“THE ‘6Os are gone, dope will never be as cheap, sex never as free, and the Rock and Roll never as great.”–Abbie Hoffman
I’m sure Cap’n Bob will agree with Abbie Hoffman. The Sixties developed into an incredible decade, but these two compilations of songs from the 1960s do not include The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, or Motown so it’s hard to put credence in their claims of “Best.”
The Best of the 60s Decade has “Gloria” by the Shadows of Knight and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens, two songs that rarely find their way onto complication CDs.
Top Ten Hits of the Sixties has two songs by The Troggs, but my favorite is their “Love Is All Around.” Of the two songs by The Byrds–both Dylan songs–I enjoyed “All I Really Want to Do” which is lesser known compared to “Mr. Tambourine Man.” I’m a fan of both songs by The Animals: “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.”
Do you remember these songs from the Sixties? Any favorites here? GRADE: B- (for both)
The Best of the 60s Decade TRACK LIST:
“Silence is Golden” — The Tremeloes
“Sugar Sugar” — The Archies
“I’m Into Something Good” — Herman’s Hermits
“Tell Laura I Love Her” — Ray Peterson
“Winchester Cathedral” –New Vaudeville Band
“Spooky” — Classics IV
“Windy” — The Association
“Love Potion Number 9” — The Searchers
“Gloria” — Shadows of Knight
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” — The Tokens
Top Ten Hits of the Sixties TRACK LIST:
| The Tremeloes– | Here Comes My Baby | ||
| Gerry & The Pacemakers– | Ferry Cross The Mersey | ||
| The Swinging Blue Jeans– | Hippy Hippy Shake | ||
| The Turtles– | She’d Rather Be With Me | ||
| The Troggs– | Love Is All Around | ||
| The Animals– | Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood | ||
| The Troggs– | Wild Thing | ||
| The Byrds– | Mr. Tambourine Man | ||
| Gary Puckett & The Union Gap– | Young Girl | ||
| The Fortunes– | Here It Comes Again | ||
| Freddie & The Dreamers– | You Were Made For Me | ||
| The Troggs– | I Can’t Control Myself | ||
| The Byrds– | All I Really Want To Do | ||
| The Animals– | We Gotta Get Out Of This Place | ||
| Gerry & The Pacemakers– | I’m The One | ||
| Fourmost*– | A Little Loving | ||
| The Turtles– | Elenore | ||
| Freddie & The Dreamers– | I Understand |
The 60s wouldn’t be remembered at all today if it weren’t for Gary Puckett.
Dan, and don’t forget The Union Gap!
Three songs by the Troggs and two by the Tremeloes? I smell “quickie filler CDs rushed out to make nostalgia bucks”. Undoubtedly some good songs here, but I have those in other collections with better sixties music representation.
Deb, I agree with your assessment! “Quickie Filler CDs” fits the bill.
“Fourmost”? Who they? “Here It Comes Again” is wonderful pop. I’ll take the Troggs and the Tremeloes over today’s lugubrious performers anytime.
Fred, I think this is the first time the word “lugubrious” on this blog!
The Fourmost, like the Swinging Blue Jeans, were a relatively short-lived Brit Invasion band. (Or, at least, short time on any charts. Dunno how long they went on.) There are worse bands one can hear being foisted on one every day, such as, say, The Bee Gees, or Mountain.
Thanks Todd. I’ll check them out.
I don’t mind any of these songs because they evoke an era for me. There is a joyousness to many of them.
Patti, speaking of joyousness, do you think Beyonce will show up tonight at the Democratic National Convention?
What about “Christmas is All Around”? Who can forget Bill Nighy’s updated version in LOVE ACTUALLY? I agree with Abbie Hoffman too.
i. “Silence is Golden” was originally the B-side of”Rag Doll” by The Four Seasons, written by Bob Crewe & Bob Gaudio, though The Tremeloes had the hit version – #1 in the UK, #11 here. Jackie is a big fan of this. I prefer The Tremeloes’ “Here Comes My Baby” (and the versy similar cover version by The Mavericks).
2. “I’m Into Something Good” is a Carole King-Gerry Goffin song.
Of course, I know all the first collection and have all of them on one collection or another. “Tell Laura I Love Her” (another of Jackie’s favorites) is on a “death on the highway” collection with “Leader of the Pack” and “Last Kiss.”
I know most (Fourmost?) of the second one too.
Jeff, I figured you and Jackie would know these songs from the Sixties. I’m waiting for Cap’n Bob to weigh in since he loves the 1960s music.
Well, “I’m Into Something Good” is perhaps the most listenable Herman’s Hermits recording, hence its appearance in a POLICE SQUAD/NAKED GUN film, and while no album is improved by anything from Freddie and the Dreamers, nor this particular song by Puckett and the Union Gap, I find these cheap comps as pleasant as nearly any you’ve listed, George…even given the first’s ridiculous title. I certainly don’t ever need to hear “Winchester Cathedral” again, due to ’70s overexposure.
There is very little by the original Byrds or Animals that I won’t enjoy, and since most of my anthology album experience (after the heyday of Pickwick) was with Rhino Records, I’ve encountered several anthology albums with the biggest-selling US cover of “Gloria” and the Tokens’ biggest hit.
And I’m very fond of the Turtles’ and Troggs’ heyday period, as well.
Todd, I share your fondness of the Turtles and Troggs.
While I’m not going to speak in favor of Freddie and the Dreamers, I will speak up for Ferry Cross the Mersey, which is their one thing I’ve always liked.
Jeff, I occasionally listen to “Ferry Cross the Mersey” and it holds up.
Gerry and the Pacemakers had the hit version of “Ferry/Mersey”…did the Fred and the Grunters cover it? I’ll admit getting no further than their minor hit or two.
One more “fun fact” about “I’m Into Something Good” – it was originally done by Earl-Jean McCrea of The Cookies, and reached #42. Earl-Jean was married, but she had a baby with Gerry Goffin, while he was still married to Carole King. This was an open secret, apparently, and she was part of their family, sort of.
Jeff, the relationship between Gerry Goffin and Carole King certainly was messy! But they produced some great songs!
The Archies have no place in anything called BEST!!! Else fine!
Bob, I’ve got some great 1970s music scheduled soon.
Best example of how mediocre disposable “bubblegum” pop could be? (I’ll admit to finding the Steam hits reasonably good for b-gum.)
Todd, I’ve reviewed a couple of bubblegum compilation CDs: http://georgekelley.org/oldies-but-goodies-volume-5-and-best-of-the-bubble-gum-years/ and http://georgekelley.org/25-all-time-greatest-bubblegum-hits/
I remember. Hey, you guys seem to be confusing Freddy and the Dreams with Gerry and the Pacemakers, above. I can’t find, in a quick search, that F&TD covered the Pacemakers’ biggest hit, but they managed the tough trick of recording an even worse reading of “Short Shorts” than the originators, the Royal Teens: https://music.apple.com/us/song/short-shorts/691530146 (proto-bubblegum)
Spell-corrector truncated my probably misspelled Dreamers as Dreams, which does inspire the notion that Freddy and the Nightmares might’ve been more appropriate.
Todd, Dreamers vs. Nightmares…sounds like the Democrats vs. Republicans!