The Saturday Survey

 

After falling out of the top spot last week to make way for Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles are right back on top again this week (for a FOURTH week) with "We Can Work It Out."  ("The Sounds Of Silence" falls to #3 while "She's Just My Style" inches up a notch to #2 ... and "Five O'Clock World" holds at #4.)

The Beach Boys come crashing into The Top Ten this week with their remake of "Barbara Ann" (featuring, as we all know now, Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean fame on lead vocals ... he just happened to stop by the studio while The Beach Boys were recording their "Party!" album ... and hung around long enough to sing the lead on this one!)  It moves from #12 to #5.

"My Love" by Petula Clark is this week's other new Top Ten entry ... it climbs up five spot to come in at #10.

Things are pretty dormant then until you hit #18, where Stevie Wonder leaps 13 places with his latest, "Uptight."  His Motown labelmates, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, are right behind him at #19 with "Going To A Go-Go."

Lou Christie makes an impressive move (from #35 to #21) with "Lightning Strikes" ... and, speaking of Motown hits, I kinda like The Marvelettes' new tune, "Don't Mess With Bill" ... it sits at #29, up eleven notches this week.

In lieu of a Beatles version, David and Jonathan continue to climb with their take of "Michelle" from The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" album.   (That being said, most AM radio stations are playing The Beatles' album cut in nearly as high a rotation as the other biggest hits of the day!)  Still, the eighteen point leap by David and Jonathan is rather impressive.

This week's top debut is a '60's classic ...

Nancy Sinatra premiers at #61 with "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'."

January 23rd, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

1/23/66 – Rick Nelson appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show” (something he would NEVER have been allowed to do during the hey-day of “The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet!”)

But now with his family's television series coming to an end after fourteen seasons (plus nearly ten more on radio before the big TV boom of the 1950's), Rick had to explore other options if he intended to keep his recording career afloat.

Truth is, The British Invasion side-railed Rick's musical career just as it had for numerous other established American acts.

Rick's most recent Top Ten Hit, "For You," was already on the chart when The Beatles broke thru with "I Want To Hold Your Hand."  He wouldn't have another one until "Garden Party" went to #3 in 1972.

This appearance, performing both sides of his latest release, "Your Kind Of Lovin'" / "Fire-Breathin' Dragon" didn't help ...

NEITHER side charted at all

January 22nd, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

1/22/66 – The Beach Boys record “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”

 

 

January 21st, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

1/21/66 – George Harrison marries Pattie Boyd, who he met on the set of The Beatles’ first film, “A Hard Day’s Night,” two years earlier.  Paul McCartney acts as George’s Best Man.  Patti would leave Harrison in the mid-‘70’s for George’s best friend, Eric Clapton, who wrote the song “Layla” about her.  (No grudges here ... Harrison and Clapton remained friends for life ... and even toured Japan together.)