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Post by ry4n on Apr 9, 2015 13:26:32 GMT -5
0123. Bobby Vinton - "Mr. Lonely" [1 week - 1964]YouTube link So this guy somehow keeps getting #1's; despite each one being more boring than the last. Well ok... this one's not as bad as "There! I've Said It Again" at least. But it's still pretty blah. It's the song Akon sampled (and chipmunked) in his 2005 smash hit "Lonely", in case anyone was wondering. Unsurprisingly, this was Bobby's final #1. He was just not cut out for this era, really. This crooner style was already becoming passé by late '64. Indeed, this song was originally recorded in 1962. Although he gives an emotional vocal performance in this... his sad and lonely acting is a bit over the top. And comes off too forced. 3/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 9, 2015 23:35:08 GMT -5
0124. The Supremes - "Come See About Me" [2 weeks - 1964 / 1965]YouTube link Mostly treads along the same waters as their last two #1's. Does it explore anything new that they haven't done already? No, not really. More hand clapping production, more lyrics about missing her ex, etc. And it's one of their more forgettable chart toppers. But it's still a fine tune. The backing vocals, especially, are used quite effectively here. The "he-eh-eh-eh-ey" in the pre-chorus and the echo of "crying baby for you" are quite catchy. There's also this aura of classiness and maturity that makes this group work so well, I think. 7/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 10, 2015 0:19:34 GMT -5
0125. The Beatles - "I Feel Fine" [3 weeks - 1964 / 1965]YouTube link I find this one kinda boring compared to their other hits. That feedback thing at the beginning is interesting, though. It shows they're already starting to experiment with different sounds. Lyrically, there's not a lot going on, either. But I do like the cynical and doubtful nature of it. When John says "she said so", it's as if he's saying "well... she says she loves me; so that means she does in fact love me... right?" As well, the phrase "I feel fine" seems quite passive. "Yeah, I don't doubt her love at all... nope definitely don't..." 7/10and with that, the 60's are half over!
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Post by Musicguy on Apr 10, 2015 3:43:32 GMT -5
This is an AMAZING project, dearrrr! I'm doing something similar in writing for a book I'm planning on my Personal Number one songs. I never liked 50s and 60s songs much, but I've come to appreciate a lot now. I LOVE the very first two Hot 100 number ones... I hated them twenty or so years ago, so maybe later in life you'll love them too... that's another thing I love about music. Anyway! In less than 10 years you'll get to the song that was number 1 when I was born! :kii:
Keep this up, will definitely follow it until the very end!
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Post by ry4n on Apr 10, 2015 6:20:08 GMT -5
This is an AMAZING project, dearrrr! I'm doing something similar in writing for a book I'm planning on my Personal Number one songs. I never liked 50s and 60s songs much, but I've come to appreciate a lot now. I LOVE the very first two Hot 100 number ones... I hated them twenty or so years ago, so maybe later in life you'll love them too... that's another thing I love about music. Anyway! In less than 10 years you'll get to the song that was number 1 when I was born! :kii: Keep this up, will definitely follow it until the very end! Thanks! I probably won't be up to the present day until like late 2016 haha. Oh well, Uptown Funk will probably still be #1 by then anyway. Yeah my tastes are always changing. Which kinda makes scoring these arbitrary... but whatever. Though, the ones at the biggest disadvantage in that regard are the ones I haven't heard before. But I know most of them from 1964 onwards. My own birth is quite a ways off, obviously.
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Post by Musicguy on Apr 10, 2015 6:31:03 GMT -5
This is an AMAZING project, dearrrr! I'm doing something similar in writing for a book I'm planning on my Personal Number one songs. I never liked 50s and 60s songs much, but I've come to appreciate a lot now. I LOVE the very first two Hot 100 number ones... I hated them twenty or so years ago, so maybe later in life you'll love them too... that's another thing I love about music. Anyway! In less than 10 years you'll get to the song that was number 1 when I was born! :kii: Keep this up, will definitely follow it until the very end! Thanks! I probably won't be up to the present day until like late 2016 haha. Oh well, Uptown Funk will probably still be #1 by then anyway. Yeah my tastes are always changing. Which kinda makes scoring these arbitrary... but whatever. Though, the ones at the biggest disadvantage in that regard are the ones I haven't heard before. But I know most of them from 1964 onwards. My own birth is quite a ways off, obviously. Exactly! That happens a lot! I abhorred "Love Bites" by Def Leppard in 1988 and now it's one of my favorite songs. Other #1s that I absolutely love now and hated when they reached #1 were "Sweet Child Of Mine" by Guns N' Roses and "All The Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston. I still can't get over "The Flame" blocking "Mercedes Boy" and "I Don't Wanna Cry" zooming 8-1 and blocking Cathy Dennis. And don't get me started on "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" being blocked by two #1s, hahaha. Doing this is amazing as you get to discover songs you haven't heard before, yes! For the past few months I have also been doing something similar on my YouTube channel in which I'm compiling videos of all songs that made it to #2, 3, 4, 5... so we're doing parallel things, hehe.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 11, 2015 5:01:29 GMT -5
0126. Petula Clark - "Downtown" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link I remember this from a Seinfeld episode lmao. Petula's solution for the blues? Simple. Head for a night downtown. The one place where you can go to forget all your troubles and just let loose. And if you don't live in the city, well this song will make you wish you did. It's a sentiment filled with such overwhelming optimism. The vocals and instrumental definitely match that mood. I can't help it, but Taylor Swift's "Welcome To New York" reminds me of this track (except it isn't s**t.) I'm not sure how great downtown nightlife is in 2015, but things were probably different in the 1960's. Petula's quite convincing at making it sound that way, at least. There's music, neon lights, shops that don't close, movie theatres, etc. And she really makes you want to go there with statements like "How can you lose?", "Everything's waiting for you" (lol more WTNY vibes), "You'll be dancing with 'em too", maybe you'll find "someone who is just like you", etc. I love how she comes off like she's your best friend who simply wants to see you be happy (and she hones that in with "So maybe I'll see you there".) I also like how the hustle and bustle of downtown is matched with the hustle and bustle of this big orchestral pre-chorus. At first I thought "Downtown" was delusional, but you know what? How can I hate such earnest and sincere positivity. Could always use more of that in my life. Going "Downtown" is something relatable and accessible (for most anyway). Unlike boys and boys and girls and girls moving to the Big Apple. Erm anyway. 8/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 11, 2015 15:26:07 GMT -5
0127. The Righteous Brothers - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link Phil Spector was a prominent producer from the 1960's. Up til now, he produced mostly girl group hits. He was responsible for songs such as "To Know Him Is To Love Him", "He's A Rebel" and "Be My Baby"; among others. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" was his first recording with the Righteous Brothers, and he would continue to produce songs for them until 1966. One of those being "Unchained Melody", of course, which I sadly won't get to review. He will return at the end of the decade, though, to work with the Beatles on their final album... but that's something I will get to talk about later. This is probably the perfect time to bring his name up, because this is the record where he really goes all out. Where he tries to capture the full potential of his signature "wall of sound" technique. A technique that no one had really done before. Basically, he throws in every instrument possible, with the right acoustics, to produce this one big intense anthem-like dramatic sound. And he's able to pull it off without sounding overdone. The backing vocals give it an extra something as well. Though I think "Unchained Melody" does a better job at utilizing this technique, this one's quite effective at "sounding big" too. "Unchained Melody", a song of unrelenting desperation, builds and builds and builds and then explodes at the end. Whereas "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", a song not sure whether to be fighting to get "that lovin' feelin'" back or be depressed about it, actually releases its tension for a moment at the end of each chorus (with the "gone gone gone" part.) It wants to explode, but it restrains itself from doing so. It then starts from scratch to build up again. Which I find really interesting. That said, there is still a climax (which is essential) - the middle 8 with the ad libs. The one time where the song can't restrain itself anymore. The Righteous Brothers were a "blue-eyed soul" group, and I'd say those vocals were key in giving a song like this that extra edge. Though, the power of vocals aren't my area of expertise. Also, there's a neat little fake-out towards the end that I like. Apparently Phil added that in because at a running time of 3:45, this track was unusually long for 1965, and he wanted to fuck with radio DJs. lol. 9/10"Unchained Melody" would probably be a 9 or 10.
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Post by Musicguy on Apr 11, 2015 15:56:45 GMT -5
Phil Spector was a great producer. I wonder if he'll ever release the tracks he did with Celine for an album he was helming for her in 1995...
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Post by Red on Apr 11, 2015 17:21:54 GMT -5
I've been waiting for this one. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is legitimately one of the best songs of the 60's. It's when Phil Spector finally started to truly achieve the "wall of sound" that he was so desperately trying to obtain, and that "wall" is combined with one of the most beautiful male voices in all of rock and roll (and the other voice wasn't too shabby, either...see "Unchained Melody") to create something truly special. (For the record, it's #2 on my rankings with a bullet behind only "The House of the Rising Sun"...you know, if you were curious about it or anything.)
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Post by ry4n on Apr 12, 2015 2:04:01 GMT -5
0128. Gary Lewis & The Playboys - "This Diamond Ring" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link The funny part about this record is that The Playboys were replaced with session musicians and Gary Lewis was heavily overdubbed by some session vocalist. Which is a sign of the major problem I have with this song - it feels inauthentic. For a song about an engagement being called off, it comes off pretty forced and emotionless. I also find the way Gary (or whoever) sings really grating. Such as the elongation of words like "youuuuu" and speeding up words like "anymore". That all said, the instrumental is just quirky enough to hold my interest. I'm a sucker for this type of 60's instrumentals. 4/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 13, 2015 1:32:24 GMT -5
0129. The Temptations - "My Girl" [1 week - 1965]YouTube link One of the ultimate uplifting songs ever? It's gotta be up there. The lyrics are kinda cheesy ("I've got sunshine on a cloudy day"), but there's a cuteness to them too. "My Girl" is obviously a "happy in love" song. It lives in a worry-free, uncomplicated world. The sentiment is straightforward: his girl is the one thing that always makes him happy. But the instrumental (the guitar, the strings, the horns) and melody are effortlessly breezy. The build-up of "Well, I guess you'd say..." in the pre-chorus is also a good hook. I like any song that makes the most out of simplicity, which "My Girl" does. An overplayed oldie, but a definite highlight of the Motown era. 8/10Random side note: Smokey Robinson wrote this as a response song to Mary Well's "My Guy"; which he also wrote.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 13, 2015 5:58:52 GMT -5
0130. The Beatles - "Eight Days A Week" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link It's been about a year since the iconic Ed Sullivan Show appearance, and they've already racked up seven number ones. Impressive. However, with the demand of releasing singles so often, it was only inevitable that a lazy effort would eventually wind up in the mix. And that's where "Eight Days A Week" comes in. An album track from their fourth album, Beatles For Sale, it was released for the US market to keep their momentum going - it wasn't even a single in their British homeland. A song John Lennon later denounced as "lousy", it's probably their second weakest #1 on either side of the Atlantic (after "The Ballad Of John & Yoko"). I don't think this is necessarily bad, but with the high quality this group will put themselves up to.. it's pretty uninspired. It's really nothing new that they haven't done already (the instrumental, the lyrics...) and it comes off rather throwaway. Except there is that fade in, which was uncommon at the time. And a creatively worded title, I guess. But then, a poor Beatles track isn't the worst thing ever. I feel like this song, more or less, marks the end of the early era of the Beatles. Their next #1 feels like the turning point that begins the next chapter... though that's probably debatable. 6/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 14, 2015 4:18:32 GMT -5
0131. The Supremes - "Stop! In The Name Of Love" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link It's only fitting that the two biggest groups of the decade have back-to-back #1's. And on more than one occasion! But unlike what "Eight Days A Week" is to the Beatles, this is probably my favourite Supremes #1. Though, there's a few to come that I'm not that familiar with. What I love about this song is the sheer straightforwardness of "STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE! BEFORE YOU BREAK MY HEART". They sound so defiant and not timid or wishywashy (and it makes good use of the other two members). They're going to let their voices be heard and you're going to listen. That attitude is enhanced by the right hand extended out thing they do in their performances of this. Their previous #1's saw them on the losing end of a toxic relationship as well, but their hearts (or society?) wouldn't let them break free from it. However, as of this single, that's all changed. They're bringing out that confident empowered woman that's within them. Which probably seemed more daring 50 years ago. That said, they're not exactly telling him to get lost, are they? All they want is for him to be loyal cuz they still love him. But it's a step closer to being an independent woman. Compared to their last three #1's, the production sounds more polished and smoother on this one. Holland–Dozier–Holland, the writing / production team behind all of the Supremes hits... for now, have perfected their winning formula. The horns and bells and whatever other instrument give just the right dramatic emphasis at the right points. The chorus hits you hard, as it supposed to (and I'm so glad they start the song off with it). But most importantly, the lyrical subject matter has progressed in relation to exploring and defining what their role in a relationship is. 9/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 14, 2015 12:54:28 GMT -5
0132. Freddie And The Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link A song sold by the gimmick of one of the most asinine dance routines ever (just watch the clip I linked above). And the gimmick doesn't stop there; the backside of the cover sleeve apparently gives you instructions on how to do the dance deemed "The Freddie"! I find it funny that even Freddie himself seems to realize just how stupid this whole thing is. Actually, I'm more amused at how awkward the backing band looks while doing it. But anyway, there's nothing worse than a novelty that isn't funny in the first place. As for the song itself - a trite love song with nothing interesting about it. 2/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 15, 2015 11:47:23 GMT -5
0133. Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders - "The Game Of Love" [1 week - 1965]YouTube link I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this one. It tosses together US garage rock (which I didn't get to talk about cuz of "Louie Louie" peaking at #2) with the usual mid 60's sounds. I half-expected it to transition into a country hoedown jamboree at one point. And I'm not exactly sure what the point of this song is? I guess they've come up with the rationale for falling in love as "The purpose of a man is to love a woman; And the purpose of a woman is to love a man". Well... if you say so. But I feel like that's oversimplifying things a bit. And then there's that chorus with the deep voice guy repeating back "uhv" in the "Luh (Uhv) Luh (Uhv) La-la-la-la-etc" part, and it's just so silly and annoying. It's catchy enough but doesn't do a lot for me. 4/10
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Post by DJDaveMick69 on Apr 15, 2015 13:35:01 GMT -5
The last 2 (for me anyway): Corny, innocent and fun.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 15, 2015 13:58:55 GMT -5
0134. Herman's Hermits - "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter" [3 weeks - 1965]YouTube link Herman's Hermits had this goody-goody image and sang cutesy safe songs, for the most part. But they never gained a lot of respect as musicians because of that. Despite being a British group, they were actually more successful in the US than their homeland. Though a lot of their big Hot 100 hits weren't released in the UK. I don't mind "I'm Into Something Good", but this one is a bit further towards the "so wholesome it makes hurl" side of things. However, I get the impression that this song is about young kids experiencing first love, so it's ok. I mean if they were adults, the lyrics would just be weird. The song does tells a unique story, though, as far as pop records go (and I can appreciate that). The story: after the boy gets dumped, he decides to not trouble his ex-girlfriend with the heartbreak he's going through. He masks his emotions around her and leaves her be, and instead confides his feelings to the girl's mom. It's kinda cute, in a way. Like I said, he's the goody-goody type of kid. The hiding emotions thing is mirrored in the monotone way the band sings this song. Or maybe that's just cuz their vocals aren't very good. Lol. Speaking of vocals, their British accents are really thick here. Anyway. The song needs a chorus, but I like the ukulele-like instrumental. Makes me think of childhood (in the olden days) for some reason. 6/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 16, 2015 14:15:51 GMT -5
0135. The Beatles - "Ticket To Ride" [1 week - 1965]YouTube link Like I said earlier, for me, this is when the next era of The Beatles begins. Their first few albums, and, well, British Invasion music in general, were pretty much upbeat and light on the subject matter. But now we're approaching the point when that shifts. Where the 60's start to become something more meaningful; for lack of a better word. The Beatles already explored darker lyrics on some of the original tracks on Beatles For Sale. Notably "No Reply" (a song full of anger) and "I'm A Loser" (a song full of self-blaming). But "Ticket To Ride" was their first single to go down this path. This song is about an impending break-up. What I love about it, is the complexity of emotions presented (a lot of that is expressed in the way John sings this). John realizes today's the day. She's going to leave him. She has other options and it doesn't really phase her. At first he's sad, but then he shifts focus to how unbelievably cold-hearted this woman is. "But she don't care!", he cries. Then the second verse reveals how she's said before how unhappy she is being with him. "She would never be free; When I was around". It sounds like this break-up has been dragged out. And now the two of them are just so bitter towards each other. I like how the mesmerizingly slow paced guitar and drum match that mood. Then comes the middle 8, where the instrumental picks up for a moment. This is where John gets all passive aggressive. She's just going to leave him without giving an explanation or a proper goodbye or anything? "She ought to do right by me", he scoffs. The rest of the song, culminating in the "My baby don't care" fade out, is basically John laughing off the ridiculousness of the whole situation. What I find interesting is that John doesn't exactly come off in a sympathetic light here, does he? Though his soon-to-be ex doesn't either, and I think that's what makes the song work. This mutual bitterness. Them both being wrong. Though I think John piles on the resentment as a way of getting over her and a way to not be depressed about this break-up. It's much easier to do that if he can convince himself it's not his fault. There's a reason why the song opens with "I think I'm gonna be sad". Also, there's a lyric here about two people living together without being married (something seen as taboo at the time). It's important lyric, not just for pushing the envelope, but to show that their lyrics have matured. This isn't some high school romance; it's (or was) a serious relationship. We're out of so-called "boyband fodder" era, and the unhappy songs don't stop here. The more that I think about it, there really isn't much I dislike about this, and it really is one of my favourite Beatles songs. So I'm giving it a 10/10. And it won't be their last.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 17, 2015 10:12:57 GMT -5
0136. The Beach Boys - "Help Me, Rhonda" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link Much like the Beatles, the Beach Boys had evolved from the type of music that made them initially popular. For these guys, it was the surfing songs. By 1965, their lyrical subject matter had grown out of that. Which brings us to "Help Me, Rhonda". It's a song about getting rejected and then going on the rebound, essentially. With lyrics like "She was gonna be my wife", he seems pretty assured that it was going to work out with his ex. But now she's with another man. So he seeks out this other girl, the mysterious Rhonda, to help heal his hurt heart (alliteration unintended). He seems pretty assured here too when he says "And I know it wouldn't take much time". Meanwhile, the Beach Boys' signature barbershop quartet-esque harmonies of "Help me Rhonda; Help, help me Rhonda" encourage Rhonda to take pity on him. He has an ego which might get in the way of that, but the surfing songs were all about ego. And in an odd way, I do pity him. I also like that the chorus finishes off with a separate hook. And there's some interesting audio tricks going on here too, like the echo effect and fade out fake outs at the end. 8/10
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Post by Red on Apr 17, 2015 11:01:09 GMT -5
Oh, I adore these latest two songs. "Ticket To Ride" is the real shifting point of The Beatles, the moment when they reached a higher plane. It only got better from here. And "Help Me, Rhonda"...ugh, so good. I shudder to think how much better the music of the Beach Boys would have gotten had Brian Wilson not had a nervous breakdown.
Also, I seemed to have missed "Stop! In the Name of Love", definitely the strongest Supremes #1 to this point. Good times are definitely here, and better times lie ahead.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 17, 2015 14:54:14 GMT -5
0137. The Supremes - "Back In My Arms Again" [1 week - 1965]YouTube link 5 number ones in a row. Not many artists have repeated this feat. Mariah and Katy are two that come to mind, but I'm probably missing some others. Either way, I think it's safe to say that The Supremes have proven themselves by this point. Diana is fed up with Mary and Flo, aka the other two members of the Supremes, advising her to ditch her boyfriend cuz he's no good. He's only going to break her heart, they say. Advice from friends led to them breaking up once before, and Diana decides this is enough justification that her friends' advice is rubbish. Now that he's "back in her arms again", she's not letting go this time. Which is all fine and good. People meddling in one's personal problems gets tiresome. But Diana is just so catty about it. She even gets all shady in third verse about Mary and Flo's own relationship problems. Either implying they don't know what they're talking about or that they're jealous of her or something. If they're truly her friends, they're only looking out for her. I mean, Diana didn't exactly date the perfect gentlemen in their previous #1's. She just doesn't come off in a very good light here. Yeah I said something similar about "Ticket To Ride", but that's cuz John Lennon was aware of his own flaws and was unsure who was right or wrong in that song. Diana is much more stubborn. I would've preferred if "Back In My Arms Again" concluded with the guy being a douche and Diana realizing friendship is more important... but I guess we're 32 years off from a girl group #1 with that theme... Anyway. The production and melody are fine. Hopefully this is their worst #1. 5/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 17, 2015 16:00:12 GMT -5
0138. Four Tops - "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" [2 weeks - 1965]YouTube link I think it's safe to say, by now Motown is a chart force to be reckoned with. The Four Tops, in a way, were the male counterparts to the Supremes. They used the same production / writing team as the Supremes, Holland-Dozier-Holland. Levi Stubbs' baritone and soulful voice was the perfect contrast to Diana Ross' soft and feminine one. And to top it off, "I Can't Help Myself" sounds strikingly similar to a Supremes song. Which isn't a bad thing, of course. It's a winning formula after all, and it's still a fresh sound in mid-1965. What makes this a great song is the vocals allow so much emotion to be laid out. I love when songs can do this effectively. It's makes it so much more believable. You feel what he's going through. He's fully aware of his feelings for this girl. He realizes he should probably move on and get over her. But he can't. He tries with every force of his being, but he simply can't. It's a song of complete desperation. Not desperation to be with her, but desperation to get over her. He exposes all of his weaknesses and vulnerabilities. It's quite an endearing song. Also the melody is very strong. It hits all the right highs and lows to get stuck in your head. I love the brief instrumental pause in the middle 8 too. 9/10
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Post by surfy on Apr 18, 2015 0:06:02 GMT -5
This is perfect Ryan!!!
I'm loving this 64-65 list of #1s... they're amazing!!! <3
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Post by ry4n on Apr 18, 2015 17:50:55 GMT -5
0139. The Byrds - "Mr. Tambourine Man" [1 week - 1965]YouTube link So, I'm a little over halfway through the 60's, and I haven't mentioned Bob Dylan yet. Partly because I've been putting off having to research more about him... But also because he's one of those major names who have no Hot 100 #1's. Well... sort of. "Mr Tambourine Man" is close enough. It's his song, but it isn't his version that topped the charts. It's a cover. Which I guess means I have to talk about Dylan now! The influence of Dylan on music history is tremendous, to say the least. Especially in the 60's. He was seen as the embodiment of authenticity. And his music was rooted in American folk; a genre often regarded as the music of the working class. He also wrote very personal lyrics about things that mattered to a lot of people. Namely, socio-political issues. Songs like "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'" really struck a chord with people. However, despite being renowned as a brilliant songwriter, Dylan was also known as a terrible vocalist. And not just his vocals, his arrangements were quite unpolished as well. In a way, this rawness made his songs all the more real. But in another, I'm assuming it played a big role in his lack of Hot 100 hits up to this point. That and his songs were too topical for radio play? I don't know. But usually the key to getting pop hits is to not be polarizing and to be inoffensive. Which brings us to the Byrds. They took Dylan's song and smoothed out all the rough spots. As well as trim it down from being 5 minutes long. They fused Dylan's folk sound with the more mainstream rock sound of the day. They could've gone two directions with this. They could've made bland watered down radio fodder. Or they could've done something innovative. Which route they took probably depends on who you ask. It resulted in "Mr Tambourine" being a catalyst to, well, a lot of the #1's I'll be reviewing soon. Mixing folk and rock actually became a popular trend. So popular that, a few months later, Dylan himself fused rock elements into his 6 minute long single "Like A Rolling Stone". And, what do you do know? He got a top 2 hit out of it. So I feel like this is, arguably, when the "hippy music" era of the 60's begins. Indeed, "Mr Tambourine Man" is a very mellow drug trippy song. Lyrically, it's of course ambiguous, but follows some theme of escapism. Probably drugs but there's other interpretations. Coupled with a dreamy instrumental, it's quite, as I said, mellow. This cover, though, doesn't quite sound like a Bob Dylan song. It's not raw enough. And I think I prefer Dylan's version for that reason. There's songs that capture the essence of this mood better (some of which I'll talk about soon in this thread), but at the end of the day, I appreciate "Mr Tambourine Man" for what it is. The general mellow-ness is enough for me. A song that I like basically just for the mood itself. 8/10"Like A Rolling Stone" is epic though.
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Post by ry4n on Apr 19, 2015 9:41:59 GMT -5
0140. The Rolling Stones - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" [4 weeks - 1965]YouTube link ... "Like A Rolling Stone" you say? By now, they already had three UK #1's with "It's All Over Now", "Little Red Rooster", and "The Last Time". "Satisfaction" was their fourth, but it was their first major hit stateside. They only had two top 10 US hits prior to this. The Stones started off their career by releasing covers of blues songs. And it wasn't until "Heart Of Stone" that they began releasing singles written by Mick and Keith themselves. "Satisfaction" is noticeably more rock than blues. Partly because of the guitar riff. And what a guitar riff it is. From the first second of this track, it refuses to leave your brain. "Satisfaction" is a good example of how to build tension and release. It's a song of airing out frustration, after all. In the chorus, the guitar riff takes a break, and Mick starts off by singing "I can't get no satisfaction" (x2) quietly. He then builds the tension with the intensifying "I try and I try and I try and I try". And then comes the explosive release with him shouting "I CAN'T GET NO" *return of guitar riff* It works so perfectly. Following the chorus, this frustrated Mick singing voice + guitar riff continues into the verses, where Mick gets his opportunity to vent. Which keeps the song going at a high energy (that energy is a reason why I enjoy this song so much). The lyrics talk about being sick of the media ("man on the radio / TV") telling him "useless information". And, of course, he's frustrated because he's unable to have sex with a groupie ("to make some girl"; he "can't get no girl reaction"). The Stones pushing them sexual references at a time when, bearing in mind, they were still quite taboo. Anyway. Receiving inadequate quantities of satisfaction, in whatever form, is a pretty common feeling. I mean, who doesn't get fed up with everyone around them criticizing everything they do. Sometimes we just need to ignore all the negative people in our worlds. Though I doubt there's a message to this song. But that's the thing. "Satisfaction" never takes itself too seriously. It's not smug or acting superior or pretentious. 10/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 20, 2015 7:13:35 GMT -5
0141. Herman's Hermits - "I'm Henry VIII, I Am" [1 week - 1965]YouTube link ....Yeah. This reads too much like a children's nursery rhyme for me to take seriously. It's a cover of an early 1900's British music hall song. The titular Henry explains that his wife has been married 7 times previously - and each of those 7 men happened to also be named Henry. What a strange coincidence. Therefore he deems himself "Henry the 8th". I guess I can see the humour, but I find this whole scenario really dumb. And it's too concise to give Herman's Hermits anything to really work with. They clearly struggle to stretch it into a full length song since they just repeat one verse 3 times ("second verse, same as the first!"). Also, those exaggerated accents appear again. I know it's probably supposed to be sung like "'Enery", but it comes off try-hard. Ok the "second verse, same as the first!" bit gets a chuckle out of me. 2/10
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Post by ry4n on Apr 20, 2015 9:49:44 GMT -5
0142. Sonny & Cher - "I Got You Babe" [3 weeks - 1965]YouTube link So schmaltzy it makes your eyes roll, but somehow, you can't help but go "awww how cute". Despite Sonny & Cher not giving the most believable performance ever, you still root for them. There's just something admirable about their unrelenting positivity. A young couple promising their undying love to each other despite life's adversities. Nothing matters so long as they have each other. It's as cliché as a fairy tale fantasy. But they're young, so it's understandable. The oddest thing about this song, though, is that they sound like they're attempting to imitate Bob Dylan. Right down to the vocals. However, Sonny Bono's lyrics are so sappy and straightforward, that Dylan would never sing this lol. But I guess it does capture the essence of that 60's hippy spirit. Especially with the whole "grown-ups just don't understand" theme going on. Which is also quite cliché; but it works. And don't forget the line about Sonny having long hair! They also attempt to replicate Phil Spector's "wall of sound" thing here too, and I think they pull it off pretty well. It's also quite catchy. One of those songs where the catchy part is actually the verse melody. The chorus is just sort of there. Cheesy but cheesy isn't always bad. 7/10
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Post by surfy on Apr 20, 2015 9:58:58 GMT -5
Cher <3
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Post by ry4n on Apr 20, 2015 10:03:10 GMT -5
Ugh there's SO many good songs in this 1964-1966 stretch
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