Early July, 1963. The United States Postal Sevice introduces zip codes, the Catholic Church starts allowing cremations, and my Dad turned 17. And on the radio...
40 - "Your Old Standby," Mary Wells
The Motown songstress' sixth Top 40 got no higher than this. Co-written by Smokey Robinson, it's a cool ballad about not wanting to settle for being the person one's beloved turns to after breakups with others. Should have been a bigger hit. But her ultimate reward, a #1 in the form of "My Guy," was just a year away.
39 - "The Good Life," Tony Bennett
Born Anthony Benedetto in 1926, Bennett got his big break in 1949 when Bob Hope saw him open for singer Pearl Bailey and was impressed enough to take the young man on the road with him. This led to a record deal, and Bennett would score 20 Top 40 hits and three #1s between 1951 and 1954. His career cooled a bit after the emergence of rock and roll, but among the thirteen Top 40s he scored between '55 and '65 were his signature song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," and this ballad about how having success and its trappings can't really mask a broken heart. I think that's it. Anyway, the voice is golden, and both as a singer and as a person, it seems like he deserved the return to the spotlight that began in the 90s and reached a crescendo when he finally topped the album charts for the first time two years ago with Duets II. I don't think there's another singer that's been born whom I'd prefer to welcome me upon my arrival in Capital City.
38 - "Hopeless," Andy Williams
Iowa-born Williams old-school pop crooning powered 27 Top 40 hits between 1956 and 1972, his only #1 being 1957's "Butterfly. This country-tinged loneliness lament is smoothly delivered, but I imagine it would sound better in the hands of someone with a little more character to their voice. Oh, and even though "Moon River" is the song he's best known for, he never released it as a single. Just one of those weird things.
37 - "Without Love (There is Nothing)," Ray Charles
Brother Ray with a slow, orchestrated blues about how you can have success and material riches, but they are meaningless if they cost you someone special. Primo cry-in-your-beer stuff.
36 - "Surfin' U.S.A.," The Beach Boys
The Hawthorne, California combo made up of the three Wilson brothers, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine, scored their second Top 40 and first Top Ten with this ode to waxing up longboards and riding waves near various beaches in California, Hawaii, and even Australia. They borrowed the tune to Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen," but they always credited him, unlike some people. Another oldies staple that hasn't lost its lustre.
35 - "No One," Ray Charles
More Ray, this time in a happier mood, even though the wonderful person he's singing the praises of apparently ended up breaking his heart. For some reason, I think the ideal medium on which to hear this and a lot of his songs of this era is a good old-fashioned jukebox in a slightly seedy bar.
34 - "If My Pillow Could Talk," Connie Francis
Connie keeps up her perfect record of appearances on our 60s lists. The hits were starting to run out, but this R&B-flavored number about crying over lost love is my favorite of the ones we've covered here. Her versatility is quite impressive.
33 - "I Wish I Were a Princess," Little Peggy March
The Philadelphia area was still producing pop stars at this time, and the latest of which was a girl born Margaret Battavio who was just 15 and stood a mere four-foot-nine when she went to #1 in April of this year with "I Will Follow Him." Her follow-up was this song in which she declares that if she acquired her desired position, she would "pass the greatest law in history." Well, one thing's for sure, she's not talking about DOMA. She would only have one more Top 40 in America, but between 1965 and 1980 she'd have 23 of them...in Germany.
32 - "Detroit City," Bobby Bare
The pride of Ironton, Ohio, Bare's first hit was the 1958 #2 "The All American Boy," but due to a mix-up, it was credited to Bill Parsons. Five years later, here he is with the second pop Top 40 (and first counrty Top Ten) he was actually credited for. Co-written by Mel Tillis, who'd go on to have a successful singing career in his own right, it's about a Southern boy who finds life in Motown not as fulfilling as he'd hoped. "By day I make the cars, by night I make the bars," he sings. Solid C&W. And coolest of all, he'd later record some songs by Shel Silverstien, my favorite of these being "The Winner."
31 - "Shut Down," The Beach Boys
The flip side of "Surfin' U.S.A." sees the boys singing about one of their other stock subjects: cars. In this case, their Corvette Stingray, which defeats a rival's Dodge Dart in a drag race. The sax solo on this sounds out of place, but in a good way. Tach it up.
30 - "I Love You Because," Al Martino
Before getting slapped by Brando, the man born Jasper Cini in Philly made his breakthrough in 1952 with the #1 "Here in My Heart." But he'd been out of the Top 40 for ten years before returning with a cover of a 1949 country hit by "Blind Balladeer" Leon Payne. Martino squarely croons this number that pays tribute to a steadfast lover, whom he loves most of all "because you're you." Aw. Professionally performed, but nothing exciting to these ears.
29 - "Come and Get These Memories," Martha and the Vandellas
The Motown trio of Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford and Annette Beard had their first Top 40 hit with this Holland-Dozier-Holland number about returning an ex's gifts, which in this case include valentines, a teddy bear, a record of "their song" and a ring. Solid soul, and a good table setter for the smashes to come.
28 - "Just One Look," Doris Troy
Bronx native Troy had just one hit, but it was a pretty good one. Gritty-but-sweet soul about love at first sight. Undeniable. A nust for any sixties dance party. Or for young boys ogling a Pepsi can held by Cindy Crawford.
27 - "First Quarrel," Paul and Paula
Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson were both attending the same college in Texas when they formed a singing duo. In 1962, a local DJ invited them to sing some of their songs in his studio for a cancer benefit. One of those songs, a number in which they played the characters of young lovers "Paul" and "Paula," eventually attacted record label attention and became a million-selling #1. They'd have a few more hits before going their separate ways in 1965, including this one about, well, I think the title gives it away. An insignificant song about an insignificant tiff. But they did start a trend of record companies signing male-female duos, so without them, we may not have had Sonny and Cher.
26 - "18 Yellow Roses," Bobby Darin
The versatile singer scored his eighth Top Ten with this latin-flavored country tune about a man who finds that the titular flowes have been delivered to the special lady he lives with, with a note that says they're from someone who loves her "though you belong to another." The guy is surprised, but eventually decides there's only one thing left to do...meet this boy and find out what his intentions are towards his daughter. Quite a twist, huh? Strange, but certainly not "Butterfly Kisses"-creepy. And Darin apparently went out of his way to make everything about this record sound like Marty Robbins, and fortunately, Robbins was flattered.
25 - "String Along," Ricky Nelson
The TV heartthrob continues his run of hits with this chugging pop-rocker that has a similar theme to "Your Old Standby." Like the guitar solo. This guy was legit.
24 - "Ring of Fire," Johnny Cash
The one and only Man in Black had been scoring country smashes since 1955, and once in a while he'd cross over to the pop list with songs like this, this mariachi-flavored comparison of unrequited romance and the torture it can cause. It was co-written by June Carter, who was reportedly inspired by the feelngs she had for her then-married future husband. Apparently, Cash's then-wife claims that this isn't true. She says an intoxicated Johnny wrote the song himself, using "ring of fire" as a euphemism for "vagina." He later gave June a co-writing credit because Carter wasn't doing well financially, according to the first Mrs. Cash. Who knows what's true? But in the end, the song exists, it's fantastic, and that's all that matters.
23 - "Falling," Roy Orbison
Roy again, this time with a gorgeously seductive seduction tango. Not as famous as the single that immediately preceded it (the mighty "In Dreams"), but still, another golden nugget from one of pop's Midases.
22 - "Birdland," Chubby Checker
Another Philadelphia product, the man born Ernest Evans became a huge star in the early 60s with a number of songs about dances, from The Fly to The Pony to the "Limbo Rock," and of course, "The Twist." I'm not sure what's involved in doing the "Birdland," but apparently a lot of people like it, and there's a girl named Susie who's really good at it. Okay, but his other songs are more famous for a reason.
21 - "Harry the Hairy Ape," Ray Stevens
The third hit for the noveltymeister born Harold Ragsdale is about an escaped zoo animal who is discovered by a DJ and becomes a rock star. Decent silliness, powered by Stevens' cartoonish voice and motormouthed delivery. He had his moments. Emphasis on "had."
In Part Two: lost food, marsupial restraint, and a visitor from the East.
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