1966 in Music

[Spike]

Re: It was 40 Years Ago Today...

Forty years ago today, "Ballad of the Green Berets" by SSgt Barry Sadler became #1 on the charts and it stayed there for five straight weeks. America's involvement in Viet Nam had escalated sharply in 1965. By the end of 1965, vocal opposition to the war had begun to appear. But public support for the war was still strong enough in March 1966 for this patriotic song to top the pop charts. But that support would soon fade. By 1967, America's campuses were home to protests with students chanting "make love, not war" or "hey, hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?" By early 1968, American public opinion shifted to the anti-war position and Lyndon Johnson announced that he would not seek reelection. But in March 1966, Viet Nam had not yet irreparably divided America and a pro-war song with this chorus could still top the charts:

"Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret"

Spike

 

[Spike]

Re: It was 40 Years Ago Today...

I think you could make an excellent case for that period being the zenith of pop music, although I honestly feel the late '70s/early '80s isn't far behind in terms of variety, energy, enthusiasm and even innovation to a certain extent.

Thought you'd find this interesting:

"In retrospect, as a distinct pop-cultural epoch, 1978-1982 rivals that fabled stretch between 1963 and 1967 commonly known as the sixties. The postpunk era makes a fair match for the sixties in terms of the sheer amount of great music created, the spirit of adventure and idealism that infused it, and the way that the music seemed inextricably connected to the political and social turbulence of its era."


The Whole Thing: http://www.slate.com/id/2137333/entry/2137334/?nav=tap3

Spike

 

[Music Wench]

Re: It was 40 Years Ago Today...

Cool article Spike! Especially since I happen to agree with the portion you posted word for word.

 

[Reverend Rock]

Re: It was 40 Years Ago Today...

I notice that the book review Spike links us to describes post-punk as "anti-60s". Well, it tried real hard to be anti-60s (mainly as an attempt to establish its own identity apart from what had come before), but it ended up standing for the same values, actually. Listen to the Police's "Driven To Tears", Midnight Oil's "Beds are Burning" or U2's "Pride" and you'll hear exactly what I'm talking about.

A sense of justice drove much of the music of both eras. And of course, what wasn't driven by justice was as often as not driven by sex (also in both eras).

 

[Spike]

Re: It was 40 Years Ago Today...

Cool article Spike! Especially since I happen to agree with the portion you posted word for word.

I didn't post it because I agreed with it; only because I knew that you and Marty would.

Spike

 

[Spike]

Re: It was 40 Years Ago Today...

I notice that the book review Spike links us to describes post-punk as "anti-60s". Well, it tried real hard to be anti-60s (mainly as an attempt to establish its own identity apart from what had come before), but it ended up standing for the same values, actually. Listen to the Police's "Driven To Tears", Midnight Oil's "Beds are Burning" or U2's "Pride" and you'll hear exactly what I'm talking about.

A sense of justice drove much of the music of both eras. And of course, what wasn't driven by justice was as often as not driven by sex (also in both eras).

I agree entirely, Rev. I've always thought that period was rebelling against the mid-70s -- not the 60s.

Spike

 

[Music Wench]

Re: It was 40 Years Ago Today...

I didn't post it because I agreed with it; only because I knew that you and Marty would.

Spike

I figured as much. That's why it's appreciated even more.

 

[Foxhound]

I agree. Only 1965 and 1967 rivalled 1966 in music. Here's the billboard top 100 for 1966:

1. The Ballad of the Green Berets, Sgt. Barry Sadler
2. Cherish, Association
3. You're My Soul and Inspiration, Righteous Brothers
4. Monday, Monday, The Mamas and The Papas
5. 96 Tears, ? and The Mysterians
6. Last Train to Clarksville, The Monkees
7. Reach Out I'll Be There, Four Tops
8. Summer In the City, Lovin' Spoonful
9. The Poor Side of Town, Johnny Rivers
10. California Dreamin', The Mamas and The Papas
11. You Can't Hurry Love, Supremes
12. What Becomes of the Brokenhearted, Jimmy Ruffin
13. These Boots Are Made for Walkin', Nancy Sinatra
14. Born Free, Roger Williams
15. Strangers In the Night, Frank Sinatra
16. We Can Work It Out, The Beatles
17. When a Man Loves a Woman, Percy Sledge
18. Winchester Cathedral, New Vaudeville Band
19. Hanky Panky, Tommy James and The Shondells
20. Good Lovin', Young Rascals
21. Paint It Black, Rolling Stones
22. Goodnight My Love, Petula Clark
23. Lightin' Strikes, Lou Christie
24. Wild Thing, Troggs
25. Kicks, Paul Revere and The Raiders
26. Sunshine Superman, Donovan
27. Sunny, Bobby Hebb
28. Paperback Writer, The Beatles
29. See You In September, Happenings
30. You Keep Me Hangin' On, Supremes
31. Lil' Red Riding Hood, Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs
32. Devil With A Blue Dress On and Good Golly Miss Molly (Medley), Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels
33. Good Vibrations, Beach Boys
34. A Groovy Kind of Love, Mindbenders
35. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, Dusty Springfield
36. Born a Woman, Sandy Posey
37. Cool Jerk, The Capitols
38. Red Rubber Ball, The Cyrkle
39. B-A-B-Y, Carla Thomas
40. Walk Away Renee, Left Banke
41. Daydream, Lovin' Spoonful
42. Time Won't Let Me, Outsiders
43. Hooray for Hazel, Tommy Roe
44. Sweet Pea, Tommy Roe
45. Bus Stop, Hollies
46. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, B.J. Thomas and The Triumphs
47. I'm Your Puppet, James and Bobby Purify
48. Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Temptations
49. Dirty Water, Standells
50. Elusive Butterfly, Bob Lind
51. I Am a Rock, Simon and Garfunkel
52. Crying Time, Ray Charles
53. Secret Agent Man, Johnny Rivers
54. The Sounds of Silence, Simon and Garfunkel
55. Lady Godiva, Peter and Gordon
56. Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?, Lovin' Spoonful
57. You Baby, The Turtles
58. Barefootin', Robert Parker
59. Homeward Bound, Simon and Garfunkel
60. Uptight (Everything's Alright), Stevie Wonder
61. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), Cher
62. Sloop John B, Beach Boys
63. 19th Nervous Breakdown, Rolling Stones
64. Wipe Out, The Surfaris
65. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, Temptations
66. No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach Is In), T-Bones
67. Just Like Me, Paul Revere and The Raiders
68. Love Makes The World Go Round, Deon Jackson
69. The Pied Piper, Crispian St. Peters
70. Coming On Strong, Brenda Lee
71. Somewhere My Love, Ray Conniff and The Singers
72. Almost Persuaded, David Houston
73. If I Were A Carpenter, Bobby Darin
74. Don't Mess With Bill, Marvelettes
75. Cherry, Cherryv, Neil Diamond
76. Working In the Coal Mine, Lee Dorsey
77. Message to Michael (Message to Martha), Dionne Warwick
78. Love Is a Hurtin' Thing, Lou Rawls
79. Barbara Ann, Beach Boys
80. Gloria, Shadows Of Knight
81. Dandy, Herman's Hermits
82. Rainy Day Women #12 And 35, Bob Dylan
83. Guantanamera, Sandpipers
84. Psychotic Reaction, Count Five
85. Land Of 1,000 Dances, Wilson Pickett
86. Oh How Happy, Shades Of Blue
87. Leave My Woman Alone, Peter and Gordon
88. Five O'Clock World, Vogues
89. Black Is Black , Los Bravos
90. Hungry, Paul Revere and The Raiders
91. My World Is Empty Without You, Supremes
92. Baby Scratch My Back, Slim Harpo
93. She's Just My Style, Gary Lewis and The Playboys
94. The More I See You, Chris Montez
95. 634-5789, Wilson Pickett
96. Yellow Submarine, The Beatles
97. Nowhere Man, The Beatles
98. Zorba The Greek, Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
99. Shapes of Things, Yardbirds
100. I Fought the Law, Bobby Fuller Four

Of the top ten, I really like all but "Last Train to Clarksville" by the Monkees.

 

[Truckin]

1966 means one song to me: Summer In the City by The Lovin' Spoonful.

On my list of all time favs. But it was a phenomonal year for rock top 40.

 

[LG]

I agree. Only 1965 and 1967 rivalled 1966 in music. here's the billboard top 100 for 1966.

Of the top ten, I really like all but "Last train to Clarksville" by the Monkees.

I would have to qualify your first sentence with "Of the 60's", but the top 100 you posted sure has a great many classic songs beyond any doubt.