Billboard's #1 Pop Singles

[DAMfan]

Al Wilson - The Snake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db6y5H9r_rY&feature=related

[Max]

DAMfan, I apologize for my rudeness, but "The Snake" only reached #27 in 1968. Wilson finally did hit #1 in January 1974 with "Show and Tell."

Even though it was his second biggest hit, I had never previously heard of "The Snake." It does sound similar to Johnny Rivers' "Secret Agent Man," and coincidentally, "The Snake" was produced by Rivers.

[alphanguy74]

"I Hear A Symphony" is one of the better major hits they had. They themselves really liked it, because it was less juvenile in the lyrics, and more sophisticated and adult. I never thought much of "Nothing But Heartaches" either. It was fine for an album track, but I don't feel it was single material. Here they are singing it live.. and a great performance. Flo nails the high harmony at the end, something I wish had been done on the record.

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[alphanguy74]

I had actually always felt that the B-side of "I Hear A Symphony", "Who Could Ever Doubt My Love" was a great song, and was single material. I think it would have been a better choice than "Nothing But Heartaches". BTW... here in this video, you can see a color shot at :34 of the performance in my previous post.

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[quartermainefan]

This was a blah period for the Supremes. These newer songs were not as catchy as their original salvo of hits. My favorite song of theirs was "Love Child" but other than that give me "Baby Love" and "Stop..."

[Max]

While "I Hear a Symphony" is a pleasing enough tune, I don't consider it to be among the Supremes' better records.

The first psychedelic song to top the Hot 100 was "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by The Byrds, which spent three weeks at number one: the weeks ended 12/4/65, 12/11/65, & 12/18/65.

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"Turn! Turn! Turn!" is possibly the only #1 hit that comes from the Bible. Most of its lyrics were taken from the Book of Ecclesiastes, though folk singer Pete Seeger added the "Turn! Turn! Turn!" refrain as well as the closing line, "a time for peace, I swear it's not too late." During the recording session, the Byrds actually were able to do something that they were forbidden to do while making "Mr. Tambourine Man": play their own instruments. The recording session itself was very laborious, as it took over fifty takes to get the song right.

The group's third biggest hit was "Eight Miles High," which reached #14 in the first half of 1966. This song may have charted higher if not for the fact that many believed it to be about drug use. (The Byrds claimed it was about a plane flight they made to the UK.)

After "Eight Miles High," three more top forty hits came for the Byrds:

"Mr. Spaceman" (#36, 1966)

"So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" (#29, 1967)

"My Back Pages" (#30, 1967) [Another Dylan-penned tune, like "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "All I Really Want to Do" were]

Beginning in August 1965, the Byrds experienced many personnel changes. Jim McGuinn (who later changed his first name to Roger) was the only original member of the group left by 1968, and he disbanded the Byrds four years later. After David Crosby left the group, he (of course) helped form Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. And Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons (the latter of whom was not an original member of the Byrds) became part of the Flying Burrito Brothers. In 1991, the Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"Turn! Turn! Turn!" is a song that I intensely dislike. I find it to be extremely depressing, and the psychedelic instrumentation is highly grating.

[MissLlanviewPA]

The movie Mermaids had quite a few hit songs in its soundtrack from the years 1963-1964 (when it took place). including four number one songs: "Big Girls Don't Cry" (Franke Valli & the Four Seasons), "Johnny Angel" (Shelley Fabares), "If You Wanna Be Happy" (Jimmy Soul), and this one here, "Dominique" by the Singing Nun:

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I mention that movie in particular because it's where I first heard all of these songs when I was a child. Well, except for "Big Girls Don't Cry", I guess :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6WNc8BPv1Y

ETA: Actually, I left out another number one song in the movie: Lesley Gore's "It's My Party."

[alphanguy74]

I think the song is fine... I just don't like the Byrds' version of it. The production just doesn't ring my chimes in any way. However, the Seekers do a totally LOVELY version of it! Especially the portion with Keith singing counterpoint harmony to Judith's angelic lead.

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I think the reason the Seekers' version works so much better is that it sung as a folk song, which is what the song was originally intended to be, not some psychadelic concoction.

[Max]

Alphanguy, since you have been gracious enough to offer to take over this thread if I can no longer do this, I think I will just take you up on this offer. Thank you so much for doing so, and thank you so much for your huge contributions.

The imminent re-election of Obama has necessitated a need for me to go back to school full time, once I can get some sort of loan and pass an entry admissions exam.

[DRW50]

I hope you'll still be around some, Max.

[Max]

I am so sorry for doing a one-eighty, but I completely over-reacted yesterday. If anything, continuing with this thread (and distracting myself from the political situation) would be therapeutic (though once I am in school full-time, I sadly may have to give this thread up for good). I apologize for my immaturity yesterday.

Carl, thank you so much for that very kind message.

Alphanguy, I never knew that the Seekers sang a version of this tune. You are so right that their version is a big improvement, for the reason you stated (though "Turn! Turn! Turn!" just is not a song that I would love under any circumstance).

The final #1 hit of 1965 was "Over and Over" by The Dave Clark Five, which held the peak position for one week: the week ended 12/25/65.

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The Dave Clark Five hailed from Tottenham (a North London suburb), and can trace its roots back to 1958, when drummer Dave Clark organized a band. Joining him was Rick Huxley (who originally played rhythm guitar, but was then switched over to bass) and three other members who exited by 1961. Their replacements were Lenny Davidson (guitar), Denny Payton (saxophone), and Mike Smith (vocals/keyboards).

As the British Invasion was beginning in the first part of 1964, the quintet scored its first hit with "Glad All Over," which peaked at #6. ("Glad All Over" would be the group's only #1 hit in the UK.) Many more top 40 hits followed:

"Bits and Pieces" (#4, 1964)

"Do You Love Me" (#11, 1964)

"Can't You See That She's Mine" (#4, 1964)

"Because" (#3, 1964) [iMO, by far their best song]

"Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)" (#15, 1964)

"Any Way You Want It" (#14, 1965)

"Come Home" (#14, 1965)

"Reelin' and Rockin'" (#23, 1965)

"I Like It Like That" (#7, 1965)

"Catch Us If You Can" (#4, 1965)

"Over and Over"--a rather unspectacular song, IMO--was the Dave Clark Five's only American chart-topper. (In Britain, it faltered at #45.) Like a number of the top forty hits listed above, "Over and Over" was a cover version, originally released by Bobby Day in 1958. Though Day's version flopped upon initial release, he scored his one and only hit with the iconic #2 "Rockin' Robin" (also in 1958).

After "Over and Over," the group scored five more top forty hits. However, only one of these made the top ten.

"At the Scene" (#18, 1966)

"Try Too Hard" (#12, 1966)

"Please Tell Me Why" (#28, 1966)

"You Got What It Takes" (#7, 1967)

"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" (#35, 1967)

The Dave Clark Five disbanded in 1970, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. There is considerable controversy over the fact that they should have been inducted the prior year, as it is reputed that they had more votes than Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Some have accused the Hall of Fame of caving into pressure in 2007, because they felt they had to induct a rap artist (and bypass the Dave Clark Five).

[DRW50]

Over and Over is one of those songs I was annoyed by for years but then began to appreciate recently.

[alphanguy74]

Glad you changed your mind, Max... politics ain't worth all that. Nothing ever changes in politics anyway. Music is eternal! But I'm still here whenever you need a hand. As far as "Over And Over" is concerned, I find it monotonous and boring. And the thing is, I like MANY of their other hits, "I Like It Like That" being the best of their upbeat numbers. This for me, is by far the best of their singles. And although Lenny Davidson is not to most impressive singer, there is a vulnerable simplicity in it that just WORKS.

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This group is also odd in that the named leader doesn't sing lead. A very rare thing in the music business... not sure how many groups have that distinction, the only other one I can think of off the top of my head is Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods.

[alphanguy74]

Now at the end of 1965... here's another one of those lovely recaps of the years' hits, #1 and otherwise.

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[alphanguy74]

So, any of those that SHOULD have been number one but wasn't? For me, I always thought this one should have gone to number one, what a voice, his Vibrato is just incredibly haunting:

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The sad part is, if someone were to audition for American Idol sounding like that, they probably would put him on the gag reel. But then music ain't the only thing that's gone to hell in the last 20 years.