To you music drafters...top songs of early 60s (1 Viewer)

[Gawain]

So, my dad reaches out. He wants me to print the lyrics to the top 10 songs from 61-65 cause he's putting something together for his 60th HS reunion.
I point out that there isn't really a definitive list of Top-10 songs and just using 61 as an example if you go by Billboard year end you leave out stuff like Stand By Me, but if you do just charting #1s (of which there were 20), you miss Crying by Orbison. 62 isn't exactly better. Billboard's #1 year end in 62 is a dang clarinet piece. So there's been enough drafts here that I kinda expect tim's next to be drafting historical drafts (Russian Bride #1). I figure there must have been a deep 60s dive at some point...

Does anyone either have the definitive FBG list OR is willing to give a quick ranking for each year? I was thinking about just throwing something together and sending it to him. But I'll be damned if I'm going to print off the lyrics to Wooly Bully and leave Yesterday or any of The Supremes hits of 65 unprinted.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Bob Dylan wrote some pretty great songs between 1961 and 1965.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

This is the period that @Uruk-Hai was going to cover for the themed countdown. Maybe he can help.

 

[Gawain]

In no particular order if I have to throw up my own list for '61 it's:

Tossin and Turnin - Bobby Lewis
Crying - Roy Orbison
Crazy - Patsy Cline
Runaway - Del Shannon
Will You (Still) Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles (technically a 1960 release, but peaked at #1 in January of 1961 )
Hit The Road, Jack - Ray Charles
Runaround Sue - Dion
Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
Blue Moon - The Marcels
Stand By Me - Ben E King

 

[Eephus]

Five more from 1961

Chubby Checker - Let's Twist Again
Elvis Presley - Little Sister
Gary U.S. Bonds - Quarter to Three
Ricky Nelson - Travelin' Man
Lee Dorsey - Ya Ya

 

[landrys hat]

1962

Bring It On Home To Me - Sam Cooke
Green Onions - Booker T and MGs
Twist and Shout - Isley Brothers

 

[Chaos34]

I'll try. I'm in kinda music mode from just finishing my 70 albums list. Completely subjective but here's 5 from each year that jumped out to me. Note 61-63 were much easier and 64/65 are loaded.

61 - Crazy, Runaround Sue, Crying, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Stand By Me
62 - Twist and Shout, Duke of Earl, The Wanderer, Twisting the Night Away, Return to Sender
63 - Blowin' in the Wind, Louie Louie, Be My Baby, My Boyfriend's Back, Da Doo Ron Ron
64 - My Girl, Oh Pretty Woman, Can't Buy Me Love, Under the Boardwalk, Baby Love
65 - Satisfaction, Yesterday, Like a Rolling Stone, Stop! In the Name of Love, Mr. Tambourine Man

 

[Chaos34]

Green Onions - Booker T and MGs

He's been tasked to print lyrics.

 

[landrys hat]

Green Onions - Booker T and MGs

He's been tasked to print lyrics.

Ok, replace with

These Arms Of Mine - Otis Redding

 

[Gawain]

Five more from 1961

Chubby Checker - Let's Twist Again
Elvis Presley - Little Sister
Gary U.S. Bonds - Quarter to Three
Ricky Nelson - Travelin' Man
Lee Dorsey - Ya Ya

I figured that Chubby Checker and Presley could both get on in 62 with the rerelease of The Twist and Cant Help Fallin in Love with You.
I was not familiar with Quarter to Three. Holy cow did Dion rip that melody off for Runaround Sue. Travelin Man was one of my last cuts.
Ya Ya peaked at #7 and I don't think there's a way to get it in.

 

[fatness]

Angel Baby -- Rosie and the Originals
Released in December 1960 after being promoted by a department store pumping it to its shoppers.

Originally written as a poem when she was 14, it was recorded when she was 15. Reached #5 on the charts in 1961.

 

[Psychopav]

This thread rocks.

See what I did there?

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

oh man, Hush missed by a few years. Never knew it was a cover though.

 

[zamboni]

Green Onions - Booker T and MGs

He's been tasked to print lyrics.

Could take all day for that one.

 

[zamboni]

Does anyone either have the definitive FBG list OR is willing to give a quick ranking for each year? I was thinking about just throwing something together and sending it to him. But I'll be damned if I'm going to print off the lyrics to Wooly Bully and leave Yesterday or any of The Supremes hits of 65 unprinted.

Might take some research, but there are plenty of sites like rateyourmusic.com, Steve Hoffman music forums or Reddit (/60smusic) which you can pull up a bunch of top early '60s songs.

 

[Don Quixote]

Acclaimedmusic.net is another good resource.

Acclaimed Music

Acclaimed Music. The most recommended albums and songs of all time.

www.acclaimedmusic.net

 

[zamboni]

This is the period that @Uruk-Hai was going to cover for the themed countdown. Maybe he can help.

We definitely need to do a '60s countdown of some sort.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Bob Dylan wrote some pretty great songs between 1961 and 1965.

Too bad he also sang those songs too.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I'll try. I'm in kinda music mode from just finishing my 70 albums list. Completely subjective but here's 5 from each year that jumped out to me. Note 61-63 were much easier and 64/65 are loaded.

61 - Crazy, Runaround Sue, Crying, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Stand By Me
62 - Twist and Shout, Duke of Earl, The Wanderer, Twisting the Night Away, Return to Sender
63 - Blowin' in the Wind, Louie Louie, Be My Baby, My Boyfriend's Back, Da Doo Ron Ron
64 - My Girl, Oh Pretty Woman, Can't Buy Me Love, Under the Boardwalk, Baby Love
65 - Satisfaction, Yesterday, Like a Rolling Stone, Stop! In the Name of Love, Mr. Tambourine Man

I think this is a pretty good cross-section of what the radio sounded like in the early '60s. I'd sub out one on the Dion records and also one of the Supremes' just to widen the scope a little.

 

[Mister CIA]

Dave Clark Five comes to mind... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glad_All_Over

 

[rockaction]

I think "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks from '64 should be considered. They blew the doors off of everything.

 

[kupcho1]

These are front loaded (I think)

1961 - You wake up some cold day and find you're alone

Playlist · kupcho1 · 24 items

open.spotify.com

1962 - And time keeps dragging on

Playlist · kupcho1 · 31 items

open.spotify.com

1963 - Looking for a brand new start

Playlist · kupcho1 · 39 items

open.spotify.com

1964 - Gonna set my soul on fire

Playlist · kupcho1 · 33 items

open.spotify.com

1965 - Second verse, same as the first

Playlist · kupcho1 · 28 items

open.spotify.com