Blog Archives
FlinterFile: Dr. West’s Medicine Show And Junk Band- The Eggplant That Ate Chicago
This song would do well in the category novelty hits by artists with an interesting name. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich- Bend It!
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich released a single in 1966. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Sonny & Cher- Little Man
In 1966, Sonny & Cher had their biggest hit in the UK after I Got You Babe (1965). Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Beatles- Paperback Writer
In 1966, the Beatles had their first hit with a song which was not about love. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Yardbirds- Shapes of Things
In 1966, the Yardbirds wrote one of their greatest hits. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Beach Boys- Sloop John B.
In 1966, the Beach Boys released their legendary album Pet Sounds. Read the rest of this entry
Song of the day: The Mama’s And The Papa’s- Monday Monday
In 1966, John Phillips wrote a new song for his band. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Graham Bonney- Super Girl
In 1966, Graham Bonney had his only real big hit. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Tommy James & The Shondells- Hanky Panky
In 1966, Tommy James & the Shondells recorded their first hit. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Standells- Dirty Water
In 1966, the Standells had a hit with a Garage Rock song. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Dusty Springfield- You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
In 1966, Dusty Springfield recorded a song which originally was Italian. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Spencer Davis Group- Keep On Running
In 1965, the Spencer Davis Group released a record which was written by a ska artist. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Walker Brothers- The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore
In 1966, the Walker Brothers covered a song by Frankie Valli. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Frank Sinatra- Strangers In The Night
In 1966, Frank Sinatra returned to the charts after 11 years without big hits. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Bob Dylan- I Want You
In 1966, Bob Dylan had a hit with a song from his album Blonde On Blonde. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: New Vaudeville Band- Winchester Cathedral
In 1966, Geoff Stephens shook up the charts with a song that was not quite like what was popular at the time. The name tells what the sound was like: the vaudeville sound of the 1930s. To get closer to that sound, he sang the song through a megaphone. He was inspired by a picture of the Winchester Cathedral on a calender, which is in Hampshire. Later, the song would be covered by artists like Frank Sinatra and Petula Clark. The song became a hit: number 4 in the UK and number 1 in the US. It even got a grammy for the best rock & roll song! Enjoy
The New Vaudeville Band- Winchester Cathedral
FlinterFile: Twice As Much- Sitting On A Fence
In 1966, the group Twice As Much released their debut single. Writting by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, they were given the song ‘Sittin’ On A Fence’ to record. It brought them fame in the UK, where the song peaked at number 25. The Stones later recorded the song, too, but never had it as a single and they also never played it live. The songwriting process, however, was captured on video:
Enjoy
Twice As Much- Sittin’ On A Fence
Song of the day: Donovan- Mellow Yellow
In 1966, Donovan recorded Mellow Yellow. A song with many interpretations, from getting high by cooking banana skins (no.) to drugs (no) and abortion (also no). What was it about? Being cool, chill, and electric bananas (apparantly those were vibrators for ladies). The inspiration for the song came from the back of a newspaper, which Donovan explored together with John Lennon. In the UK it was number 8, in the US number 2, in Canada even number 1! Enjoy
Donovan- Mellow Yellow
Song of the day: Easybeats- Friday On My Mind
In 1966, George Young and Harry Vanda wrote a worldwide hit. They made a contrast between the ‘bad’ work week, which is boring, and the ‘good’ weekend, which is like a party. The beginning would be inspired on the Swingle Sisters, who the group had seen and imitated. That way, they found the first notes. The song in total charted on number 1 in the Netherlands, number 6 in the UK and 16 in the US. Enjoy
The Easy Beats- Friday On My Mind
Song of the day: The Beach Boys- God Only Knows
In 1966, the Beach Boys released their most famous album ever: Pet Sounds. On this album, the eight track was God Only Knows. The song was written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, and it made use of all sorts of instruments which were normally not used in a pop single. These instruments included violins, a French horn and cellos. In the US, this song was the B-side to Wouldn’t It Be Nice, in the rest of the world this was the A-side. In other words: this single had a double A-side. In the UK this became a number 2 hit, in the US it ended on number 39. Enjoy
The Beach Boys- God Only Knows
Song of the day: Ike & Tina Turner- River Deep, Mountain High
In 1966, Phil Spector produced one of his best works (according to him). The song was successful in the UK with number 3 and in Australia with a number 16 position. However, it flopped in the US. Spector couldn’t cope with this and went away from the music industry for two years, and here his personal decline also started. The song was released again in 1969, after Eric Burdon and the Animals had covered it. Again, it was not a big hit. I think it’s one of their best songs! Enjoy
Ike & Tina Turner- River Deep – Mountain High
Song of the day: The Troggs- Wild Thing
Chip Taylor is the songwriter who wrote the song Wild Thing. This song first went to a group called The Wild Ones, who made a single out of it in 1965. This was no big success, but the cover version which was recorded in 1966 was. This version was made by The Troggs, who took it to number one in the US and number two in the UK. It was released on two different labels, but Billboard put those two record sales together and that made it the only single to chart number one for two labels! And today we enjoy the cover… enjoy
The Troggs- Wild Thing
Song of the day: Percy Sledge- When A Man Loves A Woman
In 1966, a song hit the American chart on number one! It was written by Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, and recorded by Percy Sledge. In the UK, it originally peaked on number four, and even on number two in 1987, when it was released again because of a commercial. Since the recording of Percy Sledge, it has been covered by numerous groups, like the Spencer Davies Group, Bette Midler and Michael Bolton. Today we enjoy the original
Percy Sledge- When A Man Loves A Woman
Song of the day: David Garrick- Dear Mrs. Applebee
David Garrick, born Philip Core, started singing in the church choir of Liverpool. After that, he went to Italy to learn about singing opera, where he was interested in. After two years he went back to Liverpool, where he was singing opera parts in the Cavern Club. Robert Wace, who also was the manager of the Kinks, invited him to record a single. Though his first singles were unsuccessful, he had some airplay with the song Lady Jane. In 1966 he also recorded an American song which is not very famous. The first version of this song was sung by Flip Cartridge. In Germany he hit number one with this song, in the Netherlands and Belgium number 3, and in the UK number 22. Later work never hit the charts, and David Garrick died on 23 August 2013. Enjoy
David Garrick- Dear Mrs. Applebee
Song of the day: Billy Stewart- Summertime
Some sixties to end the summer for this year. And this is a great song, though you have to get through the intro, which is not exactly great… The song was composed in 1935 by George Gershwin for an opera. The lyrics are made by the man who wrote the book on which the opera was based, DuBose Heyward. The song became a jazz standard and that can be noticed when looking at the number of covers: over 33000 versions were recorded! The song was taken to the charts by Billie Holiday in 1936 (he reached no. 12). The most successful version was made by Billy Stewart in 1966, who reached no. 10 in the US and no. 39 in the UK. For me, this also is the best version. Enjoy
Billy Stewart- Summertime
Song of the day: Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66- Mas Que Nada
In 1963, a man called Jorge Ben wrote the song Mas Que Nada. His story probably ends with the song being voted as the fifth best Brazilian song by the Brazilian version of Rolling Stone. For the song, the story only begins there. It is covered several times, before Sergio Mendes gets the song. He records it in 1966 with Brasil ’66 and has a minor hit with it, charting on number 47 in the Billboard chart. He later records it again with the Black Eyed Peas, having a big hit all over the world in 2006. For today, it’s fun to listen to the original cover from 1966:
Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66- Mas Que Nada
Song of the day: Spencer Davis Group- Gimme Some Lovin’
A sixties song today, written by Steve Winwood (earlier featured with While You See A Chance), Spencer Davis and Muff Winwood. On the single, you can hear a beautiful (electric) organ (I really like those things). Mind you: this is the original! Most people know it from the Blues Brothers, Queen did it lots of times live, just like Chicago, and there are plenty of cover versions around. The original is from 1966 and is a song of the day:
Spencer Davis Group- Gimme Some Lovin’
Song of the day: Tom Jones- Green Green Grass Of Home
Finally a song which hasn’t been Song of the day earlier! First I thought about Dancing In The Street, then about Tell It To My Heart, but both of them has been Song of the Day before. Therefore, I thought: what sixties is not yet featured? And I came up with Tom Jones, who made a beautiful version (and maybe the most popular) of Green Green Grass of Home. The first recording was done in 1965, a year later this version appeared. My first meeting with this song was in the version of Kenny Rodgers, who released it in 1977. Enjoy
Tom Jones- Green, Green Grass of Home
Song of the day: Nancy Sinatra- These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
Okay, I got a remark: what a bunch of eighties music on your blog! Do you only like eighties music? No I don’t! I like all kinds of music, from the sixties until now. And therefore I will put on some older songs on the blog in the coming days. Let’s start with this golden oldie! It’s the daughter of Frank Sinatra, and she made some incredible records. Apart from her James Bond soundtrack (which is absolutely a good soundtrack) she made this song. Apart from the music, the sound of Nancy is very good! Her voice can’t be described. So good! Enjoy:
Nancy Sinatra- These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
The FlinterFiles 