Billboard's #1 Pop Singles

[Max]

Carl, thank you so much for posting that article. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I wasn't familiar with several of those underlined names.

I love that clip from SaBa. Do you know when it originally aired?

The part about the Supremes doesn't surprise me one bit, because Gordy has a long history of pimping Ross.

Many new British bands came on the American rock scene in 1965. Among them was Freddie & the Dreamers, whose "I'm Telling You Now" was number one for two weeks: the weeks ended 4/10/65 & 4/17/65.

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The Dreamers were a quintet from Manchester centered around Freddie Garrity (born 11/14/40). The group was rounded out by Roy Crewsdon and Derek Quinn (both played guitar), Peter Birrell (bass), and Bernie Dwyer (drums). A huge break came for the band when they appeared on the BBC television show "Let's Go" in 1961.

Freddie & the Dreamers initially charted in Britain with a cover of James Ray's "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody." That song peaked at #3 in 1963, and shortly thereafter, the enjoyable "I'm Telling You Now" reached #2. For whatever reason, it took nearly 24 months for "I'm Telling You Now" to become the group's first American hit. Only three more top 40 records followed (all in 1965):

"I Understand (Just How You Feel)" (#36)

"Do the Freddie" (#18)

"You Were Made for Me" (#21)

Following many years of sagging musical fortunes, Freddie & the Dreamers disbanded in 1972. After the split, Freddie and Peter hosted a children's television program titled "The Little Big Time." Garrity also found employment in the field of pantomime. (Pantomime is an art form that should not be confused with the work of a mime artist.) Sadly, Freddie was diagnosed with emphysema in 2001 and died on May 19, 2006.

[DRW50]

The clip is probably from spring 1988, as that is when Cruz and Eden married. Robin Wright is happier there than I've ever seen her in anything else...

I didn't know some of those artists either. I guess they were just of the era.

I like "I'm Telling You Now" but it's a little too "up" for me.

I've posted this before, but:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-CsN4JL8ms

[alphanguy74]

I wouldn't mind "I'm Telling You Now" so much if it wasn't accompanied by that STUPID dance. I know it's a gimmick, but it drives me up the wall. And I shared before that story about how Martha ran and hid behind the Sir Douglas quintet on the finale of Hullaballoo cause she wasn't gonna do that ridiculous dance. Now... they dispensed with the silliness for "I Understand", and I consider it to be a much finer piece of work:

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[Max]

"I Understand" is certainly a big improvement from "Do the Freddie."

Freddie & the Dreamers were displaced at the top by another group from Manchester, England: Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders. This latter act's biggest hit, "Game of Love," spent one week at number one: the week ended 4/24/65.

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Wayne Fontana was born on October 28, 1945 as Glyn Ellis, and took his stage name after Elvis Presley's drummer, D.J. Fontana. (By an odd coincidence, the Mindbenders were also signed to a record label called Fontana.) His group--the Mindbenders (so named after a contemporary horror movie)--was rounded out by Bob Lang (bass), Ric Rothwell (drums), and Eric Stewart (guitar).

The first major British hit for Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders was a cover of Major Lance's "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um," which reached #5 in the fall of 1964. "Game of Love"--which peaked at #2 in the U.K.--was the group's first single to be released in the United States. In October 1965, Fontana left the Mindbenders for an unsuccessful solo career (though he had a British #11 hit with "Pamela, Pamela" in 1967) and was replaced on lead with Stewart. This second incarnation of the Mindbenders was responsible for the group's only other American top 40 hit, "A Groovy Kind of Love" (#2, 1966).

After the Mindbenders disbanded in 1968, Stewart went on to form Hotlegs and, more notably, 10cc (who scored two top five hits with "I'm Not in Love" and "The Things We Do for Love"). Of course, "A Groovy Kind of Love" finally went to #1 in 1988 thanks to a cover version by Phil Collins, becoming one of a small handful of #2 singles that topped the chart in a subsequent go-round.

[alphanguy74]

Holy crap! I had no idea that Eric Stewart was the one singing lead on "Groovy Kind Of Love"! I had just never put two and two together before and realized that it's the same voice singing all of 10cc's songs. I found this was Wayne Fontana's first solo single, topping at at # 36 UK:

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It was a cover of a soul hit orginally recorded by american signer Garnet Mimms. I think, of course, that Dusty has the definitive version of it:

[DRW50]

It Was Easier To Hurt Him is just pure Dusty. I am surprised anyone else sang it first.

I am not a big fan of Game of Love, mostly because I think it has plodding lyrics, ploddingly sang ("purpose of a man is to love a woman, purpose of a woman is to love a man") and that "la la la la" annoys me.

I just adore Groovy Kind of Love. It is one of those songs which sums up the best of the 60's in a way few things can. It's easy to just think British invasion and associate that with the Stones or the Beatles, but there were so many other acts whose music has been a daily part of our lives ever since.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK7qo0-TwV0&feature=related

[alphanguy74]

I also like Groovy Kind Of Love way better, it IS a much better song, and Stewart is a much better singer, as in his phrasing is much more fluid and pleasant. Of course, Phil Collins had to do a version of it which became a hit later on, I applaud him for taking old songs and giving them new life, but he also screws them up as well... so it's bittersweet in that department.

[DRW50]

I'm Not in Love is a superb song. I never knew he also sang that, and co-wrote it. The song is right on the nose of the techno sounds starting in that era, yet is very different from Moroder and other producers in that vein. It's both cold and warm. The song has one of the best intros of anything ever, it's just soothing and seductive, and yet as the song goes along, you start to feel some of the pain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2BavhwpIJg

I actually don't mind Phil Collins' cover of Groovy Kind of Love, as he at least doesn't try to copy the original, but it's definitely inferior to the original.

Here's an interview with Toni Warne, who co-wrote Groovy Kind of Love.

http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/toni_wine/

[alphanguy74]

One thing that stands out to me on "I'm Not In Love" is how he matured as a vocalist in the 12 years or so between those songs. "The Things We Do For Love" is their other really big hit that I just LOVE.

[Max]

I have noticed that "The Things We Do for Love" appears to get more airplay on radio than "I'm Not in Love," even though the former peaked at #5 while the latter went to #2.

Don't feel bad. Prior to doing the write-up on "Game of Love," I never suspected it, either.

It's an OK song that deserved to make the top ten, but not number one.

The third consecutive group from Manchester to reach #1 was Herman's Hermits. Their signature song--"Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter"--held the peak position for three weeks: the weeks ended 5/1/65, 5/8/65, & 5/15/65.

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Peter Noone was born on November 5, 1947. As a child, he not only gained experience in music, but also acted (and was a cast member of Coronation Street). In 1963, Peter formed a band that also included Karl Green (bass), Keith Hopwood (guitars), Derek Leckenby (also on guitars), and Barry Whitwam (drums). The band went through several name changes: the Cyclones, the Heartbeats, Herman & the Hermits, and finally, Herman's Hermits. Interestingly, Noone's bandmates thought that he looked like the character Sherman from the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoon, but they all mistakenly thought that the character's name was "Herman."

Herman's Hermits had their first hit in late 1964 with a cover of Earl-Jean's "I'm Into Something Good," which surprisingly only peaked at #13 (though it was the group's only #1 hit in the UK). Then, in March 1965, came the #2 smash "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat." Their third hit was "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter," a tune that is a bit too sappy for my tastes. This song--which was originally performed by British actor Tom Courtenay--was never released as a commercial single in the UK. Also, none of the Hermits (besides Noone) were present at the recording session; instead, they were replaced by future Led Zeppelin members John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page.

Following the success of "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter," Herman's Hermits quickly scored again with (inferior, IMO) covers of the Rays' "Silhouettes" and Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World" (which respectively reached #5 & #4). In August, the act reached the top of the Hot 100 for the second time.

[DRW50]

Mrs. Brown is a charming song, so likeable, and not overproduced, which started hurting music by the late 60's.

I enjoy their Wonderful World cover, but I don't care for the Silhouettes - it sounds like they're on helium.

[alphanguy74]

I never liked that song at all. I find it dorky and silly. But then, I don't really like any of Herman's Hermit's songs except for this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1vqgTiu3Iw

[DRW50]

For years I thought they were saying "A Muscular Void."

I really enjoy "Something Tells Me I'm Into Something Good." And this, which due to the title and a few of the lines some always seem to associate with bisexuality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXRQzUOoaCU

[alphanguy74]

I never heard that one, Carl.. it's not bad at all.. and WOW, there's enough double entendre in that song to choke a horse. I wonder if it was intended as that, or coincidence. If it was intended that way, it's another case of pop songs with sexual innuendo flying under the radar if they are dressed in innocuous packaging.

[DRW50]

I have to assume it wasn't intentional, but who knows. I imagine songs like that helping people through a time when this was so stigmatized.

I don't know when the video is from but you can see the schizophrenia of late 60's dress codes and hair beginning to take over...some are dressed in suit and tie, others in t-shirts, some in tight trousers, et al.