Listomania! - 1965

What do I recall about 1965? Well, we lived up in Northern Ontario in a small town called Capreol and winters were pretty much as you would imagine -freezing cold and tons of snow. I recall my Dad going to open the door to let me out for school and we couldn't get out the door because the snow was as high as the top of the front door. He grabbed a shovel from the basement and dug his way out. The car was buried so driving me was not an option. Back then, there was no such thing as a snow day, so he strapped me into a pair of snowshoes and off I went to school. I'm not sure if they had bought these snowshoes for me or if they were his or a neighbour's, but I do remember the damn things falling off several times on the way to school. My other memory is having a huge crush on my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Thompson. She had jet black hair and huge blue eyes and I was smitten! My Mom called her Bonnie because she had gone to school with her, but at the time, I found it funny that teachers had first names. They were Miss Or Mrs., not Bonnie!

Top 10 of 1965

10. Heart Full Of Soul - The Yardbirds

Once, while Steve and I were listening to Little Steven's Underground Garage on the radio, he played a take of this with a sitar doing the beginning guitar part. I'm glad that they decided to put out the version they did, because that Strat of Jeff Beck's is one of the most iconic guitar parts ever. Keith Relf's vocals do the trick too as he sang in a lower register and the whoa-o-o-o-ohh backing vocals add to its charm. "And I know, well if she had me back again, well I would never make her sad." Promises, promises.

9. The Sound Of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

This is one of the true sounds of the 60s. Art Garfunkel's beautiful high tenor harmonizing with Paul Simon like they were born to sing together. The electric guitar part is kind of funky with its incessant bending in and around the rest of the band. "And the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls." A great song foreshadowing the civil rights struggles and protest movement that was just gathering steam at the time.

8. Till The End Of The Day - The Kinks

Scratchy garage rock at its finest. Ray Davies sounding like the schoolboy in disgrace backed by his rollicking brother Dave and the boys. I love the way the voice comes bursting in after the guitar intro and off we go!"You and me we're free, we do as we please, from morning till the end of the day." I often had this in my head while skipping class later in high school. Ahh, youth!

7. It's Not Unusual - Tom Jones

Crisp horns, muted trumpets, and that giant sack of Welsh testosterone that is Tom Jones! His signature song from the height of the Swinging Sixties. I had the 45 on the old Parrot record label. This one was one of the few songs that was directly influenced by my parents as they were big fans of his. I dare you to sit still through this one. You can't help but tap your feet! I know a lot of you will think this is just a big ball of cheese, and maybe it is, but it remains a great memory for me. It's hard to believe it clocks in at just over 2 minutes as it seemed longer back then. " Love will never do, what you want it to, why can't this crazy love be mine?" Judging by the amount of ladies' undergarments that were tossed on stage, you did OK, Tom old boy.

6. We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place - The Animals

A great little bass intro leads into the menace that is Eric Burdon. He caused fathers to lock up their daughters when these guys came to town. Unlike Paul McCartney, he was no baby-faced, smiling, polite young man. He had the blues, and a sneer that would frighten Billy Idol. He wants to take your little girl out of this one-horse town and the implications were scary in '65. Martina tells of her brother Karel rocking out to this, very seriously, as a 5 or 6 year old and that is what I think of when I hear it now. "I've been working too babe, every day, waaaaaaooohhhh!!!!" You know it too!

5. Ticket To Ride - The Beatles

This has been called the first heavy metal song. I suppose the droning bass and the rolling tom-toms do give credence to the theory, but it is Lennon's vocal delivery that makes this special.
The much under-appreciated tambourine is essential here as well, especially in the middle eight. This is one of Ringo's better sessions too and quieted his detractors somewhat. "She says that livin' with me was bringin' her down, yeah, she would never be free when i was around." You have officially been dumped buddy.

4. Nowhere To Run - Martha & The Vandellas

I once saw a documentary on the civil rights marches and this was played while they were turning fire hoses on the blacks in the South which is my lasting image of this song. But, at its essence, it is another great session by the Motown rhythm section and an urgent, soulful vocal by the amazing Martha Reeves. I love the line "It's not love that I'm running from, it's the heartbreak I know will come." Why do all the girls like the bad boys?

3. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan

What the hell is that instrument at the start? It sounds like a New Year's party favour, but it is a real contrast to the dark subject matter of this song. From the great album of the same name, I remember hearing this in the car at night coming home from my Grandparents' house and my Dad turned it off, complaining about the bloody noise that was passing for music at the time. This is the first song I ever heard that dealt with something other than boy-girl relationships and I can remember learning all the words at around age 11, but still not getting what it really meant. I do love it when Dylan gets into a blues shuffle beat like this. "But the second mother was with the seventh son, and they were both out on Highway 61." Someday I'd like to travel this Highway 61!

2. The Tracks Of My Tears - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Bob Dylan called him "America's greatest living poet" at the time and I think he was right. The sense of heartbreak and wistful sadness contained in Smokey's falsetto delivery still makes my spine tingle when I hear it. Linda Ronstadt did a great cover of this, but this version trumps it for sheer emotion. " Ooh yeah, since you put me down, my smile is my makeup I wear since my break up with you." Excuse me while I reach for the Kleenex.

1. The Kids Are Alright - The Who

It's all here, the opening strum of Townshend's guitar, Daltrey's great voice, Entwhistle's nimble-fingered bass, and the outlandish, unique drumming of Keith Moon. It's even got that hallmark sort of power-chord, noisy bit that they would incorporate into many of their tunes. If someone asked what the Mod sound is, I would play this for them. At first listen, you can hear the Beatles in the melody and harmonies, but once you hear it, you realize that this ain't Ringo on drums! I will sing this song without much prompting, so be careful when you're in my company and don't mention this song! " I don't mind other guys dancing with my girl." Neither does my girl!


Just a quick note, this will probably be my last post until Tuesday as I will be in Cleveland for a few days.