I echo the comments about the 4 choices and approve picking The Crickets - Bobby Vee and Glen Campbell is reason enough for anyone! :lol:

 

Welcome To My World is a familiar 60's pleasant record, as ever with Jim's vocals, but oh drat 2 girl teen classics to choose from: I love the Wall Of Sound of The Crystals' classic, and it was a hit all over again in 1974 - but the song was never one of my top tunes, though I've always liked it. It's My Party, though, Lesley Gore strops brilliantly, "it's My party and I'll Cry If I want To"! The line about nobody knowing where her Johnny had gone might suggest she was not a fan of teenage pregnancy till it turns out to be her boyfriend she's talking about.... :teresa:

27th June - 3rd July 1963

 

22. Bobby Tomorrow - Bobby Vee

In this song, Bobby is always told "tomorrow" when asking for a date and doesn't want to wait. It's not as good as some of the others I've heard by him and will be the last of his ten top 40 hits. He died in 2016.

23. Confessin' (That I Love You) - Frank Ifield

The fourth and final number 1 single for Frank. It's a cover of an American song from 1930. I liked the harmonica part but not much else.

31. You Can Never Stop Me Loving You - Kenny Lynch

I like the string arrangement on this and the drums but I won't remember the song for too long.

39. Swing That Hammer - Mike Cotton's Jazzmen

A curious instrumental with exhalation sounds. I liked the drum solo. It will be the only hit single for the band.

 

Record of the week : 30. Hey Mama - Frankie Vaughan

 

The five this week didn't reach the standard from last week but this was my favourite. There's a rhythm to it, good use of guitars, and a decent vocal. In the song, he tells his mother he's found his love and she starts crying because it means he will be leaving home. It will be his 25th top 40 hit, peaking at number 21.

 

Ooh not a classic week, I agree, I'm not that familiar with any of them, just Frank's and Bobby's ring a bell, but I'm liking the Kenny Lynch record. I may be biased for all 3 acts.

 

On balance I'd opt for...Frank Ifield - as that brings back vague pangs of nostalgia for a number one record that's had virtually no radio plays since it fell out the chart, and def the one I would have liked most at the time. Quite enjoyed it actually havent heard it in decades.... :o

4th - 10th July 1963

 

27. (You're The) Devil In Disguise - Elvis Presley

Another number 1 single for Elvis, spending just one week there. It's one of his better songs, the tempo of the chorus is much faster than that of the verses.

33. Nature's Time For Love - Joe Brown and The Bruvvers

This is alright but there's nothing here to make it stand out.

35. Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto

A charming Japanese song with excellent use of the brass instruments and strings and also some whistling. Worldwide, it's the 18th best selling single of all time with 13 million copies sold. It was an American number 1 and a DNQ for Singerpurear nine years ago.

38. Ain't That A Shame - The Four Seasons

A cover of a Fats Domino song from 1955. It's not as good as their better known first three hits and will go no higher than its new entry position.

 

Record of the week : 39. Sweets For My Sweet - The Searchers

 

'Ue o Muite Arukō' was close to getting the award but I'm going with one I'm more familiar with, a great pop song with a catchy chorus. It was the debut single for the Merseybeat group and spent two weeks at number 1. The original version was released by The Drifters in 1961. A later cover by C J Lewis will be a top 3 hit in 1994.

 

 

 

 

 

Sukiyaki will be getting a big score from me! Sweets For My Sweet not so much.

I think you're likely to catch up and overtake me before I get to next week's new entries.

Kyu Sakamoto for me, loved it back then, still love it, haunting tune and beautifully exotic-sounding, and was it really 9 years ago in BJSC? Surely not! OMG!! Seems like about 4 years ago. I was sad when he died in an airline disaster in the 80's (along with a lot of other people), and still think young Kyu was so cute with a lovely voice. Then Elvis not far behind, one the great record's of Elvis chart-topping pop period. One I still enjoy a lot. The Searchers was one I knew and liked back then, and dont know the Joe Brown track - not one he does in concert as far as I can recall...! S'OK though. And a rare mis-step from The Four Seasons - they didnt need knock-off covers, they had a terrific songwriter in the band. This one not featured in Jersey Boys!

11th - 17th July 1963

 

19. Twist And Shout - Brian Poole and The Tremeloes

This is a decent attempt at the song but not as good as the Beatles' version from a few months earlier. It's the first hit for the Dagenham group.

36. Faraway Places - The Bachelors

A dreadful version of a song from 1948, it will go no higher than this position.

37. Walkin' Tall - Adam Faith

A cheerful ditty from Adam. It sounds like there's a duck quacking in the background, I'm not sure what type of musical instrument is making that noise.

 

Record of the week : 30. It's Too Late Now - The Swinging Blue Jeans

 

The award goes to the second group this week to make their chart debut. The Swinging Blue Jeans were from Liverpool and this is an original song, written by their guitarist, Ralph Ellis. There are some good vocal harmonies here, a promising start. The single will peak at number 30.

 

 

 

I’ll be able to comment on this thread knowledgeably from now on! Not a stellar selection but Swinging Blue Jeans definitely the best and Adam Faith second.

A'll go wit' da Blue Jeans too, la. I was only 3 years away from being a Scouser by accent if not birth.

18th - 24th July 1963

 

30. I Wonder - Brenda Lee

Another great vocal from Brenda on this piano led ballad with strings and backing vocals. The song was first recorded by Private Cecil Grant in 1944.

32. The Cruel Sea - The Dakotas

This will be the group's only hit without Billy J Kramer. There's some good guitar work here with regular tempo changes.

36. By The Way - The Big Three

The second hit for the Merseybeat group but also their last. It was OK but there was nothing to make it stand out.

37. The Good Life - Tony Bennett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ82mHBtrc8 Tony's first hit since January 1961, I know this one, one of his signature songs, I think.

40. One Fine Day - The Chiffons

The Chiffons' follow-up to He's So Fine, so it's another "fine" song. I like the piano here (played by co-writer Carole King), the chorus and the saxophone part, it's the runner-up this week.

 

Record of the week : 39. If You Wanna Be Happy - Jimmy Soul

 

This is a great discovery, a really infectious, upbeat song from the American singer giving out advice to marry an ugly woman as she won't break your heart and she'll cook your meals on time. Based on a Trinidadian song from 1934, it was a US number 1 single but will go no higher than 39 in the UK. It will be his only top 40 hit, he died in 1988, at the age of 45.

 

Yep we’re in agreement again and I really enjoyed discovering the Jimmy Soul track.

I like I Wonder, track 4 on my Very Best Of Brenda Lee CD. Nice.

 

The Cruel Sea doesn't ring a bell, but it's not bad.

 

The Big Three had big expectations at the time, but never really made it. I can see why, just nothing special.

 

The Good Life may be my fave Tony Bennett track, class ballad.

 

One Fine Day is wonderful, that gets my vote over Tony bennett, Jimmy Soul a fun 3rd place over Brenda. All 4 are records I would choose to listen to again, say in a week or two. The other 2 not so much.....

25th - 31st July 1963

 

25. Theme From The Film 'The Legion's Last Patrol' - Ken Thorne And His Orchestra

You can tell this is from a war film with the military sounding drum pattern. The trumpet solo was the highlight. This will go as high as number 4, the only hit for the English composer.

28. I'll Never Get Over You - Johnny Kidd and The Pirates

The first top 40 hit since 1960 for the British group who had a number 1 single in that year. It's a decent song with a fairly lengthy guitar solo.

34. True Love - Richard Chamberlain

One of five versions of the song to be top 40 hits and surely the worst, it was really dreary. Plenty of acting roles to come but this is the last of his four hit singles.

38. Go Go Go - Chuck Berry

It's more than five years since Chuck Berry was last in the chart and he returns with the same sort of 50s rock'n'roll sound which is partially explained by the fact that the song was actually recorded in 1961.

39. Come On Home - The Springfields

The last of the Springfields' five hits before Dusty flies the nest and her vocal was the best part about it.

 

Record of the week : 29. Wipe Out - The Surfaris

 

An easy decision this week with this instrumental well ahead of the rest. It's a fantastic combination of guitars and drums which has endured through the decades since. When first released in the US, it was the B side on the group's single, 'Surfer Joe'. A wipe out is a fall from a surfboard. It will peak at number 5 and be the only hit for the Californian band. A cover version by the Fat Boys and the Beach Boys will take the song to number 2 in 1987.

 

Easy choice there :)

1st - 7th August 1963

 

19. In Summer - Billy Fury

A light pop song about the current season, it got off to a shaky start with the irritating dummy dums from the backing singers but got better as it went on with a nice piano solo in the middle. It will be Billy's third consecutive top 5 hit and his seventh overall.

26. So Much In Love - The Tymes

I was aware the Tymes had some hits years before their number 1 but hadn't heard them before. This one was a US number 1 for the group. It's mainly acapella with just a light drum sound and bass guitar. There were some skilled vocal harmonies.

32. Come On - The Rolling Stones

So this is where the Rolling Stones make their entrance with a cover of a Chuck Berry song from 1961. I liked the harmonica sound and it's a good debut single but there will be much better to come. The song's title was repeated too many times.

37. 18 Yellow Roses - Bobby Darin

A ballad with a Latin American flavour to it. The twist at the end is it's from the point of view of the girl's father, not her ex. Bobby has only one more hit single to come but we will have to wait another three years for it.

 

Record of the week : 34. Bad To Me - Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas

 

A song written by Lennon & McCartney specifically for their fellow Merseysider. He comes through with a good lead vocal supported by the guitars. It's a fairly simple arrangement and not a huge favourite of mine but the best of today's bunch. The single will spend three weeks at number 1.

 

Ken Thorne means not a jot to me as I play it now. Johnny Kidd is a familiar tune and sounds fairly decent and of its time, but I wouldn't be fussed about buying it. Richard Chamberlain, dont need to play it I know it will be very soppy, and I will stick with Bing/Grace Kelly's duet or the George Harrison version or the Elton & Kiki version. Chuck Berry's Go Go Go isn't one I've heard before, think he was touring the UK in '63 to explain the random hit. Certainly not memorable in any way! The Springfields' is the best of lacklustre bunch of supporting acts to the very easy winning Wipe Out.

 

In Summer is one of my fave Bully Fury songs, liked it as a kiddie, still do. Bad To Me is a good Beatles song, but it's not close to Beatles singles quality, Come On is fine as a Stones "hello" and way better than Chuck Berry's actual then-current single. The Tymes' was a song I knew about for years after You Little Trustmaker hit in 1974, but didn't get to hear. Doo-wop tunefulness I can hear hints of in Billy Joel's The Longest Time pastiche. quite nice but I will stick with Trustmaker or Ms Grace. Bobby Darrin's sounds like a mid-50's country ballad leftover, and out of step with the times.

8th - 14th August 1963

 

34. I'm Telling You Now - Freddie and The Dreamers

This will be the group's biggest hit, reaching number 2. The chorus will stick in my head but otherwise it's nothing special. It will reach the top of the US chart after a re-release in 1965.

36. You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry - The Caravelles

A charming little song with dreamy vocals and minimal instrumentation. It's a cover of a Moon Mullican song from 1950 and will be the only top 40 hit for the English female duo.

38. Just Like Eddie - Heinz

A tribute to Eddie Cochran, this has a good stomping rhythm to it. Produced by Joe Meek, it's the first solo hit for the former Tornados member.

39. Blue Girl - The Bruisers

Tommy Bruce and The Bruisers had a top 3 hit in 1960 and The Bruisers are back now with their own single. This has a lot more going on than the Freddie and The Dreamers song so I'll put it ahead of that one.

 

Record of the week : 35. Only The Heartaches - Houston Wells and The Marksmen

 

It wasn't an easy decision this week and the Caravelles were close but I'm going for this one. I wouldn't normally pick a country song but there's a real depth to the lead vocal here and Joe Meek's echoey production elevates the record's sound. It's about life in a goldmining town. The English singer's real name was Andrew Smith and this will be his group's only top 40 single, peaking at number 22. After a falling out, the Marksmen tore up his return ticket home during a trip to Ireland and removed him from the band.

 

Belatedly I agree with Bad To Me as the pick from last week - that’s a great pop song.

 

This is the first time since I’ve been following closely that I’ve very much disagreed with the winner - find Only The Heartaches very drippy but also the melody’s a carbon copy of “The Homing Waltz” by Vera Lynn.

 

I’d go for The Bruisers of that bunch. :)

5-year-old me shouts out I'm Telling You Now as ROTW. 20-something me thinks Heinz. The other 3 are new to me. The Caravelles is OK, Blue Girl is pretty good actually, and the Houston Wells song sounds like El Paso to me in parts. It's an oddity to be sure and these days there would be a massive legal case going on if it had been a hit as the Estate of Marty Robbins sues for a slam dunk case, as opposed to 3 random notes someone strung together on an obscure flop from 40-odd years ago that no-one has ever heard of. (Hi Dua Lipa)

 

I think I'll go for The Bruisers! :o