Visions isn't a Cliff song that rushes to mind and the melody seems very familiar, it's on the tip of my tongue which song it is - a flash of inspiration and the gentle intro to The Day I Met Marie springs to mind as one candidate, Visions is like a run-through for the proper song without a hook. Or it might be that Cliff sang it at the end of each episode of his TV show that year. Bob's tickets go on sale this morning for his next tour, but as usual I dont think I could take 2 hours of his voice, legend that he is or not. I Want You is one of his better hits though.

Hi Lili Hi Lo is the first song of this batch that I actually remember from the time, always liked Alan Price 60's stuff. Not heard this in ages and ages, and it all comes rushing back to me as I play it. Fun! Best so far. The Critters I have never even heard of, and the song rings no bell. Young Girl did it better, at least he was telling the young girl to go away and was aware it was a no no. This one doesnt really go anywhere, it starts and it ends. My Lover's Prayer not one I know but I like the gritty soulful vocal, apparently rediscovered via The Soprano's.

So it's down to 2 classic records I knew at the time, Summer In The City and Lover's Of The World Unite. The Lovin' Spoonful missed out on a lot of good US hits in the UK, and this single is a brilliant creation, still exciting and clever and hook-driven, a brilliant song. Lover's Of The World Unite, OTOH, has that melody to die for, it takes me back to that era more than Summer In The City does. And I saw Roger Cook at Madeline Bell's 81st birthday gig, and as a fan of Blue Mink and his many fabulous hit songs with Roger Greenaway (aka David & Jonathan) I'm going with my emotion over what is the better record really.

'With A Girl Like You' isn't as good as 'Wild Thing' for me but undoubtably an earworm.

I feel like a lot of people would scratch their heads if presented with the name The Lovin' Spoonful but would say "ohhhh it's that song", or words to that effect, if 'Summer In The City' was played. #8 feels a bit low for it, not even their highest peaker, but at least they took it to #1 in the U.S. A great summer song. I recently compiled a playlist of one song that reminds me of summer from every year between 1960 and 2026 and I considered it it for 1966, but ultimately it was pipped by another "ohhhh it's that song" moment from later in the year, so will come back to that!

Great to see a mention for the summer of love already, looking forward to that era next year.

1 hour ago, Popchartfreak said:

Visions isn't a Cliff song that rushes to mind and the melody seems very familiar, it's on the tip of my tongue which song it is - a flash of inspiration and the gentle intro to The Day I Met Marie springs to mind as one candidate, Visions is like a run-through for the proper song without a hook. Or it might be that Cliff sang it at the end of each episode of his TV show that year.

Yes, the wiki page for the song did say that he sang the chorus at the end of his TV show as it contained the line "when will we meet again".

28th July - 3rd August 1966

29. I Love How You Love Me - Paul and Barry Ryan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QCWu3Pw678 A cover of a song from 1961 by The Paris Sisters. It starts with a burst of bagpipes and they can be heard throughout most of the song which otherwise is a standard guitar pop tune so quite an unusual addition which at least makes it memorable.

38. I Saw Her Again - The Mamas And The Papas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A1pp9eqeXU This is not as good as their first two hits but there's still plenty to like with the reliable vocal harmonies, a pulsating rhythm and a string based instrumental break.

39. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmHUfrcIJyI The Temptations first UK top 40 hit has that typical Motown sound with a mid-tempo rhythm but is missing an ingredient to make it stand out.

Record of the week : 34. God Only Knows - The Beach Boys

This is the week that England won the World Cup and we have a record of the week worthy of marking the occasion. There are many musical instruments being played here but each one is utilised in just the right place and it never feels cluttered while the vocals are simply magical. The single will spend two weeks at number 2.

I havent heard the paul and barry song and im at a graham gouldman gig in a church at the mo so i will check out the bagpipes tomorrow.

Aint Too Proud to Beg is a soul goodie. I saw her again is a lesser known gem i love and god only knows is genius arguably the greatest pop song ever written. It shouldn't work and yet it does. Perfection.

Hoping graham does some of his 1966 songs in about an hour or so hooray!!

4th-10th August 1966

34. More Than Love - Ken Dodd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkVpWgIudBg Another slow ballad, he doesn't really do anything else. I like the harp melody which is then taken up by the piano.

37. Just Like A Woman - Manfred Mann https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtZhk9Bs28A A fresh start for the group on a new record label with a new lead singer. This cover of a Bob Dylan song has a prominent bass guitar throughout with some nice organ embellishments in the background.

Record of the week : 38. Hanky Panky - Tommy James and the Shondells

A debut hit for this group is the best of today's three songs. The lyrics are repetitive but I like the raw garage rock sound and the whole thing is recorded live in one take. The single will go no higher than this position, spending five weeks between 38 and 40. It will, however, reach number 1 in the US where they will have fourteen top 40 hits but just one more to come in the UK.

Dont know the Ken ballad, not as funny as his one-liners, not as tuneful as Happiness, pretty dreary really. Seen the Manfreds' do this in concert, it sounds better there. The Dylan version is not bad actually, has a bit more character to it. they'll do better Dylan covers than this. Nice though. Hanky Panky was not one I knew at the time, but I discovered it in the 80's and it rocks pretty well. Tommy James & The Shondells were one of those US bands that deserved way more hits in the UK, like The Turtles and The Lovin' Spoonful. I Think We're Alone Now, the gorgeous crystal Blue Persuasion, Crimson & Clover, Dragging The Line and a host of blue-eyed soul/gospel tracks all flopped. So my ROTW too.

Just caught up on the past fortnight and 'God Only Knows' is heavenly ❤️ worthy of all the critical plaudits it receives. England's World Cup win occurring that week is a fun fact too. I looked up what the #1 was and I see it is the also excellent 'Out of Time' by Chris Farlowe, a nice link there when you mentioned the Beach Boys-esque qualities of that song. Quite a cutting record at the top for a happy moment in the country!

11th - 17th August 1966

31. They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha-Haaa! - Napoleon XIV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP653fXnd1I An American novelty song with a marching beat similar to the one in 'Vindaloo'. The production is ahead of its time with speeded up vocals, echoes and siren sound effects. Napoleon XIV was Jerry Samuels and this will reach number 4.

36. Barefootin' - Robert Parker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azIytXgdggA The second one hit wonder of the week is an enjoyable R&B song with a brass section playing in the background.

37. Give Me Your Word - Billy Fury https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPOF4bCLkfc Billy's final top 40 hit is a cover of a 1954 number 1 single by Tennessee Ernie Ford. It's another warm vocal with plenty of flourishes from the piano player.

38. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever - The Four Tops https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaXGBGmpkf0 Another good one from the Four Tops with the rhythm coming out of the left speaker, the guitars on the right and the vocals in the centre. Stevie Wonder co-wrote the song and also played drums.

39. All Or Nothing - The Small Faces https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjpMCnY7-fQ A great piece of pop/rock with the repeated few notes on the guitar making it stand out and going all the way to the top of the chart.

Record of the week : 8. Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

This is mainly for Eleanor Rigby which is clearly the better song of the two. Both lyrically and musically, it's so different to anything else so far in 1966 with lyrics about loneliness and death and the cellos and violins being the only instruments being used. Yellow Submarine, in contrast, is a fun singalong tune. The single will spend four weeks at number 1.

Napoleon's song was a bit of a novelty loved by some kids (me) at the time. It's hardly ever played but I still like it as a 60's out-there example! Barefootin' is OK, fairly well known for a record that was pretty obscure to me for decades. Billy Fury's passed me by too, and I wouldnt hear another Billy Fury new track until 1983 just before he died, sadly. It's nice, I like it. The Four Tops hit I knew better as an 80's cover by Nick Kamen, I think, but The Four Tops are always pure class. Great hearing you mention speakers and stereo, a world alien to anyone used to mono blutooth speakers, which just lose the widescreen nature of stereo. All Or Nothing oddly never been a fave of mine, much prefer Itchycoo Park or Lazy Sunday.

So of course it's a Beatles win for me, Yellow Submarine easily a fave at the time and very famous playground singalong chant at my Scouse Primary School at around the same time I was collecting and pressing oak leaves in a book and gathering acorns from the overhanging tree there and learning about Roman canoes and the like, and handing over free school meal tickets every lunch time. We were too poor to afford toys 😄"You were lucky!" etc. And then as I grew up I got to love Eleanor Rigby in 1976 on the second-coming of the Beatles singles re-issues when I bought it, top tier and quite probably my all-time fave Beatles single. That or Hey Jude.

At school we were forced to listen to Mendelsohn and other assorted classical composers in assembly every day, which just put me right off them when pop music was readily available. I took up picking flowers from public gardens for mum, then hard at work every day, if the park-keeper wasn't about. Not a problem these days as none of those gardens have flowers in them, just boring cheap shrubs as per every money-saving open space that isnt a tourist area.

Ooh what an interesting week!

I remember coming across 'They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!' years ago when trawling the archives and was absolutely fascinated by it. A novelty song that was actually quite technically impressive as you say. I remember lobbying for it to be played as a bonus track at the SyncTube sessions as I wanted to see what people's reactions would be like when you think things couldn't get weirder... the other side of the single is the song being played in reverse!

Speaking of technically impressive... what a triumph 'Eleanor Rigby' is, definitely my favourite Beatles #1 and top 5 from their whole discography minimum. The dark storytelling is gripping and I love the equally haunting strings as well. So atmospheric. I would've put something like 'Rain' on Revolver, instead of 'Yellow Submarine', as it gets a moment on the soundtrack for the animated film anyway - but still good fun and reminds me of my late great grandma. ❤️

18th - 24th August 1966

25. Too Soon To Know - Roy Orbison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wec39F-SG8g Roy's biggest hit since 'Oh, Pretty Woman' two years ago, reaching number 3. It's a cover of a Don Gibson song and showcases his vocal ability very well with the piano and some strings in the background.

33. Distant Drums - Jim Reeves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itKY391aMRY Another posthumous hit but this one will spend five weeks at number 1. An orchestral backing has been added to his original recording but it's not much better than his last few singles and it's certainly a surprise that it took off the way it did.

34. Working In The Coalmine - Lee Dorsey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtM4p7UVGoo An R&B song about always being exhausted after a hard day's work at the coal mine with some pickaxe sound effects. I liked it.

39. Warm And Tender Love - Percy Sledge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm26O_p6KK8 This is Percy's only other top 40 hit and it's another ballad with that pleasant organ sound and some brass. It's quite good but not in the same class as When A Man Loves A Woman.

Record of the week : 35. Got To Get You Into My Life - Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers

This is quite familiar to me and I think it's this version I've heard a few times rather than the Beatles original from their Revolver album which I've also had a listen to. I think I prefer this cover, produced by Paul McCartney, which has a broader sound to it. There's a fine lead vocal and the horns, piano and drums all add to the song's appeal. It's two years since the group's first top 40 hit and they will have no more after this one which will peak at number 6.

1966 was a classic year for many reasons, not least Pet Sounds and Revolver, both represented in recent favourite choices here. 'God Only Knows' has a timeless beauty, and 'Yellow Submarine' was the first Beatles song I remember hearing, but 'Eleanor Rigby' soon made an impression too when I first saw the Yellow Submarine film and it has stuck with me ever since, its story so clearly told and backdropped by those wonderful strings - it's my favourite Beatles single to this day and second only to fellow Revolver track 'And Your Bird Can Sing' in their catalogue for me. Interesting to see how quickly their double A-side was followed it into the chart by 'Got To Get You Into My Life' - that song leant itself more to cover versions and Cliff Bennett's was a good one.

Too Soon To Know wasnt on mum and dad's Roy Greatest Hits album - I think cut-off point was around 1965 - so that's not one I knew much until more recent decades, but it is a goodie. Nice. Distant Drums was the summary of sadness for Jim's death, and it really became a cultural giant at the time, I was still loving it well into the 70's and beyond as a regular requested track on Sunday's 2-way Family Favourites radio show broadcast to the forces abroad (of which we were one family) and on Radio 2 - requests for songs from family at home or vice versa. It takes me nostalgically back to those days as a song that doesnt get played anymore, and I still am very fond of it.

Working In A Coalmine also a song fave at the time - and 3 generations of males in my family all worked in a coalmine. It's dangerous and horrific tbh, traumatic stories of colleagues getting killed, and there are long-term health issues from it. I still like the song though. Warm & Tender Love is OK, not one I knew in 1966. The Beatles cover is decent enough, but I knew The Beatles version better from 1976 when it was a US single and hit, and that's the definitive for me, but this is runner-up to that, which would be my ROTW.

In the absence of Beatles, though, it's Distant Drums I think.