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Faves from the '60s--A to Z (Jaguardog's writeoff)Jun 20 '05 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line I hope you enjoy these artists from the '60s! They rock!
The 1960s were a decade that featured explosive creativity and a diversity of musical styles. Note: This is part of Jaguardog's writeoff--be sure to check out his reviews--they are fascinating! A The Association: This group hit the top 40 six times from 1966 to 1968 with a mellow rock/pop sound. I actually remember their hits "Cherish" and "Windy" from when they were popular. I thought "Cherish" was called "Cherries." When "Windy" came out, it was an instant hit. The song had "Summer written all over it, and it made me anxious to go in swimming. Other hits the group had included: --Never My Love --Requiem for the Masses--a protest song that went through my mind the day after 9-11. --Along Comes Mary --Everything That Touches You Their last chart entry was "Dreamer" in 1981, which was an adult contemporary hit as well. B The Beatles There is little about the Beatles that hasn't been written. On April 4, 1964, they achieved the most incredible feat in Billboard chart history--they held the top five positions on the Hot 100! The band bridged the gap between the innocent sound of the early '60s and the more serious psychedelia of the mid-to-late '60s. Personal favorites from this band included: --I Want to Hold Your Hand --Norwegian Wood--Excellent use of the sitar --Yellow Submarine--A fun, childlike quality --Nowhere Man--Sums up a lot of our elected officials! --If I Needed Someone--A song of yearning --Eleanor Rigby--Excellent use of string instruments, creating a sense of urgency --We Can Work It Out --Ticket to Ride --Yesterday Honorable mentions: The Byrds and The Beach Boys (figures they all start with B!) C Petula Clark This upbeat singer's "Downtown" is one of my earliest memories, and her music has never failed to uplift me. Now, if I could only fix my Petula Clark greatest hits tape I received on Christmas 2001. Other favorites from her included: --Who Am I --Sign of the Times --I Couldn't Live Without Your Love --The Other Man's Grass Is Greener --Don't Give Up D Donovan This singer had a childlike quality that I could always relate to. Favorites included: --Catch the Wind --Epistle to Dippy --Wear Your Love Like Heaven --Jennifer Juniper--Has an April-like feel to it. --Atlantis (A song I thought was called "Way Down Below the Ocean" when I was young.) Note: Bob Dylan came in a VERY close second, as "Like a Rolling Stone" was one of the best songs ever written. As good a singer he was, he was an even better writer. E The only two "E" acts from the '60s I could think of were The Exciters ("Tell Him," 1962) and Essex ("Easier Said Than Done," 1963. Both were sorority-girl sort of songs--the female version of frat rock. F Four Tops This was one of the best Motown groups. A member of this excellent quartet died eight years ago today. Favorites of mine included: --Baby I Need Your Lovin' --Reach Out, I'll Be There --Standing in the Shadows of Love --Bernadette --Seven Rooms of Gloom I enjoyed the sense of urgency the Four Tops brought to their hits. G Gentry, Bobbie Made my list on the strength of her 1967 smash "Ode to Billie Joe," as well as 1969's "Let It Be Me" (a duet with Glen Campbell) and another story song, the overlooked "Fancy," which came out late in '69. H Herman's Hermits A fun British Invasion act who had hits such as --Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (a song that was one of my earliest memories). --I'm Henry VII I Am --Silhouettes --Dandy --No Milk Today I Ike and Tina Turner The duo that launched Tina's career, one of their early hits was "It's Gonna Work Out Fine." They also had a minor hit with the Phil Spector-produced "River Deep--Mountain High," which would become a top-20 hit for the Supremes and the Four Tops in 1970. J James, Tommy and the Shondells This band bridged the gap between bubblegum/frat rock and more serious themes. Favorites included: --Crimson and Clover --Sweet Cherry Wine --Crystal Blue Persuasion (one of my favorites from the summer of '69) --She K Kingston Trio This was one of my favorites of the early 1960s, with such memorable titles as --Everglades --Bad Man Blunder --Where Have All the Flowers Gone (one of the best songs of the '60s IMHO) --Scotch and Soda (a song that debuted on the Billboard singles chart on my first b-day in 1962) --Reverend Mr. Black (a song I had thought was called "Lonesome Valley) --Desert Pete (a song about having faith) --Ally Ally Oxen Free (a plea for peace) L Lovin' Spoonful A folk-tinged act that charted with a string of upbeat--and sometimes whimsical--tunes, including: --Do You Believe in Magic --You Didn't Have to Be So Nice --Daydream --Summer in the City --Darling Be Home Soon M Monkees, The Called the Prefab Four by some critics, this band's music has nonetheless stood the test of time. Personal favorites include: --Last Train to Clarksville --I'm Not Your Stepping Stone (This had a killer hook and a menace to it--it reminded me of the onset of a blizzard). --Pleasant Valley Sunday --Daydream Believer --Valleri --D.W. Washburn (a send-up of intrusive, busybody charities) N New Colony Six An obscure mellow rock group, their main claims to fame were the top-30 1968 hit "I Will Always Think of You" and "Things I'd Like to Say," a top-20 hit the following year. O The Orlons This Philadelphia R&B group had one of the hits that epitomized the Summer of '62, with "Wah Watusi." They also had major hits with "Don't Hang Up" and "South Street." P Peter, Paul & Mary The subject of my first epinion five years ago, they charted with songs such as --Lemon Tree --If I Had a Hammer (An excellent civil rights anthem) --Puff the Magic Dragon --Blowin' In the Wind (This Dylan composition may be the best protest song ever written) --Don't Think Twice, It's Alright --Stewball --I Dig Rock & Roll Music --Day Is Done Q ? and the Mysterians They reached #1 with the 1966 garage rock favorite "96 Tears." One of their other chart entries, "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," was covered by Smashmouth in 1998. R Rolling Stones This seminal act combined blues, attitude, and unforgettable riffs. --The Last Time --(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction--The quintessential summer rock song --Get Off My Cloud --19th Nervous Breakdown --Paint It, Black --Ruby Tuesday --Jumpin' Jack Flash --Street Fightin' Man S Simon & Garfunkel One of my personal favorites of this decade, they performed great songs such as --Sounds of silence (one of my all-time faves) --Homeward Bound --I Am a Rock --Hazy Shade of Winter --Richard Cory --Mrs. Robinson --Scarborough Fair (A song that epitomized spring for me) --The Boxer T Tijuana Brass One of my favorite instrumental acts of the '60s, famous for songs such as: --The Lonely Bull --Mexican Shuffle --A Taste of Honey --Spanish Flea (I thought this was called "The Refrigerator Song) --So What's New With You (A song I heard many times in the mid-to-late 1960s, I never knew the title until last year! --Wade in the Water --Casino Royale --Treasure of Sam Miguel U Unit 4 2 The only "U" act I could think of, they reached the top 30 with the catchy, yearning 1965 "Concrete and Clay," which was also a hit for Eddie Rambeau. V Bobby Vee Popular early-'60s teen idol who had big hits with songs like "Take Good Care of My Baby," "Run to Him," "Rubber Ball," and "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," as well as his last pop hit, "Come Back When You Grow Up.") W Stevie Wonder, who was deservedly called a genius: --Fingertips, Part 2 --A Place in the Sun --Someday at Christmastime (one of my Yule favorites) --My Cherie Amour --Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday X Are there any X acts from the 1960s? I haven't been able to come up with any yet! Well, there was Racer X, the mystery man from Speed Racer, one of my favorite cartoons from that decade. Unfortunately, he wasn't a singer. Y Young Rascals Their brand of blue-eyed soul endeared them to many Baby Boomers with songs such as: --I've Been Lonely Too Long --A Girl Like You --Groovin' --How Can I Be Sure --A Beautiful Morning (Possibly the perfect spring song) --People Got to Be Free (Written in response to the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy in 1968). Z Zombies This British group made the top 40 with three very memorable songs in the '60s: --She's Not There --Tell Her No (Also a hit for Juice Newton, in 1983) --Time of the Season (a song which contained the famous line "Who's your daddy," which was the basis for a big country hit for macho man Toby Keith.  |
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