Saturday, May 18, 2024

THE SATURDAY SURVEY (May 18th, 1964)

 

The Motown Sound takes over the top spot this week as Mary Wells climbs into the #1 position with the biggest hit of her career, "My Guy," a tune written by Motown labelmate Smokey Robinson.

"Love Me Do" by The Beatles is held at bay in the #2 position (while its flipside, "P.S. I Love You," continues to climb the chart, jumping from #37 to #20 this week) 

The Beatles also hold down the #7, 19, 40 and 93 positions with (respectively), "Do You Want To Know A Secret," "Can't Buy Me Love," "Twist and Shout" (now in its 12th week on the chart) and "Thank You Girl."

(Actually, Mary Wells holds down multiple spots on this week's countdown, too ... her duets with Marvin Gaye, "Once Upon A Time" and  "What's The Matter With You Baby" are sitting in the #31 and the #53 spots.)

Still, British Invasion artists accounted for 20% of this week's Top 100 tunes.

As previously mentioned, The Beatles accounted for six of The Top 100 songs.

The Dave Clark Five held down the #6, #13, #51 and #85 positions with (respectively) "Bits And Pieces," "Do You Love Me," "Glad All Over" and "I Knew It All The Time."

The Searchers held the #57, #59 and #80 positions with "Sugar And Spice," "Ain't That Just Like Me" and "Needles And Pins."

Other British hits on the American chart include "A World Without Love" by Peter and Gordon (and tune written by Lennon and McCartney), which this week leaps from #26 to #8, "Little Children" by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas (#12), "Good Golly Miss Molly" by The Swinging Blue Jeans (#64), "Yesterday's Gone" by Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde (#75), "Not Fade Away" by The Rolling Stones (#91) and, new on the chart this week, "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" by Gerry and the Pacemakers, which premiers at #96.

 


60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

5/18/64 – The Animals record “House Of The Rising Sun”