THE SATURDAY SURVEY (February 1st, 1965) - 60 YEARS AGO TODAY

THE CHART:

We've got a brand new month ... and a brand new #1 Record ... as The Righteous Brothers take over the top spot after a two week run by "Downtown."  "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is now the most popular record in America.  (And its popularity will stand the test of time ... 60 years later, it remains the most-played song in pop music history.  In 2005, it passed over ten million "plays" ... and today, 21 years later, may have enjoyed as many as 16 million.)

"Downtown" (an incredibly popular song in its own right, that continues to charm generation after generation) falls to #2 in its seventh week on the chart.

On the upswing in this week's Top Ten are "The Name Game" by Shirley Ellis (up one spot to #3), "This Diamond Ring" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys (which climbs three notches to #4), "All Day And All Of The Night" by The Kinks, also up three places, "Shake" by Sam Cooke (up four spots to #8) and "My Girl" by The Temptations, which shoots up another ten places from #19 to #9.  (Is there any doubt that this will be a #1 Record?  In the last four weeks, it has moved from #72 to #47 to #19 to #9.)

The British Invasion is represented this week by the #2 record already discussed, the #6 hit ("Love Potion Number Nine" by The Searchers), #7 by The Kinks, #14 ("I Go To Pieces" by Peter and Gordon, up six more places), #19 and #20 by, respectively, The Rolling Stones and The Zombies, #22 by The Beatles, with their former #1 Hit "I Feel Fine," #26 by Gerry and the Pacemakers, #30 by The Bachelors,  #47 by Chad and Jeremy, #50 by Adam Faith, #57 by The Searchers (with their second hit on the countdown, up 19 places from #76, with "What Have They Done To The Rain," #62 (The Beatles again with "She's A Woman"), #68 by The Dave Clark Five, #69 by Herman's Hermits with their brand new premier, "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat," #71 by Gerry and the Pacemakers (with their new track, "Ferry 'Cross The Mersey," title tune from their first motion picture ... and their second hit on the survey), #76 by P.J. Proby, #80 by Shirley Bassey, with the theme from the hot new James Bond film, "Goldfinger" and #94 by Manfred Mann.

This gives The Brits a stranglehold of 20% ... meaning no drop off at all from the onslaught of The British Invasion that started last year.

There are a few American acts making headway this week ... The Four Seasons, The Ad Libs, Trini Lopez, Roger Miller, Jewel Akens, The Drifters, Buck Owens and Sam Cooke all make significant strides up the chart.

  

60 YEARS AGO TODAY: 

2/1/65 – James Brown records “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag”

Also on 2/1, former World Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson beats Canadian George Chuvalo in a 12-round unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden

Also on 2/1, Dr. Martin Luther King and 700 demonstrators are arrested in Selma, Alabama

Also on 2/1, Peter Jennings becomes anchor of the ABC Nightly News

Also on 2/1, Princess Stephanie of Monaco is born

January 31st, 1965

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

1/31/65 – Lesley Gore appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show”

2025:

Marianne Faithfull passed away yesterday at the age of 78.

Faithfull was one of the "It" Girls of the Swingin' '60's ... and when she hooked up with Mick Jagger, front man for The Rolling Stones, she became an international celebrity  and sex symbol.  (She can best be described as an actress, a model, a muse and a singer ... but was probably MOST famous as "Mick Jagger's hot-looking girlfriend.")  HER version of The Rolling Stones' tune "As Tears Go By" was released first ... and became a #22 hit in late 1964.  (The Stones wouldn't release their version of this tune for another year.). "As Tears Go By" was the first song that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards ever wrote together, after being locked in a room by their manager Andrew Loog Oldham.  (In fact, it was Oldham who decided to give Marianne a shot in the recording studio to see what she could do.)  That was a big part of his role back then ... pushing his artists out of their comfort zones to see what else they could accomplish.  With Mick and Keith, Andrew needed to see if they could write their own original material, which was the only way he felt the band could sustain and compete amongst all the British Invasion acts that were soon invading our shores.  (They couldn't just keep cutting old blues records!)  60 years later, The Stones are STILL writing hit music, selling out stadiums worldwide and releasing platinum albums of new material.

Faithfull would hit The National Top 40 three more times over the course of the next ten months ... "Come And Stay With Me" (#26, 1965), "This Little Bird" (#32, 1965) and "Summer Nights" (#24, 1965 kept her on the charts.

Meanwhile, while all of this was going on, she married artist / British socialite John Dunbar and had his baby before taking off with Jagger.  She soon adopted The Stones' druggie lifestyle and was famously busted at the home of Keith Richards wearing only a bear-skin rug.  (Faithfull and Richards also had a fling or two along the way, just one of the many women Keith, Mick and their other bandmates shared over the years.)

But Marianne was also Jagger's muse, inspiring Stones classics like "Wild Horses," "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Sympathy For The Devil."  She also co-wrote (and was the subject matter) of "Sister Morphine" from The Stones' "Sticky Fingers" album.  (One could make a case for her inspiring The Hollies' hit "Carrie Anne" as well, as they have hinted a time or two over the years! They were just too shy to title it Marianne so used Carrie Anne as a thinly veiled disguise.)

Her drug dependency increased after she and Jagger split in 1970 ... at various time she was strung out and homeless ... and even attempted suicide at one point. 

And then, in 1979 she bounced back with a critically acclaimed and award-winning album titled "Broken English" ... and suddenly people knew who Marianne Faithfull was again.  Relapses and trips to rehab followed ... but she reportedly cleaned up for good in 1985 ... and had remained sober ever since.

There were rumors of her death a few years ago when the Covid Virus first stuck.  (Marianne got a very serious case and was in a coma for about three weeks)

For whatever reason you choose to remember her, she was a '60's icon.

I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull,  

She was so much part of my life for so long. She was a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress. She will always be remembered.

-- Mick Jagger

My heartfelt condolences to Marianne’s family! 

I'm so sad and will miss her.

-- Keith Richards

From Harvey Kubernik ...

https://www.musicconnection.com/kubernik-r-i-p-marianne-faithfull/

January 30th, 1965

60 YEARS AGO TODAY: 

1/30/65 – Winston Churchill’s funeral takes place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London

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And, in other news ...

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dion has a brand new video out for “New York Minute” … which is a pretty damn good track!

Bob Merlis tells us more …

NEW SINGLE RELEASE FROM DION

“NEW YORK MINUTE” IS THE LEGENDARY ROCKER’S MUSICAL LOVE LETTER TO HIS HOMETOWN AND HIS WIFE OF 60+ YEARS

SONG AND VIDEO OUT THIS WEEK IN CELEBRATION OF HIS BOOK 

DION: THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PHILOSOPHER

Dion DiMucci, whose professional recording career dates back to 1957 and has continued to the present day with three full-length albums of collaborations with iconic artists released by KTBA (Keeping The Blues Alive) Records within just the last five years, has just put out a new track through the label titled “New York Minute.” Written by Dion and Mike Aquilina, the song has been issued in celebration of the recent publication of his latest book Dion: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher.

“New York Minute,” produced by Dion and Wayne Hood, is an ode to the city of Dion’s birth and to his enduring love for his wife Susan. They will celebrate their 62^nd wedding anniversary this March. “New York Minute” is now available on all streaming platforms while the video for the track pictures Dion on another kind of platform . . . a New York subway platform. The song encapsulates Dion’s signature sound that is reflective of his Bronx roots and serves as another testament to his remarkable ability to craft songs that resonate across generations. “New York Minute” further solidifies his legacy as one of the greatest singer/songwriters since the dawn of the rock ‘n’ roll era. 

“The song ‘New York Minute’ expresses my love for my city, New York, and my wife Susan,” Dion shares. “When I first saw Susan, I could not think of anything else. I went to school but didn’t hear one word the teacher said. All I could think about was her! Where is she now? What is she doing? I wanna look at her. I wanna talk to her. I wanna get close to her any way I can. My mind was on a loop. Yeah, take a listen to the song,” he suggests, quoting the lyric, “I think my mind was broken. I dropped my subway token, though not a word was spoken when I saw her smile.”

The new music follows the publication earlier this month of Dion: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher, his highly anticipated book, co-written with recovery and performance coach Adam Jablin. It offers an intimate glimpse into Dion’s remarkable seven-decade journey through rock ‘n’ roll history with contributions from luminaries like Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Bishop Robert Barron and Steven Van Zandt. The book is an inspiring reflection on his rise to fame, battles with addiction, enduring marriage, and friendships with legends like Hank Williams and Bob Dylan. In addition to the beautiful hard cover edition, a truly innovative companion audiobook is also available exclusively through Audible. It includes 30 songs, three Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speeches, conversations between Dion and Adam Jablin, and much more.

Order Dion: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher

kk ...

Dion Is A Busy Guy. His New Album "GIRL FRIENDS" Is To Be Released March 8th.

Vito Picone Talks To Cousin Brucie This Saturday At 7 PM.

He's The Lead Singer Of The Elegants / "LITTLE STAR," A # 1 Hit In 1958.

Did You & Your Readers Know That Vito Is Also A Movie Star?

He Had Small Parts In "GOODFELLAS" & "THE IRISHMAN."

FRANK B.