Thursday, October 31, 2013

The Countdown Continues ... (#60 - #41)

#60 - Wild Thing - The Troggs  (1966)
Part of our DNA

#59 - Wooly Bully - Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs  (1965)
Two perfect examples of '60's Party Rock (later dubbed Frat Rock) ... the anthems don't get much bigger than these two ... "Wild Thing" and "Wooly Bully"! 

#58 - Young Girl - Gary Puckett and the Union Gaps  (1968)
This group appealed to both the kids AND their parents ... and, as such, carved out an incredible string of hits between 1967 and 1969 ... including five that made The Top Ten (and one more that just missed ... when "Don't Give In To Him" peaked at #11.)  

#57 - Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James and the Shondells  (1969)
Three of Tommy's hits made The Top 100.

#56 - Na Na, Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam  (1969)
Perhaps the unlikeliest of hits to remain in our relative consciousness for over 40 years!  

#55 - Monday, Monday - The Mamas and the Papas  (1966)
Their first official #1 Record (although I always preferred "California Dreamin'" ... which was a HUGE record here in Chicago ... and record of the year according to WCFL!) 

#54 - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra  (1966)
The only Daddy - Daughter act to make our countdown ... both separately and together! 

#53 - Last Train To Clarksville - The Monkees  (1966)
These guys placed three records in The Top 100 as well ... this was their first big break-through hit. 

#52 - Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys  (1966)
Wow ... four in a row from 1966 ... and could you find four more diverse sounds?  

#51 - Something - The Beatles  (1969)
These one fell a few spots below its flip side.  

#50 - Respect - Aretha Franklin  (1967)
This record earned Aretha the R-E-S-P-E-C-T of critics and fans alike, who dubbed her "The Queen Of Soul" after a string of hits that continued well into the '80's.  

#49 - Love Theme from "Romeo And Juliet" - Henry Mancini  (1969)
Only one instrumental finished higher than this one ... and THAT one made The Top Five.  

#48 - Summer In The City - Lovin' Spoonful  (1966)
Year after year after year your All-Time Favorite Summer Song  

#47 - Come Together - The Beatles  (1969)
This is that flip side I was talking about four titles ago.  

#46 - Mr. Lonely - Bobby Vinton  (1964)
The Polish Prince had two of The Top 50 Hits in this special countdown  

#45 - 96 Tears - ? and the Mysterians  (1966)
One of your Top Five All-Time Favorite Garage Bands ... for all intents and purposes, a One Hit Wonder ... although they did record a couple of other memorable tunes in the '60's as well.
 


#44 - Tighten Up - Archie Bell and the Drells  (1968)
They not only sang ... but they danced just as good as they walked!  

#43 - Hello, Goodbye - The Beatles  (1967)
Another chart-topper for The Fab Four ... although I'll never understand why!  

#42 - Everybody Loves Somebody - Dean Martin  (1964)
Dino once boasted to anyone who would listen that his new record would knock The Beatles out of the #1 Spot ... and then it did!  "Everybody Loves Somebody" (one of Martin's theme songs ... he probably has three ... this one, "That's Amore'" and "Ain't That A Kick In The Head") displaced "A Hard Day's Night" at the top of the charts in the Summer of 1964.

#41 - Cherish - The Association  (1966)
Another group to score three hits in our Top 100 Countdown ... and all three were monsters.  We've already seen "Never My Love" at #74 ... now "Cherish", their first #1 Hit, at #41 ... and you'll find their biggest further up the countdown at #26.  

More tomorrow in Forgotten Hits ...  

Y'all come back now, ya'hear?!?!?