Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?
250. Elvis Presley | „Are You Lonesome To-night?“
Release: November 1, 1960 (B-side: „I Gotta Know“)
Songwriters: Lou Handman & Roy Turk
Producers: Steve Sholes & Chet Atkins
Line-up: Floyd Cramer (piano), D.J. Fontana (drums), Hank Garland (guitar), Buddy Harman (drums), Hoyt Hawkins (backing vocals), Neal Matthews Jr. (backing vocals), Bob Moore (bass), Scotty Moore (guitar), Elvis Presley (vocals, guitar), Boots Randolph (saxophone), Gordon Stoker (backing vocals), Ray Walker (backing vocals)
Points: 489,62
Finished #19 in 1960 poll
Rank in 2015 60s poll: Unranked
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 7831
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 503
You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue: bonnielaurel (#62)
We drifted apart: Bang Jan (#226), Listyguy (#229), maverick470 (190/204), FrankLotion (#232), sonofsamiam (#234), Elder (#236), CupOfDreams (#238), mileswide (#239), phil (#241), Schüttelbirne (#248), BleuPanda (#250)
The spoken word part turns this from a weak entry into one of the worst songs in this poll. The kitsch here is almost unbearable. -
Schüttelbirne
_______________________________________________________________________
In the jungle, the mighty jungle
The lion sleeps tonight
249. The Tokens | „The Lion Sleeps Tonight“
Release: November 17, 1961 (B-side: „Tina“)
Album: The Lion Sleeps Tonight (1961)
Songwriters: Solomon Linda, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss & Albert Stanton
Producers: Hugo Peretti & Luigi Creatore
Line-up: Sammy Lowe (conductor), Mitch Margo (vocals), Phil Margo (vocals), Hank Medress (vocals, Jay Siegel (vocals) et al.
Points: 496,52
Finished #17 in 1961 poll
Rank in 2015 60s poll: 120
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 3318
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 762
Near the village, the peaceful village: Safetycat (#96)
Hush, my darling: BleuPanda (#231), CupOfDreams (#236), mileswide (#238), nicolas (#239), Bang Jan (#242), Honorio (#244), The_Claw (#244), Elder (#248), DaveC (#249), Schüttelbirne (#249), Jackson (228/228)
_______________________________________________________________________
Le soleil se couche l‘oeil en sang
Et la lune a l‘air du ballon blanc
248. Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier | „La marche du président“
Release: 1968 (album track)
Album: Robert Charlebois avec Louise Forestier [Lindberg]
Songwriters: Robert Charlebois & Gilles Vigneault
Producers: André Perry
Line-up: Yves Charbonneau (trumpet), Robert Charlebois (vocals, guitar, piano), Louise Forestier (vocals), Philippe Gagnon (violin), Jean Préfontaine (tenor saxophone), Maurice Richard (bass), Michel Robidoux (guitar), Guy Thouin (drums, percussion)
Points: 499,37
Unranked in 1968 poll (Bonus nomination by mileswide)
Rank in 2015 60s poll: Unranked
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: Unranked
AM rank (Best of 1960s): Unranked
C‘est charmant et surtout plein d‘humour: mileswide (#65)
Qui perd son temps: Elder (#226), SL3 (#234), CupOfDreams (#241), Brad (#242), andyd1010 (#247), Father2TheMan (#247), Henry (#248), Honorio (#249), nicolas (#250)
Never heard of this song before mileswide nominated it, and I don‘t think many others here knew it, so the result will be a real surprise in any case. Charlebois and Forestier have good voices which complement each other well. It‘s a very text-heavy song, but it can simply be summarized as a child playing president and having very child-like ideas about what it will be forbid in that role. It‘s important that I want to follow the singers, which is the case here, even though Forestier could be a bit louder. The instrumentation could also have used a bit more of that saxophone because that‘s probably my favorite element of the song. The melody is very catchy; listening to it twice it already stayed in my head (with gibberish instead of words of course). A good discovery. -
Schüttelbirne
_______________________________________________________________________
It is the special one, it‘s never seen the sun
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
247. Ben E. King | „Spanish Harlem“
Release: December 1960 (B-side: „First Taste of Love“)
Album: Spanish Harlem (1961)
Songwriters: Jerry Leiber & Phil Spector
Producers: Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
Line-up: George Barnes (guitar), Ray Barretto (percussion), Al Caiola (guitar), Gary Chester (drums), George Duvivier (bass), Urbie Green (trombone), Ernest Hayes (piano), Ben E. King (vocals), Charlie Margulis (trumpet)
Points: 504,76
Finished #22 in 1960 poll (Wildcard entry)
Rank in 2015 60s poll: Unranked 2872
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll:
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 191
I‘m going to pick that rose: andyd1010 (#90)
I have to beg your pardon: DaveC (#229), FrankLotion (#230), Elder (#234), Brad (#237), Honorio (#237)
The percussion has a very recognizable sound to it and works well with King‘s vocals and the background singers. The orchestra‘s instrumental part in the second half seems a bit too cheesy for me, especially since the trumpet seems out of place for a few moments. The vocal mixing has to much echo effect though, which is rather unforunate. -
Schüttelbirne
_______________________________________________________________________
At night the stars put on a show for free
And, darling, you can share it all with me
246. The Drifters | „Up on the Roof“
Release: 17 September, 1962 (B-side: „Another Night with the Boys“)
Album: Under the Boardwalk (1964)
Songwriters: Gerry Goffin & Carole King
Producers: Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
Line-up: Don Arnone (guitar), Bob Bushnell (guitar), Al Casamenti (guitar), Gary Chester (drums), Jimmy Cleveland (trombone), George Devens (percussion), George Duvivier (bass), Tommy Evans (vocals), Ernie Hayes (keyboard), Carole King (keyboards), Rudy Lewis (vocals), Jimmy Nottingham (trumpet), Gene Pearson (vocals), Bobby Rosengarden (percussion), Frank Sarraco (trombone), Jimmy Sedler (trumpet), Charlie Thomas (vocals)
Points: 506,74
Finished #14 in 1962 poll
Rank in 2015 60s poll: Unranked
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 3090
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 233
All my cares just drift right into space: Father2TheMan (#69)
Feeling tired and beat: Jackson (206/228), Listyguy (#227), Schüttelbirne (#227), FrankLotion (#229), jamieW (#235), maverick470 (188/204)
The person in the lyrics has problems, apparently. These problems are almost too big for him to take, so he climbs up to the roof where he finds comfort. I don‘t mind that a lot, but The Drifters seem to not be interested in either problems or comfort, or anything at all really. The song just circulates around until its end without ever reaching a point that might be called interesting. Still better than „Save the Last Dance for Me“ which was simply irritating, this is mostly boring. -
Schüttelbirne
_______________________________________________________________________
Love, love me do
You know I love you
245. The Beatles | „Love Me Do“
Release: October 5, 1962 (B-side: „P.S. I Love You“)
Songwriters: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Line-up: George Harrison (guitar), John Lennon (vocals, harmonica), Paul McCartney (vocals, bass guitar), Ringo Starr (drums)
Points: 510,55
Finished #16 in 1962 poll
Rank in 2015 60s poll: 142
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 21.015
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 379
I‘ll always be true: Henry (#94)
Somebody new: Neil (210/224), Honorio (#243), CupOfDreams (#244), mileswide (#245), Jackson (226/228) Bang Jan (#247), Elder (#247), sonofsamiam (#249)
A lot of the Beatles‘ early stuff is too generic for me, but „Love Me Do“ is a pleasant exception. I don‘t love it but I appreciate its unique flavor mostly gained by Lennon‘s harmonica playing and the pronounced percussion. The lyrics are typically not of importance, but the sound of the words „Love Me Do“ works well for the song phonetically. It‘s rather short and simple, but better than most of that era. -
Schüttelbirne
_______________________________________________________________________
Your lips excite me
Let your arms invite me
For who knows when
We‘ll meet again this way
244. Elvis Presley | „It‘s Now or Never“
Release: July 5, 1960 (B-side: „A Mess of Blues“)
Songwriters: Wally Gold, Aaron Schroeder & Eduardo di Capua
Producers: Steve Sholes & Chet Atkins
Line-up: Floyd Cramer (piano), D.J. Fontana (drums), Hank Garland (guitar), Buddy Harman (drums), Hoyt Hawkins (backing vocals), Neal Matthews Jr. (backing vocals), Bob Moore (bass), Scotty Moore (guitar), Elvis Presley (vocals), Boots Randolph (saxophone), Gordon Stoker (backing vocals), Ray Walker (backing vocals)
Points: 511,27
Finished #13 in 1960 poll
Rank in 2015 60s poll: Unranked
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 12.264
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 530
My heart was captured: jamieW (#57)
We lost true love: Bang Jan (#227), phil (#232), Schüttelbirne (#237), BleuPanda (#240), maverick470 (196/204), Honorio (#247), CupOfDreams (#250), Elder (#250)
_______________________________________________________________________
Darling, then I read again right from the start
Love letters straight from your heart
243. Ketty Lester | „Love Letters“
Release: January 1962 (B-side: „I‘m a Fool to Want You“)
Album: Love Letters (1962)
Songwriters:Edward Heyman & Victor Young
Producer: Ed Cobb
Line-up: Ketty Lester (vocals), Lincoln Mayorga (piano), Earl Palmer (drums) et al.
Points: 520,21
Finished #20 in 1962 poll
Rank in 2015 60s poll: Unranked
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 6603
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 514
I memorize every line: Neil (#26)
Alone in the night: phil (#226), sonofsamiam (#226), Honorio (#230), Bang Jan (#234), bonnielaurel (#235), The_Claw (#235), Father2TheMan (#238), Safetycat (#238), Brad (#239), Listyguy (#245), BleuPanda (#246), FrankLotion (#246)
This seems like the kind of song that could have been weighed down (or elevated) by added strings, but the choice to keep this a mostly piano-led ballad seems to have been the right one. Lester doesn‘t do a lot of vocal acrobatics, but that just makes her voice resonate more clearly. It‘s not one of the best ballads of the ‚60s, but I really appreciate it. -
Schüttelbirne
_______________________________________________________________________
I‘ve made up my mind
To live in memories of the lonesome times
242. Ray Charles | „I Can‘t Stop Loving You“
Release: April 1962 (B-side: „Born to Lose“)
Album: Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)
Songwriter: Don Gibson
Producer: Sid Feller
Line-up: Martin Banks (trumpet), Bruno Carr (drums), Ray Charles (vocals, piano), Leroy Cooper (baritone saxophone), Hank Crawford (alto saxophone), Wallace Davenport (trumpet), Sonny Forrest (guitar), Phillip Guilbeau (trumpet), Jim Herbert (trombone), John Hunt (trumpet), Keg Johnson (bass trombone), George Matthews (trombone), David Newman (tenor saxophone), Rudy Powell (alto saxophone), The Randy Van Horne Singers (backing vocals), Dicky Wells (trombone), Don Wilkerson (tenor saxophone), Edgar Willis (bass)
Points: 523,95
Finished #17 in 1962 poll
Rank in 2015 60s poll: 149
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 1679
AM rank (Best of 1960s): 238
Those happy hours that we once knew: Neil (#83)
Though long ago, they still make me blue: sonofsamiam (#229), Brad (#232), Listyguy (#236), Bang Jan (#237), mileswide (#244), Honorio (#245), stone37 (230/232), DaveC (#248)
I don‘t like Charles‘s
Modern Sounds… albums. There‘s only two songs on the first volume that I like: „Half as Much“ and this one. The backing vocals are not even close to be as annoying as the ones on „Georgia on My Mind“, Charles‘s vocal performance is better, the piano has a more pronounced role and the strings sit back a bit. It‘s still kitschy as hell, but sometimes that‘s not a bad thing. -
Schüttelbirne
_______________________________________________________________________
You better stop
The things that you‘re doing
I said „Watch out!“
241. Creedence Clearwater Revival | „I Put a Spell on You“
Release: October 1968 (B-side: „Walk on the Water“)
Album: Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)
Songwriter: Jalacy Hawkins
Producer: Saul Zaentz
Line-up: Doug Clifford (drums, backing vocals), Stu Cook (bass, backing vocals), John Fogerty (vocals, guitar, percussion), Tom Fogerty (guitar, backing vocals)
Points: 524,25
Finished #77 in 1968 poll (Bonus nomination by Gillingham)
Rank in 2015 60s poll: Unranked
Rank in 2021 All-Time poll: 3811
AM rank (Best of 1960s): Unranked
Because you‘re mine: Safetycat (#74)
I ain‘t gonna take none of your putting me down: phil (#227), Brad (#233), sonofsamiam (#237), Neil (215/224), BleuPanda (#242), SL3 (#249)
The original version by Screamin‘ Jay Hawkins is absolutely magnificent and Fogerty can‘t compare to the sheer insanity in his voice. The most interesting thing here is the guitar work and it‘s definitely a success. In combination with the forceful drumming it gives the song a different atmosphere that‘s not to be despised. -
Schüttelbirne