![Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Fantasy, Inc. / Stax, Geffen, Motown, Sun Label Group, LLC, UMG Recordings, Inc.; thank you for like from Pixabay]](https://themusicalhype.com/wp-content/plugins/accelerated-mobile-pages/images/SD-default-image.png)
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Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2 features music courtesy of The Beatles, The Dixie Cups, Fontella Bass, The Jackson 5, and Wilson Pickett.
![Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Fantasy, Inc. / Stax, Geffen, Motown, Sun Label Group, LLC, UMG Recordings, Inc.; thank you for like from Pixabay]](https://themusicalhype.com/wp-content/plugins/accelerated-mobile-pages/images/SD-default-image.png)
![Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Fantasy, Inc. / Stax, Geffen, Motown, Sun Label Group, LLC, UMG Recordings, Inc.; thank you for like from Pixabay]](https://i0.wp.com/themusicalhype.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/incredible-songs-1960s-vol-2.jpg?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1)
Ah, the 1960s – what a time, what a time! What better way to reminisce on the decade than to highlight some of its best and most memorable songs. Like the other editions of the decade series on The Musical Hype, there are far too many awesome musicians and songs to recognize in one musical compendium – at least with blurbs involved. We continue the process for the 60s with 🎧 Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2, following 🎧 Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 1. 🎧 Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2 features some of the 60s finest songs courtesy of 🎙 The Beatles, 🎙 The Dixie Cups, 🎙 Fontella Bass, 🎙 The Jackson 5, and 🎙 Wilson Pickett among others. So, let’s relive the turbulent 1960s with these epic musical classics!
1. The Dixie Cups, “Chapel of Love”
💿 Chapel of Love • 🏷 Sun Label Group, LLC • 🗓 1964
What makes “Chapel of Love” a classic? Well, the vocals and vocal arrangement are a major selling point. The Dixie Cups sound terrific when singing in unison as well as when they break into the harmonies. The most memorable section of the song is the chorus, excerpted above. Notably, there is an innocence about this record that is idiomatic of vintage music from the 1950s and 60s. Furthermore, “Chapel of Love” is a prime example of the sound of soul music in the 60s: the horn arrangement and the articulated riffs, the rhythm section, including drums, the pronounced bass line, and the use of vibraphone. Furthermore, the melody is incredibly memorable, particularly the chorus. Regarding the songwriting, “Chapel of Love” is tongue in cheek – again, there’s a sense of innocence that contemporary music eschews. “Today’s the day we’ll say, ‘I do,’” The Dixie Cups sing in the first verse, adding, “And we’ll never be lonely anymore.” Sigh, if only love were as simple as the ladies make out to be here (“Bells will ring, the sun will shine, whoa / I’ll be his and he’ll be mine”). Simply put, they don’t make soul joints like 🎵 “Chapel of Love” anymore.
Appears in 🔻:
2. The Beatles, “Hey Jude”
💿 1 • 🏷 Apple Corps Ltd. • 🗓 2000
Paul McCartney sounds terrific handling the lead on “Hey Jude.” For much of the song, he compels with an easy going sound that suits the message and theme of the song. The background behind the song is captivating. McCartney had Lennon’s son, Jules (Julian) in mind when penning it. Julian’s parents were amid divorce, so, Paul intended to comfort him. On this epic, seven-minute-plus masterpiece, Jules becomes Jude:
“And anytime you feel the pain, hey, Jude refrain
Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it’s a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
Na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na.”
Indeed! The outro of the song is epic to the nth degree. The supporting instrumental is ear-catching, while McCartney is more assertive and truly lets loose. 🎵 “Hey Jude” has a strong case as The Beatles’ very best no. 1 hit.
Appears in 🔻:
- The Beatles, Hey Jude: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 126 (2022)
- The Beatles vs. Wilson Pickett: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 49 (2022)
3. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, “Jimmy Mack”
💿 Watchout! • 🏷 Motown • 🗓 1966
So, what’s the narrative of “Jimmy Mack?” Well, Jimmy has left and yet to return to his lover (Martha, as she’s the lead singer 😝). Martha misses him, but there is also a legitimate threat to their romance: “But this boy keeps coming around / He’s tryin’ to wear my resistance down.” Oh, snap 🫰! Because Martha wants to do right by Jimmy, she asks him to come back, 🔜 because “This loneliness I have within / Keeps reaching out to be his friend,” and, this new man “Jimmy, he talks just a sweet as you.” Ultimately, 🎵 “Jimmy Mack” thrives because it’s fun and there’s a sense of innocence that so much of contemporary music lacks. Imagine, if “Jimmy Mack” were written to fit in the 2020s, imagine how explicit it might be!
Appears in 🔻:
4. Edwin Starr, “Twenty Five Miles”
💿 25 Miles • 🏷 Motown • 🗓 1969
Appears in 🔻:
- Edwin Starr, Twenty Five Miles: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 133 (2022)
- 15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez, Vol. 8 (2023)
5. Fontella Bass, “Rescue Me”
💿 The New Look • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 📅 1966
So, why did Bass need rescuing? “I need you and your love too.” As is the case with many R&B/soul records, matters of the heart fuel the fire. Fontella is lonely, and she wants him to save her. “Come on and take my heart,” she sings in the second verse, “Take your love and conquer every part.” The chorus sums it up perfectly:
“Come on baby, and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
‘Cause I need you by my side
Can’t you see that I’m lonely?
Rescue me.”
🎵 “Rescue Me” is #ICONIC. Hearing this nearly sixty-old gem from 💿 The New Look never gets old. No, R&B and pop don’t sound like this anymore but, this song right here, it endures.
Appears in 🔻:
6. The Friends of Distinction, “Going in Circles”
💿 Grazin’ • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 🗓 1969
As the excerpted lyrics suggest, The Friends are in a vicious circle. In the second verse, the collective asserts, “I’m a faceless clock, with timeless hopes that never stop.” The effect of love is written all over this one, best summarized by the chorus: “You got me going in circles (oh round and round I go).” The poetic lyrics are high-flying vocals are utterly sublime. Adding to the sheer excellence of “Going in Circles” is the lush production work (🎛 John Florez), which was idiomatic of late 1960s-70s soul sound. The orchestration is incredible. The Friends of Distinction may have been a short-lived soul collective, but the Los Angeles quartet ‘got it done’ releasing a couple of hits including 🎵 “Going in Circles”. Sure, it’s a fifty-plus year-old song that sounds nothing like the music of the 2020s. Honestly, that’s a beautiful, truly refreshing thing.
Appears in 🔻:
- The Friends of Distinction, Going in Circles: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 113 (2022)
- Circles: 5ive Songs No. 72 (2022)
- The Friends of Distinction vs. Isaac Hayes: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 46 (2022)
- 11 More Circular Songs to Keep You Goin’ ‘Round in Circles (2022)
- The Friends of Distinction vs. Luther Vandross: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 50 (2022)
7. Brenda Holloway, “Every Little Bit Hurts”
💿 Every Little Bit Hurts • 🏷 Motown • 🗓 1964
“Oh, come back to me
Darling, you’ll see
I can give you all the
Things that you wanted before
If you will stay with me.”
Love is a five-letter word that begins with a B and ends in an itch. We know and understand this far too well, worldwide. That said, Brenda Holloway does a magnificent job of capturing this on 🎵 “Every Little Bit Hurts”.
Appears in 🔻:
- Brenda Holloway, Every Little Bit Hurts: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 125 (2022)
- Brenda Holloway vs. Alicia Keys: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 3 (2023)
8. Wilson Pickett, “Mustang Sally”
💿 The Wicked Pickett • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 1966
The second verse is as intriguing as the first, particularly the first half. Pickett informs the audience, “I bought you a brand-new Mustang / A nineteen sixty-five / Now you come around signifying a woman / You don’t wanna let me ride.” Oh, snap! While the Ford Mustang was a big deal when this song was released, clearly, Wilson is speaking beyond the sweet sports car. Someone else will be riding with Sally, or perhaps, driving Sally… Anyways, beyond the sexual innuendo, one of the most memorable lyrics of “Mustang Sally” appears in the chorus. Pickett sings assertively, “Listen, all you want to do is ride around Sally,” supported by background vocalists responding, “Ride, Sally, ride.” He concludes the charming section, singing, “One of these early mornings / You gonna be wiping your weeping eyes / What I said now.” What a great song! 🎵 “Mustang Sally” is one of the best songs of the soul catalog in my eyes. The fact that it settled for a no. 23 peak on the pop charts is criminal. Of course, chart success doesn’t tell the whole story about so many classics. “Mustang Sally” has far surpassed that moderate success. If nothing else, during my days in high school band, it was always one of my favorites and that was in the early aughts, more than 30 years after it was released.
Appears in 🔻:
9. The Jackson 5, “Who’s Lovin’ You”
💿 Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5 • 🏷 Motown • 🗓 1969
Even though Michael Jackson was a mere kid singing about heartbreak, he sings it with an authenticity that transcends his youth and inexperience. His tone is beautiful and mesmerizing. Furthermore, his brothers do a bang-up job of supporting with soulful background vocals. The updated production (🎛 Bobby Taylor) from the early 60s rendition easily breathes new life into a near-decade-old song. The strings add drama, the groove cooks, and the bass line is EVERYTHING. Furthermore, those vocal runs – the melisma – is a huge selling point. Throw in Michael’s ad-libs, and “Who’s Lovin’ You,” a song filled with love pain, sounds like heaven on earth. Such a talent! The best lyrics, of course, arrive on the chorus – among my favorites of all-time:
“Don’t you know I
Sit around
With my head hangin’ down
And I wonder
Who’s lovin’ you.”
Appears in 🔻:
- The Jackson 5, Who’s Lovin’ You: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 104 (2022)
- 15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez, Vol. 6 (2023)
10. Johnnie Taylor, “Who’s Making Love”
💿 Who’s Making Love… • 🏷 Fantasy, Inc. / Stax • 🗓 1968
Taylor, The Philosopher of Soul, was an incredibly talented, dynamic soul singer. He shines with his assertive, gritty vocals on top-five, Billboard Hot 100 hit that encompasses cheating and sex. While making love is intriguing, what is even more interesting is how Taylor seems to defend women being cheated on.
“I’ve seen so, so many fellows
All in that same old bag
Thinkin’ that a woman is made to
To be beat on and treated so bad
Oh, fellows, let me ask you somethin’
I’m sure that you never even dreamed of
And that is:
Who’s making love to your old lady
While you were out making love?”
He makes a terrific point! Tit for tat! Somehow, he never won a 🏆 Grammy, sigh. It’s worth noting, however, “Who’s Making Love” was one of three contenders for the highly coveted award, so there’s that.
Appears in 🔻:
- Johnnie Taylor, Who’s Making Love: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 83 (2022)
- 15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez, Vol. 5 (2022)
11. Etta James, “I’d Rather Go Blind”
💿 Tell Mama • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 🗓 1968
From my perspective, thematically, “I’d Rather Go Blind” appears to be about a defunct romantic relationship. Early on, all indications suggest that that’s the direction Etta James (and her songwriters) were opting for. “Something told me it was over,” she sings in the first line of the first verse, continuing, “When I saw you and her talking.” That adds up perfectly to an ended relationship. However, throwing in lyrics like child and even the repeated use of boy open up “I’d Rather Go Blind” to a potentially different interpretation. This is owed to the clever nature of the lyrics. The other interpretation is perhaps a mother is losing her son and that’s what’s made her feel sad. I find it to be a slight stretch but songs like “I’d Rather Go Blind” that offer multiple possibilities are truly brilliant.
Appears in 🔻:
- Etta James, I’d Rather Go Blind: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 75 (2022)
- Blind: 5ive Songs No. 46 (2022)
- 15 Blind Songs That Totally Stand Out (2022)
- 15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez, Vol. 5 (2022)
12. Eddie Holman, “Hey There Lonely Girl”
💿 I Love You • 🏷 Geffen • 🗓 1969
On “Hey There Lonely Girl,” the incredibly talented singer wows with one of the sweetest tenor vocals you’ll ever hear. Holman’s voice alone is a big reason why “Hey There Lonely Girl” ranks among the truly great songs from the soul catalog. It appears as the seventh track on his 1969 album, 💿 I Love You. 🎛 Peter De Angelis is responsible for the production. Like so many soul cuts from the late 1960s entering the 1970s, the orchestration and overall sound is lush, with symphonic cues. This is the perfect fuel for Holman’s fire, as he woos this lonely girl with his angelic pipes. “Oh, how I long to take your hand,” he sings to his brokenhearted prospect, adding, “And say, ‘Don’t cry’ / I’ll kiss your tears away.” Later, in the second verse, Holman adds, “No one can kiss your lips the way I will.” It’s worth noting that he gets some help from some superb background vocalists, beginning with the second verse. All told, “Hey There Lonely Girl” is simply magnificent.
Appears in 🔻:
13. Solomon Burke, “If You Need Me”
💿 If You Need Me • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 1963
So, what’s the premise of “If You Need Me”? Matters of the heart is the theme with potential reconciliation the goal, and perhaps, the expectation from Solomon Burke. The relationship has ended, however, Solomon ‘leaves the door open,’ if you well. Essentially, if she needs him, he advises her to call, and he’ll be there. Honestly, he asserts, “And I’ll hurry home / Where I belong.” Of course, we get a snapshot into what might’ve gone awry: “People always said, darlin’ / That I didn’t mean you no good / And you would need me someday.” Hmm, interesting! He continues singing, “Way deep down in my heart / I know I’ve done the best I could / That’s why I know that one of these days / It won’t be long, you’ll come…” Fill in the ellipsis!
Appears in 🔻:
- Solomon Burke, If You Need Me: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 121 (2022)
- 15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez, Vol. 7 (2023)
- 13 Songs Where The Need Is Real (2023)
Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Apple Corps Ltd., Atlantic, Fantasy, Inc. / Stax, Geffen, Motown, Sun Label Group, LLC, UMG Recordings, Inc.; thank you for like from Pixabay]
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