Closing out '66.
20 - "Mr. Dieingly Sad," The Critters
This New Jersey band's biggest hit was this song about a morose gentleman and his longing for a blue-eyed blonde. Mediocre pop in the Association vein.
19 - "I've Got You Under My Skin," The Four Seasons
Frankie V. and the Jersey boys cracked the Top Ten with this showy interpretation of a song Cole Porter wrote for the 1936 Hollywood musical Born to Dance. It's prime Porter, and these guys do a good job of staying true to it while incorporating their signature sound. One of their best efforts.
18 - "How Sweet it Is (To be Loved By You)," Junior Walker and the All-Stars
Junior and co. return, this time with a cover of what had been Marvin Gaye's first pop Top Ten a year earlier. It's very good. It doesn't top Marvin, but I'll take it over James Taylor's version any day.
17 - "Wipe Out," The Surfaris
We encountered this in '63, and here it is on it's second chart run. Don't have anything to add from the first time, except that it really was a shame what those boys (Fat and Beach) did to it later.
16 - "Born a Woman," Sandy Posey
Posey, who grew up around the Memphis area, had her first hit with this song that lamented what she felt was a female's lot in life, which was "to be under some man's thumb," and forced to tolerate being cheated on, lied to, and otherwise mistreated. But she seems to think that having her man in her life is worth all that. "I was born a woman, I'm glad it happened that way," she sings. Kind of a precursor to "Stand by Your Man," only much more disturbingly non-feminist. Apparently, Rush Limbaugh is a big fan of this song. And I'm not even joking.
15 - "Sunny Afternoon," The Kinks
We encounter the boys from Muswell Hill in North London just in time, as this would be their last U.S. Top 40 of this decade. It's a loping, lazy number about trying to relax on a pleasant summer's day in spite of financial and relationship difficulties. I'm a huge fan of the band's droll, literate, and very English twist on rock. Ray Davies is one of the greatest lyricists in the history of the genre. All in all, I think I like them better than any other British Invasion band not called The Beatles.
14 - "Cherry, Cherry," Neil Diamond
This Brooklyn singer-songwriter had his first major hit with this song about a girl who "got the way to move me." The arrangement, particularly the piano, gives it a kind of Ray Charles feel. A terrific first impression of what would be a prolific and diverse career. He has a cheesy rep, but the man could write a hook.
13 - "Guantanamera," The Sandpipers
This square vocal quartet originally called themselves The Four Seasons until they found out that name was taken. Their first and biggest hit was this popular Cuban song whose Spanish lyrics are about a guy who writes poems for a woman. At least that's what the guy who comes in near the end and does spoken-word translation says. Anyway, this version doesn't contain nearly as much passion as that sort of lyric requires.
12 - "See You In September," The Happenings
More MOR vocalizing, this time from another group of Jersey boys who weren't as good as The Four Seasons. Their first and biggest hit was this cover of a 1959 hit by The Tempos about parting with a lover over the summer, telling her of your hope that you'll still be together in the fall while warning her "there is danger in the summer moon above." Is that some kind of warning about werewolves? I'll assume it is, just to make this snorefest more interesting.
11 - "Eleanor Rigby," The Beatles
1966 was the year that it started to become clear that these guys weren't satisfied with just making three-chord pop-rock anthems about girls; they wanted to try many different styles and themes. And a prime example is this dark exploration of the lives of two "lonely people:" an elderly spinster, and the priest of a poorly-attended church. The song consists of nothing but vocals and strings, and nothing more is necessary. Deeply affecting and brilliant. It was the B-side of a single, but it was a slightly bigger hit than the A, which we'll get to later.
Use the Top Ten as directed.
10 - "Reach Out I'll Be There," The Four Tops
The second of two pop #1s for these Motown legends was this classic pledge to provide support and love to someone in their darkest hours. The strength of Levi Stubbs' voice provides abundant reassurance all on its own. Just greatness.
9 - "Wouldn't It be Nice," The Beach Boys
The A-side of "God Only Knows" is this wistful wish of a young person to be able to begin his adult life by getting married and setting up house with the girl he loves. Lushly orchestrated with additional support from the famous studio band The Wrecking Crew, this is one of the major reasons why Pet Sounds has become one of the most influential albums of all time.
8 - "96 Tears," ? and the Mysterians
This band of Michiganders were drawn together by both their Mexican heritage and their love of surf music, and their lasting legacy is this organ-driven garage rocker on which singer Rudy "Question Mark" Martinez sing/howls his intention to break an ex's heart as badly or worse as she broke his. They would only hit the Top 40 one more time after this went to #1, but this one song has probably been more influential to rock in general than the entire catalogues of many other, more prolific bands.
7 - "Black is Black," Los Bravos
This Spanish band with a German lead singer had their biggest international success with this song about loneliness that has a similar groove to "96 Tears." And vocalist Michael Kogel sounded quite a bit like Gene Pitney. A worthy hit, I suppose, but it doesn't really stand out to me.
6 - "Beauty is Only Skin Deep," The Temptations
The Temps picked up their second pop Top Five with this number about learning that inner substance is more important than outward appearance when it comes to choosing a lover. Just another solid chip off the Motown block.
5 - "Bus Stop," The Hollies
The second American hit for these Mancunians was this song about how an offer of a shared umbrella on a wet day blossomed into romance. Just simple and catchy and good. An essential track of the decade.
4 - "Yellow Submarine," The Beatles
The flip side of "Eleanor Rigby" was this silly-but-engaging children's song that, in spite of many elaborate interpretations from outside commentators, was apparently just intended to be about an old man telling young people about his life aboard an underwater vessel. Ringo sings it, and that's how it should be. He's always done the lighter stuff well. Just a fun tune that makes me smile, and odd enough to take down this week's Uneasy Rider.
3 - "Sunshine Superman," Donovan
Scotsman Donovan Leitch topped the U.S. charts for the first and only time with this psychedelic come-on on which he promises to "pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind." I'm not sure if that's sexy or creepy, but the song is great regardless. And it was probably one of the first major pop hits to reference superheroes, as Green Lantern gets a shoutout in addition to the Man of Steel.
2 - "You Can't Hurry Love," The Supremes
Charttopper number seven for these ladies was this number about staying patient during the search for lasting affection. Lyrically, it's the same song as The Miracles' "You Better Shop Around," but it has plenty of other charms that are more than enough to justify its existence. Phil Collins did better than anyone had any right to expect with it, but the original is the one you need.
And on top of the charts at this moment in time was...
1 - "Cherish," The Association
In the past, I have alluded to my distaste for these agents of blandness, and now at last I encounter one of their songs. And naturally, it would have to be their biggest hit. There's nothing about it that I find the least bit tolerable. The harmonies are squaresville, the lyrics are not as clever as they're intended to be, and the arrangement is aural anasthesia. The only reason I can think of for this song's existence is to provide music for the most boring people in the world to make love to. I...just don't get it.
Yeah, that wasn't the most positive note to go out on, sorry. But hopefully 1967 will provide more thrills. Tune in next time to find out.
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