Here we are on the second leg of our sixties detour, late spring 1961. Around this time, President John F. Kennedy announced to the United States Congress his goal of putting a man on the moon before the end of the decade. And they actually did it, with a few months to spare. But sadly, he wasn't around to witness it. On a brighter note, here are the songs that were floating around the Earthly atmosphere at the time.
40 - "Halfway to Paradise," Tony Orlando
Michael Cassavitis, born in New York to a Greek father and a Puerto Rican mother, adopted his two middle names as his stage moniker when he began his singing career, and at 17, he scored his first hit with this orchestrated pop song about what the kids these days call "being stuck in the friend zone." Been there, Tone. After this, he picked up one more solo hit and another with a group called Wind before settling into a career behind-the-scenes in the industry for a couple years. But then he was pulled back into the studio to record a song called "Candida" with a group that was given the name "Dawn," and suddenly he was back and bigger than ever. Can't imagine the 70s without him. But this early brush with success may have been his best record.
39 - "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do," Clarence "Frogman" Henry
New Orleans R&B man Henry, nicknamed for his "croaky" singing voice, scored his biggest pop hit with this soulful lament about a woman he covets for reasons he can't understand. This is just good, good, good. All there is to say.
38 - "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)," The Coasters
These L.A. doo-woppers, best known for comedy hits such as "Yakety Yak" and "Charlie Brown." had their last pop Top 40 with this tale (written, like most of their hits, by the legendary team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller) of a man who sees the titular "hoochie koochie" dancer performing "wearing nothing but a button and a bow." It was quite a performance, apparently, but in the last verse, we are informed that Ms. Egypt no longer dances, because the song's narrator married her, and they now have seven children. Ying-yang, indeed. Silly fun, but for my money, their best tune is "Along Came Jones."
37 - "Exodus," Eddie Harris
Chicago saxophonist Harris scored his only major pop hit with this cool jazz version of the theme of the 1960 Paul Newman film based on the events leading to the creation of the state of Israel. Not going to get into the politics of that, because we all know them. I'll just say that I prefer this to the version by Ferrante and Teicher, and greatly prefer it to the one with lyrics by Pat Boone (although I do enjoy the little bit of it Bill Needle performs in Maudlin's Eleven: "This land is miiieeeiiieeeiiieeiiieeeine!") Also, I finally know just who the "Eddie Harris" The Beastie Boys mention in "So What'cha Want" is.
36 - "What a Surprise," Johnny Maestro
Maestro, born John Mastrangelo, was the Italian-American menber of the interracial doo-wop group The Crests, who we encountered last week. His first solo hit was this made-for-the-malt-shop ballad on which Maestro thinks his girlfriend has stood him up to not only go with his best friend, but to throw a party and invite everyone but him. He's naturally upset, so he finally bursts into her house to confront her, only to find that she was throwing a birthday party for him all along. Silly boy. And silly song.
35 - "I'm a Fool to Care," Joe Barry
Barry, a purveyor of "swamp pop" who hailed from the village of Cut Off, Louisiana, had his only major pop hit with this cover of a 1954 Les Paul and Mary Ford hit. This sounds a lot like many of Fats Domino hits, but for Barry's thick Cajun accent. Cool little record.
34 - "Tossin' and Turnin'," Bobby Lewis
Detroit's Lewis had the biggest of his two pop hits with R&B raveup about a sleepless night that went all the way to #1. A staple of oldies radio, and deservedly so.
33 - "Those Oldies but Goodies (Reminds Me of You)," Little Caesar and the Romans
Speaking of the term "oldies," I'm not sure, but I think that term in relation to music may have been first popularized by this song, the lone hit for an L.A. band that were known as The Cubans until the botched U.S. "Bay of Pigs Invasion" of a certain island nation made that name somewhat less marketable. Despite its grammatical incorrectness, it's a sweet little bit of soulful slowdance fodder for couples in a reminiscing mood.
32 - "The Writing on the Wall," Adam Wade
Wade, a onetime laboratory assistant for polio vaccine developer Dr. Jonas Salk, turned to singing and scored three Top Ten singles, the highest-charting of which was this peppy pop song about knowing that a relationship is ending. Another song where the musical arrangement and the lyrical sentimental don't quite match up, but Wade had a pleasant pop voice, which is likely what sold this.
31 - "Bonanza," Al Caiola
Caiola, a major session guitarist who played on records by Elvis, Sinatra, and many, many others, picked up his two biggest hits under his own name this year in the form of versions of the theme from the movie The Magnificent Seven and the title ditty of the Lorne Greene/Michael Landon Western TV series. This isn't the version that you've heard if you've watched the show; the guitar has more of a Duane Eddyish twang on this one. The original is the one to stick with if you want to remember Ben, Hoss, Little Joe, and all the girlfriends they had who died shortly after hooking up with the Cartwrights. Those guys had the worst luck with women.
30 - "Peanut Butter," The Marathons
This group evolved from a group called the Jay Hawks, and their only hit under this name was an R&B song that is literally about that ever-popular legume paste. According to the song, this "sticky sticky goo." comes in "creamy" and "chunky" varieties, is good on toast and crackers, but can make those who eat it "look like they got the mumps." An interesting choice of subject for a pop song, which makes it this week's Uneasy Rider.
29 - "Triangle," Janie Grant
I couldn't find a lot of information on Ms. Grant, other than the fact that she was from New Jersey and was 16 when she had her only Top 40 hit, this "her or me" pop ultimatum. And that she's probably better known these days for the novelty song she released around this time, a tune about the use and abuse of hair product called "That Greasy Kid Stuff."
28 - "Take Good Care of Her," Adam Wade
Wade again, this time pleading with the man whom the love of his life left him for not to take her for granted. I like this one better, and it's pretty clear where the Johnny Mathis comparisons came from. In the 70s, he would go on to act in films such as Shaft and Across 110th Street, and he would also become the first African-American game show host on a show called Musical Chairs.
27 - "Just for Old Times' Sake," The McGuire Sisters
Ohio siblings Christine, Dorothy and Phyllis McGuire began hitting the charts with their old-school harmony pop in 1954, scoring #1s that decade with "Sincerely" and "Sugartime." Their 19th and final Top 40 was this bland number about wanting an ex to come back and give it another try. The most interesting thing about the group is probably youngest sister Phyllis' alleged relationship with notorious Chicago mobster Sam "Momo" Giancana.
26 - "Blue Moon," The Marcels
Named after a wavy hairstyle, this interracial Pittsburgh doo-wop group went to #1 with their first hit, a doo-wop version of a Rodgers and Hart ballad from the 30s about a wish for a lover that came true. And now, very few people can even imagine the song without thinking of "Bom ba ba bom a dang a dang dang a ding a dong ding...BLUUUUUUUUE MOOOOOOOOON!" I'm guessing that this was the version that inspired Manchester City fans to adopt this as their club song.
25 - "You Always Hurt the One You Love," Clarence "Frogman" Henry
The Frogman's second appearance this week with this cover of a song that was originally a hit for The Mills Brothers in 1944. Sounds very similar to "But I Do." Okay, but the only version I really need to hear ever again is the one by Spike Jones. "Ka-RUNCH!"
24 - "Lullaby of Love," Frank Gari
New Yorker Gari had three hits in 1961, the biggest being this charming pop number in the Paul Anka vein. He has a very strong voice. Gari would go on to form a group called The City Surfers with future Byrd Roger McGuinn, and would then begin a lucrative career writing theme music for TV news shows. Well, you knew somebody did that, didn't you?
23 - "Tonight I Fell in Love," The Tokens
These Brooklyn doo-woopers followed up their #1 debut hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" with what would be their only other Top 20, this okay little nugget about finding romance. But "doobie doobie dum, wo-oh" just doesn't quite stick with you the way "a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh" does, does it?
22 - "You Can Depend on Me," Brenda Lee
Little Miss Dynamite kept up her run of Top Tens with this aching declaration that she will always be there for her beloved, even though he's with someone else at the moment. I think it would have been cool if Jim Steinman had written and produced a comeback single for her in the 80s. She might have out Bonnie Tylered Bonnie Tyler.
21 - "That Old Black Magic," Bobby Rydell
Philly teen idol Rydell just missed the Top 20 with this cover of the 1942 Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer standard. He croons like the Elvis wannabe he is over a typical teenybop arrangement of the time. Initially, I was resistant, preferring the smoother, more adult takes provided by Frank, Ella, and many others. But this grew on me halfway through. I can't say I loved that spin he put me in, but I liked it a bit.
In Part Two: mothers, a second-generation star, and music to search for a dead body by.
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