Remember When: Hits of the 1960s

Grammar is one of my passions, but music has also been one of my long-time passions. I believe I mentioned in last week’s post  that I began listening to music seriously in around 1960. The music of the late ’50s and most of the ’60s has remained my favorite music. And maybe because I like to dance — or perhaps because at this point most of the music I listen to is while I am driving — I prefer fast music with a good melody and a driving beat.

About a month ago Sirius XM Channel 73, music of the 1960s, played the top 1000 songs of the ’60s. The songs were voted on by listeners; it wasn’t an official top hits list or sales list by Billboard or any other such source. I didn’t vote because I didn’t know about it. Obviously, I couldn’t listen to the whole thing because it went on for about three days straight.  I did hear about half of it, and I did hear the top 50 or so, anxiously awaiting the top 10, which surprised me. 

If you happen to like music of that era, you will know these songs. I went through the Billboard Hot 100 of each year from 1960 through 1969, marking down my favorites. I was trying to get my Top 10; it was too difficult, so I have a Top 20. It consists of songs I love to listen to when I drive and songs that I think are just good!(The official Sirius XM results are at the end of this post.)

The Grammar Diva’s Top 20 songs of the ’60s: 

20. Happy-Go-Lucky Me – Paul Evans (loved it as a kid – I remember dancing to it pretending I was a “beatnik”) (1960)

19. It’s Over – Roy Orbison (1964)

18. Love Potion #9 – The Tokens (1965)

17. Get Ready Here I Come – The Tempations (1966)

16. Baby Love – The Supremes (1964)

15. Deep Purple – Nino Tempo and April Stevens (1963)

14. Bristol Stomp – The Dovells (because I won a dance contest at a temple dance doing this one) (1961)

13. Think of the Good Times – Jay and the Americans (actually, these are my guys; loved them since I was a preteen; so actually my top 20 are all their songs, but I tried to restrain myself, and this is my favorite, even though I know it isn’t their favorite) (1965)

12. Grazing in the Grass – The Friends of Distinction (and also Hugh Masekela) (1969)

11.Crazy – Patsy Cline (1961)

10. I Saw Her Standing There – The Beatles (1964)

9. Let Me In – The Sensations (1962)

8. How Do You Do It – Gerry and the Pacemakers (1964)

7. Norman – Sue Thompson (1962)

6. Easier Said Than Done – The Essex (1963)

5. Breakin’ Up Is Hard to Do – Neil Sedaka (1962)

4. Take Five – Dave Brubeck (1961)

3. Higher and Higher – Jackie Wilson (1967)

2. Runaway – Del Shannon (1961)

1  Take Good Care of My Baby – Bobby Vee (1961)

Other Favorites from the 60s: Good ones that didn’t quite make my personal top 20.

The Twist – Chubby Checker

Crying – Roy Orbinson

Who Put the Bomp – Barry Mann (actually a great songwriter)

His Latest Flame – Elvis

Mashed Potato Time – Dee Dee Sharp

Midnight in Moscow – Kenny Ball

The Wah – Watusi – The Orlons

I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More) Barbara George

Love Me Warm and Tender –  Paul Anka

If I Had  a Hammer – Peter, Paul and Mary (and Trini Lopez?)

I Will Follow Him – Little Peggy March

She Loves You – The Beatles

Do Wah Diddy – Manfred Mann

Suspicion – Terry Stafford

Little Old Lady from Pasadena – Jan and Dean

You Really Got Me – The Kinks

Bad to Me – Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas

Louie Louie – The Kingsmen

You’ve Lost That Lovin- Feeling – Righteous Brothers

My Girl – The Temptations

Cast Your Fate to the Wind – Sounds Orchestral

All Day and All of the Night – The Kinks

Laugh, Laugh – Beau Brummels

96 Tears – ? and the Mysterians

Red Rubber Ball – The Crykle

Elusive Butterfly – Bob Lind

I Fought the Law – Bobby Fuller Four

Zorba the Greek – Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

Respect – Aretha Franklin

Sweet Soul Music – Arthur Conley

Brown-Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

Tighten Up -Archie Bell and the Drells

Classical Gas – Mason Williams

Solitary Man – Neil Diamond

Lay Lady Lay – Dylan

Time Is Tight – Booker T and the MGs

Twenty-Five Miles – Edwin Starr

The Worst That Could Happen – The Brooklyn Bridge

Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town – Kenny Rogers

Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ – Crazy Elephant

The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens

I’m Into Something Good – Herman’s Hermits

And there are many more.

Billboard’s #1 songs from the 1960s

1960 – Theme from a Summer Place – Percy Faith

1961 – Tossin’ and Turnin’ – Bobby Lewis

1963 – Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys

1964 – I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles

1965 – Wooly Bully – Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

1966 – California Dreamin’ – The Mamas and the Papas

1967 – To Sir with Love – Lulu

1968 – Hey Jude – The Beatles

1969 – Sugar Sugar – The Archies (I kid you not)

So as I awaited the Sirius XM top 10, I expected to hear certain songs. I knew some didn’t make it because I had already heard them.  I thought for sure that either Hey Jude, Satisfaction, or Light My Fire would be #1. I thought there would be Beatles, Stones, Elvis.  Well, agree or not, here is what the listeners said:

Top 10 Songs of the 1960s: (according to the listeners of Sirius XM channel 73)

10. Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison

9. Sounds of Sience – Simon and Garfunkle    

8. Kathy’s Clown – Everly Brothers

7. California Girls – The Beach Boys

6. Downtown – Petula Clark

5. Dock of the Bay – Otis redding

4. Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones

3. Theme from a Summer Place – Percy Faith

2. Runaway – Del Shannon

 1. Only the Lonely – Roy Orbison (Surprised? I was.)

And there you have it. I you aren’t familiar with 60s music, give a listen!

Next week – something a little more grammar-ish??