Some good Beatles picks there and a big fan of 'God Only Knows' as well plus 'You Can't Hurry Love' which is good too!

Oops sorry Julian I've fallen so far behind! Had a big catch up and my favourites since last commenting are: 'The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore', 'California Dreamin', 'Paint It, Black', 'River Deep, Mountain High', 'Paperback Writer', 'Sunny Afternoon', 'Out Of Time', 'God Only Knows', 'Eleanor Rigby' + 'Bend It!' :wub: and that was me trying to cut down highlights as much as possible so what an incredible period for chart music.

 

I agree with John that 'California Dreamin' is an all-time great song so I was chuffed that it made it to the final round of the song competition going on in the Lounge right now *.*

 

I remember pushing for 'They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!' to get a play during our Sunday SyncTube sessions to see people's reaction and you guys wonderfully obliged, I think attendees were rather puzzled by that one :rofl: understandably!!

Batch 13:

 

You Can't Hurry Love is fab, a key track on their Greatest Hits that we recorded off a neighbour in Singapore in 1970, still the best version (sorry Phil). Sunny is a fave of the time, though I had no idea who sang it originally until the 70's, it was always Georgie Fame in my head. Lovely song. I assume Summertime is the 30's-era song as done brilliantly by Fun Boy Three. Not heard this version.

 

Bend It was also a fun fave of the time, loved/love DDBM&T. Ooh I didnt know Hotstepper nicked that riff from Wilson Pickett. Prob his best record. Winchester Cathedral was a monster hit of the time that made an impression on me, loved the vintage 20's feel to it and it only took me 16 years to get to see Winchester Cathedral!

 

Little Man another I liked, and rediscovered over a decade or more later and realised I knew it already, and loved those rhythms and hooks. I'm A Boy is OK, which is generally my default position for Who tracks of the 60's bar 4 gems. The rest remain a mystery to me for now but I bet some of them ring a bell when I play them.

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

 

The instrumental with the organ definitely sounds like it influenced Procol Harum's 'Whiter Shade of Pale'!

Time for a 3rd win for Dusty. I've not always been convinced by her songs though her performances are always excellent, but this time the song really does her justice and all that wonderful angst really hits home.

 

8 Dusty Springfield All I See Is You Dusty at her heartbreaking best - what a performance and with every turn the song gets that little bit more desparate and intense

8 The Sandpipers Guantanamera Not an original but what a tune: this has been in my head all day and it's the kind of record that brings a big smile to the face

7 The Rolling Stones Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? A great rock 'n' roll number with a brass riff; this romps along excellently and the backing vocal "eye, eye, eye" is very effective

7 Peter And Gordon Lady Godiva Good to have an original song from them for a change and this is a very catchy music hall number referencing the Lady G legend

6 The Four Seasons I've Got You Under My Skin An interesting cover here - quite different from the better known jazz version by Sinatra but the close harmony here really works

6 Frank Sinatra Summer Wind A good bit of easy listening, and I like how the organ and other instruments represent the wind and people walking across the sand

5 Chris Montez There Will Never Be Another You A 1940s song that has been recorded countless times: this is a nice version and there's a real sincerity and warmth to his voice

5 Cher Sunny The more interesting of the 2 covers of this here: Cher does put a lot into this performance, but it certainly won't usurp the original

5 The Walker Brothers Another Tear Falls Another big sounding dramatic song from them in their usual style: it's decent but I think it lacks a hook to really draw you in

4 Georgie Fame Sunny This is quite similar to the original version really and there's nothing wrong with it, but I can't see what it adds to the song

4 The Troggs I Can't Control Myself Their 3rd Top 3 hit: this is quite similar to "With A Girl Like You" with more "ba ba ba"s; not bad but not something I'd seek out

3 David Garrick Dear Mrs Applebee 2nd and final hit for him done in his charmingly posh style, but I don't like this song as much as "Lady Jane" - it's rather twee

3 The Mike Sammes Singers Somewhere My Love Only hit for this group who provided backing vocals on some Beatles songs and an impressive chart run but a rather dated song

2 Andy Williams In The Arms Of Love A very slow croony one from Andy: it's meant to evoke the dreamy quality of falling in love but it's more plodding and dreary

2 Sandy Posey Born A Woman Debut hit for this US country singer all about how downtrodden women are: a bit too sorry for itself and the song is unremarkable

 

 

 

1966 Group 15:

 

#2716 08/10/1966 Herman's Hermits No Milk Today 7 35-20-17-9-{7}-9-12-18-23-33-42->11

#2717 08/10/1966 The Temptations Beauty Is Only Skin Deep 18 42-35-25-21-22-{18}-25-27-30-36->10

#2718 08/10/1966 Paul Jones High Time 4 49-39-28-15-6-{4}-5-6-10-16-20-24-28-37-49->15

#2719 15/10/1966 The Four Tops Reach Out I'll Be There 1 19-2-{1}-1-1-3-4-7-13-18-22-42-20-25-34-46->16

#2720 15/10/1966 The Hollies Stop Stop Stop 2 27-10-4-{2}-2-7-8-13-19-26-42-49->12

#2721 15/10/1966 Cliff Richard And The Shadows Time Drags By 10 34-21-13-{10}-11-18-23-27-37-37-49->11

#2722 15/10/1966 Elvis Presley All That I Am 18 40-26-22-{18}-24-27-30-35->8

#2723 15/10/1966 Bobby Darin If I Were A Carpenter 9 44-29-18-13-13-{9}-10-15-17-23-28-39->12

#2724 22/10/1966 Cilla Black A Fool Am I 13 38-23-14-14-{13}-20-21-27-38->9

#2725 22/10/1966 Cat Stevens I Love My Dog 28 39-29-{28}-28-31-34-41->7

#2726 22/10/1966 Cream Wrapping Paper 34 45-{34}-35-37-42-49->6

#2727 29/10/1966 Manfred Mann Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James 2 32-11-3-{2}-5-5-7-12-15-35-28-42->12

#2728 29/10/1966 Eric Burdon And The Animals Help Me Girl 14 36-27-20-17-{14}-20-24-33-47->9

#2729 29/10/1966 Chris Farlowe Ride On Baby 31 37-34-34-32-{31}-31-39->7

 

It has to be The Four Tops at the top today but "No Milk Today" is the song going round and round my head!

 

9 The Four Tops Reach Out I'll Be There 225th #1: reversal of fortune after their first 3 hits missed the Top 20; deserved for one of the very greatest Motown songs

9 Herman's Hermits No Milk Today My favourite song of theirs - an astoundingly catchy and lyrically clever number and love the chorus chimes and harmonies

8 Bobby Darin If I Were A Carpenter Last of 17 Top 40s for Bobby: it's a gorgeous cover that he sings with a beautiful intimacy over a slightly folky accompaniment

8 Manfred Mann Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James They've been having some line-up changes but it didn’t stop this being a big hit, and no wonder as it's ultra catchy and clever

8 The Hollies Stop Stop Stop Their 3rd runner up hit: this has a great frantic and relentless feel to it, and love the Middle Eastern style in the banjo part

7 Eric Burdon And The Animals Help Me Girl A new line-up for The Animals created by Eric Burdon: a strong upbeat number that still has the elements that made them great

7 Cream Wrapping Paper First hit for this British rock band: I really enjoy the almost whispered confidential feel to the vocals; a warm hug of a song

7 Cat Stevens I Love My Dog First hit for Yusuf and a minor one, but the accompaniment has a lovely rich sound and all in all it's another very warm feeling song

6 Elvis Presley All That I Am A slightly croony but still sweet ballad here really tenderly delivered by Elvis with the violin line really complementing the vocals

6 Chris Farlowe Ride On Baby Not dissimilar to "Out Of Time" in style and a relative flop, but still a good song with his usual dramatic and emotional delivery

5 Cliff Richard And The Shadows Time Drags By Not entirely memorable but this has a really nice laid back country feel to it and particularly enjoy the use of the harmonica

5 Paul Jones High Time Originally the Manfred Mann lead singer, this is his 1st solo hit and it's very catchy hence the success, though borders on grating

4 The Temptations Beauty Is Only Skin Deep Another one of those "you're ugly but I don't mind because I'm so nice" songs; otherwise it's a nice fairly standard soul style song

3 Cilla Black A Fool Am I "FOOL AM AAAAAYE": a dramatic heartbreak ballad; the verses with the quiet string backing are quite nice but the chorus less so

 

 

 

1966 Group 16:

 

#2730 29/10/1966 Ike And Tina Turner A Love Like Yours 16 38-32-26-21-{16}-17-18-28-33-43->10

#2731 29/10/1966 Lee Dorsey Holy Cow 6 42-25-16-{6}-7-6-10-15-19-14-27-37->12

#2732 29/10/1966 P.J. Proby I Can't Make It Alone 37 44-48-42-{37}-45->5

#2733 29/10/1966 Ken Dodd It's Love 36 45-41-38-40-38-{36}-41->7

#2734 29/10/1966 The Easybeats Friday On My Mind 6 48-39-33-20-17-11-9-{6}-7-7-12-14-21-31-44->15

#2735 29/10/1966 Jimmy Ruffin What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted 8 50-43-41-24-21-14-12-10-12-{8}-14-16-22-28-42->15

#2736 05/11/1966 The Beach Boys Good Vibrations 1 15-5-{1}-1-2-2-5-9-11-11-15-23-36->13

#2737 05/11/1966 The Spencer Davis Group Gimme Some Loving 2 26-8-4-{2}-3-5-8-11-25-21-30-41->12

#2738 05/11/1966 The Creation Painter Man 36 38-{36}->2

#2739 05/11/1966 Val Doonican What Would I Be 2 47-31-16-9-4-3-{2}-3-6-7-10-18-18-27-30-39-42->17

#2740 12/11/1966 Tom Jones Green, Green Grass Of Home 1 35-10-3-{1}-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-5-7-12-18-21-28-31-35-38-50->22

#2741 12/11/1966 Gene Pitney Just One Smile 8 46-28-13-9-{8}-11-16-26-18-24-35-42->12

#2742 12/11/1966 The Righteous Brothers The White Cliffs Of Dover 21 49-41-28-25-{21}-24-31-41-44->9

#2743 19/11/1966 Small Faces My Mind's Eye 4 29-15-8-{4}-4-10-15-10-20-32-48->11

Batch 14:

 

Yes, Dusty on top no question there. Of the rest that I know, Georgie Fame's version of Sunny is my next nearest fave. His vocals were always smooth and warm, though it's not much different from Bobby Hebb otherwise, it is the version I knew best at the time. Cher's cover is OK. The Walker Brothers and The Troggs are my next faves these days, but at the time it was all about Guantanamera and Somewhere My Love, both big tunes on Radio 2 in the late 60's early 70's. I'm still fond of them, though. Guantanamera especially as in Singapore we lived on Tanah Merah Besar (now knocked down and part of the new Changi Prison) so when Guantanamera popped up on 2-Way Family Favourites It just sounded like our house address (122F was the number, time a song had that one in it. I may have to write one!). Also Tanamerah is the capital of Singerpurear :lol:

 

The Stones song is OK, never been a particular fave, The Four Seasons cover ditto, their own songs were way better. Chris Montez' is OK, Sandy Posey just about passable, but a gem upcoming. Dear Mrs Appleby just a tad too posh for me, but charming enough.

 

Batch 15:

 

Ooh! classics time: Reach Out is a masterpiece, with one of the greatest performances from one of the greatest vocalists of all-time, Levi Stubbs. Ignore remixes and go for the original, and if needed the Gloria Gaynor disco cover which is equally stomping and frantic. No Milk Today is brilliant, Peter Noone is still touring in the USA (rarely ever comes back to the UK) and still fun, and as I've mentioned before I caught a concert at Epcot. No Milk Today is Herman's Hermits greatest record, a song written by Graham Gouldman teen songwriting prodigy and future core member of 10CC throughout their touring career. Got my ticket.

 

Stop Stop Stop is also one of the Hollies greatest singles, love it, Manfred Mann's Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James was rumoured to be about Paul Jones, lead singer who had now left to be replaced by songwriter Mike D'abo - my favourite Manfred era starts here, much preferred the less bluesy poppier Manfreds at the time. I like both versions these days. Talking of Mr. J. High Time is decent enough and one I knew a little at the time. My fave back at the year-end of '66 here? No Milk Today then Stop Stop Stop.

 

Bobby Darin's version of If I Were A Carpenter was one of a much-covered song back then, but The Four Tops' version is my fave apart from Tim Hardin's subtle own version. I Love My Dog is a decent intro to Cat Stevens, shortly to hit with one of my classic faves of 1967, Beauty's Only Skin Deep is OK Temptations, and Cilla's A Fool Am I is a decent ballad.

 

 

I know and like 'No Milk Today' its very catchy indeed! I also really like 'Reach Out (I'll Be There)' and its strong vocals.

Another strong group with some big classics!

 

9 The Beach Boys Good Vibrations 226th #1: last of their incredible run of 4 hits for this year: another brilliantly composed song that makes the most of their talents

9 Jimmy Ruffin What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted First hit for this US soul singer whose brother was in The Temptations; a classic Motown ballad spendidly performed and produced

8 The Spencer Davis Group Gimme Some Loving A bit of a classic here with a fantastic instrumental intro - fell short of #1 but certainly better than at least 1 of their chart toppers

8 The Easybeats Friday On My Mind An Australian rock group here with the 1st of their 2 hits: it's a great slightly dark song with sultry vocals and ominous twanging

8 Val Doonican What Would I Be Possibly his best as well as his biggest hit - a lovely wistful little song: he and the backing singers give it the right tender mood

7 The Creation Painter Man Only hit for this UK rock band but deserved to do much better: it's a very catchy chorus with a nice cello led accompaniment

7 Lee Dorsey Holy Cow Last and biggest hit for Lee and a very enjoyable one: a strong tune soulfully delivered and the backing singers are used well

6 Gene Pitney Just One Smile As usual it's high emotion and drama from Gene excellently sung: I don't think this is one of his very best but it's a strong chorus

6 P.J. Proby I Can't Make It Alone I've been harsh on Proby but with the right track he does bring a lot of emotion: you really feel the desperation here; good song

5 Ike And Tina Turner A Love Like Yours This has the big wall of sound production of "River Deep" and nice instrumentation, but I don't think the tune is engaging enough

4 Small Faces My Mind's Eye Another big hit for them and it's certainly catchy and can understand its success: find it both lyrically and musically a little basic

4 Tom Jones Green, Green Grass Of Home 227th #1: it's a decent tune and certainly one of his better hits but I'm still not fond of it, and I really don't enjoy the spoken part

3 Ken Dodd It's Love A jolly number with a decent tune and therefore one of his better ones, but there's still something twee and awkward about it

2 The Righteous Brothers The White Cliffs Of Dover It's clear who Robson & Jerome modelled themselves on: this wartime song is not one I want to hear covered, however well

 

 

 

1966 Group 17:

 

#2744 19/11/1966 ? And The Mysterians 96 Tears 37 48-40-{37}-40->4

#2745 26/11/1966 The Kinks Dead End Street 5 33-16-11-7-{5}-5-6-9-15-20-38->11

#2746 26/11/1966 The Seekers Morningtown Ride 2 35-18-6-3-{2}-4-2-2-4-8-10-23-33-35-50->15

#2747 26/11/1966 Otis Redding Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) 23 36-28-{23}-27-27-30-39-40-47->9

#2748 26/11/1966 Sandie Shaw Think Sometimes About Me 32 37-{32}-35-43->4

#2749 03/12/1966 The Supremes You Keep Me Hangin' On 8 29-15-9-{8}-10-8-11-17-24-37->10

#2750 03/12/1966 Roy Orbison There Won't Be Many Coming Home 12 39-26-19-18-{12}-24-28-36-41->9

#2751 03/12/1966 Elvis Presley If Every Day Was Like Christmas 9 40-20-16-13-{9}-22-45->7

#2752 03/12/1966 The Bachelors Walk With Faith In Your Heart 21 42-30-22-23-{21}-26-26-31-40->9

#2753 03/12/1966 The Barron Knights With Duke D'Mond Under New Management 15 46-34-21-20-20-{15}-18-29-44->9

#2754 03/12/1966 Martha And The Vandellas I'm Ready For Love 22 47-38-32-29-{22}-31-31-39->8

#2755 03/12/1966 Rita Pavone Heart 27 49-42-48-44-40-40-38-33-{27}-28-32-43->12

#2756 03/12/1966 Herman's Hermits East West 33 50-47-41-37-{33}-38-48->7

#2757 10/12/1966 Donovan Sunshine Superman 2 31-13-4-{2}-3-2-5-14-25-34-37->11

Edited October 30, 20231 yr by JulianT

'Reach Out (I'll Be There)' is a good motown oldie. Think from what I know of all the covers that I have heard.. I'm in agreement that the Four Tops version is the best one!

 

'Good Vibrations' is an excellent record too and a perfect feel good song as the title says!

 

'What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted', a effortlessly sang Motown track with emotional and raw lyrics as well!

'No Milk Today' really is such an earworm! I have it stuck in my head surprisingly often for something I must've only listened to a handful of times :lol:

 

'Reach Out (I'll Be There)' and 'Good Vibrations' are rightfully classics :heart:

"Question Mark" is an excellent name for a musical act, but more importantly "96 Tears" is a wonderful and influential track despite being a very small hit here and today's winner.

 

9 ? And The Mysterians 96 Tears Only hit here for this US rock band and a Billboard #1; a marvellous track where each short organ note seems to represent a tear

8 The Supremes You Keep Me Hangin' On What really makes this track is the relentless single note guitar riff giving the feeling of being trapped: another classic from them

8 Rita Pavone Heart This Italian singer and actress had just 2 small hits here: this is a great song and a stunning and incredibly powerful performance

7 Donovan Sunshine Superman His biggest hit which reached #2; more rocky and less folky than his earlier ones but also great with a delightfully laid back attitude

7 The Kinks Dead End Street Another great tune from them and the track has a nice quirkiness - like the shouted "heys" and it has a sad but spirited mood

6 Martha And The Vandellas I'm Ready For Love They still haven't managed to crack the top 20 here despite some cracking tunes, and this is another very nice pacey Motown track

6 Elvis Presley If Every Day Was Like Christmas It's not quite "Blue Christmas" but it's grown on me: a very nice gentle dreamy quality and like the sliding instrument in the chorus

5 Sandie Shaw Think Sometimes About Me A nice heartbreak ballad from Sandy set to a waltz style triple time track, but doesn't quite manage to really excite or move me

5 The Barron Knights With Duke D'Mond Under New Management Another very funny parody from them well worth a listen: particularly like the politician's "bla bla bla bla bla" to the Troggs tune

4 The Seekers Morningtown Ride The Seekers always tread a fine line between soulful and twee and I think this narrowly falls the wrong side and it's slightly ploddy

4 Herman's Hermits East West I guess this was released with Christmas in mind; quite a sweet one with a lilting compound rhythm but also a little saccharine

3 Otis Redding Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) He's so sad he can't even come up with any lyrics; I guess it creates the mood it sets out to create but sounds slightly silly to me

2 Roy Orbison There Won't Be Many Coming Home Never keen on war tracks: he sings it very well of course and it's an anti-war message but a grimly basic melody over a march beat

2 The Bachelors Walk With Faith In Your Heart A cover of a late 50s Johnny Nash track that reminds me of "You'll Never Walk Alone"; like most of theirs doesn't do a lot for me

 

 

1966 Group 18:

 

#2758 10/12/1966 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Save Me 3 32-17-6-{3}-4-5-8-16-22-33->10

#2759 10/12/1966 Wayne Fontana Pamela Pamela 11 45-34-35-23-16-12-14-15-{11}-18-31-40->12

#2760 10/12/1966 Frank Ifield Call Her Your Sweetheart 24 50-45-41-36-29-27-{24}-25-30-31-41->11

#2761 17/12/1966 The Who Happy Jack 3 30-17-13-5-6-{3}-5-9-21-36-49->11

#2762 17/12/1966 Cliff Richard And The Shadows In The Country 6 36-21-17-9-7-{6}-10-16-28-46->10

#2763 17/12/1966 The Troggs Any Way That You Want Me 8 39-25-19-13-{8}-9-13-20-29-44->10

#2764 17/12/1966 The Walker Brothers Deadlier Than The Male 32 40-36-{32}-34-35-43->6

#2765 17/12/1966 The Temptations (I Know) I'm Losing You 19 47-32-31-23-{19}-19-21-35-41->9

#2766 17/12/1966 Wilson Pickett Mustang Sally 28 49-38-34-30-29-{28}-35->7

#2767 17/12/1966 Cream I Feel Free 11 50-40-27-25-21-13-{11}-12-16-27-36-49->12

#2768 24/12/1966 The Righteous Brothers Island In The Sun 24 39-{24}-36-39-49->5

#2769 24/12/1966 Georgie Fame Sitting In The Park 12 43-18-19-13-{12}-12-13-20-28-37->10

#2770 24/12/1966 The Miracles (Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need 37 45-{37}->2

#2771 31/12/1966 Jimi Hendrix Experience Hey Joe 6 38-41-32-16-9-{6}-6-14-23-27-43->11

Edited November 3, 20231 yr by JulianT

Batch 16:

 

Good Vibrations and another masterpiece from The Beach Boys, so good it was a hit again in 1976, the year I bought their Greatest Hits album along with everyone else. This jolted The Beatles as their main competition in the crowded brilliant pop scene. Jimmy Ruffin another classic, so good it was an even bigger hit in 1974. And yet the biggest tune of the time for me was Green Green Grass Of Home, still hugely nostalgic and period-invoking. Nothing gives you a jolt to take you back there like a favourite record. It's not in the same league as the first 2 obv, though.

 

Gimme Some Lovin' is OK, never been enthusiastic about it though. Friday On My Mind is another matter entirely, always loved that one, still sounds good, and a future 70's/80's act in Flash & The Pan and brother of AC/DC to boot. What Would I be is top-notch Val, another fave of the 60's that still sounds lovely. Painter Man I got to know long after the Boney M 1979 hit version. I like it. Holy Cow is just fine, but again never been a fave. Just One Smile is another goodie from Gene, and the PJ Proby track is on my ipod now I bought his greatest hits for my auntie.

 

t'others tbc.

 

 

Batch 17:

 

The Supremes' Keep Me Hangin On is massive classic fave of the time and ever since. Kim Wilde did a great job in 1986 but this is the definitive, just SO urgent and exciting and heartbreaking all at once. 96 Tears is a goodie, The Stranglers did a great cover of it and the original is one I have vague memories of hearing without ever knowing who did it. How ironic! :D Rita Pavone I'm playing now as I have no memories of this one. Nope. Still no memory of ever hearing it before. Quite like it though.

 

Sunshine Superman is Donovan going psychedelic hippie and anything with a superhero title I was always going to love. As I did at the time and since. So much fun and catchy! Dead End Street is pretty decent but my real faves are coming up in 1967 for The Kinks. Elvis' Xmas tune is passable. Morningtown Ride was indisputably my fave track of the time and loved it for years afterwards. A Junior's Choice regular into the 70's and still sweet.

 

I think I know the Fa Fa Fa tune from way back, but need to hear it to confirm, and the rest are all tbc. One more batch to the Summer Of Love and hippie explosion year, the year when I discovered song lyrics printed in mum's Weekend magazine, started reading Enid Blyton Famous Five books, collected stamps, watched The Monkees, Doctor Who and Batman on TV, and had days on Isle Of Anglesey beaches on sunny summer days fascinated by flatfish and other rockpool sea life. Life suddenly seemed colourful and the so did the music.

 

 

1966 remains strong to the very end. Oddly Georgie Fame had 3 chart toppers and no other Top 10s at all - this was his highest peaking other hit reaching #12. For some reason I absolutely love it and it's my surprise winner to finish the year.

 

8 Georgie Fame Sitting In The Park Not sure why this one clicks with me so much but I love the tune and the pretty backing with flute: the emotion really comes over

8 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Save Me Another great tune from them with a tight arrangement and a very infectious pounding beat representing self destruction

8 Cream I Feel Free Their biggest hit though Top 10 eluded them: this is an excellent song with ethereal distant backing vocals and great guitar work

7 The Temptations (I Know) I'm Losing You I really like the sense of urgency and panic on this: the track oozes soul with great main and backing vocals and band backing

7 Cliff Richard And The Shadows In The Country Cliff's best for a long time here: a very catchy and jolly ditty well performed with effective guitar and "pa pa pa pa" backing

7 Wayne Fontana Pamela Pamela Last hit for Wayne; this has a very lovely softness and a lilting dreamy quality to it; it lulls you into his Pamela loving world

6 The Walker Brothers Deadlier Than The Male Like all their hits this is a grand and stately affair with classy vocals, instrumentation and production, and it's quite a nice tune

6 Jimi Hendrix Experience Hey Joe First hit for Jimi: I generally don't like songs about shooting people, but this certainly oozes quality with exceptional guitar playing

6 The Miracles (Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need Their first hit not credited to Smokey though he is singing: a bit of a falsetto masterclass and he certainly gets his feelings across

5 Wilson Pickett Mustang Sally A cover of an R&B hit by Mack Rice with the "ride Sally ride" hook: I can appreciate why it's an important record but don't love it

5 The Who Happy Jack Nice storytelling on this and like the setup with foreground and background vocals: not convinced the song develops much

4 The Troggs Any Way That You Want Me Their 4th Top 10: quite a nice structure with the slower verse and more explosive chorus but overall I find it a bit ordinary

3 Frank Ifield Call Her Your Sweetheart His 15th and last Top 40 aside from a 90s dance remix: it's another slow twee ballad and actually quite pleasant but rather passé

2 The Righteous Brothers Island In The Sun Their last hit apart from several re-issues to come - another cover and this really was never going to be a patch on Harry's version

 

Edited November 3, 20231 yr by JulianT

Oh I love Sitting In The Park, so jazzy laid back and melodic - the tune appealed to me as a kid, Georgie's voice is so mellow, and it's better than any of his chart-toppers. DDBM&T are always great - Howard/Blaikley under-rated experimental producer/writers who tried all sorts of stuff, they had no trademark sound or genre, mostly they were after fun or dramatic sounds & tunes. And sometimes lyrically.

 

I Feel Free is a fab track, I became a fan after I saw Belinda carlisle do a version in concert, though I'd liked it in the 70's and 80's. I Know I'm Losing You is a really strong Temptations track though lead vocalist David Ruffin would be off in about 12 months never to return - he had one even-better solo hit in 1976, though. In The Country is always one I liked, but not like some Cliff coming up that I loved. Pamela pamela is a nice one, Deadlier Than The Male was a theme tune to a movie which is when I noticed it, I think, when it popped up on telly. It's a good 'un.

 

Hey Joe is a strong one, not one I recall getting radio TV plays at the time, more of a 70's discovery, one of Hendrix's best. The Miracles' would be a bigger hit in 1971 with Smokey Robinson on top billing, s'OK. Never liked Mustang Sally, never bothered by Wilson Pickett, still don;t get either, oops! Happy Jack was a fun kiddie-appealing song of the time, but not essential Who these days. Any Way That You Want Me I knew better as a 70's mash-up cover, but it's Troggs and they were always decent.

 

I almost got a first here - Knowing them all, and then Frank & Righteous Brothers popped up at the end to ruin my small moment :lol: Roll on 1967...

 

 

1966 has easily been the best year yet with an average score of 5.69, and I don’t think it’s just that I’m going soft.

 

Gold medal: God Only Knows - The Beach Boys

 

Silver medal: These Boots Were Made For Walking - Nancy Sinatra

 

Bronze medal: California Dreamin’ - The Mamas And The Papas

 

Also receiving 9s:

Reach Out I’ll Be There - The Four Tops

Paint It, Black - The Rolling Stones

You Can’t Hurry Love - The Supremes

The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore - The Walker Brothers

Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys

Summer In The City - The Lovin’ Spoonful

Out Of Time - Chris Farlowe

No Milk Today - Herman’s Hermits

Lightning Strikes - Lou Christie

I Fought The Law - The Bobby Fuller Four

River Deep, Mountain High - Ike And Tina Turner

Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

96 Tears - ? And The Mysterians

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) - Cher

Sunny - Bobby Hebb

Homeward Bound - Simon And Garfunkel

Wild Thing - The Troggs

Paperback Writer - The Beatles

What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted - Jimmy Ruffin

Elusive Butterfly - Bob Lind

They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha Haaa! - Napoleon XIV

Barbara Ann - Beach Boys

 

Worst hit of the year: The Ballad Of The Green Berets - Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler

 

1967 Group 1 (Polyhex misses “Ruby Tuesday” from the Stones single but it was definitely a double A):

 

#2772 07/01/1967 The Move Night Of Fear 2 32-17-7-{2}-3-4-7-17-25-46->10

#2773 07/01/1967 The Monkees I'm A Believer 1 42-4-{1}-1-1-1-2-3-5-7-14-17-24-28-32-40-47->17

#2774 07/01/1967 Sandy Posey Single Girl 15 43-36-27-19-{15}-19-19-20-17-19-23-28-37->13

#2775 07/01/1967 The Lovin' Spoonful Nashville Cats 26 47-34-30-{26}-31-36-47->7

#2776 07/01/1967 Stevie Wonder A Place In The Sun 20 48-46-{20}-23-36->5

#2777 07/01/1967 Clinton Ford Run To The Door 25 49-44-44-43-41-39-{25}-34-35-37-33-36-49->13

#2778 14/01/1967 The Four Tops Standing In The Shadows Of Love 6 23-10-{6}-8-13-22-33-40->8

#2779 14/01/1967 Cat Stevens Matthew And Son 2 33-11-3-{2}-2-5-9-15-22-40->10

#2780 14/01/1967 The Four Seasons Tell It To The Rain 37 47-{37}-37-39-43->5

#2781 21/01/1967 The Rolling Stones Let's Spend The Night Together / Ruby Tuesday 3 26-7-4-{3}-3-6-12-18-29-38->10

#2782 21/01/1967 Paul Jones I've Been A Bad, Bad Boy 5 38-17-7-{5}-6-11-20-31-49->9

#2783 21/01/1967 Nancy Sinatra Sugar Town 8 40-22-14-10-{8}-14-19-25-34-50->10

#2784 21/01/1967 The Royal Guardsmen Snoopy Vs The Red Baron 8 42-30-17-14-9-{8}-10-10-10-14-21-32-43->13

#2785 21/01/1967 Rita Pavone You Only You 21 45-29-{21}-25-30-38-46->7

#2786 21/01/1967 Ken Dodd Let Me Cry On Your Shoulder 11 46-32-18-{11}-15-24-23-23-38-44->10

Edited November 4, 20231 yr by JulianT

Love 'Sunshine Superman' :wub: it's one of those songs I'd recognise but didn't know the name of for years. Stalled at #2 here but got to #1 in the U.S. *.*

 

Pleased that 'California Dreamin' made it to your podium for 1966 ^_^

from here on I've got my Retro charts reviews so I know that any track that didn't make my listing I wasn't fussed about - so a quick "sorry" to Ken Dodd, Rita Pavone, Clinton Ford, esp Rita which isn't at all bad actually, I was just doing a top 50 for a couple of weeks so she missed out, she'd have been in a top 75 chart.

A strong group to kick off 1967 and not the winner I'd have expected initially. It's a stonking double A side but it's "Ruby Tuesday" that really gives it the edge over "I'm A Believer" for me; right up there with their best chart toppers. And John how could you shun Rita - she's great! :)

 

9 The Rolling Stones Let's Spend The Night Together / Ruby Tuesday "Ruby Tuesday" is a fabulous anthemic ballad with quirky instrumental effects, and the other side is s thumping rocky number

9 The Monkees I'm A Believer 228th #1: first hit for this US band and a huge classic of course, but I slightly prefer their softer similarly titled hit to come

8 Rita Pavone You Only You Her 2nd and final hit and it's as good as the 1st: another emotive and explosively powerful ballad, and her accent adds a rawness

8 The Four Tops Standing In The Shadows Of Love The follow up to "Reach Out…" and it's in a similar style but very good in its own right - another very dramatic Motown hit

7 Nancy Sinatra Sugar Town I really like this one from Nancy: it has a very laid back quality but it's punchy and infectious at the same time and very well sung

7 The Move Night Of Fear We've now in the psychadelic rock era; the debut hit for this British band is all about the supernatural - an intriguing catchy song

6 Clinton Ford Run To The Door Certainly much better than his other hits "Old Shep" and "Fanlight Fanny", this is a rather nice and catchy country style tune

6 Paul Jones I've Been A Bad, Bad Boy More interesting that the debut solo hit "High Time" for this former Manfred Mann star; an enjoyably angst ridden performance

5 Stevie Wonder A Place In The Sun A nice melody and a lovely wistful performance from Stevie: I just feel like the song doesn't develop as much as it might

5 Cat Stevens Matthew And Son His biggest hit; a very recognisable riff starting with the strings and moving to the melody: but a bit repetitive after a few listens

4 The Four Seasons Tell It To The Rain One of their smaller hits and they won't be back for a while; great performance value as ever but the song is a little weak

4 The Lovin' Spoonful Nashville Cats Last of their 3 Top 40s and the other 2 were brilliant classics - this one not so much; it's a jolly folky tune but not much more

3 Sandy Posey Single Girl All her hits seem to be about how unfortunate it is to be female: this one at least has a decent tune but I can't hugey enjoy it

2 Ken Dodd Let Me Cry On Your Shoulder Yet another insipid balled with a meandering indistinct melody crooned away, but at least there's some vibrant violin action

1 The Royal Guardsmen Snoopy Vs The Red Baron A US novelty band who were in trouble with the "Peanuts" magazine for using Snoopy apparently; don't get the humour at all

 

 

 

 

1967 Group 2:

 

#2787 28/01/1967 The Spencer Davis Group I'm A Man 9 34-19-{9}-16-22-28-42->7

#2788 28/01/1967 Keith 98.6 24 38-26-26-{24}-32-36-47->7

#2789 28/01/1967 Engelbert Humperdinck Release Me 1 39-23-12-4-2-{1}-1-1-1-1-1-2-5-8-11-15-21-19-23-29-31-36-33-26-41-33-35-34-38-40-45-42-43-37-39-33-31-32-33-37-41-37-34-33-36-33-32-31-31-33-35-47-40-46-50-50->56

#2790 28/01/1967 The Monkees Last Train To Clarksville 23 45-33-27-{23}-26-30-36->7

#2791 28/01/1967 The New Vaudeville Band Peek-A-Boo 7 47-32-17-11-{7}-9-13-15-20-25-38->11

#2792 28/01/1967 Marvin Gaye And Kim Weston It Takes Two 16 49-29-22-18-{16}-16-16-19-26-34-44->11

#2793 04/02/1967 Jim Reeves I Won't Come In While He's There 12 24-15-13-{12}-14-15-21-23-27-36-49->11

#2794 04/02/1967 The Tremeloes Here Comes My Baby 4 34-24-10-{4}-4-6-9-13-22-35-50->11

#2795 04/02/1967 Petula Clark This Is My Song 1 43-8-{1}-1-3-3-3-4-8-9-18-27-33-41->14

#2796 04/02/1967 Geno Washington And The Ram Jam Band Michael 39 47-42-40-{39}-45->5

#2797 04/02/1967 Sonny And Cher The Beat Goes On 29 48-46-35-31-{29}-35-47-47->8

#2798 04/02/1967 Eddie Floyd Knock On Wood 19 50-43R(4)-45-36-29-23-21-20-{19}-19-19-20-22-32-35-40-43-46->18

#2799 11/02/1967 Elvis Presley Indescribably Blue 21 35-{21}-25-24-33->5

#2800 11/02/1967 Donovan Mellow Yellow 8 37-17-10-{8}-9-17-27-35->8

#2801 11/02/1967 Jimmy Ruffin I've Passed This Way Before 29 38-{29}-29-33-30-35-41->7

Edited November 10, 20231 yr by JulianT

Group 1 and oops sorry Julian Rita Pavone missed out again, still top 50 only for me, so that means ones I do actually like, such as A Place In The Sun, Tell It To The Rain, Nashville Cats only had 1 or 2 weeks on the chart at the lower end of my retro charts and Rita again gets pipped. :lol: Ken and Clinton not really much chance of charting for me.

 

So that means the good stuff is left:

 

Never liked Lets Spend The Night Together, it's always been about Ruby Tuesday, and almost as great as Melanie's cover hit. But my undying love is for I'm A Believer, a huge fave at the time and Ive never stopped loving it, been a UK hit in later decades, a song still widely known, a TV show I was mad on, a band I saw 3 or 4 times in concert with tears in my nostalgic eyes every time, and I'm still buying stuff from sole survivor, main vocalist Micky Dolenz (current newie an REM covers EP). Oh, and the B side is future Sex Pistols cover of their cover, I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone, which spits venom and by anyone else would have been regarded as an early Punk template along with Iggy & Velvet Underground and Louie Louie.

 

Standing In The Shadows Of Love is another drama-Motown goodie from Levi & Co, Sugar Town was so prettlly catchy, a fave from a fave, and still iconic Nancy Sinatra, sadly she's not done owt new since Morrissey and other fans loaned a hand in the 00's. Night Of Fear should be a Halloween evergreen, but isn't, and debuts future hero for me Roy Wood. Not one I noticed at the time, but picked up on in the early 70's. Paul Jones was one I liked at the time, still do, and seen Paul & his Manfred mates 3 or 4 times. And in Othello in Nottingham circa 1976.

 

Matthew And Son was my other total fave at the time, and still love it to bits, that tune is so evocative for me, far and away my favourite Cat Stevens record, it's not even close. I remember playing it while I rifled through my mum's cousin Rex's record collection after ten pin bowling in Leicester, on a family visit in 1968 to his family. It was pure joy finding it there to play and singalong to. Single Girl I also missed at the time, but I discovered in 1970 just after we got our first reel-to-reel tape recorder, recorded off the radio in Singapore, and I went super-mad on it then. Still a girlie pop gem. Can't speak for current girls, but back in the 60's and 70's grabbing a boyfriend, showing them off, swooning over teen idols, and getting all emotional at the drop of a hat was very much par for the course and men wrote and produced almost everything making sure they stuck to the formula that girls bought into. Main difference pop wise I can see is nowadays they slag the boys off afterwards instead of feeling sorry for themselves, and grab a hit record out of it that they write themselves oops, hi Olivia, Taylor & co. Men not (usually) required to get the hit.

 

Lastly, Snoopy. I wasnt really aware of Peanuts at the time - Daily Mirror readers not the Mail! They weren't on TV, and Im not sure I heard this record at all until 1972 when a friend at RAF Swinderby, Graham, had a copy, so I got to enjoy it just ahead of the hit cover version by Hot Shots in 1973. It's a kiddie gimmick record, of course, but Snoopy became iconic in the 70's. I bought the Peanuts compilation books from 1970 onwards, half the girls at Uni had Snoopy posters, and so did I, and by then they started turning up on UK TV too. The record is based on a running gag from the comic strip - Snoopy was a dog who liked to daydream and imagine himself as a daring WW2 fighter pilot battling the Baron. You had to be there I guess... :lol: