Here's a few songs by some of the biggest acts of the 60s that weren't huge hits but have stood the test of time.
The Kinks - I'm Not Like Everybody Else (1966) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCmnnCXfzbk
The b-side to Sunny Afternoon, it shows the strength of Ray Davies' songwriting when they were at their absolute peak that they could toss this fantastic song away as a mere b-side, when practically every other band around would have given up limbs for a song this good.
The Hollies - King Midas In Reverse (1967) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QFUkR4-4ds
Made number 18 in the UK charts and famously split up The Hollies. Writer Graham Nash was apparently so disappointed with the reaction that he moved to California, and once there met up with David Crosby and Steven Stills.
The Beatles - She's A Woman (1964) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQTuahD_QYo
The b-side to I Feel Fine. I can't help wondering if they might have heard Little Walter's My Babe prior to writing this.
I'm aware some, or possibly all of these songs might be a bit too well known for the purposes of this thread (first outing on here for The Beatles!), but I reckon they're just far enough off the beaten track to qualify. What do you think?
Which sort of got me in the mood to seek out some other French songs:-
Sheila - L'École Est Finie (1962)
Fans of Seventies Disco music will undoubtedly have heard of Sheila and B. Devotion. I utterly loathe Seventies Disco music and even I’ve heard of them. Anyway, the aforementioned Sheila had been one of France’s most popular singers for many years before she teamed up with B. Devotion, and this is her 1962 debut single – yes, it is a bit naff, but it does have an innocent charm which I find rather appealing, and more to the point it’s not bloody Disco!
Ronnie Bird - Où Va-t-elle (1965)
Apparently, Ronnie Bird (not his real name, obviously) was one of France’s leading sixties rock’n’roll singers, although I’ve never heard of him before. This is a good rocking track though.
This is a new one on me. Beautiful song. I really like it.
Glad you like it. It's a sin that the Critters CD has been deleted for years as they made quite a few superb records. Luckily I've still got an LP as the CD costs a bomb.
I really like this one too, so much so that I decided to check out the French original, and I'm glad I did, because I like that version even more:-
Polnareff also wrote the fabulous 'Soul Coaxing' which was a big US hit for Raymond Lefèvre. The original included vocals and was called 'Ame Caline'. Raymond Lefèvre - Soul Coaxing
Here's a couple of acts that were only really known for one song each; The Trashmen for Surfin Bird (which they pinched off The Rivingtons) and The Kingsmen for Louie Louie. Those are a bit too well known for inclusion here, so here's two good ones from each you may not know, all of them from 1964. First up, a great instrumental from Minnesota's most famous surfing sons.
completely blown away at school when I picked up a Janis Ian single in a junk shop - Insanity Comes Quietly To The Structured Mind/Sunflakes Call, Snowrays Fall (1967), which was released when she was 16, about a girl about to commit suicide........
Blimey! what a woman! (Googled her - she's a lot more than At 17!)
Their debut single which was a big hit in Europe but not in the UK. Before they became (in)famous as Badfinger. This track was produced by Tony Visconti who is rather famous for his work with ......
A 19 year old Mr Robert Jones first original penned composition single release. This was the first single released after he changed his name from David Jones to David Bowie. It is produced by Tony Hatch whom was married to female singer/songwriter ......
This track was a Top 5 smash in Australia & New Zealand at the end of 1967, but sank without trace in the UK. Another UK act who came from Manchester, immigrated to Australia and then returned to initially settle on the Isle of Man were:
(I was going to post Melody Fair from Odessy, but it is not on youtube, nevermind ) ...This track however, was a #1 hit in Australia & New Zealand in late 1966 before they found global success in the rest of the world..... Another group with brothers were .....
Taken from their seminal album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society this delightful track sums up the very English countryside energy of this album.
PS. Does anyone want a similar thread set up for the 1970s?
A very eclectic selection of sixties instrumental tracks:-
Duane Eddy - Peter Gunn (1960)
This tune was, of course, a big hit in 1986 for the Art of Noise featuring Duane Eddy, but here is the King of the Twangy Guitar’s original (without the Art of Noise, but with a very good sax player) from some two and half decades earlier.
Ernest Gold - Exodus Theme (1960)
There were a plethora of truly marvellous film themes back in the sixties, e.g. “The Magnificent Seven”, “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Midnight Cowboy” , “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and, of course, this one.
Nini Rosso – Il Silenzio (1965)
The trumpet is hardly my favourite musical instrument, but for some tunes only a trumpet will do, and this tune is one of them.
The Hollies - King Midas In Reverse (1967) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QFUkR4-4ds
Made number 18 in the UK charts and famously split up The Hollies. Writer Graham Nash was apparently so disappointed with the reaction that he moved to California, and once there met up with David Crosby and Steven Stills.
Not strictly true - Graham was disappointed with the Sales of King Midas but it was Alan Clarke and Tony Hick's proposal to record an album of Bob Dylan covers which Graham did not like. He wanted to pursue more original material and there are some early recordings of The Hollies doing Marakesh Express. They almost reached a compromise of a tour of famous cabaret venues but it did not happen and the Dylan album went ahead.
Graham had already made friends with Cass Elliot and she introduced him to Stephen and David. But this about 2 years after King Midas.
Roy Orbison - Borne On The Wind (1964)
Roy Orbison is now hailed as a sixties legend (and quite rightly so imo) which means that all his greatest tracks are probably far too well known for this thread ... with the possible exception of this gem.
Joe Cocker - Marjorine (1968)
Had this been the single that immediately succeeded his charttopping classic "With A Little Help From My Friends" rather than the one that immediately preceded it, "Marjorine" may have been a much bigger hit than it actually was (which it certainly deserved to be).
Aphrodite's Child - Rain and Tears (1968)
A massive hit on the Continent and minor hit in the UK for a Greek band featuring a then unknown Vangelis on keyboards and a then unknown Demis Roussos on bass guitar and vocals.
Gilbert O'Sullivan - Mr. Moody's Garden (1969)
Although this single flopped miserably (and I think I can fully understand why) I can honestly say that I prefer it to quite a few of the big hits he had over next few years.
Going out on a limb by leaving the Western world but this love song in a Hindi film (english subtitles provided) is beautiful Rafi & Asha Bhosle - Kashmir Ki Kali
Here's a couple from Sugar & The Spices. Sadly I can't find Boys Can Be Mean (available on Ace's brilliant Girls With Guitars compilation, along with Do The Dog posted below), but these two are almost as fine.
Half a dozen tracks, two each from three very different musical acts.
Let’s start with a couple of instrumentals from John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, the first featuring Eric Clapton on guitar, and the second featuring my all-time favourite rock guitarist, the one and only Peter Green.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - The Supernatural (1967)
Peter Green making some quite magical sounds on this track, shortly before he went off to make more magical sounds with Fleetwood Mac. I’m probably in a minority, but whenever the bandname Fleetwood Mac is ever mentioned I immediately think Peter Green rather than Buckingham-Nicks.
There have been quite few tracks featured on this thread by the British band The Birds, but none, as far as I know, by the America band The Byrds. Time to remedy the situation.
The Byrds - So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star (1967)
“Eight Miles High” is my favourite Byrds track, but that’s just a little too well known for this thread, even though it was only a minor UK hit. So here’s my second favourite Byrds track instead.
Joni Mitchell - Woodstock (1970)
Although this track is on the 1970 album “Ladies of the Canyon”, the music festival being referred to in the song is a very famous sixties event, so I feel that it’s more appropriate for this track to be submitted to a sixties thread rather than to an equivalent seventies thread (if such a thread was ever to exist). I love both the Matthews Southern Comfort and CSNY cover versions of this song, but afaic neither hold a candle to Joni’s not so well known original, which imho is exquisite.
The Regents - Barbara Ann (1961)
Although the 1973 film “American Graffiti” was a nostalgic piece set in 1962, most of the songs on the soundtrack were actually from the fifties. This is one of the few sixties tracks used, you’ll know the song, but not necessarily this version.
This one of my favourite Greeny solos: John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - Looking Back
It's pretty early (1966) and it sounds like he was under orders to play like Clapton - but the solo is superb, as indeed is the record.
Comments
The Kinks - I'm Not Like Everybody Else (1966)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCmnnCXfzbk
The b-side to Sunny Afternoon, it shows the strength of Ray Davies' songwriting when they were at their absolute peak that they could toss this fantastic song away as a mere b-side, when practically every other band around would have given up limbs for a song this good.
The Hollies - King Midas In Reverse (1967)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QFUkR4-4ds
Made number 18 in the UK charts and famously split up The Hollies. Writer Graham Nash was apparently so disappointed with the reaction that he moved to California, and once there met up with David Crosby and Steven Stills.
The Monkees - You Just May Be The One (1967)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-W0ZIO-hMU
An album track from 'Headquarters'. Should have been a single.
The Beatles - She's A Woman (1964)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQTuahD_QYo
The b-side to I Feel Fine. I can't help wondering if they might have heard Little Walter's My Babe prior to writing this.
I'm aware some, or possibly all of these songs might be a bit too well known for the purposes of this thread (first outing on here for The Beatles!), but I reckon they're just far enough off the beaten track to qualify. What do you think?
Good track. Wasn't the drummer with the Dakotas the brother of Elkie Brooks?
This is a new one on me. Beautiful song. I really like it.
I really like this one too, so much so that I decided to check out the French original, and I'm glad I did, because I like that version even more:-
Michel Polnareff - La Poupée Qui Fait Non (1966)
Which sort of got me in the mood to seek out some other French songs:-
Sheila - L'École Est Finie (1962)
Fans of Seventies Disco music will undoubtedly have heard of Sheila and B. Devotion. I utterly loathe Seventies Disco music and even I’ve heard of them. Anyway, the aforementioned Sheila had been one of France’s most popular singers for many years before she teamed up with B. Devotion, and this is her 1962 debut single – yes, it is a bit naff, but it does have an innocent charm which I find rather appealing, and more to the point it’s not bloody Disco!
Francoise Hardy - Mon Amie La Rose (1965)
Gorgeous song. Gorgeous voice. Gorgeous girl.
Ronnie Bird - Où Va-t-elle (1965)
Apparently, Ronnie Bird (not his real name, obviously) was one of France’s leading sixties rock’n’roll singers, although I’ve never heard of him before. This is a good rocking track though.
Glad you like it. It's a sin that the Critters CD has been deleted for years as they made quite a few superb records. Luckily I've still got an LP as the CD costs a bomb.
And another version by Scott McKenzie. I like this one a lot too. Great song.
Scott McKenzie - No, No, No, No
Polnareff also wrote the fabulous 'Soul Coaxing' which was a big US hit for Raymond Lefèvre. The original included vocals and was called 'Ame Caline'.
Raymond Lefèvre - Soul Coaxing
Micheal Polnareff - Ame Caline
Johnny and the Hurricanes - Reveille Rock (1959)
Johnny Kidd and the Pirates - Please Don't Touch (1959, despite the Youtube heading saying 1961)
Santo and Johnny - Sleep Walk (1959)
Oh my, what a lot of Johnnies!
Vince Taylor - Brand New Cadillac (1959)
Al Stewart - A Small Fruit Song (1970)
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Ohio (1970)
Eric Burdon and War - Spill the Wine (1970)
Trees - The Garden of Jane Trelawny (1970)
The Trashmen - Malaguena (1964)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipinrujp5sk
The Trashmen - Henrietta (1964)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65q3UleZjfE
The Kingsmen - Little Latin Lupe Lu (1964)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9vHNjH4QH8
The Kingsmen - Death Of An Angel (1964)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04eAn7sWU2g
Blimey! what a woman! (Googled her - she's a lot more than At 17!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzjPyJyUUsQ
The Iveys - Maybe Tomorrow (1968).
Their debut single which was a big hit in Europe but not in the UK. Before they became (in)famous as Badfinger. This track was produced by Tony Visconti who is rather famous for his work with ......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgBe8NL1818
David Bowie & The Lower Third - Can't Help Thinking About Me (1965)
A 19 year old Mr Robert Jones first original penned composition single release. This was the first single released after he changed his name from David Jones to David Bowie. It is produced by Tony Hatch whom was married to female singer/songwriter ......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mgJAhIr9Cw
Jackie Trent & Tony Hatch - The Two Of Us (1967)
This track was a Top 5 smash in Australia & New Zealand at the end of 1967, but sank without trace in the UK. Another UK act who came from Manchester, immigrated to Australia and then returned to initially settle on the Isle of Man were:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7kbQyseI1I
Bee Gees - Spicks and Specks (1966)
(I was going to post Melody Fair from Odessy, but it is not on youtube, nevermind ) ...This track however, was a #1 hit in Australia & New Zealand in late 1966 before they found global success in the rest of the world..... Another group with brothers were .....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9sY3NKP7is
The Kinks - Animal Farm (1968)
Taken from their seminal album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society this delightful track sums up the very English countryside energy of this album.
PS. Does anyone want a similar thread set up for the 1970s?
i was thinking about it when this thread had run its coarse, but tbh this could go on for ages yet, and why wait?
its ok by me if anyone else beats me to it...
Duane Eddy - Peter Gunn (1960)
This tune was, of course, a big hit in 1986 for the Art of Noise featuring Duane Eddy, but here is the King of the Twangy Guitar’s original (without the Art of Noise, but with a very good sax player) from some two and half decades earlier.
Ernest Gold - Exodus Theme (1960)
There were a plethora of truly marvellous film themes back in the sixties, e.g. “The Magnificent Seven”, “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Midnight Cowboy” , “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and, of course, this one.
The Spotnicks - Rocket Man (1962)
Splendid track from Sweden’s spacesuit wearing answer to the Shadows.
Los Indios Tabajaras - Maria Elena (1963)
It may be very cheesy, but I really do like this track.
The Chantays – Pipeline (1963)
Surf classic.
Nini Rosso – Il Silenzio (1965)
The trumpet is hardly my favourite musical instrument, but for some tunes only a trumpet will do, and this tune is one of them.
Cliff Nobles and Co. - The Horse (1968)
Soul instrumental track that I stumbled across this morning by accident. Good accident.
John Barry - The Girl With The Sun In Her Hair (1968)
Beautiful orchestral piece that was originally written for a Sunsilk shampoo TV commercial.
Not strictly true - Graham was disappointed with the Sales of King Midas but it was Alan Clarke and Tony Hick's proposal to record an album of Bob Dylan covers which Graham did not like. He wanted to pursue more original material and there are some early recordings of The Hollies doing Marakesh Express. They almost reached a compromise of a tour of famous cabaret venues but it did not happen and the Dylan album went ahead.
Graham had already made friends with Cass Elliot and she introduced him to Stephen and David. But this about 2 years after King Midas.
Please Don't Touch has one of my favourite composer credits.
Johnny Kidd wrote under many aliases but for this one he used his real name - Frederick Heath. His co writer was a Wendy Robinson.
It makes it a Heath Robinson composition!!!!! (Section on popular culture)
they used 'the horse' as the theme to a pop quiz i used to frequent... (it closed )
i have that john barry track...its on the flip side of his 1971 release 'the theme from the persuaders' (tv show ft roger moore and tony curtis)
A young Jimmy Page on guitar and Van Morrison on vocals doing his best Mick Jagger on a Them b-side.
Them - Mystic Eyes
And here's Marc Bolan pre T. Rex who wrote and provided backing vocals and guitar for:
John's Children - Desdemona
Another Psych song I like
Baby Grandmothers - Somebody Keeps Calling my Name
Two folk blues songs which only attained fame, once covered.
Jackson C. Frank - Blues Run The Game
Tim Hardin - Reason To Believe
And to finish, a couple of French folk blues songs
Georges Moustaki - Ma Solitude
Catherine Le Forestier - Au pays de ton corps
I think the song works a lot better sung by someone who could sound like your dad!:D
I wanted to post Alma Cogan's sultry version of 'Eight Days A Week' as well but it's not on Youtube.
Roy Orbison - Borne On The Wind (1964)
Roy Orbison is now hailed as a sixties legend (and quite rightly so imo) which means that all his greatest tracks are probably far too well known for this thread ... with the possible exception of this gem.
Joe Cocker - Marjorine (1968)
Had this been the single that immediately succeeded his charttopping classic "With A Little Help From My Friends" rather than the one that immediately preceded it, "Marjorine" may have been a much bigger hit than it actually was (which it certainly deserved to be).
Aphrodite's Child - Rain and Tears (1968)
A massive hit on the Continent and minor hit in the UK for a Greek band featuring a then unknown Vangelis on keyboards and a then unknown Demis Roussos on bass guitar and vocals.
Gilbert O'Sullivan - Mr. Moody's Garden (1969)
Although this single flopped miserably (and I think I can fully understand why) I can honestly say that I prefer it to quite a few of the big hits he had over next few years.
Rafi & Asha Bhosle - Kashmir Ki Kali
Sugar And The Spices - Have Faith In Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htj4JqCV62c
Sugar And The Spices - Do The Dog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXHdPYJg_jw&feature=related
Let’s start with a couple of instrumentals from John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, the first featuring Eric Clapton on guitar, and the second featuring my all-time favourite rock guitarist, the one and only Peter Green.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - Steppin' Out (1966)
My favourite Eric Clapton track of the sixties. I prefer this to anything he did with the Yardbirds or Cream.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - The Supernatural (1967)
Peter Green making some quite magical sounds on this track, shortly before he went off to make more magical sounds with Fleetwood Mac. I’m probably in a minority, but whenever the bandname Fleetwood Mac is ever mentioned I immediately think Peter Green rather than Buckingham-Nicks.
There have been quite few tracks featured on this thread by the British band The Birds, but none, as far as I know, by the America band The Byrds. Time to remedy the situation.
The Byrds - So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star (1967)
“Eight Miles High” is my favourite Byrds track, but that’s just a little too well known for this thread, even though it was only a minor UK hit. So here’s my second favourite Byrds track instead.
The Byrds - Dolphin's Smile (1968)
Lovely song from the album “The Notorious Byrd Brothers”.
Finally, two tracks from Canada’s finest, Joni Mitchell.
Joni Mitchell - Chelsea Morning (1969)
One of her earliest songs, written when she was living in the Chelsea neighbourhood of New York City.
Joni Mitchell - Woodstock (1970)
Although this track is on the 1970 album “Ladies of the Canyon”, the music festival being referred to in the song is a very famous sixties event, so I feel that it’s more appropriate for this track to be submitted to a sixties thread rather than to an equivalent seventies thread (if such a thread was ever to exist). I love both the Matthews Southern Comfort and CSNY cover versions of this song, but afaic neither hold a candle to Joni’s not so well known original, which imho is exquisite.
Wasn't Born To Follow of Course From the Film "Easy Rider" released 1969 from Columbia Pictures
Another great track from “Easy Rider”:-
The Band - The Weight (1968)
And while we’re on the subject of great sixties tracks used in films, here are a couple of others:-
Mel Tormé – Comin’ Home Baby (1962)
This absolute gem was featured in the highly acclaimed 2009 British film “An Education”.
The Regents - Barbara Ann (1961)
Although the 1973 film “American Graffiti” was a nostalgic piece set in 1962, most of the songs on the soundtrack were actually from the fifties. This is one of the few sixties tracks used, you’ll know the song, but not necessarily this version.
I had forgotten about this brilliant thread - just spent a very nice few minutes - clinking some great links - thanks all!
Here's the original soul version of Always something there to remind me - Lou Johnson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X9hWUPZhI0&p=39CB08324B96FBA9&playnext=1&index=2
better known over here by Sandy Shaw of course
im fully with you here... tbh i dont like the later mor/aor material, love the green manalishi, oh well, man of the world...
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - Looking Back
It's pretty early (1966) and it sounds like he was under orders to play like Clapton - but the solo is superb, as indeed is the record.