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Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 5 (2024) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; cottonbro studio from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson, InspiredImages, Jo Justino, Stuart Hampton, Vika_Glitter from Pixabay]Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 5 features some of the โ€˜60s finest songs by Joe Cocker, Joe Simon, The 5th Dimension, The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Supremes.

Ah, theโ€ฏ1960s โ€“ 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.โ€ฏ 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 โ€“ at least with blurbs involved. We continue the process for the โ€˜60s with Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 5, following โ€ฏIncredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 1, Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 2, Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 3, and Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 4. Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 5 features some of the โ€˜60s finest songs by Joe Cocker, Joe Simon, The 5th Dimension, The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Supremes. So, letโ€™s relive the turbulent 1960s with these epic musical classics!โ€ฏ โ€ฏ


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1. The Rascals, โ€œA Beautiful Morningโ€

2. The Supremes, โ€œStop! In The Name of Loveโ€

3. The Byrds, โ€œTurn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)โ€  

4. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, โ€œDancing in the Streetโ€

5. Four Tops, โ€œI Canโ€™t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)โ€โ€ฏโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

6. The Temptations, โ€œBeauty is Only Skin Deepโ€

7. The Beatles, โ€œStrawberry Fields Foreverโ€ 

8. Bobby Vinton, โ€œMr. Lonelyโ€

9. John Coltrane, โ€œGiant Stepsโ€

10. The 5th Dimension, โ€œWedding Bell Bluesโ€

11. The Dave Brubeck Quartet, โ€œUnsquare Danceโ€

12. The Mamas & The Papas, โ€œCalifornia Dreaminโ€™โ€

13. The Winstons, โ€œColor Him Fatherโ€  

14. Joe Simon, โ€œNine Pound Steelโ€

15. Joe Cocker, โ€œBye Bye Blackbirdโ€  


1. The Rascals, โ€œA Beautiful Morningโ€

Time Peace: The Rascalsโ€™ Greatest Hits // Atlantic // 1990

The Rascals, Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits [๐Ÿ“ท: Atlantic]โ€œItโ€™s a beautiful morning, ah / I think Iโ€™ll go outside a while and just smile.โ€ The positive, feel-good vibes are alive and well on โ€œA Beautiful Morningโ€, the 1968 classic by The Rascals.  What better way to begin a beautiful playlist? The Rascals had been called The Young Rascals. โ€œA Beautiful Morningโ€ is credited to The Rascals. Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, vocalists for The Rascals, penned the blue-eyed soul classic.  Unsurprisingly a pop hit, it peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968.

โ€œIf the weatherโ€™s fine and you got the time

Itโ€™s your chance to wake up and plan another brand-new day

Either way, itโ€™s a beautiful morning, ah.โ€

Good, positive vibes were crucial to the success of โ€œA Beautiful Morning.โ€ So was the musical accompaniment.  Enthusiastic from the onset, the ringing wind chimes set the tone.  From there, the listener is blessed with a soulful drum and percussive groove, a big bass line, and sublime guitar and keys. Also amplifying โ€œA Beautiful Morningโ€ instrumentally are the bright, articulated horns. The lead vocals (Cavaliere) are sensational โ€“ assertive and gritty from the beginning. Adding to the excellence is a tuneful melody. Also, the harmonized background vocals are superb too, adding sweetness. Nearly 60 years after its release, โ€œA Beautiful Morningโ€ remains the ultimate, feel-good, morning vibe.

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2. The Supremes, โ€œStop! In The Name of Loveโ€

More Hits by The Supremes // Motown // 1965

The Supremes, More Hits By The Supremes [๐Ÿ“ท: Motown]The Supremes, one of Motownโ€™s iconic collectives, have 12 no. 1 hits to their name.  That is nothing short of epic! Sadly, a Grammy has eluded Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson, among other members throughout the years.  Even without that statuette, The Supremes donโ€™t need the validation of an award as their timeless hits speak for themselves. Among those marvelous number ones is the show-stopping, โ€œStop! In The Name of Loveโ€, which spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.  Appearing as the fourth track from More Hits by The Supremes, which was released in 1965, it was penned by Brian Holland, Eddie Holland, and Lamont Dozier.  What a team! Brian and Lamont also produced this exuberant classic.

โ€œStop in the name of love / Before you break my heart,โ€ The Supremes sing utterly sublimely on the centerpiece, the chorus. They urge him to, โ€œThink it over.โ€ Sound advice! Beyond the tuneful chorus, the verses are superb too. The girls know this man isnโ€™t faithful. Diana Ross sings, โ€œI watch you walk down the street / Knowing your other love youโ€™ll meet.โ€ Adding to potentially devastating matters of the heart, โ€œBut this time, before you run to her / Leaving me alone and hurt / (Think it over).โ€ Besides the fun songwriting and fabulous vocals by the group, the instrumental is marvelous too, including the use of organ, amplifying the soul, and the use of vibraphone and articulated horns.  Honestly, thereโ€™s not much to โ€˜think overโ€™ when it comes to the quality of โ€œStop! In The Name of Loveโ€ โ€“ itโ€™s the catโ€™s meow!   

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3. The Byrds, โ€œTurn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)โ€  

Turn! Turn! Turn! // Sony Music Entertainment // 1965 

The Byrds, Turn! Turn! Turn! [๐Ÿ“ท: Columbia]So, letโ€™s get a little โ€˜spiritualโ€™ โ€“ a little Biblical โ€“ shall we?  From the Ecclesiastes, specifically Ecclesiastes 3 (NIV): 1 There is a timeโ€ฏfor everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2โ€ฏA time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3โ€ฏA time to killโ€ฏand a time to healโ€ฆ We arenโ€™t intentionally promoting religion โ€“ make that decision for yourself โ€“ but we are providing the source of The Byrdsโ€™ 1965 classic, โ€œTurn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season).โ€ Members of the legendary band, with the arrival of Turn! Turn! Turn! were Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Michael Clarke, and Chris Hillman. The folk-rock title track, written by the legendary Pete Seeger, is based on the text from Ecclesiastes 3 from the Old Testament.  Whether youโ€™re religious or not, this passage of scripture, and song itself, is prudent and thoughtful.  Also, โ€œTurn! Turn! Turn!โ€ was a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.  It spent three weeks in the penthouse, the second of two no. 1 hits by the collective.  If youโ€™ve never encountered โ€œTurn! Turn! Turn!โ€ youโ€™re missing out.   

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4. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, โ€œDancing in the Streetโ€

Dance Party // Motown // 1965

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Dance Party [๐Ÿ“ท: Motown]โ€œCalling out around the world / Are you ready for a brand-new beat?โ€ Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, a seminal Motown collective, had a Dance Party in 1965. Woo!  โ€œDancing in the Streetโ€, the opening track from the album, was the biggest hit of the iconic girl groupโ€™s career. The infectious song was written by William โ€œMickeyโ€ Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter, and Marvin Gaye.  Stevenson produced this gem that reached no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. โ€œSummerโ€™s here and the time is right / For dancing in the street.โ€ Yes, maโ€™am! What makes โ€œDancing in the Streetโ€ the sugar honey iced tea? Martha Reeves is a compelling frontwoman, delivering dynamic, high-energy vocals.  Given the style Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were renowned for, Reevesโ€™ personality plays a pivotal role in the success of this cut. Itโ€™s a cutesy, playful, and tongue-in-cheek cut, tailormade for Reeves. โ€œThereโ€™ll be laughing, singing, and music swinging / Dancing in the street,โ€ Reeves sings in the second verse, citing the cities where these dances occur (Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C., Motor City aka Detroit).  Besides the verses, the pre-chorus and chorus mark some of Reevesโ€™ top-notch moments.  In the pre-chorus, she asserts โ€œAll we need is music, sweet music.โ€ In the chorus, she delivers those timeless lyrics, โ€œIt doesnโ€™t matter what you wear / Just as long as you are there / So come on, every guy, grab a girl / Everywhere around the world.โ€

Itโ€™s not all about Martha, of course! The Vandellas (Rosalind Ashford-Holmes and Betty Kelly) โ€˜hold it downโ€™ with the background vocals โ€“ the harmonies, riffs, etc. Although โ€œDancing in the Streetโ€ lacks sophisticated sound quality taken for granted in the 21st century, the instrumental backdrop rocks ๐Ÿค˜. There is ample fuel for The Vandellasโ€™ fire. The rhythm section builds a fantastic anchor (specifically the drums) while the horns provide bite. The baritone saxophone brings it on those low notes! No lengthy analysis is necessary for โ€œDancing in the Streetโ€ which speaks for itself.

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5. Four Tops, โ€œI Canโ€™t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)โ€โ€ฏโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

Four Tops Second Album // Motown // 1965

Four Tops, Four Tops Second Album [๐Ÿ“ท: Motown]โ€œSugar pie, honey bunch / You know that I love you / I canโ€™t help myself / I love you and nobody else.โ€ #ICONIC chorus! Ah, โ€œI Canโ€™t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)โ€ โ€“ one of, if not the greatest HONEY ๐Ÿฏ songs of all-time! Four Tops were the stuff and โ€œI Canโ€™t Help Myselfโ€ ranks at the top of their illustrious catalog.โ€ฏ This mid-1960s joint, which appeared on Four Tops Second Album, peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains the vibe of vibes nearly six decades later.โ€ฏ This Holland-Dozier-Holland (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland) composition is an innocent soul song about L-O-V-E. Even though โ€œIn and out my life / You come, and you go,โ€ ultimately, โ€œWhen you snap your fingers or wink your eye / I come a-running to you.โ€ Why? Sheer love, baby! Backed by those incredible Motown musicians, and produced by Dozier and Brian Holland, โ€œI Canโ€™t Help Myselfโ€ is that oldie you find that you canโ€™t help listening to because itโ€™s so enduring and timeless.โ€ฏโ€ฏ 

โ€ฏ 

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6. The Temptations, โ€œBeauty is Only Skin Deepโ€

50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1961-1971 // Motown // 2011

The Temptations, 50th Anniversary The Singles Collection 1961-1971 [๐Ÿ“ท: Motown]โ€œNow good looks Iโ€™ve learned to live without / โ€˜Cause now I know itโ€™s love that only counts.โ€ โ€œBeauty is Only Skin Deepโ€ commences assertively with biting trumpets and a heavy-handed drum roll.  Soon enough, this brief but potent gem from The Temptations settles into a cool, classy groove. โ€œBeauty is Only Skin Deepโ€ was written by Eddie Holland and Norman Whitfield.  Whitfield also produced the classic. The instrumental arrangement is superb.  The rhythm section cooks while the horns up the ante with those articulated riffs. Notably, The Temptations werenโ€™t the first to record this cut.  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles took those honors.  Even so, The Temptations released it as a single and made it a hit. โ€œBeautyโ€ peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.

Who handles lead vocals on โ€œBeauty is Only Skin Deepโ€ for the iconic Motown collective? That would be the dynamic David Ruffin.  Ruffin is on his โ€˜A gameโ€™ delivering soulful, gritty lead vocals.  The Temptations back him superbly, keeping the same energy, especially in the chorus.  Ruffin has tuneful melodies to work with and memorable and thoughtful lyrics (โ€œA pretty face may be some guyโ€™s taste / But Iโ€™ll take lovinโ€™ in its placeโ€). Of course, the crรจme de la crรจme is the chorus, among the catchiest of the groupโ€™s career:

โ€œโ€˜Cause I know that

Beauty is only skin-deep

Yeah, yeah, yeah

I know that

Beautyโ€™s only skin-deep

Oh, yeah.โ€

Oh, yeah, indeed! โ€œBeauty is Only Skin Deepโ€ is utterly delightful โ€“ The Temptations at their best!

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7. The Beatles, โ€œStrawberry Fields Foreverโ€ 

Magical Mystery Tour // Universal // 1967 

The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour [๐Ÿ“ท: Universal]โ€œStrawberry Fields Forever,โ€ the eighth track from Magical Mystery Tour (1967), marks a more complex record by The Beatles. โ€œStrawberry Fields Foreverโ€ is not nearly as simple as some of their four-chord songs.  The sound itself plays a sizable role in the innovativeness and overall success of the record.  Notably, โ€œStrawberry Fields Foreverโ€ uses the mellotron, specifically the famous flute sound that can be found in DAWs and synthesizers widespread these days.  Itโ€™s one of many colors that shape this particular record.  Alongside the mellotron, the timbre is further accentuated with trumpet, cello, and perhaps most intriguingly, swarmandal (an Indian harp).  Adding to the intrigue, thereโ€™s awesome timbrel contrast throughout the song.  Of course, itโ€™s not only the instrumental that draws great attention to โ€œStrawberry Fields Forever.โ€  The vocals by John Lennon are on point, as always.  The melody of this tune easily gets stuck in oneโ€™s head.  Furthermore, the lyrics are nothing short of excellent in their own right โ€“ dreamy, reflective, trippy.

โ€œLet me take you down, โ€˜cause Iโ€™m going to 

Strawberry Fields 

Nothing is real, and nothing to get hung about 

Strawberry Fields forever.โ€  

 

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8. Bobby Vinton, โ€œMr. Lonelyโ€

Roses Are Red // Salt & Pepper // 1962

Bobby Vinton, Roses Are Red [๐Ÿ“ท: Salt & Pepper]โ€œLonely, Iโ€™m Mr. Lonely / I have nobody for my own.โ€ โ€œMr. Lonelyโ€ by Bobby Vinton was originally recorded in 1962. It didnโ€™t become a hit until 1964 โ€“ let that sink in.  Although โ€œMr. Lonelyโ€ appeared on his 1962 album, Roses Are Red, it was not released as a single. That was not the choice of Vinton but rather, the record label. Vinton penned the eventual, beloved classic with Gene Allan. In 1964, reprised on the album, Mr. Lonely, โ€œMr. Lonelyโ€ reached no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1964. It marked the fourth and final no. 1 hit for Vinton.

โ€œMr. Lonelyโ€ is one of Vintonโ€™s best hits. The theme is straightforward. Bobby is lonely.  Why is he so lonely? โ€œNow Iโ€™m a soldier, a lonely soldier,โ€ he sings, adding, โ€œAway from home through no wish of my own.โ€ He misses home while completing service in the U.S. Army.  He sings about loneliness and longing for home expressively with his smooth tenor and ripe falsetto.  Heโ€™s backed by an orchestra which only sweetens this sincere, thoughtful ballad.  โ€œLetters, never a letter / I get no letters  in the mail,โ€ he sings in the second verse, adding, โ€œIโ€™ve been forgotten.โ€ Aww, so sad ๐Ÿ˜ญ.  His sadness through song resonated in the 1960s and endures today. โ€œMr. Lonelyโ€ didnโ€™t get its just due early on, but eventually earned the success it deserved initially.

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9. John Coltrane, โ€œGiant Stepsโ€

Giant Steps // Rhino // 1960 

John Coltrane, Giant Steps [๐Ÿ“ท: Atlantic]Bmaj7 D7 | Gmaj7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 | amin7 D7 |โ€ฆ Those are some gnarly chord changes that hail from a once-in-a-lifetime jazz classic from a once-in-a-lifetime jazz musician. John Coltrane (1926 โ€“ 1967) was one of the most influential and talented musicians of all time, regardless of genre.  Whenever Coltrane played the saxophone, it sounded like a spiritual, transcendent experience โ€“ it โ€˜hit differentโ€™ as they say.  One of his most beloved songs is โ€œGiant Stepsโ€, the opener from his 1960 landmark album, Giant Steps.  Trane penned this complex jazz standard, which is remarkably difficult to improvise over. Why? Itโ€™s non-standard chord changes (excerpted above) coupled with a quick tempo. โ€œGiant Stepsโ€ isnโ€™t a blues record built on the standard I, IV, and V progression; itโ€™s far more advanced! The circle of fifths is still in play, mind you, as well as the common ii โ€“ V- I progression, but in an adventurous, higher level, innovative sort of way. After all, thereโ€™s a reason why a gifted jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan fails to deliver a solo thatโ€™s as rousing as Traneโ€™s. No shade, of course!

Is Flanaganโ€™s piano solo on โ€œGiant Stepsโ€ an epic fail? No, of course, not โ€“ heโ€™s Tommy Flanagan! However, Flanaganโ€™s solo is more memorable for the fact that it pales in comparison to the epic solo it follows, courtesy of Trane. Honestly, anybody who followed Coltrane on tenor saxophone had an uphill battle. Hence, the big takeaway isnโ€™t Flanagan โ€“ he was a legend regardless of this โ€˜averageโ€™ solo โ€“ itโ€™s about TRANE.  Backed by the sizzling hot drum groove (Art Taylor) and an active bass line (Paul Chambers), John is on autopilot.  Even sixty-plus years after โ€œGiant Stepsโ€ arrived, listening back to Traneโ€™s solo, itโ€™s other-worldly โ€“ utterly genius.  The riffs are prodigious, fitting perfectly atop those complex chord changes. So much can be said and analyzed in depth regarding โ€œGiant Stepsโ€ โ€“ it is giant, giant song.  That said, for the music lover who isnโ€™t a music theory buff, acknowledging and appreciating the genius of Coltrane on this song that was far ahead of its time is sufficient. 

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10. The 5th Dimension, โ€œWedding Bell Bluesโ€

The Age of Aquarius // Sony Music Entertainment // 1969

The 5th Dimension, The Age of Aquarius [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony Music Entertainment]โ€œBill, I love you so, I always will / I look at you and see the passion eyes of May.โ€ Was Marilyn McCoo singing to her future husband, Billy Davis Jr. on โ€œWedding Bell Bluesโ€? Yes. Both members of the iconic, eclectic soul collective were engaged when the song was released.  But, this beloved The 5th Dimension classic is a cover ๐Ÿคฏ.  โ€œWedding Bell Bluesโ€ was written and originally performed by the late Laura Nyro (1947 โ€“ 1997). Nyro, a fantastic songwriter, provided the Grammy-winning soul collective with several songs with โ€œWedding Bell Bluesโ€ earning top honors.  โ€˜Billโ€™ was the potential groom addressed in her original. Still, Marilyn addressing her eventual husband (they married the same year) is an irresistibly sweet storyline. The fourth track from the collectiveโ€™s 1969 album, The Age of Aquarius, earned them their second no. 1 hit following their โ€˜ace-in-the-hole,โ€™ โ€œAquarius / Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)โ€.

The songwriting is marvelous.  Laura Nyro was โ€˜the stuff,โ€™ and, rightfully, posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. โ€œOh, but am I ever gonna see my wedding day?โ€ McCoo asks, adding, โ€œIโ€™d never scheme or lie, Bill, thereโ€™s been no fooling / But kisses and love wonโ€™t carry me till you marry me, Bill.โ€ Bill had to marry Marilyn โ€“ it was inevitable! Notably, Davis Jr. and McCoo would have success as a duo post-5th Dimension.  Besides urging Bill to โ€œtake those wedding vows,โ€ the musicianship of โ€œWedding Bell Bluesโ€ shines. Itโ€™s groovy and โ€˜sunnyโ€™ from the get-go.  The piano is crucial to the accompaniment.  Additionally, sweet orchestration ups the ante โ€“ soaring strings, bright, biting horns, and mallets. The lead vocals are authentic, commanding, fun, and playful.  The 5th Dimensions backing vocals are assertive โ€“ a fabulous response to the lead. With tuneful melodies and encouraging matrimony (โ€œOh, come on Billโ€ and โ€œCome on and marry me, Bill / I got the wedding bell bluesโ€), โ€œWedding Bell Bluesโ€ was an inevitable chart-topper on the pop charts.

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11. The Dave Brubeck Quartet, โ€œUnsquare Danceโ€

Time Further Out // Sony Music Entertainment Inc. // 1961

The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Further Out [๐Ÿ“ท: Columbia]Jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck (1920 โ€“ 2012) had no shortage of innovative spirit as a musician. He opted against the tried and true and pushed boundaries.  One such way he did so was by exploring nontraditional and asymmetric meters. In 1961, The Dave Brubeck Quartet โ€“ Brubeck, Paul Desmond (saxophone), Joe Morello (drums), and Eugene Wright (bass) โ€“ released Time Further Out, which features the 7/4 masterpiece, โ€œUnsquare Danceโ€.

โ€œUnsquare Danceโ€ runs merely two minutes in duration. Wright provides a mighty foundation with the string bass highlighting key beats โ€“ one, three, and five.  Itโ€™s not only Wright who maintains a groove.  Handclaps play a pivotal role โ€“ part of the charm of โ€œUnsquare Dance.โ€ Who performs those claps? Did Desmond clap since he didnโ€™t play alto sax on it? Eventually, Brubeck enters the mix incorporating the blues (itโ€™s still built on a blues progression) and country/western flavor.  Eventually, Joe Morello brings the drums in alongside the handclaps, but doesnโ€™t embrace the whole kit โ€“ itโ€™s the rim of the snare action, baby! Minimalist yet brilliant musically, โ€œUnsquare Danceโ€ ranks among the best songs of the Dave Brubeck catalog.

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12. The Mamas & The Papas, California Dreaminโ€™

If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears // MCA // 1966 

The Mamas & The Papas, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears [๐Ÿ“ท: MCA]โ€œAll the leaves are brown (All the leaves are brown) / And the sky is gray (And the sky is gray) / Iโ€™ve been for a walk (Iโ€™ve been for a walk) / On a winterโ€™s day (On a winterโ€™s day).โ€  Those iconic, memorable lyrics hail from โ€œCalifornia Dreaminโ€™โ€, written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips. Lou Adler produced this beloved The Mamas & The Papas classic, released in 1965.  Ultimately, it appears on the folk-rock/pop bandโ€™s 1966 album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears. โ€œCalifornia Dreaminโ€™โ€ was originally recorded by Barry McGuire in 1965. However, The Mamas & The Papasโ€™ version was the first released. A big hit, it peaked at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

So, what makes โ€œCalifornia Dreaminโ€™โ€ โ€˜the catโ€™s meowโ€™ โ€“ the โ€˜sugar honey iced teaโ€™? EVERYTHING, honestly. It exemplifies the 1960s pop sound.  It begins with one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time.  The minor key is established from the get-go.  Also established early is the infectious groove.  Beyond that, โ€œCalifornia Dreaminโ€™โ€ delivers tuneful melodies, awesome vocal harmonies, and impeccable use of the call-and-response style.

โ€œStopped into a church

I passed along the way

Well, I got down on my knees (Got down on my knees)

And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray).โ€

Denny Doherty handles the lead vocals superbly. John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, and Cass Elliott (Mama Cass) soundly support with their backing vocals. One of the most unique sounds heard on โ€œCalifornia Dreaminโ€™โ€ is a flute solo. Itโ€™s not just any flute that Bud Shank plays โ€“ itโ€™s an alto flute. The lower-sounding instrument is perfect for this minor-key, folk rock/pop gem. โ€œCalifornia Dreaminโ€™โ€ is often cited as one of the greatest songs ever.  That should come as no surprise. Take one listen and its magic is revealed. Itโ€™s clichรฉ to say but the music speaks for itself.

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13. The Winstons, โ€œColor Him Fatherโ€  

Color Him Fatherโ€ฏ// Metromediaโ€ฏ// 1969

The Winstons, Color Him Father [๐Ÿ“ท: Metromedia]โ€œThereโ€™s a man at my house, heโ€™s so big and strong / He goes to work each day, and he stays all day long.โ€โ€ฏThatโ€™s admirable. โ€ฏFurthermore, โ€œHe comes home each night, looking tired and beat,โ€โ€ฏhe never frowns,โ€ฏaskingโ€ฏโ€œHowโ€™s my child?โ€ As these lyrics suggest, The Winstonsโ€ฏdeliverโ€ฏa special record that highlights how special a loving,โ€ฏdedicatedโ€ฏfather is on โ€œColor Him Fatherโ€โ€ฏfrom their 1969 album of the same title.โ€ฏโ€œI think Iโ€™ll color this man fatherโ€ฏ/ I think Iโ€™ll color him love.โ€โ€ฏ The chorus isโ€ฏincredibly memorable and more importantly, thoughtful and touching. โ€ฏ Making โ€œColor Him Fatherโ€ even more thoughtful is the fact that we learn this man who isโ€ฏโ€˜coloredโ€™โ€ฏfatherโ€ฏisnโ€™t the biological father!โ€ฏSee Exhibit B, the second verse:

โ€œOur real old man,โ€ฏhe got killed in the warโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

And she knows she and seven kids couldnโ€™t of gotten very farโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

She said she thought that she could never love againโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

And then there he stood with that big wide grinโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

He married my mother, and he took us inโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

And now we belong to the man with that big wide grin.โ€

Wow, the feels, the feels, the feels given off thisโ€ฏtop 10 hit (reached no. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100).โ€ฏAlso, deservedly, The Winstons were nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. โ€ฏโ€ฏโ€ฏ โ€ฏ 

Appears inโ€ฏ๐Ÿ”ป:โ€ฏโ€ฏโ€ฏ 

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14. Joe Simon, โ€œNine Pound Steelโ€

No Sad Songs // Sound Stage 7TM // 1967

Joe Simon, No Sad Songs [๐Ÿ“ท: Sound Stage 7TM]โ€œThrough these walls / I see the sun / Iโ€™m here because / The wrong Iโ€™ve done.โ€ Uh-oh, Joe Simon โ€“ sounds like a sad song to me! โ€œNine Pound Steelโ€ is the sixth track from his 1968 album, No Sad Songs. Not sad? Thatโ€™s debatable.  In the first verse, he admits, โ€œI stole from her / Oh when I shouldโ€™ve stood up like a man / You see, Iโ€™ve got to say good morning / To a nine-pound steel.โ€ Although not a top 40 hit for the southern soul singer, it impacted the pop charts, reaching no. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. โ€œNine Pound Steelโ€ was written by Dan Penn and Wayne Carson. Simon delivers commanding vocals, steeped in soul, specifically that southern soul. He sings authentically with incredible expression and nuance from the beginning.  Beyond his epic lead, the supporting vocals are utterly sublime.  Thematically, heโ€™s paying for his wrongdoing in the slammer aka prison. Not only has his incarceration affected him, but itโ€™s affecting his girl.  โ€œI know someday / Iโ€™ll be free (someday) / Please darling / Oh honey, wait for me.โ€ โ€œNine Pound Steelโ€ has marvelous production including exuberant rhythmic piano, robust bass line, and a consistent, anchoring drum groove. โ€œNine Pound Steelโ€ is another timeless gem from Simonโ€™s collection.

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:

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15. Joe Cocker, โ€œBye Bye Blackbirdโ€  

With a Little Help From My Friends // A&M / UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1969  

Joe Cocker, With a Little Help From my Friends [๐Ÿ“ท: UMG Recordings, Inc.]โ€œPack up all my cares and woes / Feeling low, here I go / I should have dialed (Bye, bye, blackbird) โ€ฆโ€ Joe Cocker was the definition of a male powerhouse.  That man could flat-out sing ๐Ÿ’ช! โ€œBye Bye Blackbirdโ€ is NOT a Joe Cocker original.  Sure, Joe makes this Mort Dixon and Ray Henderson-penned number his own, but it was first recorded in 1926 ๐Ÿคฏ!  The first hit version also arrived in 1926, courtesy of Gene Austin. It has been covered hundreds and hundreds of times. This standard appears as the second track on his 1969 album, With a Little Help From My Friends.  There is a more iconic cover from the LP but โ€œBye Bye Blackbirdโ€ in his hands is EPIC.  

Denny Cordell produced โ€œBye Bye Blackbird,โ€ which features a bluesy, soulful instrumental.  The piano leads the charge initially. However, โ€œBye Bye Blackbirdโ€ becomes even grander with the organ entering the mix as well as an incredible guitar solo by the one-and-only Jimmy Page around the 1:40 mark. The star of the show, Mr. Cocker, gives his all to the vocals, singing commandingly, soulfully, and infusing grit. Besides his dynamic, nuanced lead, the background vocals bring the heat too. Again, this is not an original written for Cocker, but he makes it sound original.  Itโ€™s easy to buy what he sells as he sings: โ€œNobody seems to love / Or understand me / And horrid hard luck stories / They keep on handinโ€™ me.โ€ Indeed, Joe, indeed.  โ€œBye Bye Blackbirdโ€ = sensational.  

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป 

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Incredible Songs: 1960s, Vol. 5 (2024) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, MCA, Metromedia, Motown, Sony Music Entertainment, Sound Stage 7TM, UMG Recordings, Inc., Universal; cottonbro studio from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson, InspiredImages, Jo Justino, Stuart Hampton, Vika_Glitter from Pixabay]

 

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the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.