songs from Pet Shop Boys (Go West, New York City Boy, Always On My Mind, It's A Sin), they are good pop group.

Beatles is the most popular group in the World, but they are very unknown band for me. I heard only some songs and nothing more. Maybe I would be checked any their songs, which were your # 1s from this thread.

 

Thanks Alex, the main reason I think Abba are the top band of your three are that they wrote and produced their own songs and sang them too, so that makes them creators of music. Steps sing and entertain live, but the actual records are made by others, same with The Sugababes (and the main problem with bands who use other writers and producers, the quality can vary more if they change producers or writers. Girls Aloud were very consistent because they stuck with Xenomania. I'm not sure about the Sugababes, but I suspect they had more than one record producer so maybe that's why some tracks were great and some were less good, but I may be wrong?)

 

cheers!

John:)

 

You’re My World - Cilla Black (3 weeks)

Cilla was a 60’s British pop icon who got her break because she knew The Beatles in Liverpool’s Cavern club. Long before she became a loveable TV family favourite, and in the process inadvertently gave her 60’s run of hits a bad press, she was a loveable young pop princess with an unusual nasal upper register belting out choruses and alternating with gentle lower register sweet verses. I was 6 when this came out and I loved it, an English-language version of an Italian dramatic ballad, Cilla did good. A UK Number One, (and it would have been a few weeks topping my chart had I been doing them then) it finally got its 3 weeks at the top in John’s 2003 charts following an album chart entry for her hits package. This remains a brilliant, heartfelt performance and arrangement and it is still great fun to singalong to after a pint in a pub (that would be Centre Stage bar in Gran Canaria thenJ)

Shout - Lulu & The Luvvers (1 week)

 

Another 60’s pop princess who often has had an unfair critical reception, Lulu was still a schoolgirl when she covered this Isley Brothers goodie and turned it into a classic, definitive version (at least in the UK). Such a powerful, and soulful voice seemed out of place for a youngster. To this day a party staple, “Shout” was a hit all over again in 1986 (when it peaked in my chart for one week at the top), by which time Lulu had already had a varied, chameleon-like career, on numerous record labels. Annoyingly none of the style changes managed to bag her a solo UK Number One, but I loved her follow-up Mickie Most-produced 60’s pop hits like Neil Diamond’s The Boat That I Row, and Me The Peaceful Heart, even if these days hardly anyone remembers them!

 

Move Over Darling - Doris Day (1 week)

Until Doris made the Top 10 UK album chart with a new album in 2011, breaking all sorts of records for oldest act to chart, gap between new material and the like, it almost seemed as though this was her last chart gasp after a career stretching back to the 40’s, and including greats such as the “Calamity Jane” soundtrack gems “Secret Love”, “Black Hills Of Dakota” and “The Deadwood Stage”. A voice like honey, Doris was also a wonderful light comedienne, and featured in a long run of romantic comedies, including this favourite of mine. The theme song was a hit, and a hit again in 1987 when it hit my top spot. Always under-appreciated, a classic vocalist, and a loveable personality on film, and in real-life dedicated to good causes, what’s not to admire!

 

Downtown - Petula Clark (3 weeks)

 

Like Doris, a film and vocal veteran dating back to the 40’s (as a British child star) Pet really got into her stride in the 60’s starting with a run of great Tony Hatch songs. This is the classic, a hit all over again in remix form in 1988 (when it got two weeks topping my chart) and then again in 1999 (for another week), but the original version remains the best, a joyous melodic ode to the excited draw of the Big City. The template was a good one, and subsequent goodies like Don’t Sleep In The Subway and The Other Man’s Grass were nearly as delicious, while her 1967 UK Number One, written by Charlie Chaplin (yes, honest!) This Is My Song was a lovely harkback to older-style ballads, and would have probably been near my top spot given the opportunity in 1967. Sadly her chart/pop career never really moved past 1971, but she continued to delight on stage after the films also dried up.

 

 

 

You’re My World - Cilla Black (3 weeks)

Shout - Lulu & The Luvvers (1 week)

Move Over Darling - Doris Day (1 week)

Downtown - Petula Clark (3 weeks)

 

Good day, John.

What the wonderful # 1 selection from 1964 you have. I like all these singers. Maybe some / all 4 singles would be # 1 hits in my retro chart, if I add 50s and 60s in future.

UK ladies pop songs were amazing in 60s and early 70s. Really like the fact, that you have retro # 1 songs many years after their realise.

 

My regular weekly charts were abadoned in 2007, because I dislike 95 % modern chart music (Last 3 years in UK charts were awful and every next year is worse, than previous)

I think, if my charts would be compiled today, that it will be 80-90 % retro songs (10 + years old), which wasn't in my charts before.

Edited November 13, 201212 yr by AlexRange

Good day, John.

What the wonderful # 1 selection from 1964 you have. I like all these singers. Maybe some / all 4 singles would be # 1 hits in my retro chart, if I add 50s and 60s in future.

UK ladies pop songs were amazing in 60s and early 70s. Really like the fact, that you have retro # 1 songs many years after their realise.

 

My regular weekly charts were abadoned in 2007, because I dislike 95 % modern chart music (Last 3 years in UK charts were awful and every next year is worse, than previous)

I think, if my charts would be compiled today, that it will be 80-90 % retro songs (10 + years old), which wasn't in my charts before.

 

Thanks Alex, yes I was into the lady singers from an early age (as well as the groups) so there will be a lot of them to come throughout the sixties charts:) Maybe you would like some current female singers like Rumer and Kristina Train, or Gemma Ray, they are all very good even if they dont have hit singles (I think about half of my chart is stuff that never makes the Top 40!)

 

cheers!

john

YOU REALLY GOT ME - The Kinks (1 week)

 

The Kinks are a British institution of the 60’s and (to a lesser extent) subsequent decades. Ray Davies is widely regarded as an influence on later pop movements such as Britpop and punk (Jam, Pretenders, Blur etc) and is a great songwriter. This UK number one was not just a breakthrough for the band, it’s regarded as a singles chart breakthrough as a sort of template for heavy rock with a punky mood, with it’s hypnotic insistent manic riffs, and soaring vocals. It’s a fab song, a timeless poprock gem, and happily is still fairly well-known and referenced. It certainly doesn’t sound almost 50 years old, and subsequent hits following on from it, such as All Day And All Of The Night, sound pretty good too. Then The Kinks changed style...of which more to follow:) This got to my Number One for a week as part of an EP in 1997.

 

GOLDFINGER - Shirley Bassey (1 week)

 

Bond. James Bond... Shaken, not stirred. No, Mr Bond, I expect you to die!

Yes, James Bond hit global superstardom with this film, and Shirley Bassey became the theme diva of choice. John Barry, composer, was a great talent, and Shirley was tops for belting out a melodramatic ballad (and she still can!), put them together and you have the template for the perfect start to a Bond movie. You also have a great pop song. Amazingly, this classic was never a big hit, but it’s still well-known. Miss Bassey was big favourite of my dad, the first album we ever had in the house featured many of her 50’s hits like Kiss Me Honey Honey Kiss Me. Her rather OTT vocal style wasn’t really my cup of tea on the whole, but I still loved the Bond themes, and liked the odd hit from the 70‘s like For All We Know, carrying right on up to her most recent album, and the Pink cover of Get The Party Started. This was a chart-topper in 2000 for me, Shirley’s only one, but not John Barry’s...

 

I’M GONNA BE STRONG - Gene Pitney (1 week)

 

It’s something of an injustice that the great Gene Pitney has only this sole entry at the top in 2001. A great song-writer, and vocalist, in the Roy Orbison dramatic ballad style, albeit with a very different singing voice. Oddly bigger in the UK than the home USA (at least after the early hits like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), his first UK mega-hit was the Bacharach-David goodie 24 Hours From Tulsa, which triggered several years of great singles, including Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart (eventually a UK No.1 with Marc Almond in 1989), and this one, his greatest moment. The song builds slowly, the aching vocal performance matching the lyrics and mood, and builds to an epic dramatic finale. Now that’s what I call passion! He did a brilliant performance of this on UK Pop show Ready Steady Go, one of my many fave 60’s TV shows as a child. Gene was beloved in our house growing up, and the late great still is. I’d like to see some contemporary singers take this song on - most of them would lose, though, they’d need the range and the guts to do it justice!

RAG DOLL - The Four Seasons (1 week)

 

The Four Seasons have one of the great pop back catalogues, so great that they turned their life story and songs into a fabulous musical, Jersey Boys. Long before the show they had a string of doowop-styled early 60’s hits, written mostly by talented bandmember Bob Gaudio and sung by the amazingly falsetto’d Frankie Valli. Great songs like Walk Like A Man, Let’s Hang On, The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Working My Way Back To You, The Proud One, and Bye Bye Baby were so good other acts had massive hit cover versions with them over subsequent years, as well as the long run of US hits, and less long run of UK hits. Even Frankie Valli’s solo hit Can’t Take My Eyes Off You became a much-covered standard. 50 years on, their two greatest moments from the 60’s (there was more to come in the 70’s!) remain Beggin’ (largely unknown until the Jersey Boys show turned it into the song of the show, and a modern dance anthem by Madcon), and this absolutely dreamy ballad. The harmonies, a group special, are spot on, and the melody is one to die for. This record is awesome, and unlike their other songs it’s never been successfully covered because you can’t improve on perfection. It topped my chart in 2001.

 

WALK ON BY - Dionne Warwick (2 weeks)

 

They rarely get classier than the cool Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach’s main 60’s voice of his equally classy, sophisticated songs. I grew up loving Burt’s many songs throughout the 60’s right from age 6 onwards. Predominantly aimed at the Easy Listening adult brigade, the timeless melodies in particular weren’t supposed to appeal to all ages - but they did, and do. Dionne had a long run of US hits with Bacharach/David songs, and as gorgeous as her smooth vocals were, she didn’t always get the British hit out of it, thanks to many hit covers by British acts. No offence to Dionne (love her versions too) but the definitive versions can often be found elsewhere (see Cilla, Dusty, Sandie, Bobbie, and one who would have had a number one if my charts had started 4 weeks earlier in 1968, Herb Alpert with the tearjerking This Guys In Love). This one though, IS the definitive version, the lyrics are perfect, the melody is perfect, the vocal is perfect, the backing is perfect. If you’ve ever been dumped by someone, put this record on. Singalong, and if you’re not bawling by the end of the record you must be made of stone. I did, in 2002, when it peaked during the summer at the top.

 

IT’S OVER - Roy Orbison (2 weeks)

 

Roy’s 3rd Number One in the list, peaking in 2004, 40 years after the original release, is probably his most defining moment. There’s no more straight-forward statement of heartbreak, the end of a relationship, than It’s Over, and Roy’s brilliant performance, right up to the final title repeat of the “giving it everything” climax, is stunning. There have so far been no further 60’s Roy chart-toppers, but with songs like Only The Lonely, Cryin’, and Oh Pretty Woman - his most famous thumping singalong big hit, and one that would easily have been a number one for 6-year-old me (cos I loved it) - that may yet change. The hits dried up eventually, after tragic family losses, and changing musical tastes, but that wasn’t to be the end of his career....

 

John, where are early songs from the Beatles, if you are their fan?

I know, that would be many their songs in some next years, maybe even something in the next part.

John, where are early songs from the Beatles, if you are their fan?

I know, that would be many their songs in some next years, maybe even something in the next part.

 

Hi Alex, yes, you're right, I was surprised that almost none of their early hits have been number ones in my chart. They would have been if i'd been doing charts at the time, especially Cant Buy Me Love and I want To Hold Your Hand which my dad bought, but theyve never quite got to the top on reissues since (when for example Fernando was my number one). Things change from 1965 though, as that was when I really loved them most of all through to 1970.:)

 

thanks!

John

DON'T WORRY BABY - The Beach Boys (2 weeks)

 

The main American 60‘s competitors to the Beatles, creatively and success-wise, were the Beach Boys. In the Wilson Brothers Brian, Carl & Dennis), cousin Mike Love and Al Jardino they had male harmonies like no other, and still to this day there have been no real pretenders to that crown. Starting out as surfer-pop dudes singing about girls, cars and surfing, Brian Wilson’s songwriting skills took them to another level. Early hits like I Get Around, Surfin USA, Help Me Rhonda and California Girls were great pop records, but Brian took on the challenge of the increasingly sophisticated Beatles records, and the inspiration of Phil Spector’s wall of sound, to create heavenly records, such as this gorgeous ballad. It’s touching, adult love songs for teens, and those harmonies, ooh they set the stage for more to come. This hit the top in 2004, courtesy of a summer hits compilation - which is why the Boys are well represented, they regularly chart oldies singles and albums. Quite right too!