60s Countdown

As a teenager, Little Eva (Eva Narcissus Boyd) was a maid and babysitter for Carole King and her then-husband Gerry Goffin. Knowing she could sing, they had her record a demo of a new song they had written. The demo was so good, Eva, backed by the Cookies, wound up recording the song for Dimension, a New York label founded by Don Kirshner and Al Nevins. The Loco-Motion went to number one on the August 18 1962 Cash Box Top 100 and stayed in the top spot for three weeks. It went to number one on the August 25 1962 Billboard Hot 100.

Little Eva & The Cookies had a minor hit in June 1963 with another Goffin-King song, Old Smokey Locomotion. Yes, it uses the tune of On Top Of Old Smokey – and the title is misspelled here:

 
Here is the original version of Twist & Shout by the Top Notes, an R&B quintet from Detroit. This was the B-side of Always Late (Why Lead Me On) (Atlantic 2115, August 1961). The Top Notes released seven singles, 1960-63, including one as The Dreamers. None ever charted.

 
4 good/ok from 1962:

26 DE LITTLE EVA - THE LOCO-MOTION
22 23 THE ISLEY BROTHERS - TWIST AND SHOUT
13 19 NEIL SEDAKA - BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
01 01 BOBBY VINTON - ROSES ARE RED (My Love)
 
9.


LITTLE EVA - THE LOCO-MOTION
22 23 THE ISLEY BROTHERS - TWIST AND SHOUT
17 17 SAM COOKE - HAVING A PARTY
13 19 NEIL SEDAKA - BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
05 05 BRIAN HYLAND - SEALED WITH A KISS (#1 in Canada)
04 02 DAVID ROSE and His Orchestra - THE STRIPPER
03 03 RAY CHARLES - I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU
02 04 THE ORLONS - THE WAH-WATUSI
01 01 BOBBY VINTON - ROSES ARE RED (My Love)
 
August 1st 1964

40 DE THE BEATLES - AIN’T SHE SWEET
39 DE THE BACHELORS - I BELIEVE
38 DE AL (He’s the King) HIRT - SUGAR LIPS
37 29 STEVIE WONDER - HEY HARMONICA MAN
36 DE THE ROLLING STONES - TELL ME (You’re Coming Back)
35 24 BILLY J. KRAMER with The Dakotas - BAD TO ME
34 37 THE RONETTES - DO I LOVE YOU?
33 DE GENE CHANDLER - JUST BE TRUE
32 38 THE RAY CHARLES SINGERS - AL-DI-LA
31 DE THE DIXIE CUPS - PEOPLE SAY
30 27 THE BEACH BOYS - DON’T WORRY BABY
29 DE THE VENTURES - WALK…DON’T RUN ’64
28 35 THE MIRACLES - I LIKE IT LIKE THAT
27 34 DEL SHANNON - HANDY MAN
26 31 CILLA BLACK - YOU’RE MY WORLD
25 21 THE SEARCHERS - DON’T THROW YOUR LOVE AWAY
24 36 BOBBY FREEMAN - C’MON AND SWIM
23 19 BARBRA STREISAND - PEOPLE
22 17 GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS - DON’T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING
21 16 MILLIE SMALL - MY BOY LOLLIPOP
20 25 JIMMY HUGHES - STEAL AWAY
19 23 THE PREMIERS - FARMER JOHN
18 15 MARVIN GAYE - TRY IT BABY
17 22 NANCY WILSON - (You Don’t Know) HOW GLAD I AM
16 12 SAM COOKE - GOOD TIMES
15 20 THE JELLY BEANS - I WANNA LOVE HIM SO BAD
14 10 THE IMPRESSIONS - KEEP ON PUSHING
13 07 THE DAVE CLARK FIVE - CAN’T YOU SEE THAT SHE’S MINE
12 14 PETER AND GORDON - NOBODY I KNOW
11 13 THE DRIFTERS - UNDER THE BOARDWALK
10 05 GETZ/GILBERTO - THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA
09 04 JOHNNY RIVERS - MEMPHIS
08 03 THE BEACH BOYS - I GET AROUND
07 08 ROGER MILLER - DANG ME
06 09 DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - WISHIN’ AND HOPIN’
05 18 THE SUPREMES - WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO
04 11 DEAN MARTIN - EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY
03 06 JAN & DEAN - THE LITTLE OLD LADY (FROM PASADENA)
02 01 THE 4 SEASONS - RAG DOLL (#1 in Canada)
01 02 THE BEATLES - A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
 
V

11 13 THE DRIFTERS - UNDER THE BOARDWALK
08 03 THE BEACH BOYS - I GET AROUND
05 18 THE SUPREMES - WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO
04 11 DEAN MARTIN - EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY
01 02 THE BEATLES - A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
 
A Hard Day's Night was number one for two weeks in August 1964 – and was knocked out of the number one spot by Dean Martin's Everybody Loves Somebody. Wooh! Dean, backed by the Ernie Freeman Orchestra & Chorus, recorded the song on April 16 1964. Here is the first version Dean recorded, on March 13 1964, accompanied by piano, bass, guitar and drums, for his Dream With Dean album, released on August 4 1964.

 
3 ok from 1964:

08 03 THE BEACH BOYS - I GET AROUND
03 06 JAN & DEAN - THE LITTLE OLD LADY (FROM PASADENA)
01 02 THE BEATLES - A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
 
Tres

10 05 GETZ/GILBERTO - THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA
08 03 THE BEACH BOYS - I GET AROUND
01 02 THE BEATLES - A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
 
Good/ok 4

****
30 27 THE BEACH BOYS - DON’T WORRY BABY
08 03 THE BEACH BOYS - I GET AROUND
01 02 THE BEATLES - A HARD DAY’S NIGHT

***
11 13 THE DRIFTERS - UNDER THE BOARDWALK

? 36
 
August 10th, 1968

40 40 B.J. THOMAS - THE EYES OF A NEW YORK WOMAN
39 DE 1910 FRUITGUM COMPANY - 1, 2, 3, RED LIGHT
38 29 NANCY WILSON - FACE IT GIRL, IT’S OVER
37 DE BARBARA ACKLIN - LOVE MAKES A WOMAN
36 DE MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL - YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY
35 DE THE FANTASTIC JOHNNY C - HITCH IT TO THE HORSE
34 34 TOMMY BOYCE & BOBBY HART - ALICE LONG (You’re Still My Favorite Girlfriend)
33 27 PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS featuring Mark Lindsay - DON’T TAKE IT SO HARD
32 33 GLEN CAMPBELL - DREAMS OF THE EVERYDAY HOUSEWIFE
31 31 PEGGY SCOTT & JO JO BENSON - LOVER’S HOLIDAY
30 DE THE INTRUDERS - (LOVE IS LIKE A) BASEBALL GAME
29 23 SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL ’66 - THE LOOK OF LOVE
28 24 MERRILEE RUSH & THE TURNABOUTS - ANGEL OF THE MORNING
27 28 BOBBY VINTON - HALFWAY TO PARADISE
26 26 FRIEND AND LOVER - REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS
25 21 THE COWSILLS - INDIAN LAKE
24 30 GARY LEWIS and the Playboys - SEALED WITH A KISS
23 39 ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS - I CAN’T STOP DANCING
22 14 ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS - SKY PILOT
21 22 BOOKER T. & THE M.G.’s - SOUL-LIMBO
20 32 JOSE FELICIANO - LIGHT MY FIRE
19 19 BOBBY GOLDSBORO - AUTUMN OF MY LIFE
18 20 MAMA CASS with THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS - DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME
17 17 THE AMBOY DUKES - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND
16 15 HERB ALPERT - THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU
15 16 THE VANILLA FUDGE - YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON
14 12 THE STATUS QUO - PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN
13 18 THE DELLS - STAY IN MY CORNER (#1 on the R&B chart)
12 08 CLIFF NOBLES & CO. - THE HORSE
11 11 STEPPENWOLF - BORN TO BE WILD
10 06 THE ROLLING STONES - JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH
09 10 CREAM - SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE
08 09 THE VOGUES - TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME
07 07 GARY PUCKETT AND THE UNION GAP - LADY WILLPOWER (#1 in Canada)
06 05 DONOVAN - HURDY GURDY MAN
05 13 THE RASCALS - PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE
04 04 HUGH MASEKELA - GRAZING IN THE GRASS
03 03 THE 5th DIMENSION - STONED SOUL PICNIC
02 02 MASON WILLIAMS - CLASSICAL GAS
01 01 THE DOORS - HELLO, I LOVE YOU
 
3 good/ok from 1968:

11 11 STEPPENWOLF - BORN TO BE WILD
10 06 THE ROLLING STONES - JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH
01 01 THE DOORS - HELLO, I LOVE YOU
 
23

40 40 B.J. THOMAS - THE EYES OF A NEW YORK WOMAN
36 DE MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL - YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY
29 23 SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL ’66 - THE LOOK OF LOVE
28 24 MERRILEE RUSH & THE TURNABOUTS - ANGEL OF THE MORNING
26 26 FRIEND AND LOVER - REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS
22 14 ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS - SKY PILOT
18 20 MAMA CASS with THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS - DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME
17 17 THE AMBOY DUKES - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND
16 15 HERB ALPERT - THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU
15 16 THE VANILLA FUDGE - YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON
14 12 THE STATUS QUO - PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN
13 18 THE DELLS - STAY IN MY CORNER (#1 on the R&B chart)
12 08 CLIFF NOBLES & CO. - THE HORSE
11 11 STEPPENWOLF - BORN TO BE WILD
10 06 THE ROLLING STONES - JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH
09 10 CREAM - SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE
08 09 THE VOGUES - TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME
07 07 GARY PUCKETT AND THE UNION GAP - LADY WILLPOWER (#1 in Canada)
05 13 THE RASCALS - PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE
04 04 HUGH MASEKELA - GRAZING IN THE GRASS
03 03 THE 5th DIMENSION - STONED SOUL PICNIC
02 02 MASON WILLIAMS - CLASSICAL GAS
01 01 THE DOORS - HELLO, I LOVE YOU
 
Aaron said:
THE DELLS - STAY IN MY CORNER (#1 on the R&B chart)
Click to expand...

The Dells' original version of Oh What A Nite reached #4 on Billboard's R&B chart in December 1956. A new version – spelled properly as Oh What A Night – was a number-one R&B hit and #10 pop hit in 1969.

The Dells' original version of Stay In My Corner reached #23 on the R&B chart and #122 on the Bubbling Under chart in June 1965. The 1968 remake, same as the remake of Oh What A Night, was a number-one R&B hit and #10 pop hit. Here is the 1965 version:

 
E;even

22 14 ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS - SKY PILOT
21 22 BOOKER T. & THE M.G.’s - SOUL-LIMBO
18 20 MAMA CASS with THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS - DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME
17 17 THE AMBOY DUKES - JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND
14 12 THE STATUS QUO - PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN
11 11 STEPPENWOLF - BORN TO BE WILD
10 06 THE ROLLING STONES - JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH
09 10 CREAM - SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE
06 05 DONOVAN - HURDY GURDY MAN
02 02 MASON WILLIAMS - CLASSICAL GAS
01 01 THE DOORS - HELLO, I LOVE YOU
 
12

22 14 ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS - SKY PILOT
20 32 JOSE FELICIANO - LIGHT MY FIRE
18 20 MAMA CASS with THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS - DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME
16 15 HERB ALPERT - THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU
15 16 THE VANILLA FUDGE - YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON
11 11 STEPPENWOLF - BORN TO BE WILD
10 06 THE ROLLING STONES - JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH
09 10 CREAM - SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE
06 05 DONOVAN - HURDY GURDY MAN
05 13 THE RASCALS - PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE
02 02 MASON WILLIAMS - CLASSICAL GAS
01 01 THE DOORS - HELLO, I LOVE YOU
 
A couple of good performances of this great song:

Glen Campbell - Classical Gas (live)​




Weird Al Yankovic - Classical Gas (live)​

 
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