Billboard's #1 Pop Singles

[alphanguy74]

Carl... these were meant to be sexy, yes... and they were produced in France... so that tells you something right there. But Scopitones were all filmed for use in the scopitone machine, which was basically a video jukebox, which utitiled 16MM film. you put your money in, it played the video. This is what the machine looked like:

There were only about 500 of the machines in operation in hte United states in the 60's. They were pretty plentiful in the UK and Europe, however.

[DRW50]

So that was intentional then...I just hope that Speedo wasn't supposed to be (Speedos look great on some men...not so much on others)

Bobby had nice legs.

What were some of your favorite Scopitones?

[Becki]

Take Good Care of My Baby...that's the #1song the week I was born. (9/16/1961). I'm enjoying this trip down memory lane. Even though at the point these came out, I had no memory.

[Max]

Becki, I am so thrilled that you are enjoying this trip down memory lane. Thank you for your kind words.

"The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" is hands-down my second favorite Bobby Vee song.

I had earlier mentioned my favorite songs from 1961 that failed to go to #1. Unfortunately, there were two songs that I completely forgot about which also belong on the list: "Angel Baby" by Rosie & the Originals (#5) and "Calendar Girl" by Neil Sedaka (#4). IMO, the Scopitone for "Calendar Girl" was the very best one ever made.

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[DRW50]

Way way too much makeup on poor Neil. Gotta love that hip dancing.

Several of the dresses with the wild patterns are very ahead of their time.

Nice to know that Shakespeare = clown.

[Max]

That's a great observation, Carl. I apologize for failing to mention this earlier, but--if the copyright date is any indication--it appears that the Scopitone of "Calendar Girl" was actually made in 1966. (Even by 1966 standards, the clothing was ahead of its time.) I have no idea why a Scopitone would be made of a five year-old song, especially when one considers that Neil Sedaka's career was ice cold at the time.

Although soul music was still pretty much in its infancy in 1961, a huge milestone in the history of the genre came when "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles spent two weeks atop the Hot 100: the weeks ended 10/9/61 & 10/16/61.

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"Hit the Road Jack" was written by Ray's friend, Percy Mayfield. The song's most notable trait was that it contained a "call and response" feature (also present in Charles' first top-ten hit, 1959's "What'd I Say") between Charles and the Raelets, who were his back-up singers. (Note that there was another group called the Ray Charles Singers, who scored a #3 hit in 1964 with "Love Me With All Your Heart." The Ray Charles Singers had zero association with the R&B legend, but rather worked for a musician who also happened to be named Ray Charles.) Like "Georgia on My Mind," "Hit the Road Jack" is one of Charles' most well-known recordings, having been covered by Helen Reddy, the Animals, the Stampeders (whose version peaked at #40 in 1976), John Mellencamp, and many others. Yet another cover version served as the theme for the sitcom "Unhappily Ever After" (a "Married...With Children" rip-off).

In early 1962, Charles would have a #9 hit with "Unchain My Heart." Shortly afterwards, he would score his biggest hit ever (which surprisingly is not as well known as his other chart-toppers).

[alphanguy74]

Carl...

Oh, I don't know if it was.. but that guy in the speedo is rockin it! i'd have rather seen Bobby wearing it, however. He was really cute, and looked so much more attactive when the wind was blowing his bangs in the riding scenes. Some of these were obviously meant to be fun and campy, the girl in the Bobby Vee one doing the seaweed dance is a riot. Max... the reason I think that Neil had a scopitone made was becuse since this was a European based thing... they look at music artists differently. If you have a lot of really BIG hits, your'e considered a star for your entire life over there, while in the US, your'e only as hot as your latest project. Actually... this "Hot one day, nothing the next" appears to be exclusively a United States phenomenon. Carl, I have three favorite scopitones, the first one for the camp factor (VERY provocative for it's day), the next two for the great songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbv8p1YfJbI&feature=related

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[alphanguy74]

My all time favorite.. SWING IT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGkV6UFB9wk

Katherine Jackson's favorite singer, hence Janet's being named after her

[alphanguy74]

As far as "Hit The Road, Jack".. it was never one of my favorites, but it was ok. I found it kind of repetetive. This is the Stampeders' version that Max referred to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOVbJ9kMkyw

[Max]

Alphanguy, I had no idea it was so different in other countries. It is sad that America so easily discards talented stars of the past as has-beens.

One of the most respected names in all of doo-wop is Dion, whose only #1 single was "Runaround Sue." This absolute gem of a recording spent two weeks at the peak position: the weeks ended 10/23/61 & 10/30/61.

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A New York native, Dion DiMucci was born on July 18, 1939. In 1957, Dion and three other guys--Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Freddie Milano--formed a legendary group called the Belmonts (named after a street in the Bronx called Belmont Avenue). The quartet's most notable songs were "I Wonder Why" (#24, 1958), "A Teenager in Love" (#5, 1959), and "Where or When" (#3, 1960). (As much as I love "A Teenager in Love" and "Runaround Sue," "I Wonder Why" is my very favorite tune of Dion's.) Although Dion left the group for a solo career in late 1960, the Belmonts scored two top 40 hits without him: "Tell Me Why" (#18, 1961) and "Come On Little Angel" (#28, 1962).

Dion's first solo hit was "Lonely Teenager" (#12, 1960), a record that casted in him the teen idol mold. He soon returned to doo-wop however, as virtually all of his remaining early-60s songs (including "Runaround Sue") featured uncredited vocal back-up provided by the Del Satins. Like several of his other "solo" hits, "Runaround Sue" was written by Dion and his close friend, Ernie Maresca (a one-hit wonder who scored a #6 hit in 1962 with "Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)"). Though Dion would ironically marry a female named Sue, the record was actually about a girl by the name of Roberta.

After "Runaround Sue," more top ten hits would follow for DiMucci:

"The Wanderer" (#2, 1962)

"Lovers Who Wander" (#3, 1962) [A tune that was a near copycat of "Runaround Sue"]

"Little Diane" (#8, 1962)

"Love Came to Me" (#10, 1962)

"Ruby Baby" (#2, 1963)

"Donna the Prima Donna" (#6, 1963) [Another truly magnificent recording of his]

"Drip Drop" (#6, 1963)

Sadly, Dion's career would be wiped out by the Beatles. Yet amazingly, he scored an unexpected smash hit when "Abraham, Martin, and John" peaked at #4 in 1968. This song was completely different from anything that Dion recorded in the past. (Before I listened to the song, I was actually expecting to hear something similar to "Runaround Sue." How disappointed I was!) Rather than being a doo-wop record, "Abraham, Martin, and John" was a song with a socially liberal message that doubled as a tribute to Lincoln, King, and Kennedy.

In 1989, Dion received a very well-deserved induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[cct]

Calendar Girl is one of my absolute favorite "oldies."

[alphanguy74]

Dion is someone that I always liked, but didn't really get into too much. "Runaround Sue" never really rang my bells, but then again, rockabilly tinged doowop is a genre I've never been really that fond of. "Abraham, Martin, and John" is certainly every bit as memorable as his earlier hits. My favorite of his was a little known cover of a Hank williams tune which topped out at #31.

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And The most BEAUTIFUL version of "Abraham, Martin,and John" I have ever heard was done by Tony Orlando And Dawn. Here starting at 2:45

[Max]

CCT, welcome to this thread. For the life of me, I have no idea why "Calendar Girl" failed to hit #1.

This is definately a case of different strokes for different folks, Alphanguy. I don't like socially liberal protest songs, but--surprisingly--it's not because of the political messages set forth by these records. Rather, it is due to the fact that such tunes really aren't "danceable." (One exception of a protest song that I do enjoy is the Trini Lopez version of "If I Had a Hammer," because it is such a fast-paced tune.)

"Runaround Sue" was knocked out of the #1 spot by "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean, which spent five weeks at the peak position: the weeks ended 11/6/61, 11/13/61, 11/20/61, 11/27/61, & 12/4/61.

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Jimmy Dean (whose real name was Seth Ward) grew up in Texas and joined the Air Force at age 18. It was during his stint in the Air Force that Dean first gained experience as an entertainer. In 1953, he scored a country hit with "Bumming Around."

Dean's musical career soon grew cold, however, and remained that way until he wrote "Big Bad John" (a song whose appeal I can understand, yet is one that I think is rather stupid). According to Jimmy, the inspiration for the tune was as follows: "I had worked with a guy in summer stock named John Mentoe. He was six-foot-five and skinny as a rail, but he was the only guy in the troupe taller than me, and I used to call him Big John. It had a powerful ring to it. So I put him in a mine and killed him on a plane going to Nashville. It took me an hour-and-a-half to write." Interestingly, "Big Bad John" was originally the B-side to another Dean recording, "I Won't Go Huntin' With You Jake, but I'll Go Chasin' Women."

Dean's only other top 10 pop hit was "P.T. 109," which peaked at #8 in 1962. (His last top 40 hit came in 1976 with "I.O.U.") Jimmy had two nationally televised shows, one on CBS (which ran from 1957-58) and another on ABC (1963-66). Along with his music, he is best known for his restaurant chain and line of sausages. On June 13, 2010, Dean died at the age of 81.

[DRW50]

I always remember Jimmy Dean for Diamonds are Forever. Whoever thought of casting Jimmy Dean as Howard Hughes deserves a prize for creative casting.

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I read that he was removed from advertising Jimmy Dean Sausages because of using his role for political purposes, or something along those lines. It's too bad.

[quartermainefan]

Runround Sue is such a classic. I just love that song. So far this and Mack The Knife are the two favorites of mine on this entire thread. Dion had a great voice.