Listomania! - 1964

Blame it on the bossa nova, the dance of love."

Blame It On The Bossa Nova by Eydie Gorme

Everybody loves a good debate. So, I will undertake a rather ambitious series of posts on this here blog. It is my intention to list my 10 favourite songs for each year from 1964 to the present and a brief point about each. I will do this one year per post and it comes with a couple of ground rules. Firstly, each artist can only have 1 song in each year. It would be too easy to put 7 or 8 Beatles songs in,say, 1964, so I have imposed this 1 song limit. Also, it could be a cover version, so I won't be a stickler for including the original versions. I decided on 1964 as a starting point because it is the year that I became conscious of popular music. It is also the year that I bought my first 45 RPM single, I Wanna Hold Your Hand by The Beatles. My earliest memory of hearing a song on the radio is 1963. The song was Blame It On The Boss Nova by Eydie Gorme and I vividly recall driving my toy dump truck on the living room floor while my mother waxed the kitchen floor and sang along with the radio. So, here goes, and remember, I would like your feedback and also some of your top 10 lists too.


Top 10 of 1964

10. Wishin' And Hopin' - Dusty Springfield
One of many Bacharach/David covers she did in her illustrious career, Dusty knocks this one out of the park, The lyrics are a bit, shall we say, dated, but her voice is magnificent, especially on the "So if you're lookin' to find love you can share" part. There is a very Phil Spector-ish quality to the production here too, with booming tom-toms and all.

9. I'm Into Something Good - Herman's Hermits

Of all the songs on this list, this one best exemplifies the prevailing innocence of the era. " I walked her home and she held my hand, I knew it couldn't be just a one night stand." Now that was getting some real action back in '64! Sung in his usual non-threatening, teen-idol, cheerful way by Peter Noone, this was a huge worldwide hit and was amongst a string of them that these guys had. They disappeared off the charts here in North America once the summer of love happened, but they were loved by all, even my Lawrence Welk -loving father.

8. I'm So Proud - The Impressions

Straight outta Chicago! This group was best known for being led by the incredible Curtis Mayfield, who had much bigger success in the 70s as a solo act with songs like Freddie's Dead and Superfly. The first version of this song I ever heard was actually by Todd Rundgren who included it in a soul medley he used to do. Mayfield's clear falsetto is the real deal though, and lyrics like " And it would hurt, hurt to know, if you ever were untrue" get me singing right along with him.

7. Baby Love - The Supremes

The first Motown song that I recall hearing. I had my tonsils out that year, and as a present for going through the ordeal, my parents bought me a record player and a couple of 45s. This was one and the other was When a Man Loves A Woman by Percy Sledge. Pure Motown magic this one is! Diana Ross before her ego took over, all cooing and grooving and wonderful! James Jamerson on the bass and the similarly so- nice- they- named- him- twice Benny Benjamin laying it down on the skins! A fab baritone sax! What more could you want?

6. It Ain't Me Babe - Bob Dylan

Before he upset all the folkies by actually plugging in an electric guitar, Dylan just used his acoustic and played the troubadour. I think this was the warning shot fired over Joan Baez' bough before he scorched her with Positively 4th Street. He's warning her that he isn't the marrying kind, and he means it maaan! " A lover for your life and nothing more, but it ain't me babe." No ambiguity here babe!

5. The Warmth Of The Sun - The Beach Boys

Those familiar harmonies that wash over you like the title of this song! Brian Wilson, before the sandbox and acid trips, just popping out another gorgeous "teenage symphony to God" as he once described his songs of this era. This hints at the peak he would reach 2 years later with Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations. He was still under the spell of his abusive prick of a father when he did this one, but it is as beautiful as pop music gets to these ears. " The love of my life, she left me one day. I cried when she said, I don't feel the same way." We all know where he's coming from here folks!

4. You Really Got Me - The Kinks

Every garage band in the world has hacked out these 3 chords. Ray Davies sounds different than all the teen-idol types too. There's a bit of menace in that voice, a bad-boy in waiting so to speak. The sound is all sloppy and the production too, making it the standard for those that followed like The Faces and Iggy And The Stooges and the like. The messy guitar solo just kicks! 3 chords and a cloud of dust!

3. If I Fell - The Beatles

John as the bad guy. He's not trying to be the knight in shining armour here. He's saying to the new bird that he doesn't want her to screw him over like he's about to screw over the last bird. Catch my drift? He wants a guarantee in a world where there are none and where he isn't willing to give any. "I found out love was more than just holding hands." But John, I thought that's all you wanted to do? Fantastic high harmony by Paul here as well, and one of my fave melodies they ever wrote.

2. Walk On By - Dionne Warwick

Burt Bacharach at his best. Dionne Warwick at hers. The rolling piano before the "Don't stop!" backing vocal is truly sublime. The melody is one every songwriter wishes they would have written. The trumpet line! "I just can't get over losing you, and so if i seem broken and blue, walk on by." When all you have left is "foolish pride", well, say no more!

1. She's Not There - The Zombies

So jazzy! The keyboard sound and the bubbly little Chris White bass line at the start and then the utterly fantastic, breathy vocal by Colin Blunstone. One of my all-time all-timers for sure! "Her voice was soft and cool, her eyes were clear and bright, but she's not there." The hipster keyboard solo by Rod Argent in the middle is killer, driven along by the hi-hat work by Hugh Grundy. A perfect pop song!