Greetings,
Okay, I know I just did a Best/Worst Hit Songs list for 2014 very recently, and I don't like to do them so close together. However, I promised someone last year that I was going to do 1961 at some point, so I figured why not now. And this will be interesting because I think it's the first time I covered a year that I was not around for. This particular year was a tad difficult to deal with, though.
The world of music, especially popular music, has had its mountains and valleys. Around this time, it was a bit of a valley. This was before The Beatles, it had been a mere two years since the loss of promising acts Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, and Elvis was only sort of present but not nearly as much as he had once been. Everything was mostly...meh. Some was awful, but we'll get to that tomorrow. Today, let's concentrate on the good stuff I could find in my perpetual source, the Billboard Year End Chart. And now for my personal Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 1961.
#10."Without You" John Tillotson- As much as I like older music, I actually only knew about half of the songs on the chart for this year. This is one I didn't know. However, after taking a listen, I ended up really liking it. If for no other reason than the fantastic hook. Still, it only made it to Number Ten because it had that dreaded thing that I think started in the previous decade - talking. You know, having some spoken word lines in lieu of a bridge? Not good. Ever. Not even with Boys II Men.
#9. "Wings of a Dove" Ferlin Husky - First of all, this guy has an awesome name. Second, I have a question. You know how country music of today is constantly pretending to be something it's not? Like, say...hip-hop? Well, back in the day, country music liked to pretend a lot that it was gospel. Difference is, it worked back then. My, how times have changed. I don't know if they'd ever let a song like this on the charts now. What a loss.
#8. "There's a Moon Out Tonight" The Capris - So, who was Frankie Valli before we had Frankie Valli? I'd say whoever was hitting the falsettos in this song. And there's really nothing like a good love song with the word "moon" in the title. I think we may have had one or two of those.
#7. "Quarter to Three" Gary U.S. Bonds - I've always liked Gary U.S. Bonds. He's a cool dude, and he knew how to make a good dance song. This one here is no different. I absolutely love the music, the beat is stellar and it's just so feel-good. That seemed to be the theme, or the attempted of this time in music. Stock piling, perhaps, for what was to come. But this song certainly does a great job of lifting spirits. Even if it's done on a somewhat superficial level. Yeah, that's right. You dance to the sax, my children.
#6. "Spanish Harlem" Ben E. King - I assume most people would have chosen "Stand By Me" as the Ben E. King song de l'annee, and no doubt, that one is good. But, as a lyric snob, I absolutely love how picturesque the words are to the one I've chosen. Believe it or not, unique creativity and quality don't always go hand in hand, but it was done near perfectly here.
#5. "Runaround Sue" Dion - That's right, boys. Listen to Uncle Dion and stay away from the town skank. What? That's exactly what this song is about. They're not even trying to give us the "runaround" (Heh, heh) on this one. Plus, it's Dion, so what more do you what?
#4. "Bless You" Tony Orlando - Hey, remember that chick Sue I was just talking about? Well, guess who dated her when he was a teenager? Tony Orlando! Okay, to be fair, I don't know if real-life Sue was the woman in the story of the song, or if they wrote it, needed a name and decided on hers. I hope it's the latter. But moving on, "Bless You" was recorded by Tony Orlando when he was only sixteen years old. Amazing! And what a voice! Even without Dawn backing him up. Not that it hurt.
#3. "I Fall to Pieces" Patsy Cline - Yeah, I don't care what anyone says or what comparisons are attempted to be made, there is no one like Patsy Cline. I remember someone describing a teardrop in her voice, and I agree. She could certainly make anyone listening feel something. Unfortunately, in this case, what we felt was depressed. Hey, it's a downer song. What do you want? But, frankly, I'd rather be depressed by Patsy than overjoyed by any "artist" these days.
#2. "Crying" Roy Orbison - Speaking of depressing...another heartbreak song!? I guess there were a lot of these to counter balance all the giddy, possibly even silly, music people were making. But again, Roy Orbison sang with so much devastating emotion that it almost made you thrilled to be sad. Only the greats can make you do that, and he was one of them.
#1. "Runaway" Del Shannon - I don't know why, but I have never not loved this song. Maybe it was his voice, which, by the way, is one of the most underrated in music history. Maybe it was the melody, or that awesomely memorable Musitron (Google it). Who cares? All I know is that of all the songs I heard from this year, "Runaway" is my absolute favorite.
So, there are my personal Best of 1961. Join me tomorrow as I reveal my personal Worst.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
