The Tunes
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And music we had.
We had music to celebrate our cars (Little GTO, Hey Little Cobra, 409, and Little Duece
Coupe),
our loves (Teen Angel, Last Kiss, Blue Velvet, Be My Baby, and Last Dance),
our dreams (California Dreamin', Happy Together, Good Lovin', and
Hot Fun In the Summertime), our dances (The Freddie, The Twist, The Bristol Stomp,
Pony Time, The Locomotion, and The Mashed Potato),
and enough tunes to honor almost everyone of our loves (Denise, MaryLou, Sheila,
Bernadette, Jenny, Cindy, Rhonda, Candy, Peggy Sue, Ruby, Maybellene,
Corinna, Paula, Hazel, Elenore, Sweet Pea ????
Tammy, Laura, Tracy, Valleri, Wendy, Dawn, Sally, Carol, Diana, Sue,
Judy, and even a Little Old Lady From Pasadena).
1960
This is the year that Elvis Presley was discharged from the Army; Eddie Cochran was killed and Gene Vincent was injured in an automobile accident; and Bye Bye Birdie was a hit on Broadway. Brenda Lee made her first appearance on a year-end chart with "I'm Sorry" and Chubby Checker started it all with the "Twist".
The Top 5 of 1960
El Paso..........Marty Robbins
Running Bear..........Johnny Preston
Teen Angel..........Mark Dinning
Theme from "A Summer Place"..........Percy Faith
Stuck On You..........Elvis Presley
1961
This is the year that Ricky Nelson grew up and dropped the "y" from his first name; Bob Dylan signed with Columbia Records; and Berry Gordy inaugurated a new label. His first hit was sung by five schoolgirls whom he named the Marvelettes, with a 22 year old Marvin Gaye on drums.
The Top 5 of 1961
Wonderland By Night..........Bert Kaempfert
Will You Love Me Tomorrow..........Shirelles
Calcutta..........Lawrence Welk
Pony Time..........Chubby Checker
Surrender..........Elvis Presley
1962
Believe it or not, this is the year that the Beatles failed their audition with Decca Records in the U.K.; disc jockey Alan Freed went on trial for payola; and "The Twist" reappeared for Chubby Checker.
The Top 5 of 1962
The Twist..........Chubby Checker
Peppermint Twist..........Joey Dee and the Starliters
Duke of Earl..........Gene Chandler
Hey! Baby..........Bruce Channel
Don't Break the Heart That Loves You..........Connie Francis
1963
This is the year that Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon made their first Beach Party movie; Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash; Phil Spector asked stores to remove his Christmas album after the assassination of JFK; and Motown had it's first top ten song with Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips- Pt. 2".
The Top 5 of 1963
Go Away Little Girl..........Steve Lawrence
Walk Right In..........Rooftop Singers
Hey Paula..........Paul and Paula
Walk Like a Man..........Four Seasons
Our Day Will Come..........Ruby and the Romantics
1964
In this year, Jim Reeves was killed in a plane crash, Johnny Burnette drowned, and Sam Cooke was shot to death. Over 73 million Americans watched The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. They dominated the charts with 10 hits on the top 100 list of 1964.
The Top 5 of 1964
There! I've Said It Again..........Bobby Vinton
I Want To Hold Your Hand..........Beatles
She Loves You..........Beatles
Can't Buy Me Love..........Beatles
Hello, Dolly!..........Louis Armstrong
1965
The Beatles made their second movie, Help!; The British Invasion continued at full speed with four songs in the Top 10; and Motown continued to roll on. Dunhill records released Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction", much to the chagrin of several radio stations.
The Top 5 or 1965
Downtown..........Petula Clark
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'..........Righteous Brothers
This Diamond Ring..........Gary Lewis and the Playboys
My Girl..........Temptations
Eight Days a Week..........Beatles
1966
This is the year that John Lennon claimed that the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus"; NBC premiered The Monkees and Star Trek both in the same week; and Brian Wilson finally completed "Good Vibrations". The Four Tops and The Supremes were solid for Motown and an ex-Green Beret made a hit with "The Ballad of the Green Berets".
The Top 5 of 1966
The Sounds of Silence..........Simon and Garfunkel
We Can Work It Out..........Beatles
My Love..........Petula Clark
Lightnin' Strikes..........Lou Christie
These Boots Are Made for Walkin'..........Nancy Sinatra
1967
In 1967, the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; Cindy Birdsong replaced Florence Ballard in the Supremes; and 'The Summer of Love' included The Monterey Pop Festival. The Doors release the hit "Light My Fire", except that the original version was almost seven minutes in length and had to be edited for radio play.
The Top 5 of 1967
Kind of a Drag..........Buckinghams
Ruby Tuesday..........Rolling Stones
Love Is Here and Now You're Gone..........Supremes
Penny Lane..........Beatles
Happy Together..........Turtles
1968
Elvis Presley revived his career with a one hour special on NBC; the Beatles launched Apple Records; and Peter Tork quit The Monkees. Paul Mauriat had the highest ranking instrumental since 1961 with "Love Is Blue". John Fred and His Playboy Band had their hit "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" based on his misinterpretation of the Beatles song "Lucy In the Sky".
The Top 5 of 1968
Judy In Disguise (with Glasses)..........John Fred
and His Playboy Band
Green Tambourine..........Lemon Pipers
Love Is Blue..........Paul Mauriat
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay..........Otis Redding
Honey..........Bobby Goldsboro
1969
One word....Woodstock. Jim Morrison was arrested for indecent exposure at a concert in Miami; and John Lennon and Paul McCartney got married. Hair appeared on Broadway, and Tommy James and the Shondels released "Crimson and Clover" and "Crystal Blue Persuasion". According to James, the later title came about by the Bible....."crystal blue" meant truth.
The Top 5 of 1969
Crimson and Clover..........Tommy James and the
Shondels
Everyday People..........Sly and the Family Stone
Dizzy..........Tommy Roe
Aquarius/ Let the Sunshine In..........Fifth Dimension
Get Back..........Beatles