Top 10 Songs of the 1960’s
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1960 were:
1.) “You Talk Too Much” by Joe Jones
2.) “Cathy’s Clown” by The Everly Brothers
3.) “The Twist” by Chubby Checker
4.) “Save the Last Dance for Me” by The Drifters
5.) “Running Bear” by Johnny Preston
6.) “Sweet Nothin’s” by Brenda Lee
7.) “Handy Man” by Jimmy Jones
8.) “Walk, Don’t Run” by The Ventures
9.) “Alley-Oop” by The Hollywood Argyles
10.) “Stay” by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
The song that won “Song of the Year” at The Grammys was “Theme From Exodus”. Ray Charles took two honors home “Best Pop Single Artist” and “Best Pop Male Vocal” for his hit “Georgia on My Mind”. Ella Fitzgerald won the “Best Pop Female Artist” with “Mack the Knife”. The “Best Pop Duo or Group” went to “We Got Us” by Eydie GormÃ?© and Steve Lawrence.
The top grossing movie of 1960 was the cult classic of “Psycho”. This film’s music did its job better then most, with its eerie and suspenseful background compositions.
Elvis Presley returned to the music scene at the beginning of this decade after serving in the United States Army.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1961 were
1.) “Tossin’ And Turnin'” by Bobby Lewis
2.) “Runaway” by Del Shannon
3.) “Blue Moon” by The Marcels
4.) “Runaround Sue” by Dion
5.) “Quarter To Three” by Gary “U.S.” Bonds
6.) “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by The Shirelles
7.) “I Like It Like That (Part 1) by Chris Kenner
8.) “Daddy’s Home – Shep & The Limelites
9.) “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King
10.) “Goodbye Cruel World” by James Darren
“Moon River” by Henry Mancini won “Song of the Year” in 1961. “Lollipops and Roses” by Jack Jones won “Best Pop Male Vocal” and Chubby Checker took home the “Best Rock and Roll Recording” with “Let’s Twist Again” at The Grammys.
Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” was the top grossing movie of the year. Who could ever forget the hilarious ditty “Cruella De Vil” We own the newer version and my children have to watch it at least once a week and sing along.
Judy Garland performs and records a live album at Carnegie Hall on April 23, 1961, for which she takes home “Best Pop Female Vocal” and The Grammys’ prestige’s “Album of the Year” award this years
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1962 were
1.) “Green Onions” by Booker T & The MG’s
2.) “Duke Of Earl” by Gene Chandler
3.) “Soldier Boy'” by The Shirelles
4.) “Sheila” by Tommy Roe
5.) “Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee & The Starliters
6.) “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva
7.) “The Wanderer” by Dion
8.) “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” by Neil Sedaka
9.) “Johnny Angel” by Shelley Fabares
10.) “Palisades Park” by Freddy Cannon
“What Kind of Fool Am I” from the musical “Stop the World I Want to Get Off” won “Song Of The Year” at the Grammys in 1962. The other award winners were “If I Had a Hammer” by Peter, Paul and Mary for “Best Pop Duo or Group”, Bent Fabric “Alley Cat,” for “Best Rock and Roll Recording” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” by Tony Bennett for “Best Pop Male Vocal”
Jimi Hendrix joined one of the first mixed-raced bands in history “Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers” in 1962.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1963 were:
1.) “Sugar Shack” by Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs
2.) “Surf City” by Jan And Dean
3.) “He’s So Fine” by The Chiffons
4.) “It’s My Party” by Leslie Gore
5.) “If You Wanna Be Happy” by Jimmy Soul
6.) “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen
7.) “Easier Said Than Done” by The Essex
8.) “Deep Purple” by Nino Tempo & April Stevens
9.) “My Boyfriend’s Back” by The Angels
10.) “Surfin’ U. S. A.” by The Beach Boys
One of the anthems of the 1960’s generation, “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Peter, Paul and Mary, won the “Best Pop Duo or Group” at the 1963 Grammy Awards. Jack Jones took home “Best Pop Male Vocal” for “Wives and Lovers”. The “Best Rock and Roll Recording” went to “Deep Purple” by Nino Tempo and April Stevens. Henry Mancini won both “Record Of The Year” and the prestige’s “Song of the Year” with “The Days of Wine and Roses”.
A cultural icon, John Fitzgerald Kennedy (J.F.K) was shot and killed on November 23, 1963. The controversy that surrounded his death still fuels many debates today. His assassination comes just shy over three months after Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech given on August 28, 1963.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1964 were:
1.) “Bread And Butter” by The Newbeats
2.) “Under The Boardwalk” by The Drifters
3.) “I Get Around” by Beach Boys
4.) “Little Old Lady From Pasadena” by Jan & Dean
5.) “Out of Limits” by The Marketts
6.) “Suspicion” by Terry Stafford
7.) “Chapel of Love” by The Dixie Cups
8.) “She’s Not There” by The Zombies
9.) “Last Kiss” by J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers
10.) “Leader Of The Pack” by The Shangri-las
Louis Armstrong took home both “Song Of The Year” and “Best Pop Male Vocal” for “Hello, Dolly!” The “Best Rock and Roll Recording” went to “Downtown” by Petula Clark and Barbra Streisand won “Best Pop Female Vocal” for “People”.
The family favorite “Mary Poppins” was the top grossing movie of 1964 with such hits as Julie Andrews singing “A Spoon Full of Sugar (Makes the Medicine Go Down)”, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Feed the Birds”. Dick Van Dyke preformed “Chim Chim Cheree”. The movie also featured a duet between the both of them called “Jolly Holiday”.
The Beatles arrived in America on February 7th, 1964 making “Beatle Mania” a new American catchphrase.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1965 were:
1.) “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis
2.) “A Lover’s Concerto” by The Toys
3.) “This Diamond Ring” by Gary Lewis and The Playboys
4.) “Help Me, Rhonda” by The Beach Boys
5.) “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin” by The Righteous Brothers
6.) “Wooly Bully” by Sam The Sham and The Pharoahs
7.) “1-2-3” by Len Barry
8.) “Treat Her Right” by Roy Head and The Traits
9.) “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher
10.) “Eve Of Destruction” by Barry McGuire
“The Shadow of Your Smile” (Theme from The Sandpiper) took home 1965’s Grammy award for “Song Of The Year”. Other winners were “It Was a Very Good Year” by Frank Sinatra for “Best Pop Male Vocal” and the Statler Brothers took home “Best Pop Duo or Group” for their hit “Flowers on the Wall”.
My Mother’s all-time favorite movie “The Sound of Music” was the top grossing movie released in 1965. Along with the opening where Julie Andrews, “Maria”, sings the theme song of the same name, along with such timeless songs such as “I Have Confidence” and “My Favorite Things”. The comical “Maria” was preformed by the Nuns and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” sung by Mother Abbess. Maria also has sing-alongs with the children featuring “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” with “Liesl” and “Do-Re-Mi” with all the children. “Captain Von Trapp” performs a tear-jerking rendition of “Edelweiss” an towards the end of the film they finally get to do a duet of “Something Good”
The legendry Nat “King” Cole dies on February 16th, 1965 of Lung Cancer. The Doors also form this year in Los Angeles, California.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1966 were:
1.) “I’m A Believer” by the Monkees
2.) “Summer In The City” by Lovin’ Spoonful
3.) “Wild Thing” by the Troggs
4.) “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and The Shondells
5.) “When A Man Loves A Woman” by Percy Sledge
6.) “Soul And Inspiration” by The Righteous Brothers
7.) “Monday, Monday” by The Mamas And Papas
8.) “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys
9.) “Devil With A Blue Dress On” by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels
10.) “Good Lovin'” by the Young Rascals
“Michelle” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney won “Song Of The Year” at The Grammys. “”Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra won “Best Pop Male Vocal” and “Record Of The Year” while “If He Walked Into My Life” by Eydie GormÃ?© won “Best Pop Female Vocal” and “A Man and a Woman” by the Anita Kerr Singers took home “Best Pop Duo or Group”.
Janis Joplin first joins “Big Brother and The Holding Company” in 1966. On a sadder note Walt Disney passed away on December 19th, 1966.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1967 were:
1.) “Little Bit O’ Soul” by The Music Explosion
2.) “The Letter” by The Box Tops
3.) “Happy Together” by The Turtles
4.) “Soul Man” by Sam & Dave
5.) “Windy” by The Association
6.) “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
7.) “Incense and Peppermints” by Strawberry Alarm Clock
8.) “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tommy James And The Shondells
9.) “Groovin'” by The Young Rascals
10.) “Gimme Some Lovin'” by The Spencer Davis Group
“Up, Up and Away” by 5th Dimension won three honors in 1967: “Song Of The Year”, “Record Of The Year” and “Best Pop Duo or Group”. Glen Campbell’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” won “Best Pop Male Vocal” and Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe” won “Best Female Pop Vocal”.
The Jungle Book was the top grossing movie of the year and it included such children’s hits as “The Bare Necessities”; “I Wan’na Be Like You” and “Trust In Me.
1967 was considered “The Summer of Love” when a huge concert took place “The Monterey International Pop Festival” where Janis Joplin performs and The Jimi Hendrix Experience plays their first American Concert.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1968 were:
1.) “Tighten Up” by Archie Bell and The Drells
2.) “Judy In Disguise” by John Fred and His Playboy Band
3.) “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” by Otis Redding
4.) “People Got To Be Free” by The Rascals
5.) “Chain Of Fools” by Aretha Franklin
6.) “Green Tambourine” by The Lemon Pipers
7.) “Cry Like A Baby” by The Box Tops
8.) “Mony Mony” by Tommy James and The Shondells
9.) “Yummy Yummy Yummy” by the Ohio Express
10.) “The Horse” by Cliff Nobles and Company
“Little Green Apple” won “Song Of The Year” in 1968. Other Grammy winners included
“Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel for “Best Pop Duo or Group” and “Record Of The Year”, JosÃ?© Feliciano’s “Light My Fire” taking home “Best Pop Male Vocal” and Dionne Warwick receiving the honor of “Best Pop Female Vocal” for “Do You Know the Way to San Jose”.
The Billboard Top Ten songs of the year 1969 were:
1.) “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by the 5th Dimension
2.) “Dizzy” by Tommy Roe
3.) “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies
4.) “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and Shondells
5.) “Crystal Blue Persuasion” by Tommy James and The Shondells
6.) “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” by Steam
7.) “Take A Letter Maria” by R.B. Greaves
8.) “Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations
9.) “Time Of The Season” by The Zombies
10.) “Good Morning Starshine” by Oliver
“”Games People Play” by Andi Deris won “Song of the Year” at The Grammys “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by 5th Dimension won “Best Pop Duo or Group”. Peggy Lee took home “Best Pop Female Vocal” for her hit “Is That All There Is” and Harry Nilsson won “Best Pop Male Vocal” for “Everybody’s Talkin'”.
Everyone associates 1969 with the most well known concert of the Millennium. Woodstock was held on August 15, 16, & 17 in Bethel, New York and the Hippie was officially recognized as a society of people. Over 500,000 people showed up for the biggest Rock Concert in history. According to records there were two births and two deaths. Every legend that the Top Ten forgot preformed at this festival form Janis Joplin, and Santana to Jimi Hendrix and The Grateful Dead.
Judy Garland, born Frances “Baby” Gumm on June 10, 1922, died on June 22, 1969 at the age of 47.
This brings the 1960’s to an end. The 1970’s are just around the bend. Generational Heroes will pass away as new ones make themselves known. The Flower Power swingers of the sixties do not fully realize the glitter that is about to be rained down upon them, whether they do the dance for it or not.
