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Post by ry4n on Apr 1, 2015 21:09:13 GMT -5
0104. The Beatles - "I Want To Hold Your Hand" [7 weeks - 1964]YouTube link So here we go. Where it all begins. Their big US breakthrough hit single. The song that kickstarted Beatlemania and the British Invasion (in the US at least). The performance that was watched by 73 million people on the Ed Sullivan Show. By this point in 1964, the Beatles already had 5 hits in the UK (and this was their most recent one.) The song to really jump start Beatlemania in their homeland was actually "She Loves You". But I'd say this was the more accessible song when it came to the US market. So I'm not at all surprised it was the song to break them into it. It's more toned down compared to "She Loves You" and "From Me To You". "Please Please Me" had sexual innuendos going on and "Love Me Do" was too subtle imo. Regardless of which song broke them through, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was a game changer. A turning point in the history of popular music in the US. The dawn of a new era. I can't stress enough how huge and important this #1 was. It literally changed everything. A lot of which in the way the US record industry worked. Of course, it led the way for the British Invasion. Out of the 103 number ones I've encountered so far... only two of them have been by British artists. Both of which were instrumentals. So this song opened doors. A whole new slew of artists were being introduced to American audiences. I imagine it was an exciting time. (Consequently, this resulted in a huge chunk of the acts that were popular before 1964 to be pushed aside. But they were boring anyway.) As well, prior to 1964, it was very rare for performers to write their own material. Songwriters were a separate entity altogether. They would write songs, and then sell them to the labels. From there, the labels would pick someone on their roster who they felt best suited the song. The Lennon / McCartney songwriting team made that system obsolete. Writing your own songs just makes them personal, I guess you could say. As evidenced, the Beatles' songs sound like... Beatles songs. There's a distinct sound to them. And their artistry in songwriting grows as their careers grow. I'm not sure how to explain how the Beatles sounded different from everything before them.. but they really do. They have personality; stage presence; a look that was different (the mop tops!). I think it's also in the way they used their instruments (and of course later in their careers, their song writing). It was like a breath of fresh air for the industry. The song itself is also a breath of fresh air. It's just bursting with energy. And it comes so effortlessly. Makes a large majority of the previous 103 chart toppers seem so limp and lifeless in comparison. Yeah, it's basically just a simple love song (as is a lot of their earlier work). But there's so many other things going for "I Want To Hold Your Hand" to make up for that. It hooks you in from the start with that guitar riff. And that riff comes back for the "I can't hide" (which I always mistook for "I get high") part. Which is the key hook of the song. It just has this intensity to it that I love. And then there's the clapping which really adds to the energy. It's just a great pop song, really. Though I'm not as big on the verses. 8/10 getting rid of those laggy YT embeds yw
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Post by ry4n on Apr 2, 2015 1:44:01 GMT -5
0105. The Beatles - "She Loves You" [2 weeks - 1964]YouTube link As I said in the last review, this was the song to really start off Beatlemania in the UK. They previously had two big hits there with "Please Please Me" and "From Me To You", but this song took on a whole life of its own. It had an insane chart run in the top 3, and it became the biggest selling song of all time in the UK until 1977. The US was a different story, of course. For me, this is the stronger song over "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (and, spoiler alert, probably my favourite of their early singles). But I get why the latter was their first US hit. I prefer the higher energetic style of this one. It just has this fast pace that goes from start to end. A lot of that coming from Ringo's cymbals. Only slowing down to emphasize the "yeah yeah yeah" hook (which I find to be a very big, instant hook.) I also find this to be a very endearing song. It's like "go apologize dude, she loves you, stop being so silly." But in an encouraging way, of course. You're rooting for these two to get back together. 9/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 2, 2015 2:06:08 GMT -5
0106. The Beatles - "Can't Buy Me Love" [5 weeks - 1964]YouTube link Three back to back to back #1's by the same artist. Something that has gone unmatched to this very day. As well, the historic moment of the all-Beatles top 5 occurred during this song's reign. The US was thirsty for anything and everything to do with this band. But they were also playing the game of catch-up. They were a year behind the UK, so everything just smashed at the same time. Also, B-sides chart separately on the Hot 100 at the time (which is how they managed 14 entries in one week.) Meanwhile, the UK needed a new single while the US was going crazy. And that's what "Can't Buy Me Love" basically was. And why it was released in the middle of the US chart messy-ness. Anyway. This has never been one of my favourite Beatles songs. I've always found it really really cheesy. It's still good, but it's not spectacular or anything. I enjoy the quick instrumental break in the middle of the song, though. 7/10
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Post by Flip on Apr 2, 2015 3:29:11 GMT -5
Yasss Beatles overload. :)
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Post by ry4n on Apr 2, 2015 19:10:49 GMT -5
0107. Louis Armstrong - "Hello, Dolly!" [1 week - 1964]YouTube link Oh yeah, other people had #1's in 1964 too! Of all songs to end the Beatles' run... of course it's a big band song by a 63 year old jazz musician. Haha. I believe Louis remains the oldest artist to have a Hot 100 #1, in fact. I'm much more familiar with his "What A Wonderful World" song, though. His vocals are certainly interesting on this one. As are his facial expressions in the live performance I linked above. He quite literally goes crazy. I'm amused by the exaggerated nature of it all. I'd find this pretty dull otherwise. 6/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 2, 2015 20:00:18 GMT -5
0108. Mary Wells - "My Guy" [2 weeks - 1964]YouTube link Mary Wells was the leading lady of Motown at the time. "My Guy" was her biggest hit (and her only #1), but due to disputes with the label, she left them soon after this was a hit. Which in turn caused her chart success to fade quite quickly. Smokey Robinson wrote a lot of her singles, including this one. It's a love song with very breezy vocals and production. Nothing can get in between the love she has for "her guy". And makes it quite clear her commitment is her choice. Though it's not the catchiest song ever, it's hard to hate it. 7/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 2, 2015 20:37:08 GMT -5
0109. The Beatles - "Love Me Do" [1 week - 1964]YouTube link This was their very first single in the UK, and it peaked at #17 there. I'm not sure if this was given a full push in the US, or it just took off cuz of Beatlemania. Seems strange that it went #1. Especially when "From Me To You" (a UK #1) was left as a B-side to "Please Please Me" in the US. Though I think the US also got "Twist And Shout" and "Do You Want To Know A Secret" as singles when the UK didn't... Either way, another Beatles #1 is always welcome! Like I said earlier, this track has a certain subtly to it. For a while, it was one of their singles that just passed me by and I never paid a lot of attention to. Other than the "someone to love..." middle 8, it never really hooked me in. But over time, I've come to appreciate the harmonica. It's the big highlight for me. 7/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 2, 2015 21:27:46 GMT -5
0110. The Dixie Cups - "Chapel Of Love" [3 weeks - 1964]YouTube link "Goiiiin' to the chapel and we're... gooooonna get married". What a camp chorus lmao. The pure joy of one's wedding day. I like where they're trying to go with this one, but I feel like the pace is a bit too slow, and that holds it back. I like that they're trying to create a strong melody here, but it just never *quite* gets there for me. 6/10
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Post by trustypepper on Apr 3, 2015 14:42:29 GMT -5
Seeing all these Beatles hits is just a reminder of how much I love them :)
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Post by ry4n on Apr 3, 2015 19:48:16 GMT -5
0111. Peter And Gordon - "A World Without Love" [1 week - 1964]YouTube link Peter Asher was the brother of Paul McCartney's then-girlfriend Jane Asher. And so Paul wrote this song for Peter and his singing partner Gordon. However, that's about the only interesting thing about this record. It's very... nothing-y. Peter & Gordon lack any real personality, and it's a pretty boring listen. If The Beatles had sung this instead, it would have at least sounded memorable. 3/10
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Post by DJDaveMick69 on Apr 3, 2015 20:22:44 GMT -5
Can't go wrong with the Fab 4. The other 1964 #1s are quite good too.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 3, 2015 20:29:55 GMT -5
0112. The Beach Boys - "I Get Around" [2 weeks - 1964]YouTube link The Beach Boys have some great songs, but I'm not as big on this one as some of their others. It's my least favourite of their four #1's, anyway. I guess I just find the chorus too repetitive. Though I can dig the southern California beach theme that's continued here from their 1962/3 surfing singles. It's song about young boys doing what young boys do - having a bunch of careless reckless fun. 7/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 3, 2015 22:13:55 GMT -5
0113. The Four Seasons - "Rag Doll" [2 weeks - 1964]YouTube link Like I said before, The Four Seasons were one the few pre-1964 acts to endure the British Invasion and survive. Though, this is their last number one until the mid 70's (a Frankie Valli solo single aside). Unlike their last three #1's, this one doesn't revolve around gimmicky falsetto. It's a more serious song. Bob Gaudio, one of the co-writers, was inspired after an encounter with a local homeless woman. The other people in town always look down on her. But the narrator of the song loves her just the way she is; despite everyone else's judgements. He's the one person willing to take her in and help her. It's kinda sweet, but I'm not sure how genuine this song comes off. 6/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 3, 2015 23:39:32 GMT -5
0114. The Beatles - "A Hard Day's Night" [2 weeks - 1964]YouTube link With Beatlemania still at its peak, what was the next logical step? Why, make a movie of course. And with a movie, comes a new album and a brand new single to go along with it. All three with the same title. I can't imagine how busy the four of them were in 1964. And how overwhelming all this ridiculous success must've been. But it doesn't kill their momentum at all. In fact, this is possibly their most energetic single yet. It's like they're having a jam session on stage. I feel like this is the point when they've really come into their own. "A Hard Day's Night" sounds pretty polished. Appropriately, it's a very busy song as well. Lots of hooks and quite heavy on the instrumental. But it does that without ever sounding disjointed. The "So why on earth should I moan.." and "When I'm home.." parts are especially catchy. I also love the big dramatic guitar chord at the beginning of the song. Lyrically, it's about working hard to make the money to keep his girl happy. But he's ok with that because she finds ways to please him when he gets home. Subtle sexual lyric there? Idk. Probably not their best written song, but ehh I don't care. They've improved on their ability to create a solid pop tune. Btw John pronounces the word "log" weirdly and that's always bothered me for some reason. 9/10Same score as "She Loves You", but that one's still my favourite of their early singles.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 4, 2015 17:09:01 GMT -5
0115. Dean Martin - "Everybody Loves Somebody" [1 week - 1964]YouTube link A topic that comes up every now and again in popular music - the generation gap. Every so often, the pop landscape changes. New acts, styles, trends come along. The younger generation falls in love with it. The older generation rolls their eyes. Music is no longer what it was when they were young, and therefore whatever is popular now is shit. And it's a vicious cycle that continues over and over again - even to this day. I'm sure we've all encountered elders who have complained about the Lady Gagas and Rihannas of today, and how stuff from their time is untouchable gold. But in their day, their elders were complaining the music that was popular back then. Why am I rambling on about this? Well, this song is very much a response to what was going on in 1964. Crooner Dean Martin strongly resented rock and roll ever since it became a chart force; much to the dismay of his son who loved artists like The Beatles. So one day, Dean declared to his son "I'm gonna' knock your pallies off the charts"... and that's exactly what he did. He knocked The Beatles off the top spot with a song made to appeal to those that yearned for the music of yester-year. Dean may have won the battle, but he certainly didn't win the war. The Beatles earned 15 more #1's and popular music continued going in the direction it was already going in anyway. 1940's music bores me. 2/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 4, 2015 22:07:13 GMT -5
0116. The Supremes - "Where Did Our Love Go" [2 weeks - 1964]YouTube link And so begins chapter 1 of another artist I'll be encountering quite a few times in this thread. One of the most successful girl groups of all time. The 60's version of Destiny's Child. Diancé and her revolving door of back-up singers. Aka The Supremes. One of the artists that really defined this decade. A trio that really helped open doors for an entire genre in the pop world. Ironically, it took them 9 singles before they even got a real hit (this being #9). Also ironically, they didn't even want to record this song at first thinking it wasn't strong enough. Lol. "Where Did Our Love Go" offers something different and it's exciting. These three ladies were able to make pop-ified R&B with strong melodies and hooks, and be able to stay true to their genre. Lyrically, they do the heartbreak theme quite well. And Diana Ross has these soft vocals that just draws you in. I also like the stomping and hand claps in this. It's a strong song, no doubt, but it does feel a little monotonous. It's a solid 9/10 though.
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Post by Zeebz on Apr 4, 2015 22:10:49 GMT -5
1964 was such a good year for number ones. "Where Did Our Love Go" might be my favorite Supremes song. So good. Then again, it's hard to choose because they have so many gems.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 6, 2015 9:29:37 GMT -5
0117. The Animals - "The House Of The Rising Sun" [3 weeks - 1964]YouTube link Oh yeah we're definitely in the 60's now! What do you get when you update an old folk tune and blend it with a blues-y sound? A pretty innovative track is what. I don't think there was really anything that sounded quite like this before mid 1964. And it's a sound that will influence what's to come after it. Really starts establishing what the latter half of this decade will sound like. No matter how many times I hear this track, I'm still blown away. It embodies one of the darkest, most haunting experiences I've ever listened to. The organ (especially the solo in the middle) and the hoarse vocals really intensify the whole thing. What "The House Of The Rising Sun" is exactly, isn't all that clear. I've read it's a brothel, but I like it being more ambiguous. Could mean anything to anyone. Drugs, gambling, etc. It's a song about losing self-control to your demons. Falling so far into this trap and this lifestyle that there's no hope of ever being free from it. "Oh mother tell your children; Not to do what I have done". "It's been the ruin of many a poor boy; And God I know I'm one". Powerful. The organ not only adds a very chilling sound, it also adds a bit of a church-y one. Which ties into the whole "sin" aspect (though I wouldn't say this is a religious song in any way.) I always have an adoration for when the instrumental matches up with the lyrics and captures the essence of them perfectly. This song, of course, does just that. And not only that, but the vocals match up as well. Those three elements are all quite intense, and all work seamlessly with each other. The lead singer, Eric Burdon, sounds like he's fallen into the deepest darkest pits of hell by the end of the track. He's been so wrecked and we're being brought along this twisted journey with him. The best #1 so far. 10/10 <3
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Post by ry4n on Apr 7, 2015 9:03:14 GMT -5
0118. Roy Orbison - "Oh, Pretty Woman" [3 weeks - 1964]YouTube link "MERCY!" Haha. I've always loved this song. The guitar chord and stomping drum beat is so addictive. So there's this pretty woman on the street that catches Roy's attention. So pretty that she makes Roy growl and exclaim "MERCY!". A fully confident Roy approaches her... she keeps walking. He reacts awkwardly: "Pretty woman, don't walk away, hey... okay; If that's the way it must be... okay; I guess I'll go on home, it's late". I love that part of the song... it's just so realistic and endearing. Rejection hurts. You can't help but feel for him. But then comes the plot twist - "Yeah, she's walking back to me". And it's an aww cute happy ending. 9/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 7, 2015 9:08:47 GMT -5
I wanted to give a rough explanation of how I mark these songs:
1/10 = offensively terrible 2/10 = bad, but not the worst 3/10 = don't like it, but there's some redeeming qualities 4/10 = subpar 5/10 = average 6/10 = decent 7/10 = like it, but there's too many negatives I can't ignore 8/10 = good, but not the best 9/10 = love it 10/10 = one of my favourite songs of all time
for that reason, I try to limit the 10's
:)
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Post by ry4n on Apr 7, 2015 10:50:16 GMT -5
0119. Manfred Mann - "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" [2 weeks - 1964]YouTube link Proving that pop music doesn't always have to make sense, Manfred Mann made an annoyingly catchy refrain out of an utterly nonsense phrase. "There she was just a-walkin' down the street; singin' do-wah diddy-diddy dum diddy-do". But it doesn't stop being irritating there - we also have these echoing "she looked good (LOOKED GOOD); she looked fine (LOOKED FINE)" parts. But, as silly (and dumb) as this song is, I'm actually rather amused by it. It does its job - it easily gets stuck in my head. And it's not as childish as it could be. So I actually kinda like it. Though the "Whoa-oh, I knew we was falling in luhhhhve" bridge sounds awkwardly placed. 6/10
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Post by Green Baron on Apr 7, 2015 11:04:48 GMT -5
so. much. Beatles. They aren't even that good anyways.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 8, 2015 0:13:21 GMT -5
0120. The Supremes - "Baby Love" [4 weeks - 1964]YouTube link Last time I talked about them, I mentioned how after several failed attempts, the stars finally aligned. "Where Did Our Love Go" gave The Supremes a major hit. So now the question became: how do they do it again? From what I've read, the trio had to change up much of their style to score that first #1. Whatever they did, worked, obviously. So it only made sense to try to replicate that formula. They (or their management or whatever) recognized the key components - highlight Diana's soft vocals, look for a melody, insert ad libs from the other 2 members, make the instrumental percussion-heavy, and so forth. They indeed copied and pasted those elements over, and look at that! A month in the chart penthouse. As much as I like this dreamy sound, I feel like this one misses the mark. Diana's vocals are a bit drowned out. She's searching for some sort of hook or melody... but never really finds either. And basically resorts to singing the song title over and over again. Which causes the song to plod on and never really go anywhere for me. Lyrically, though, it's a heartbreaking song.. despite how badly her lover treats her, she keeps begging him to stay with her. Because she still loves him. You just want to give her a hug and tell her she's worth better than that and kick that asshole to that curb. She'll become that strong independent woman later on, though. But for now.. 6/10
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Post by Mikey on Apr 8, 2015 6:26:33 GMT -5
so. much. Beatles. They aren't even that good anyways. booooooooooo
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Post by Green Baron on Apr 8, 2015 8:56:39 GMT -5
so. much. Beatles. They aren't even that good anyways. booooooooooo Early Beatles was typical boy band fodder. They only started developing into making great material later on in t heir careers.
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Mikey
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Post by Mikey on Apr 8, 2015 9:28:09 GMT -5
Early Beatles was typical boy band fodder. They only started developing into making great material later on in t heir careers. i'm also not a big fan of oldies, but what do you want, it's Beatles after all, the biggest band ever imo :) if you don't like them, you don't like overall music. Problem solved.
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Post by Red on Apr 8, 2015 11:49:39 GMT -5
Early Beatles was typical boy band fodder. They only started developing into making great material later on in t heir careers. Let's establish one thing: This is not a sentiment that Baron alone has. I see this argument everywhere nowadays, actually, and there are some who believe that there's nothing special about the early Beatles material. And of course, as they mature, they morphed into one of the seminal bands of all time, making it even easier to brush aside the early works. When you compare the early Beatles to the later Beatles, it's like listening to two completely different bands. And yet, the seeds were being planted ever so slowly on A Hard Day's Night and Help! even before Rubber Soul changed the trajectory of the band forever. No band that could be classified as "typical boy band fodder" could make a song as intricate and as intimate as "And I Love Her". It just isn't possible. Are there bumps in the road during those early days? Of course. I mean, have any of you listened to some of the early Lennon and McCartney compositions? Some of them can be truly insipid. But part of the fun of the Beatles journey is listening to the band evolve at a prodigal pace up until they reached the top of the mountain in the mid-60's. I love the entire idea of this thread and I also love that you enjoy "Telstar" as much as you do! It's definitely one of the most underrated #1s of its era. Just for funsies, here's my personal top ten up until this point (4-9 is pretty interchangeable): 1) The Animals - House of the Rising Sun (yep, one of the best songs ever) 2) The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night 3) The Beach Boys - I Get Around (I understand why you don't like it quite as much as their other #1s, but this is one of the first songs I ever loved) 4) The Beatles - She Loves You 5) Elvis Presley - Are You Lonesome Tonight? 6) The Shirelles - Will You Love Me Tomorrow 7) The Tornadoes - Telstar 8) Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman 9) The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand 10) Ray Charles and His Orchestra - Hit the Road Jack
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Post by ry4n on Apr 8, 2015 12:10:13 GMT -5
Yeah, even the early Beatles stuff was quite different from what was popular before them. I also find it really fascinating how their sound kept evolving.
One of the things I love about the 1960's is watching just how much the musical landscape changes. And society in general, as well. At the dawn of 1960, things were still pretty conservative. Yeah, rock n roll and Elvis challenged things in the 50's, but there was still a long way to go. And by the time we get to the summer of love and Woodstock all that... it's interesting. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 8, 2015 15:36:15 GMT -5
0121. The Shangri-Las - "Leader Of The Pack" [1 week - 1964]YouTube link The Shangri-Las, whom I actually didn't know a whole lot about before writing this review, were yet another game changer in the mid 1960's. They took what was expected of female singers at the time and completely f**ked with it; challenging what was acceptable. A stark contrast to the other girl groups, they didn't dress conservatively, they sang in an unconventional style (certainly on this song), and they ventured left-of-field with their music. They were often seen as the bad girls (and came off authentically as such). Something that the youth of the day could cling on to. "Leader Of The Pack" not only f**ks with song structure, but between its extremely dramatic plot, its motorcycle sound effects, and its school girl dialogue, sounds like something straight out of a theatrical play. And that's probably the point. To be exaggerated for maximum effect. Said plot involves the protagonist Betty coping with the tragic loss of her boyfriend Jimmy who recently died in a motorcycle accident. She recounts the story to these two gossipy girls at school (who are utterly unaware of what happened). Betty was dating the bad boy which everyone disapproved of. Especially her father who makes her end the relationship. Having no choice, she breaks Jimmy's heart. Afterwards, Jimmy drives off and crashes and dies. But not without hearing all the violent sound effects of that incident and Betty yelling "Look out! Look out! Look out! Look out!" first. That part is one sobering thing to listen to. Teen death ballads were sort of trend in the early 60's. But "Leader Of The Pack" went down a different angle from the other ones. What makes this track interesting is just how isolated and alienated Betty feels. She sings "In school they all stop and stare". You'd expect her to be receiving lots of sympathy - but she's not. It's made clear that she's not part of the popular clique. She's an outcast. And because of recent events EVERYONE is now talking about her. These two gossipy girls, especially, come off quite insensitive (I mean the opening line is "Is she really going out with him?"). As well, Betty probably feels isolated at home. We don't know for sure what her relationship with her parents is like, but we do know that her father made her break-up with Jimmy. I doubt that made her feel closer to her father. And to top it all off, she just lost her boyfriend. Who was probably the one person who got her when no one else did. And I think that's what makes this song so tragic. What's also sobering is that "The leader of the pack - now he's gone" refrain at the very end. As well, the line "I begged him to go slow; But whether he heard, I'll never know" almost begs the question: was Jimmy so heart broken that he committed suicide? Maybe I'm reading too much into that, though, idk. Either way, "Leader Of The Pack" stands out in so many ways. We've come a long way in this past year. 9/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 9, 2015 7:41:18 GMT -5
0122. Lorne Greene - "Ringo" [1 week - 1964]YouTube link at this being a #1. Originally released in 1963, it was re-released a year later to leech off of Beatlemania. "Ringo", the song, has nothing to do with Ringo Starr, the drummer. But the coincidence was an opportunity they just couldn't resist, I guess. It's a wild wild west folk song about some outlaw named "Ringo". I've said before and I'll say it again: I just don't care about these folk songs. Though, most of the others at least have a gripping suspenseful narrative... "Ringo"'s storyline confuses me. The protagonist saves Ringo's life; Ringo becomes a villain for unexplained reasons; Ringo and the narrator (who for some reason has become a sheriff) turn into arch-enemies for more unexplained reasons; the two inevitably meet in a face to face stand off; but Ringo's conscience won't let him kill the sheriff. But then the townsfolk gun down Ringo anyway. Also, I can't help but laugh at how cliché the "Ringo... Ringo..." background vocal parts are. Lorne's Edgar Allan Poe-esque narration doesn't help matters, either. 2/10
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