Group 4:

 

Walker Brothers' version of The Four Seasons song is epic, one of my all-time fave heartbreak records, one to sing along to and cry bucketloads of tears. It's no co-incidence that Four Seasons songs are so eminently coverable in totally different styles and genres. Quality shines, mix it with Scott Walkers voice and strings and it's unbeatable. One of those songs I liked at the time, then it aged like a fine wine with each passing decade. Perfect.

 

Elusive Butterfly (Val's version got the airplay) was my fave track of the time, and a melody to die for. I really dont mind which version these days, both have their charms, but it's Val's honey-sweet vocal that takes me back in time. Still adore them both.

 

I Got You passed me by at the time, discovered it more in the late 70's, and I like it, but James brown I've remained fairly meh about on the whole. I recognise his importance and influence musically and culturally - but he doesn't move me. Hold Tight on the other hand...wow, that's what I call a banging riff! Dave Dee were always under-rated, largely due to their name (which was a massive tongue-twister of fun to a kid) and because they were essentially a vehicle for producer/songwriters extraordinaire Howard/Blaikley, who were all about having fun, creative, adventurous pop singles. Play this loud, it's brilliant.

 

The Kinks are up against some massive competition here, and Dedicated Follower Of Fashion is pure 1965/6 era quirky fun another big hit of the time I remember well and am still fond of. Shape Of Things is an 80's discovery for me, great track, Substitute passed me by in 1966, but I caught it in 1976 when it was a hit again, another goodie. The Bachelors Sound Of Silence I was more aware of than Simon & Garfunkel's version at the time, but by 1970 it was firmly S&G that were getting all the attention thanks to the epic album Bridge Over troubled water, which threw up their back catalogue and Greatest Hits and farewell as an act in 1972. The song is a classic, this hit version...not so much!

 

Andy Williams indeed often used to end his fab TV shows with May Each Day, and it's always been warm and well-intended - but it's never been amongst my faves of his. That Kenneth McKellar song is a racket. I'll stick with the wonderful Engelbert song of the same name, thanks Ken.

Well Simon & Garfunkel now do have a hit with something nearly as good as the one that wasn’t, but in the end I’ve decided to put the quirkier “Bang Bang” at the top - what an inspired record!

 

9 Cher Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) Written by Sonny, a masterful song delivered beautifully and love the violins and the Latin feel with the changes of tempo

9 Simon And Garfunkel Homeward Bound Debut hit for them and almost as brilliant as the missing "Sound Of Silence"; love the contrast between the verses and chorus

8 The Alan Price Set I Put A Spell On You Debut hit for a former Animal; a 1956 song originally but this version is fantastic with the explosive vocals, organ and guitars

8 Crispian St Peters The Pied Piper 2nd of his 2 big hits and this is such a great tune; the flute parts work brilliantly too plus it's a lovely piece of storytelling

7 Dusty Springfield You Don't Have To Say You Love Me 213th #1: of course Dusty sings this brilliantly and it's a total classic; somehow it doesn't move me like some of her others

7 The Who A Legal Matter I hear this being released so soon after "Substitute" was the result of a dispute; probably why it flopped - it's great though

6 Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass Tijuana Taxi Another really good easy listening instrumental with a recognisable tune; really enjoy the xylophone parts especially

6 Cliff Richard And The Shadows Blue Turns To Grey I think Cliff is at his best doing light and effortless upbeat pop rock like this though sadly it doesn't seem to chart so well

6 The Seekers Someday One Day This only reached #11 after their first 3 Top 3s; maybe a bit too similar to their debut but I still really enjoy the soulful folk pop

5 Graham Bonney With Johnny Scott And His Orchestra Super Girl Only hit for this English singer songwriter and it's a good tune with well controlled falsetto, but a bit similar to other hits around

5 The Spencer Davis Group Somebody Help Me 212th #1 and 2nd straight chart topper for them; a good commercial song that would have been played a lot, but fairly ordinary

4 The Cryin' Shames Please Stay Only hit for this English group and it's a Drifters cover; it does have a certain charm to it with the slow beseeching vocals

3 Herman's Hermits You Won't Be Leavin' Harsh placing for this as it's not bad but it's the most nondescript song of the day, interchangeable with countless mid 60s hits

2 Cilla Black Alfie More like a Shirley Bassey style showtune here; the fact that I don't enjoy her vocals matters for a big and slow song like this

1 Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler The Ballad Of The Green Berets He was a US soldier and this topped their chart; a grimly basic song and I can't love the "isn't it great to die a hero" sentiment

 

 

 

1966 Group 6:

 

#2581 09/04/1966 Roy Orbison Twinkle Toes 29 35-{29}-29-31-40->5

#2582 09/04/1966 Elvis Presley Frankie And Johnny 21 36-26-23-23-{21}-27-24-33-46->9

#2583 09/04/1966 Otis Redding Satisfaction 33 38-{33}-38-41->4

#2584 09/04/1966 Neil Christian That's Nice 14 41-36-21-21-16-{14}-23-27-32-41->10

#2585 09/04/1966 Norma Tanega Walkin' My Cat Named Dog 22 42-40-33-27-{22}-22-27-36->8

#2586 16/04/1966 The Lovin' Spoonful Daydream 2 23-17-6-{2}-2-3-11-15-20-33-26-38-50->13

#2587 16/04/1966 The Master Singers Highway Code 25 35-34-30-{25}-30-38->6

#2588 16/04/1966 The Righteous Brothers (You're My) Soul And Inspiration 15 39-32-25-19-{15}-19-19-25-27-43->10

#2589 16/04/1966 Bob Dylan One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) 33 44-42-35-{33}-48->5

#2590 16/04/1966 David McCallum Communication 32 47-41-{32}-35->4

#2591 16/04/1966 The Bobby Fuller Four I Fought The Law 33 48-40-{33}-46->4

#2592 23/04/1966 Manfred Mann Pretty Flamingo 1 22-2-{1}-1-1-4-12-13-22-25-32-39->12

#2593 23/04/1966 The Beach Boys Sloop John B 2 36-13-5-3-{2}-6-6-9-13-16-19-19-21-33-36->15

#2594 23/04/1966 Roy C Shotgun Wedding 6 45-28-20-10-{6}-7-11-12-23-30-36->11

#2595 23/04/1966 Wayne Fontana Come On Home 16 46-40-30-25-22-21-18-{16}-20-22-26-35->12

Edited October 5, 20231 yr by JulianT

Projectile vomit in the general direction of Barry Sadler (a song I had the misfortune of learning about from it being #1 in a 'worst hits of 1966' video on YouTube)

 

Am more familiar with 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)' via Nancy Sinatra and Audio Bullys (and that awful David Guetta version too x) but it is a great song.

Cher and Bang Bang was an early fave as I still loved the diva melodrama, still rate it a lot, and also the Nancy Sinatra version. Homeward Bound was very nice at the time, but it's one that appeals more to older me these days. That he was in the UK not far from Liverpool when he wrote makes it more personal.

 

I Put a Spell On You is a great song, and Alan Price was another poptastic fave in the 60's, but I don't remember this from the time. Sonique or Nina Simone for me. Loved The Pied Piper back in '66, great tune, and the Bob & Marcia reggae cover is even better.

 

But of course for me it's Dusty as Record of the week, You Don't Have To say You Love Me wasn't especially a fave at the time, but I liked it, and then had to get over Elvis Presley's hit mangling of it before coming back to it as an epic ballad in the 80's.

 

Blue Turns To Grey is OK Cliff, Somebody Help Me I've never got either, it's OK, it's nothing special, it never was. Green Berets is horrendous, not a fan, Herb doing Tijuana Taxi is great fun a totla tune of the 60's I know so well but never hear. Cilla doing Alfie, with actual Bacharach and getting pissed off. She hated doing more than one take and she nailed it first time despite Burt's efforts to improve it. In the US Cher got the single but I can't not love everything Cilla in Scouseland '66. Which leaves The Cryan Shames: I don't recall hearing it till 1974 on the Top 100 radio one rundown list I ran a while ago, then didn't hear it till I re-ran the list...and I became quite hooked on it and charted it a year or two ago. It's an unusual record, plaintive.

 

So a bunch of goodies in there and only 4 that don't look familiar...

'These Boot Are Made For Walkin' is fab. Such a classic song that is and that bass line that's at the beginning and later on in the track is authentically splendid too!

Snubbing the biggest hits this time in favour of a minor hit classic.

 

9 The Bobby Fuller Four I Fought The Law Only hit for Bobby who will die in a few months, and the definitive version of this; a fantastic song with great simple storytelling

8 The Lovin' Spoonful Daydream 1st hit for this US folk band and it's gorgeous, with a gentle vocal and simple backing that really creates the sense of daydreaming

8 The Beach Boys Sloop John B Actually my least favourite of their run of 4 fabulous Top 3 hits this year but a very interesting and well done folk song adaptation

7 Neil Christian That's Nice Only hit for this UK singer and a delightfully quirky one: love the different ways he sings "that's nice" and the backing interaction

7 Norma Tanega Walkin' My Cat Named Dog Only hit for this US singer: her voice is gorgeous and again there's a nice quirkiness to the lyrics: no idea why the cat's called Dog

7 Manfred Mann Pretty Flamingo 214th #1: this has an anthemic quality to it and can see why it did so well: very good but would like a little more light and shade

6 Wayne Fontana Come On Home A catchy and well produced record with plenty of emotion and a rich texture: enjoy the female backing chorus "come on home"

6 Otis Redding Satisfaction Always difficult to rate a cover when the definitive version is such a classic: very good though and really like the scatting style

6 Bob Dylan One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) A relatively small hit for him but a very nice tender one that builds well: in some ways I prefer his love ballads to his protest songs

5 Roy Orbison Twinkle Toes His 6th to miss the Top 10 in a row so like Elvis he's out of favour a bit: this has a really nice tune but nothing to make it stand out

5 David McCallum Communication His only hit and he's better known as "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." - an interesting mix of harmonica, sung chorus and spoken poetry

4 The Master Singers Highway Code This novelty hit made me laugh a lot: a quartet of church singers doing a traditional psalm tune to the words of the highway code

4 The Righteous Brothers (You're My) Soul And Inspiration I'm beginning to see why they didn't have a long run of chart success - this is so similar in style to YLTLF and much less good

3 Elvis Presley Frankie And Johnny Only 2 of his last 12 hits have made the Top 10 and no signs of him coming back into form: this laid back jazzy number is fairly dull

1 Roy C Shotgun Wedding Only hit for this US soul singer that puns on a wedding with literal shooting - seems well remembered but I find it ghastly

 

 

1966 Group 7 (Lonnie’s chart book includes the Isley Brothers record here even though it wasn’t Top 40 until 1968):

 

#2596 23/04/1966 The Searchers Take It Or Leave It 31 47-38-{31}-34-40-42->6

#2597 30/04/1966 Nancy Sinatra How Does That Grab You, Darlin'? 19 37-27-{19}-21-22-29-35-49->8

#2598 30/04/1966 Lou Christie Rhapsody In The Rain 37 45-{37}->2

#2599 30/04/1966 The Isley Brothers This Old Heart Of Mine 47 {47}->1

26/10/1968 The Isley Brothers This Old Heart Of Mine {1968} 3 31-19-5-4-{3}-3-4-7-10-19-22-20-27-33-44-32->16

#2600 30/04/1966 The Mamas And The Papas California Dreamin' 23 49-34-29-26-{23}-23-26-37-46->9

#2601 30/04/1966 The Merseys Sorrow 4 50-28-12-9-5-{4}-4-4-9-15-22-30-43->13

#2602 07/05/1966 The Mindbenders Can't Live With You (Can't Live Without You) 28 36-33-31-{28}-31-32-42->7

#2603 07/05/1966 The Troggs Wild Thing 2 42-13-4-{2}-3-3-9-15-18-28-36-47->12

#2604 07/05/1966 Hank Locklin I Feel A Cry Coming On 29 45-36-37-30-34-{29}-41-48->8

#2605 07/05/1966 Phil Upchurch Combo You Can't Sit Down 39 47-{39}->2

#2606 07/05/1966 Lee Dorsey Confusion 38 48-43-39-{38}-38-49->6

#2607 07/05/1966 The Byrds Eight Miles High 24 49-42-33-31-30-{24}-27-42-50->9

#2608 14/05/1966 Small Faces Hey Girl 10 23-15-{10}-10-11-17-21-30-38->9

#2609 14/05/1966 Ken Dodd Promises 6 26-14-12-8-{6}-8-13-14-16-22-30-35-36-43->14

#2610 14/05/1966 The Mamas And The Papas Monday, Monday 3 31-17-8-5-5-{3}-3-8-11-15-20-31-35->13

Edited October 6, 20231 yr by JulianT

I Fought The Law I had never heard till The Clash covered it. Bobby Fuller Four is the best version, but daydream is my 2nd fave of this batch, such a lovely tune and one I liked at the time, as was Sloop John B, my top fave of the bunch, The Beach Boys were in their imperial phase, Pet Sounds was a hallmark, and they could do no wrong.

 

Pretty Flamingo was a fun pop record of the time, but it was their late 60's hits that hoovered up my Manfred's love - after Paul Jones had left and Mike D'Abo joined. Love the Righteous brothers record, but that's more of a 90's discovery for me on Florida 60's oldies radio, Shotgun Wedding was a big hit again in 1972 and a Northern Soul smash I liked a lot then. Frankie & Johnny was popular in our house for Elvis, but these days it's not one I look back fondly on, a bit dreary really.

 

The rest I don't know but a quick RIP to the terrific 60's icon David McCallum, I had my Man From UNCLE badge, bubblegum cards and Ilya Kuryakin was my 2nd fave UNCLE agent - after Stephanie Powers Girl from UNCLE. Then there was Colditz on TV, and spooky Sapphire & Steel with Joanna Lumley.

We have a couple of big classics at the top with "California Dreamin'" and "Wild Thing". I'm not sure why The Mamas And The Papas' first two singles charted just two weeks apart but it means they both appear in the same group. "Monday Monday" was the huge hit but I can't say I completely love it; "California Dreamin'" on the other hand stalled at #23, but at least made the Top 10 when re-released in the 90s. After that "Eight Miles High" is brilliant too.

 

9 The Mamas And The Papas California Dreamin' A wonderful and enchanting record that will reach #9 in 30 years; flows perfectly with great harmonies and love the flute part

9 The Troggs Wild Thing Debut for this English rock group and a cover from a US band; a fantastically playful and quirky song with an iconic riff and vocal

8 The Byrds Eight Miles High Apparently considered one of the first ever psychadelic rock songs, this is an astounding mosaic of guitar work and distant vocals

8 Lou Christie Rhapsody In The Rain Similar in style to "Lightning Strikes" and also great, with a gentle start building to an explosive and catchy falsetto chorus

7 The Isley Brothers This Old Heart Of Mine Reached #3 on re-release and it's a lovely cosy feeling Motown style record with rich layers of backing vocals and violins

7 Small Faces Hey Girl Much better than "Sha La La La Lee"; a great tune done with feeling and I love how it descends into rhythmic shouting by the end

6 The Mindbenders Can't Live With You (Can't Live Without You) An interesting record with a slightly unusual melody over a simple guitar arrangement: certainly deserved better than #28

6 The Mamas And The Papas Monday, Monday I think it's having seen this used as a token big choir song on reality TV that's made me like it less: a classic and big hit though

5 The Merseys Sorrow A duo formed from the Merseybeats and their only hit but a big one: it's a strong melody but certainly nothing groundbreaking

5 Phil Upchurch Combo You Can't Sit Down Only hit for this US jazz guitarist and the best known version of quite an enduring instrumental with organ: nice easy listening

4 Nancy Sinatra How Does That Grab You, Darlin'? Like the Righteous Brothers yesterday this is a follow up that's so similar in style to the prior classic that it's hard to take seriously

3 The Searchers Take It Or Leave It Last of their 12 Top 40s and aptly titled as this is certainly one that can be taken or left: not a bad tune but slightly lethargic

2 Lee Dorsey Confusion Technically I have no doubt that this is a good piece of RnB, but the endless repetition of "confusion" grates with me quite a lot

2 Hank Locklin I Feel A Cry Coming On Poor diddums has been dumped, and this has more to it than Ken's record but it's quite wishy washy and lacking in melody

1 Ken Dodd Promises His last Top 10 hit so his star is now on the wane but he'll keep releasing singles for a while yet: this is terribly terribly dull

 

 

 

1966 Group 8:

 

#2611 14/05/1966 Bob Dylan Rainy Day Women #12 And 35 7 32-10-9-{7}-10-15-27-40->8

#2612 14/05/1966 Frank Sinatra Strangers In The Night 1 40-12-3-{1}-1-1-2-2-5-6-11-15-20-20-23-27-26-29-38-42->20

#2613 14/05/1966 Paul And Barry Ryan I Love Her 17 44-30-20-19-{17}-24-38-44->8

#2614 14/05/1966 Trini Lopez I'm Comin' Home Cindy 28 47-41-32-{28}-30->5

#2615 14/05/1966 Percy Sledge When A Man Loves A Woman 4 49-34-15-9-7-5-{4}-7-9-13-19-26-30-25-36-41-49->17

#2616 14/05/1966 Edwin Starr Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.) 35 50-47-47-{35}-39-40-40-41->8

#2617 21/05/1966 The Rolling Stones Paint It, Black 1 5-{1}-2-2-6-12-16-23-32-46->10

#2618 21/05/1966 Sandie Shaw Nothing Comes Easy 14 42-25-{14}-14-16-17-24-29-41->9

#2619 21/05/1966 Geno Washington And The Ram Jam Band Water 39 43-45-{39}-40-47-50-43-47->8

#2620 21/05/1966 Tom Jones Once There Was A Time/Not Responsible 18 49-26-20-{18}-19-18-27-33-37->9

#2621 28/05/1966 Gary Walker Twinkle Lee 26 41-27-28-{26}-39-49->6

#2622 28/05/1966 The Chiffons Sweet Talkin' Guy 31 48-47-42-32-32-{31}-36-39->8

#2623 04/06/1966 The Animals Don't Bring Me Down 6 13-8-7-{6}-11-14-26-37->8

#2624 04/06/1966 The Yardbirds Over Under Sideways Down 10 21-15-{10}-10-13-12-24-31-43->9

#2625 04/06/1966 Vince Hill Merci Cherie 36 {36}-43-50-45-46-45->6

Edited October 9, 20231 yr by JulianT

getting into peak 60's now for me, California Dreamin' is amongst the greatest records of all-time, it's perfect in every way and I adored The Mamas & The Papas, especially Cass who was a fave with mum and dad too. The lost art of harmony singing was never better. Monday Monday was better known at the time, and also fab, but not quite as epic as California Dreamin'. One of the first budget albums I bought as I got money for babysitting kids on RAF bases as a teen in 1974 was their Greatest Hits, I played it to death, made mama cass' latest flop single number one in my charts, she was promoting stuff in the UK on radio, I recorded her off Radio 1 reviewing records...and then she suddenly died aged 32. I was playing music in my bedroom with a friend and dad shouted up the stairs that she'd died. I was gutted. The first celebrity death that hit me hard.

 

This Old Heart Of Mine is a 1968 monster hit for me as I got heavily into UK chart music listening to Pick Of The Pops on a Sunday, and I started doing personal charts. It's brilliant, all other versions are inferior, and The Isley Brothers were peak Motown at this time. Still exciting. Eight Miles High is also brilliant, it totally passed me by at the time, but it was one of the key moments at the end of the Radio version of The Rock N Roll Years series for 1966 in the later 70's - Viet-Nam weighed heavy on the new item segments of the one-hour show mixed with key appropriate tracks, of which this was one I didn't know along with Buffalo Springfield For What It's Worth and ending the show on The Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows to fade out. All 3 were hugely powerful discoveries for me.

 

Wild Thing I was aware of, but didn't really notice till The Goodies' did a hilarious version on their 1975 series, slightly slowed-down but still riff-driven. "Wild Thing...hold me...tight.......NOT.....QUITE....THAT....TIGHT! " It was a pisstake of the pop music biz, and I bought the single it was on, and I came to realise The Troggs' original was basically an early shambolic garage rock/punk classic along with Louie Louie and early Kinks stuff. So good.

 

Rhapsody In The Rain is decent, Sorrow is good it was vaguely familiar to me when Bowie did the best version in 1973 and had the Glam hit with it. How Does That Grab You Darling is not bad but there's classics to come. Sadly none of the Lee Hazlewood duet classics were UK hits, so none of the hippy trippy brilliance of Sand, Summer Wine, Elusive Dreams, and especially Some Velvet Morning will be popping up here. The day Lee Hazlewood died I was on a sun-drenched beach in Crete and someone with money started blasting Some Velvet Morning loudly from their posh sea cruiser boat moored not far off the cove. Lee would have been so impressed by the imagery he'd have written a song about it!

 

None of the others ring a bell, but the mention of the instrumental being well-known piques my interest so I'm playing it now as I've never heard of them or the song. Can't say it sounds familiar in any way, oops! It's OK. Not long till I know everything though, that starts in 1967 a year I have reviewed thoroughly!

 

Ah yes 'California Dreamin' :cheer: it's great in most versions for me, 'Wild Thing' is a rockin anthem too.

Clear winner today.

 

9 The Rolling Stones Paint It, Black 215th #1: their last chart topper and almost as good as "Satisfaction": a fabulously moody and mesmerising Eastern flavoured song

8 The Yardbirds Over Under Sideways Down Already the last Top 40 for them and I've really liked every single one: this is quite a folky number but still has their usual dark feel

8 The Animals Don't Bring Me Down Their 7th Top 10 and another great one with quite an understated verse but an absolutely explosive and desperate chorus

7 Bob Dylan Rainy Day Women #12 And 35 Took him back to the Top 10 and it's a protest song but nobody is sure what it's about (maybe Vietnam war); a fun one anyway

6 The Chiffons Sweet Talkin' Guy This flops here but will be a Top 5 hit in 6 years: a catchy and cute Motown number with nice interplay between the voices

6 Frank Sinatra Strangers In The Night 216th #1 and his 1st chart topper for 12 years; was written for a film and has that sort of feel to it; really like but don't love it

6 Trini Lopez I'm Comin' Home Cindy Last Top 40 for him and it's a really stonking upbeat number with a catchy tune delivered with plenty of passion and gusto

5 Gary Walker Twinkle Lee He had been a Walker Brother (I found out today they weren't real brothers) and this is a fun energtic rock 'n' roll number

5 Paul And Barry Ryan I Love Her This has a nice intense atmosphere to it with the violin accompaniment and gentle vocals and harmonies, and it's quite dramatic

4 Percy Sledge When A Man Loves A Woman One of these classics that I'm not as fond of as I might be: mainly it's the clichéd lyrics as love the organ, the tune and the vocals

4 Geno Washington And The Ram Jam Band Water First hit for this US R&B singer: quite nice with a brass riff giving structure and a more laid back vocal style, but not memorable

3 Edwin Starr Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.) First hit for this US Motown style singer songwriter: somehow has a slightly bubblegum feel and find the chorus slightly grating

3 Sandie Shaw Nothing Comes Easy Hard to feel much sympathy with the protagonist: she worked very hard to get this man and now she's bored - song is OK

2 Tom Jones Once There Was A Time/Not Responsible One of those double As where 1 is more ballady and the other more upbeat, but both manage to be pretty uninspiring and bland

2 Vince Hill Merci Cherie A cover of the Eurovision winner from this year: very earnest ballad to start with and Vince gives the vocals welly but still not good

 

 

1966 Group 9:

 

#2626 04/06/1966 Chris Andrews What'cha Gonna Do Now 40 {40}-48-45-49->4

#2627 04/06/1966 The Four Seasons Opus 17 20 45-34-25-{20}-22-24-33-40-46->9

#2628 11/06/1966 Cilla Black Don't Answer Me 6 25-11-7-{6}-8-12-17-23-22-34->10

#2629 11/06/1966 The Kinks Sunny Afternoon 1 31-14-5-3-{1}-1-2-5-9-13-22-31-35->13

#2630 11/06/1966 Ike And Tina Turner River Deep, Mountain High 3 33-12-8-4-{3}-3-4-9-11-18-31-35-44->13

#2631 11/06/1966 Gene Pitney Nobody Needs Your Love 2 37-18-11-5-4-{2}-5-11-14-19-24-33-48->13

#2632 11/06/1966 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Hideaway 10 38-21-14-{10}-10-10-15-17-23-28-44->11

#2633 11/06/1966 David Garrick Lady Jane 28 50-35-33-{28}-31-35-48->7

#2634 18/06/1966 The Beatles Paperback Writer 1 2-{1}-1-2-7-14-19-21-30-40-50->11

#2635 18/06/1966 Simon And Garfunkel I Am A Rock 17 28-23-{17}-17-23-25-28-25-32-46->10

#2636 18/06/1966 James Brown And The Famous Flames It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World 13 30-24-21-{13}-19-22-33-39-50->9

#2637 18/06/1966 Roy Orbison Lana 15 31-29-20-{15}-16-16-20-27-42->9

#2638 18/06/1966 P.J. Proby To Make A Big Man Cry 34 {34}-43-47->3

#2639 18/06/1966 Twice As Much Sittin' On A Fence 25 38-35-29-27-28-27-{25}-32-47->9

#2640 25/06/1966 The Hollies Bus Stop 5 19-9-6-{5}-8-12-19-26-37->9

Edited October 12, 20231 yr by JulianT

A really strong group today - having to separate "Paperback Writer", "River Deep, Mountain High" and "Sunny Afternoon" is tough!

 

9 Ike And Tina Turner River Deep, Mountain High First hit for Tina with Ike and still one of her very best with such powerful lyrics together with great vocals and production

9 The Beatles Paperback Writer 217th #1 and their 10th: a delightfully unusual subject matter and a brilliant harmonised riff leading into a stonking rocky number

8 The Kinks Sunny Afternoon 218th #1: excellent like all their 6 Top 2 hits; a gentle fairly poppy and summery number with a beautiful melody and guitar part

8 The Hollies Bus Stop Another stonking tune: this has a delightful punchiness to it, with the close harmonies and guitars complementing each other

7 The Four Seasons Opus 17 A relentless pacey and catchy number which builds up very well: as usual very nice interplay between the lead and backing vocals

7 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Hideaway Another one with a stompy driving beat; aside from that a great tune from them with charasmatic vocals and effective backing

7 Simon And Garfunkel I Am A Rock Like "Homeward Bound" starts with gentle strumming and vocals and grows, but maintains that beautiful vocal blend throughout

6 Gene Pitney Nobody Needs Your Love As usual from him a dramatic and angst ridden performance with nicely layered vocals and luxurious production; tune not his best

6 Roy Orbison Lana One of his most character filled singles for a while: clever how he uses the girl's name as a growing outpouring of emotion

5 Twice As Much Sittin' On A Fence Only hit for this English duo: very understated but sweet and puts a smile on the face; love the use of oboe and harpsichord

5 David Garrick Lady Jane 1st of a couple of hits for this classically trained English singer and it's terribly posh but melodious and with a gentle charm

4 James Brown And The Famous Flames It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World Another classic that I'm not at all fond of: there is very nice dramatic production and singing but I just can't get into the lyrics

4 P.J. Proby To Make A Big Man Cry Not a bad one here with big orchestral production, and he does put a lot of welly into the emotion; but it needs a stronger melody

3 Chris Andrews What'cha Gonna Do Now A slightly silly song where he's talking about having done "it" and it sounds like he's cheated but the twist is he's just fallen in love

2 Cilla Black Don't Answer Me A big voiced ballad that sounds like something from a musical: not really for me and of course the vocals are not to my taste

 

 

 

1966 Group 10:

 

#2641 25/06/1966 Georgie Fame And The Blue Flames Get Away 1 28-12-7-4-{1}-4-5-11-21-28-43->11

#2642 25/06/1966 Frank Ifield No One Will Ever Know 25 31-{25}-32-40->4

#2643 25/06/1966 Joy Marshall The More I See You 34 {34}-48->2

#2644 25/06/1966 Chris Farlowe Out Of Time 1 36-33-20-9-3-{1}-2-2-9-15-23-30-48->13

#2645 25/06/1966 Herman's Hermits This Door Swings Both Ways 18 37-23-{18}-20-23-32-41->7

#2646 02/07/1966 Petula Clark I Couldn't Live Without Your Love 6 34-21-8-7-{6}-8-10-13-20-31-50->11

#2647 02/07/1966 Los Bravos Black Is Black 2 35-25-11-6-{2}-3-4-4-6-16-19-27-44->13

#2648 02/07/1966 Dave Berry Mama 5 37-34-25-18-14-7-6-{5}-5-6-8-11-15-25-30-45->16

#2649 02/07/1966 Chris Montez The More I See You 3 39-26-18-13-7-4-{3}-6-8-14-18-24-35->13

#2650 02/07/1966 The Critters Younger Girl 38 42-43-42-{38}-47->5

#2651 09/07/1966 Dusty Springfield Going Back 10 30-17-12-{10}-10-14-19-21-30-48->10

#2652 09/07/1966 Elvis Presley Love Letters 6 37-14-9-8-{6}-7-11-19-28-40->10

#2653 09/07/1966 The Bachelors Can I Trust You 26 40-34-{26}-30-33-35-47->7

#2654 09/07/1966 The Shadows A Place In The Sun 24 41-31-{24}-24-29-33->6

#2655 09/07/1966 Manfred Mann You Gave Me Somebody To Love 36 44-38-{36}-40->4

Edited October 13, 20231 yr by JulianT

Group 8:

 

Classic and peak Stones, on probably their most popular record these days - though Satisfaction and Honky Tonk Women were the big ones in the 70's, it started to pick up momentum after film placements in the 80's. Don't Bring Me Down is OK, Dylan ditto, but my fave record of the time was Frank Sinatra - Strangers In The Night is lush balladry, tune! These days it's all about Sweet Talking Guy for me, adore it, a huge number 1 in 1972 when it finally got to be a big hit. The relentless melody appealed to Glam teen girls and me. Percy Sledge passed me by in the 60's, I became aware of it in the 70's, and was converted in the 80's when it became a mournful gospel oldie big hit. Stop Her On Sight was a hit in 1969 after I'd left the country, basically, but friends of mum and dad gave me a copy of it when we visited them in 1972 after we'd all left Singapore and relocated to Lincoln RAF bases. I like it more now than I did at the time, along with the other side Headline News.

 

 

Group 9:

 

Paperback Writer I totally missed in 1966, not sure how, but it became famous in the 70's as the theme tune to Read All About It, a book programme, which explained why it made the top 40 again in 1976 even though it wasn't the most-famous or most-beloved Beatles single reissued that year, and I also got the Red Album (1962-66) that year for Xmas so the earlier Beatles back catalogue was very much up for rediscovery then - but not including the B side Rain which I got to love in the 80's. I'll be honest, I think it should have been the A side, or at least a double A. I mean, I rate Paperback Writer, but it's probably my least-fave Beatles official single after Please Please Me and From Me To You.

 

So, River Deep Mountain High: classic, epic, a US flop. Timeless perfection. I liked it in 1966 but liked it more in 1969 when it was a hit again, and grew to adore it in the 80's. Sunny Afternoon, a fave of the time, still absolutely delightful and charming. Bus Stop is a Hollies classic, written by Graham Gouldman teenage prodigy later of 10CC (and who I've got my ticket for in 2024), story romantic songs dont get any stronger than this one, love it to bits. Opus 17 is a great record, so many classic Four Seasons tracks NOT UK hits criminally, but at least this one was.

 

Hideaway is fun, I Am A Rock is a good Simon & Garfunkel track, but neither of them got noticed by me at the time. Ditto Lana, which is nice enough from Roy. Lady Jane is OK, and James Brown's Man's World is probably one of his best records (despite the lyrics) but is way better done with a female vocalist in the 80's by Brilliant as a synth soul number aka Youth (former hit songwriter.producer of 90's acclaim) and Jimmy Cauty (future KLF). They reinvented it for the 80's. Finally, Cilla's is decent enough but not amongst her best.

 

The rest TBC when I hear them...!

The chart toppers are definitely the highlights for me this time, especially the gut wrenching “Out Of Time”.

 

9 Chris Farlowe Out Of Time 219th #1: all his other hits were minor but he struck gold here and it's a remarkable track delivered with very powerful emotion

8 Georgie Fame And The Blue Flames Get Away 220th #1: another top notch chart topper - I love the laid back funkiness of this and the organ adds a great extra dimension

8 Chris Montez The More I See You An old song but this went on to be the best known version: it's a lovely warm and tender number that has been used in films

7 Los Bravos Black Is Black Debut #2 hit for this Spanish rock group and the style and lead vocal sound a bit like Pitney: a strong dramatic number anyway

7 Dave Berry Mama Last hit for Dave and his 3rd #5: there's something delightfully old fashioned about this, like your grandad telling you a story

7 Dusty Springfield Going Back Quite a subtle one from Dusty without a big hook, but the storytelling is so good that it's an enchanting listen nonetheless

6 The Shadows A Place In The Sun The Shadows going back to instrumentals is wise, and this is a lovely dreamy twangy number with nice percussion elements

6 Elvis Presley Love Letters The original of this by Ketty Lester was brilliant: this cover less so though I do think it suits Elvis well and he does a good job

6 The Critters Younger Girl Only hit for this US group: an interesting slightly echoey production with gentle vocals creating a warm and intimate track

5 Herman's Hermits This Door Swings Both Ways A sweet little song here with a slow opening leading into quite a punchy number with a catchy melody, but nothing outstandjng

5 Joy Marshall The More I See You Only hit for this US soul singer and another version of this: she has a great voice but it's too similar to Chris's to be necessary

5 Petula Clark I Couldn't Live Without Your Love I always love Petula's voice but her songs can sometimes sound rather prim and proper and this is an example, but a good tune

4 The Bachelors Can I Trust You Not a big hit and sounds quite odd but I think one of their more interesting ones with quite a dark, menacing quality to the vocals

4 Manfred Mann You Gave Me Somebody To Love Strange that this reached #36 straight after a chart topper for them: a competent cover of a sweet song but doesn't stand out

3 Frank Ifield No One Will Ever Know A sleepy one from Frank though he does sing it well with some of his trademark touches, and the violins bring a nice atmosphere

 

 

1966 Group 11:

 

#2656 09/07/1966 David And Jonathan Lovers Of The World Unite 7 48-46-35-27-28-24-14-10-9-{7}-9-11-12-22-32-41->16

#2657 16/07/1966 The Walker Brothers (Baby) You Don't Have To Tell Me 13 27-21-{13}-13-23-30-37-50->8

#2658 16/07/1966 The Troggs With A Girl Like You 1 29-10-3-{1}-1-2-3-5-9-21-34-48->12

#2659 16/07/1966 The Lovin' Spoonful Summer In The City 8 43-28-16-12-9-{8}-12-10-17-28-37->11

#2660 16/07/1966 The Temptations Ain't Too Proud To Beg 21 44-42-39-31-29-29-24-{21}-25-34-45->11

#2661 16/07/1966 Otis Redding My Lover's Prayer 37 47-39-{37}-40-44-50->6

#2662 16/07/1966 Paul And Barry Ryan I Love How You Love Me 21 48-41-29-26-{21}-32-36->7

#2663 16/07/1966 The Alan Price Set Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo 11 49-34-21-17-15-12-{11}-12-14-20-30-44->12

#2664 23/07/1966 Cliff Richard Visions 7 29-18-15-12-{7}-7-7-12-19-27-35-43->12

#2665 23/07/1966 Bob Dylan I Want You 16 32-22-18-{16}-17-18-20-26-44->9

#2666 23/07/1966 The Four Tops Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever 21 44-41-46-38-26-26-22-{21}-31-36-45-50->12

#2667 23/07/1966 Tommy James And The Shondells Hanky Panky 38 45-42-{38}-40-38-40-40->7

#2668 30/07/1966 The Beach Boys God Only Knows 2 34-16-5-3-{2}-2-3-5-8-16-21-25-31-41->14

#2669 30/07/1966 The Mamas And The Papas I Saw Her Again 11 38-24-17-15-13-{11}-13-17-28-32-45->11

#2670 06/08/1966 Ken Dodd More Than Love 14 34-22-16-{14}-15-16-18-23-29-41-50->11

Edited October 15, 20231 yr by JulianT

I absolutely love "Summer In The City" - unfortunately it's come up against a behemoth.

 

10 The Beach Boys God Only Knows Up there with the greatest records ever: harmonically and instrumentally really interesting but also incredibly tender and moving

9 The Lovin' Spoonful Summer In The City "Daydream" was great but I absolutely love the grittiness of this and again it's musically really interesting - was a US #1

8 Bob Dylan I Want You I really like this one: again I tend to prefer Dylan when he's romantic rather than angry and the instrumentals on this are lovely

7 David And Jonathan Lovers Of The World Unite A huge step up from their "Michelle" cover; very strong tune and a really lovely and sweet song; also an excellent guitar riff

7 The Mamas And The Papas I Saw Her Again I didn't know this one; it's a really good bright and breezy folky song with nice harmonies, a strong rhythm and rich production

6 The Four Tops Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever Their 3rd minor hit before they strike it big: this is a good one with excellent lead and backing vocals and an upbeat Motown feel

6 Tommy James And The Shondells Hanky Panky Debut for this American group which was very minor here but a US #1 - it's a catchy fun rock song with an Elvis-esque feel

5 The Troggs With A Girl Like You 221st #1: "ba ba ba ba ba" - certainly catchy and you can see why it topped the charts, but not the most sensitive of tracks

5 The Walker Brothers (Baby) You Don't Have To Tell Me Missed the Top 10 and has that stately production and vocal style that made their huge hits great, but the melody is lacking

5 Otis Redding My Lover's Prayer A laid back jazzy track with brass and piano and a very strong vocal from Otis - points for classiness certainly but not memorable

4 The Alan Price Set Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo Another cover from him, of a hit from a few years before - can't say I really see the point but it's a perfectly serviceable version

4 The Temptations Ain't Too Proud To Beg Debut Top 40 for this US Motown group after "My Girl" somehow only made #43: for me this one is fairly nondescript all in all

3 Paul And Barry Ryan I Love How You Love Me This is quite bizarre: a cover of this early 60s song that inexplicably has bagpipes added to it - doesn't really add anything much

2 Cliff Richard Visions Very much the drippy and saccharine style of Cliff song here: they seem to chart better than his more interesting ones though

1 Ken Dodd More Than Love The tune sounds like it's been taken from a classical piece (I can't place it) and turned into a very turgid ballad: obviously it's awful

 

 

 

1966 Group 12:

 

#2671 06/08/1966 Manfred Mann Just Like A Woman 10 37-27-18-16-13-11-{10}-20-28-38->10

#2672 06/08/1966 Napoleon XIV They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! 4 42-31-10-{4}-4-4-7-16-27-40->10

#2673 06/08/1966 Billy Fury Give Me Your Word 27 44-37-28-30-{27}-33-46->7

#2674 06/08/1966 Robert Parker Barefootin' 24 45-36-27-25-{24}-24-35-50->8

#2675 06/08/1966 Percy Sledge Warm And Tender Love 34 49-41-39-{34}-34-39-42->7

#2676 13/08/1966 The Beatles Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby 1 8-{1}-1-1-1-3-5-9-18-26-30-33-42->13

#2677 13/08/1966 Small Faces All Or Nothing 1 39-20-9-3-2-{1}-2-8-13-21-33-49->12

#2678 13/08/1966 Lee Dorsey Working In The Coalmine 8 48-34-29-19-10-{8}-10-13-19-24-34->11

#2679 13/08/1966 Cliff Bennett And The Rebel Rousers Got To Get You Into My Life 6 49-35-23-18-15-{6}-9-15-23-31-40->11

#2680 20/08/1966 Roy Orbison Too Soon To Know 3 25-17-8-5-4-{3}-5-8-14-15-20-21-27-34-39-38-46->17

#2681 20/08/1966 Jim Reeves Distant Drums 1 33-22-17-6-2-{1}-1-1-1-1-3-4-7-11-12-12-14-14-14-16-17-22-25-33-40->25

#2682 20/08/1966 Zoot Money And The Big Roll Band Big Time Operator 25 41-32-{25}-28-29-25-31-47->8

#2683 20/08/1966 Stevie Wonder Blowin' In The Wind 36 42-38-37-37-{36}->5

#2684 20/08/1966 Edwin Starr Headline News 39 43-{39}-39->3

#2685 20/08/1966 Junior Walker And The All Stars How Sweet It Is 22 48-43-32-27-{22}-24-26-34-41-49->10

Edited October 16, 20231 yr by JulianT

Group The 10:

 

Out Of Time has the disadvantage of me first being aware of the Dan McCafferty 1975 cover (he of Nazareth with the big vocals) and the Rolling Stones original joined Dan and Chris' original in the UK charts of the time all competing so none of them made the top 30, but all went top 50. It's a pretty fine track here though.

 

Get Away is pleasant, but I have no memories attached to it (for once!), but The More I see You was a fave, lovely melody, with a certain faulty-vocal charm to it. Black Is Black was a bug tune of the time I knew, and one I loved a few years later from my Aunty's collection of singles, and even better than the cheesy fab cover from La Belle Epoque. 2nd fave of the group for me.

 

Mama is OK, but Goin' Back is pure marvellousness from Dusty. tasteful, classy and Carole King song, what's not to love! Love Letters is OK, prefer the original. Petula's I Couldnt Live Without Your Love is another fave of the era, Tony Hatch on form, very singalongable.

 

The rest are a mystery to me...

 

 

 

 

Group 11:

 

God Only Knows is indeed one of the greatest records of all time, immaculate, perfection in every way, and a song so difficult to convincingly sing that few attempt it, I think Andy Williams managed a decent version but really anyone trying is just going to come off badly in comparison.

 

Summer In The City is fab, total 1966 for me, still exciting. I Want You is decent Dylan, but it's one of my my faves of the time I'm going for here as follow-up to Beach Boys:

 

Lovers Of The World Unite, what a total tune, David & Jonathan were actually hit songwriters Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook. They already hat a fab fave hit with You've Got Your Troubles, and a future hit with Softly Whispering I Love You (covered in 1971 by the powerful Congregation). Roger Cook formed a hit-making band Blue Mink along with the Ab Fab Madeleine Bell & Herbie "Walk On The Wild Side" bassline/Grandad Flowers. So all of their hits, and a selection of hits cropping up like I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing, Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress, A Way Of Life, I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman, Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart, and many many more.

 

I Saw Her Again was one I caught in 1974 off their Greatest Hits, and it's pretty damn fine Mamas & Papas, The Four Tops track is a minor goodie covered by Nick Kamen in 1986-ish, and Hanky Panky is fun - not one I knew at the time, but I became a big Tommy James fan (apart from Mony Mony which I loved in 1968) in the 80's discovering a fabulous back catalogue that stiffed in the UK. The Troggs is a catchy hook, but never really saw why it was so big - except as follow-up to Wild Thing.

 

Hi Lilli Hi Lo was better know than you'd think these days, certainly one I could sing a bit of, it's OK, Ain't Too Proud To Beg wasn't that well known OTOH, but came to be regarded as a Tempts classic in the 80's.

 

the rest TBC when I hear them....

 

Great to see Orbison and Reeves getting smash hits but shame the songs aren’t the best. Instead it’s the Fab Four getting another win, and Napoleon XIV deserves a feature too.

 

9 The Beatles Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby 222nd #1: another brilliant double A but while "Eleanor Rigby" is a 10 no question, "Yellow Submarine" is more like an 8 for me

9 Napoleon XIV They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! A US 1 hit wonder, real name, Jerry Samuels, wrote and performed this unique novelty song and it's utterly delightful

8 Small Faces All Or Nothing 223rd #1: fair enough that this was the song that took them to the top as it's a great piece of slightly psychadelic pop rock

7 Robert Parker Barefootin' Only hit for this US R&B singer: it's a really funky soulful dance number with a rhythmic brass led accompaniment and twanging

7 Zoot Money And The Big Roll Band Big Time Operator Only hit for this English singer and bandleader: again this has an excellent brass riff which carried the track: a feel good number

6 Roy Orbison Too Soon To Know Last really big hit until he dies: not a huge favourite and doesn't build like his best ones, but still a crushingly emotional ballad

6 Jim Reeves Distant Drums 224th #1: his only #1 and not his very best song, based around a wartime theme, but the posthumous orchestral remake lifts it

6 Lee Dorsey Working In The Coalmine This really does give you a sense of coalmine life with the sound effects and repetition of the main riff ad nauseam: it is clever

5 Cliff Bennett And The Rebel Rousers Got To Get You Into My Life A cover of a "Revolver" song which went Top 10: I can't say this adds much to the original but it's decent and faithfully done

5 Percy Sledge Warm And Tender Love His only hit other than the famous one but I slightly prefer it: feels like a warm hug with the slow tempo and soulful vocals

4 Edwin Starr Headline News The "Extra! Extra!…" riff on this is quite clever but also slightly irritating and one dimensional: still a fairly fun and soulful song

4 Stevie Wonder Blowin' In The Wind An interesting choice of cover from Stevie and he does at least bring a different dimension to the record, but all in all lacks punch

3 Billy Fury Give Me Your Word A Tennessee Ernie Ford cover and last of Billy's 26 Top 40s: his vocals are lovely as ever but lacks the drama of the original

3 Manfred Mann Just Like A Woman A Bob Dylan cover; it's done in quite a polished way and the vocals may even be improved but it lacks the original quirky energy

2 Junior Walker And The All Stars How Sweet It Is The Gaye original wasn't a hit here: not a favourite of mine anyway and this has some odd background talking and whooping

 

 

 

 

1966 Group 13:

 

#2686 27/08/1966 Otis Redding I Can't Turn You Loose 29 42-33-32-30-{29}-33-39-47->8

#2687 27/08/1966 The Mindbenders Ashes To Ashes 14 45-29-22-16-{14}-20-26-36-47->9

#2688 27/08/1966 Chris Andrews Stop That Girl 36 47-{36}-36-45->4

#2689 03/09/1966 The Spencer Davis Group When I Come Home 12 38-23-15-{12}-19-20-23-32-43->9

#2690 03/09/1966 Wilson Pickett Land Of 1000 Dances 22 41-34-25-{22}-24-25-29-36-40->9

#2691 03/09/1966 The Who I'm A Boy 2 42-20-14-4-{2}-3-3-5-8-16-19-36-50->13

#2692 10/09/1966 The Seekers Walk With Me 10 31-23-17-{10}-11-11-12-16-24-30-33-43->12

#2693 10/09/1966 Sonny And Cher Little Man 4 35-12-6-{4}-5-8-13-24-33-40->10

#2694 10/09/1966 The Supremes You Can't Hurry Love 3 38-13-7-{3}-4-6-9-12-20-25-35-41->12

#2695 10/09/1966 The New Vaudeville Band Winchester Cathedral 4 42-26-18-7-6-{4}-6-5-5-10-14-22-26-29-29-30-47-33-43->19

#2696 10/09/1966 Sandie Shaw Run 32 43-33-{32}-39-46->5

#2697 10/09/1966 Los Bravos I Don't Care 16 44-40-26-21-{16}-17-19-27-40-39-45->11

#2698 10/09/1966 Bobby Hebb Sunny 12 45-32-21-14-{12}-15-22-31-46->9

#2699 10/09/1966 Billy Stewart Summertime 39 46-{39}->2

#2700 17/09/1966 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Bend It! 2 37-13-6-{2}-2-3-6-9-15-19-24-33->12

Edited October 18, 20231 yr by JulianT

Group 12:

 

It was all about The Beatles in Liverpool for me that Autumn/Winter - Yellow Submarine was a playground anthem beloved of kids, Eleanor Rigby was sad and haunting and melodic. 50 years on and Yellow Submarine is iconic (there are yellow submarines all over the place, not least one in Gran Canaria) but let's be honest it's a charming novelty rather than in the same class as Eleanor Rigby, which is probably. Paul McCartney's finest song, along with George Martin - The rest of the gang aren't on it. It's pure Liverpool and pure class. Pop perfection.

 

Napoleon was a kiddie fave too, amusing and a hit again in the USA in 1973, though I expect it's not PC these days. All Or Nothing has never moved me, it's OK at best, Barefootin' ditto, never really meant anything much to me. Zoot Money had Andy Summers of The Police in the band, Roy Orbison is still prob the best in this paragraph, albeit not one of his classics.

 

Distant Drums is a family fave, we all loved it, and it was the go-to tune for 2-Way family favourites radio shows broadcast to UK forces each Sunday, as families away from home regularly requested it. I still can't hear it without being transported back to both 1966, when the sadness of Jim having died was still fresh, and also back to Singapore 1970/71 when it was always on the radio and on my reel-to-reel tapes (songs recorded off the radio). Honey-sweet vocals and sadness.

 

Working In A Coalmine was another pop pick fave of the time, still enjoy it, not least cos dad and grandad had worked in coalmines, and my brother would too in the 70's and 80's. A cover of Got To Get You Into My Life is better than no hit at all, but it's all about The Beatles version which was a hit single in 1976 in the US. The UK opted for Back In The USSR instead. Both are fabulous. Warm & tender Love is a bit dull for me, Headline News is more like it and Edwin Starr moved to the UK in his later career so kudos to him. Stevie's version of Blowin In The Wind is OK, but there were better versions about. Manfred Mann's Dylan cover though is the one I prefer to other versions - it's pretty decent, but they'd do better covers. Lots of 'em! Junior Walker's cover is pretty decent too, but again way better to come for both Junior and Marvin Gaye.

 

 

Overall this is one of the best groups since I started with really no duds at all and a couple of big classics!

 

9 The Supremes You Can't Hurry Love They had a few classics but think this may be their very best; what an immaculate piece of Motown pop with great storytelling

9 Bobby Hebb Sunny This will be covered goodness knows how many times but here's the original: a marvellously soulful and infectious number

8 Billy Stewart Summertime Only hit for this US R&B singer - an extraordinary cover of this jazz standard with the most all over the place vocals and scatting

8 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Bend It! Alarmingly similar to "Zorba's Dance" but with words - nonetheless a great and entertaining record with clever tempo changes

8 Wilson Pickett Land Of 1000 Dances "Here Comes The Hotstepper" will use the "Na, na na na na" riff in nearly 30 years; this is rightly one of his signature songs

7 The Seekers Walk With Me Has that medieval instrument sound and it works really well as a record - quite mesmerising and the tune gets stuck in your head

7 Sandie Shaw Run The riff representing wind and the urgency of getting away is great: funny all her records seem to be about unwanted attention

7 The Mindbenders Ashes To Ashes Last Top 40 for them and it's a lovely slightly hypnotic gently delivered number with delicate piano touches in the background

6 The New Vaudeville Band Winchester Cathedral A novelty group created by Geoff Stephens to record this song which was a surprise hit, and it's very charming and unusual

6 Sonny And Cher Little Man Something different and again appreciate the medieval sound, though there's something a bit sinister about Sonny's part here

6 Chris Andrews Stop That Girl The usual style from him - a big brassy production and a strong catchy melody sung very nicely, but a surprisingly small hit

5 The Who I'm A Boy The 2nd of their 2 #2s and it's no "My Generation", but a nice understated song with a catchy riff and good guitar action

5 Otis Redding I Can't Turn You Loose He almost rhythmically splutters his way through which is interesting - otherwise nice enough but doesn't leave a big impression

4 The Spencer Davis Group When I Come Home This follow up to back to back chart toppers missed the Top 10 and you can see why: nicely constructed song but unremarkable

4 Los Bravos I Don't Care A pleasant tune here but somehow it doesn't quite hit the mark, and certainly lacks the impact and drama of "Black Is Black"

 

 

 

1966 Group 14:

 

#2701 17/09/1966 Dusty Springfield All I See Is You 9 41-19-11-{9}-10-11-11-17-23-23-29-43->12

#2702 17/09/1966 The Sandpipers Guantanamera 7 43-31-18-10-{7}-7-7-8-12-15-19-24-28-31-34-50-45->17

#2703 17/09/1966 Sandy Posey Born A Woman 24 47-40-38-31-28-{24}-25-31-32-38-47->11

#2704 17/09/1966 The Mike Sammes Singers Somewhere My Love 14 50-41-34-28-30-27-30-29-29-26-25-22-22-25-26-29-35-41-48-31R(25)-{14}-31-31-41-39-42-38-45-39-46-37-33-30-35-44-48-41-47->38

#2705 24/09/1966 The Walker Brothers Another Tear Falls 12 33-23-14-{12}-18-26-37-43->8

#2706 24/09/1966 Georgie Fame Sunny 13 38-22-15-{13}-14-19-30-45->8

#2707 24/09/1966 Andy Williams In The Arms Of Love 33 39-40-{33}-33-35-35-44->7

#2708 24/09/1966 David Garrick Dear Mrs Applebee 22 43-36-27-{22}-23-28-36-48-44->9

#2709 24/09/1966 Peter And Gordon Lady Godiva 16 46-30-24-{16}-16-17-23-21-30-32-48->11

#2710 24/09/1966 Cher Sunny 32 47-37-{32}-37-43->5

#2711 24/09/1966 Chris Montez There Will Never Be Another You 37 49-46-{37}-46->4

#2712 01/10/1966 The Rolling Stones Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? 5 17-7-{5}-8-10-19-22-39->8

#2713 01/10/1966 Frank Sinatra Summer Wind 36 41-{36}-38-37-39->5

#2714 01/10/1966 The Four Seasons I've Got You Under My Skin 12 42-29-18-20-14-{12}-17-22-26-34-44->11

#2715 01/10/1966 The Troggs I Can't Control Myself 2 43-17-9-4-{2}-3-6-8-11-19-25-35-50->13

Edited October 25, 20231 yr by JulianT

I think 1966 must be my favourite year for music (of the charting variety anyway) until the late 1970s. Two of my all-time favourites in the last couple of days, 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'You Can't Hurry Love' :wub: