A few weeks ago I made some posts devoted to sixties artists from Liverpool, Manchester and London. My post today is devoted to artists from Wales.


Let's start with the most successful Welsh singer ever:-

Tom Jones - What's New Pussycat (1965)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB-ur_x-1Hg


The lyrics of the following song somehow make much more sense to me when sung by a man, and yet nobody sings it better than a certain Welsh woman:-

Shirley Bassey - I Who Have Nothing (1963)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXFuotoQrhI


If I have to listen to a female singer whose career took off after winning a TV talent show give me Mary Hopkin over Leona Lewis or Alexandra Burke any day of the week:-

Mary Hopkin - Those Were The Days (1968)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KODZtjOIPg


Finally, the most successful Welsh band of the sixties:-

Amen Corner - High In The Sky (1968)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlWJ77BOGjk

Mary Hopkin's Those Were the Days is my 3rd fave song of the 60s, and favourite song of all-time from a Welsh performer. It will have taken 24 years to be surpassed by anything from a female solo singer. (The 1992 song that usurped it in my estimation is Tasmin Archer's Sleeping Satellite, in case you're curious).

Here are my five favourite UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from the year 1965 (in order of preference):-

1. The Everly Brothers - The Price Of Love
The Everly Brothers are my favourite ever musical duo (marginally ahead of Simon and Garfunkel). The Price of Love is my second favourite Everly Brothers track after the brilliant Crying In The Rain.

2. The Who - My Generation
Pete Townshend was inspired to write this song by the Queen Mother. I kid you not! Please click here to learn more.

3. The Animals - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Apparently, this was the most popular song among American armed forces servicemen during the Vietnam War. I wonder why?

4. The Yardbirds - Heart Full Of Soul
Well, I couldn’t really leave out this fabulous track by Rob’s all time favourite band, could I?

5. Them - Here Comes The Night
I much prefer the music of Them (whose lead singer was Van Morrison) to almost everything Van the Man recorded as a solo artist.


And here’s the full list of UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from that year:-

Cilla Black - You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (reaching no. 2 on 28th January 1965)

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders - The Game Of Love (25th February 1965)

Them - Here Comes The Night (22nd April 1965)

Peter and Gordon - True Love Ways (20th May 1965)

The Everly Brothers - The Price Of Love (17th June 1965)

The Yardbirds - Heart Full Of Soul (15th July 1965)

The Animals - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (12th August 1965)

The Fortunes - You’ve Got Your Troubles (19th August 1965)

Manfred Mann - If You Gotta Go Go Now (7th October 1965)

Andy Williams - Almost There (14th October 1965)

The Who - My Generation (25th November 1965)

Cliff Richard - Wind Me Up Let Me Go (23rd December 1965)


For a list of all the UK Number One singles of the year 1965, and my Top Five from that list, please see Post #74 on Page 3 of the thread.

I like that one too. Very good track.

These are the no 2s I particularly like from 1965.


Great minds think alike! I am looking forward to the 20th anniversary of the day it reached no 1, I think on October 25th. Admittedly this is a little off the beaten track of 60s music but it is worth it!

Here are my five favourite UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from the year 1966 (in order of preference):-

1. The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
Exquisite.

2. The Lovin’ Spoonful - Daydream
An absolute gem from one of my all time favourite American bands.

3. The Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin’
In 1966 the Spencer Davis Group had two Number One singles and this Number Two single, so not a bad year for this band when all said and done.

4. The Troggs - Wild Thing
Not the original, but certainly the most successful version of a song written by a guy calling himself Chip Taylor, who lovers of trivia will be fascinated to learn is the uncle of Angelina Jolie

5. The Rolling Stones - Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown
While my top four were very easy to pick, fifth place was a much more difficult choice with many of the remaining UK Number Two singles of 1966 being very much in contention. I eventually decided to choose the Stones. This track is not imho one of their better sixties singles, but I still like it a great deal.


And here’s the full list of UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from that year:-

Chrispian St Peters - You Were On My Mind (reaching no. 2 on 10th February 1966)

The Rolling Stones - Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown (17th February 1966)

The Mindbenders - Groovy Kind Of Love (10th March 1966)

The Hollies - I Can’t Let Go (17th March 1966)

The Lovin Spoonful - Daydream (5th May 1966)

The Beach Boys - Sloop John B (19th May 1966)

The Troggs - Wild Thing (26th May 1966)

Gene Pitney - Nobody Needs Your Love (14th July 1966)

Los Bravos - Black Is Black (28th July 1966)

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (25th August 1966)

The Who - I’m A Boy (29th September 1966)

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich - Bend It (6th October 1966)

The Troggs - I Can’t Control Myself (27th October 1966)

The Hollies - Stop Stop Stop (3rd November 1966)

Manfred Mann - Semi Detached Suburban Mr James (17th November 1965)

The Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin ‘ (24th November 1965)

Val Doonican - What Would I Be (15th December 1965)

The Seekers - Morningtown Ride (22nd December 1965)


For a list of all the UK Number One singles of the year 1966, and my Top Five from that list, please see Post #81 on Page 4 of the thread.

Whoops! Each bib above should have been 1966.

Number Two singles of 1967 to follow on Sunday or Monday.

ha ha! thank you !

i still look in on the rare thread, but atm have lost enthusiasm for music... well done guys

Joe South who passed away this September aged 72

Games People Play - Joe South

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAGyENr3_44

That doesn't sound too good, Rob, I hope it's not a permanent condition.

Anyone with a good memory will remember that in my post reviewing the UK Number One singles of 1967 I was not too complimentary about that year's chart toppers. I have a somewhat more favourable opinion of the UK Number Two singles of 1967. While I would not hesitate to describe some of that year's UK Number Two singles as real stinkers, my five favourites (shown below) are far more to my liking than my five favourite UK Number One singles of 1967 (please see Post #83 on Page 4 of the thread).


Here are my five favourite UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from the year 1967 (in order of preference):-

1. The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
This magnificent track is not only my favourite Number Two single of 1967 it is also my favourite Number Two single of all time.

2. The Beatles - I Am The Walrus (from The Magic Mystery Tour EP)
The Magical Mystery Tour was a critically panned TV film starring the Beatles. The film featured six new Beatles tracks, which was not really enough for an album, so the six were released on a double EP called, unsurprisingly, The Magical Mystery Tour. Despite not being, strictly speaking, a single, this EP sold enough to get it to Number Two on the UK singles chart, which is the main criterion here. I Am The Walrus is by far my favourite track on The Magical Mystery Tour EP.

3. The Mamas and the Papas - Dedicated To The One I Love
The 1957 original by the Five Royales is excellent, the 1959 cover by the Shirelles is also excellent, but imho neither can hold a candle to this beautiful version by the Mamas and the Papas.

4. Traffic - Hole In My Shoe
A hugely enjoyable piece of nonsense, albeit not very typical of the groundbreaking music that Traffic were making at the time.

5. The Move - Night Of Fear
The Move’s debut single was this fine song written by Roy Wood and a certain Mr. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (the main riff was derived from The 1812 Overture).


And here’s the full list of UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from that year:-

Donovan - Sunshine Superman (reaching no. 2 on 12th January 1967)

The Move - Night Of Fear (26th January 1967)

Cat Stevens - Matthew And Son (2nd February 1967)

The Beatles - Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever (2nd March 1967)

Vince Hill - Edelweiss (2nd March 1967)

Harry Secombe - This Is My Song (30th March 1967)

The Mamas and the Papas - Dedicated To The One I Love (18th May 1967)

The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset (25th May 1967)

Engelbert Humperdinck - There Goes My Everything (15th June 1967)

The Monkees - Alternate Title (19th July 1967)

Vikki Carr It - Must Be Him (26th July 1967)

Tom Jones - I’ll Never Fall In Love Again (23rd August 1967)

Keith West - Excerpt From A Teenage Opera (20th September 1967)

The Move - Flowers In The Rain (4th October 1967)

Traffic - Hole In My Shoe (18th October 1967)

The Dave Clark Five - Everybody Knows (29th November 1967)

Tom Jones - I’m Coming Home (20th December 1967)

The Beatles - The Magic Mystery Tour EP (27th December 1967)


For a list of all the UK Number One singles of the year 1967, and my Top Five from that list, please see Post #83 on Page 4 of the thread.

Here are two other great tracks from that EP:-

The Beatles - The Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnrsqf33MXA

The Beatles - The Fool On the Hill (1967)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIsou0IRIQU



Following the savage reception the film received at the hands of British TV critics the American networks refused to touch it with a bargepole, and as far as I'm aware it has never been shown on American television.



The Extended Play (EP) format was never popular in America, so "The Magical Mystery Tour" was released as an album over there, with side one consisting of the six tracks on the British-released EP, and side two consisting of five tracks, the singles "Penny Lane", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "All You Need Is Love" and "Hello Goodbye", plus the 'B' side of "All You Need Is Love", which sounds like this:-

The Beatles - Baby You're a Rich Man (1967)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEu7fcjgWK0

From your list of no 2s from 1967 Vabosity the ones I like best are

Sunshine Superman
Night of Fear
Strawberry Fields Forever
Alternate Title
Hole in My Shoe
Magical Mystery Tour

Andy Williams, one of the last of the classic crooners, died earlier in the week, so this post is a tribute.

This was one of his biggest hits of the sixties:-

Andy Williams RIP - Almost There (1965)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XifUaCyCO0g

Enjoyed a rather long plow through this thread last night. So much great music.

Being born in 64 I only got the end of the decade 'live' and was too young to fully appreciate it (my first serious music memory was hearing Stevie Wonder on the radio - I suspect it was "My Cherie Amour" and just knowing it was good!).

I suppose I grew up with the 'greatenss' of The Beatles being unquestioned and initially fell into that. Gradually through the 70s I began to like them less and less but, as noone seemed of similar mind I kept my consul. It's only in recent years that more and more people are prepared to question them and I'm now quite happy to say that, for me, little of their work rates above the awful - and some of the lyrics

The Stones, The Who and The Kinks are amongst the British artists of the time on my iPod - The Beatles never will be.

I think the music from 1966 to 1970 must be the highpoint. You had the British bands mentioned above plus others making interesting stuff - plus a vibrant and incestous British Blues scene kicking out the likes of The Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, The Yardbirds and eventually Cream. The Beach Boys and their sound faded as the period went on in the States but the fantastic Soul from Motown and Stax picked up the baton and there was also the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Mamas and the Papas, Joan Baez and Janis Joplin from the more folky sound. Then there was the vastly different music of The Doors, the explosive sound of Hendrix ....... and I could go on.

The end of the 70s in the UK saw a similar thing on a much smaller scale then it seemed that pop music became much more about the style and clothing (New Romantics) than the music and then the increasing electronic influence made it easier to produce cookie cutter crap (see Stock, Aitken and Waterman) so you could concentrate far more on the marketing than the skill of the singers and musicians - or the quality of the song.

I can't recall the last time a 'chart' song made me stop and think 'wow' - it's certainly been many years. Mussic from the 60s and 70s does it all the time - even if it's a song I know well.

I'll float my "Top 10" of the 60s - although it could change tomorrow, or become a top 200 easily:

Otis Redding : These Arms of Mine - an unscripted audition at STAX became a deep and passionate love long.

The Beach Boys: Fun Fun Fun - an exuberant celebration of their sound.

The Rolling Stones: Honky Tonk Woman - from the fiery opening riff through the raunchy lyric, a song The Beatles could never have got close to.

The Animals: House of the Rising Sun - raw and powerful.

Aretha Franklin: Respect - fiesty and spirited, not many songs can get me dancing.....

Jackie Wilson : (Your Love has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher - Instant electricity.

Fleetwood Mac: The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown) - a unique sound but so brilliant.

Stevie Wonder: For Once In My Life - a declaration of love shouted from the rooftops.

Van Morrison: Brown Eyed Girl: 45 years old but sounds (to me) as fresh as when I first heard it.

The Doors: Riders on the Storm: Dark, moody, magnificent.

Hi Frood,

Despite the fact that I disagree with you about the Beatles and despite the fact that I cannot stand Brown Eyed Girl (give me Them over solo Van Morrison any day of the week) your post contained some interesting observations and I really enjoyed reading it.

Apart from Brown Eyed Girl I absolutely love every other track you mentioned. These Arms Of Mine is perhaps not as well known as some other Otis Redding tracks, but it's probably my favourite by him; it's one of those very few tracks that make the hair on the back of the neck stand up.

I like all the tracks on your list.

I certainly had a better selection of decent tracks to pick my top five from on this occasion than a few months ago when I was doing a similar post for the UK Number One singles of 1967.

Here are my five favourite UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from the year 1968 (in order of preference):-

1. The Small Faces - Lazy Sunday
Any song that includes the line “Gawd Blimey! ‘Allo Mrs Jones, ‘ows your Bert’s lumbago?” is a winner with me!

2. Tom Jones - Delilah
The only hit single by Tom Jones that I’ve ever liked.

3. Barry Ryan - Eloise
Written by his twin brother Paul, this is Barry Ryan’s only ever solo UK Top Twenty single.

4. The Casuals - Jesamine
This is the third song in my top five with a title consisting of a one word girl’s name. Other such titled songs that were big UK hits in 1968 include Rosie by Don Partridge and Valleri by the Monkees. There was also, of course, the wonderful Joanna by Scott Walker and the excellent Elenore by the Turtles, neither of which, unfortunately, got as high as Number Two in the charts, otherwise both would most certainly have been included in this top five.

5. Nina Simone - Aint Got No/I Got Life
Although Nina Simone had been a respected artist for many years this medley of two songs from the musical Hair was her first ever UK hit single.


And here’s the full list of UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from that year:-

Tom Jones - Delilah (reaching no. 2 on 27th March 1968)

The 1910 Fruitgum Company - Simon Says (1st May 1968)

The Small Faces - Lazy Sunday (8th May 1968)

Engelbert Humperdinck - Man Without Love (15th May 1968)

Bobby Goldsboro - Honey (29th May 1968)

OC Smith - Son Of Hickery Holler's Tramp (3rd July 1968)

Leapy Lee - Little Arrows (9th October 1968)

The Casuals - Jesamine (16th October 1968)

Barry Ryan - Eloise (20th November 1968)

Nina Simone - Aint Got No/ I Got Life (18th December 1968)

The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup (25th December 1968)


For a list of all the UK Number One singles of the year 1968, and my Top Five from that list, please see Post #93 on Page 4 of the thread.

From a hit song that Hal David co-wrote with a composer who wasn't Burt Bacharach to a hit song that Burt Bacharach co-wrote with a lyricist who wasn't Hal David:-

Frankie Vaughan - Tower Of Strength (1961)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVMWqgIMmkY

As it happens the BBC are showing The Magical Mystery Tour on Saturday 6th Ocober..........it's been 'fully restored'

It's preceded by a documentary in the style of 'The Making of' which features a lot of home movie footage of the boys..........the BBC blurb says 'never before seen footage' but I think I've seen this footage on a documentary on one of the cable channels..............a documentary of the lads and some of their friends touring southern England

Blimey, I didn't realise the extent to which this Appreciation Section is a graveyard forum............as I type this now the last post in the forum was 21.47 last night...........

We've finally arrived at the last year of the decade.

Here are my five favourite UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from the year 1969 (in order of preference):-

1. Fleetwood Mac - Man Of The World
My favourite ever track by Fleetwood Mac.

2. Fleetwood Mac - Oh Well (Part 1)
I’m a massive fan of the sixties incarnation of Fleetwood Mac, so here they are again with another classic track.

3. The Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance
Despite the fact that the artist’s name on the record label is The Plastic Ono Band and despite the fact a certain Beatle is joined on this track by his wife Yoko and a bunch of their friends, Give Peace A Chance, a song famously recorded in a hotel room in Montreal and a song famously adopted as an anthem by pacifists the world over, is to all intents and purposes John Lennon’s first solo single.

4. The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day
Afaik this is the most commercially successful Gospel track of all time.

5. The Tremeloes - Call Me Number One
The Tremeloes are one of my least favourite British bands of the late sixties, but I’m rather fond of this track.


And here’s the full list of UK Number Two singles (i.e. highest position Number Two) from that year:-

Dean Martin - Gentle On My Mind (reaching no. 2 on 2nd April 1969)

Lulu - Boom Bang A Bang (9th April 1969)

Mary Hopkin - Goodbye (16th April 1969)

Hermans Hermits - My Sentimental Friend (14th May 1969)

Fleetwood Mac - Man Of The World (28th May 1969)

The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day (18th June 1969)

Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto (2nd July 1969)

The Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance (23rd July 1969)

Robin Gibb – Saved By The Bell (16th August 1969)

The Bee Gees - Don’t Forget To Remember (20th September 1969)

Lou Christie - I’m Gonna Make You Mine (1st November 1969)

Fleetwood Mac - Oh Well (Part 1) (8th November 1969)

The Tremeloes - Call Me Number One (22nd November 1969)

Stevie Wonder - Yesterme Yesteryou Yesterday (6th December 1969)

Kenny Rogers and the First Edition - Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town (13th December 1969)


For a list of all the UK Number One singles of the year 1969, and my Top Five from that list, please see Post #108 on Page 5 of the thread.

If inactivity on the other threads in the Music Appreciation Forum means that this thread spends a lot more time than it usually does at the top of the list then I don't have a problem with it.

Friday 5th October 2012 was the 50th anniversary of the release of the first James Bond film, Dr. No, so I think a James Bond themed post is appropriate, albeit two days late.

The John Barry Orchestra - The James Bond Theme (1962)
This seems like the obvious track to start with.

Matt Monro - From Russia With Love (1963)
Matt Monro was not called the British Sinatra for nothing. Class.

Shirley Bassey - Goldfinger (1964)
Shirley Bassey has been the singer of three James Bond film theme songs, Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker. I much prefer Goldfinger to the other two, both as a film and as a Shirley Bassey track.

Tom Jones - Thunderball (1965)
I mentioned in a fairly recent post that Delilah is the only Tom Jones hit single that I've ever liked, so the inclusion here of this particular James Bond theme song (a minor hit for TJ) is for your delectation and delight, it certainly isn't for mine.

Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass - Casino Royale (1967)
There have been two film versions of Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. The imho excellent 2006 version starring Daniel Craig and the imho far from excellent, rather self-indulgent, surreal, comedic (?), 1967 spoof version, in which 007 is played by David Niven. The music for the latter was written by the great Burt Bacharach, so not everything about this film is bad.

Dusty Springfield - The Look Of Love (from Casino Royale) (1967)
Another Burt Bacharach composition specifically written for inclusion in the first Casino Royale film, and who better to sing this great song than Dusty?

Nancy Sinatra - You Only Live Twice (1967)
A song that was famously sampled by Robbie Williams for his 1998 chart topper, Millennium. Give me Nancy Sinatra's original any day of the week.

The John Barry Orchestra - On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
The wonderful theme tune from the film in which the Australian actor, George Lazenby, famously made his first (and last) appearance as James Bond.

Nina - Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown (from On Her Majesty Secret Service) (1969)
The post is two days late, so I might as well include a song that is two months too early! Well, it's quite a pleasant little ditty and it was in a James Bond film.

Louis Armstrong - We Have All The Time In The World (from On Her Majesty Secret Service) (1969)
A song from a sixties James Bond film that became a big hit single when re-released in the nineties.

I did a post on this thread devoted to James Bond music last year. Trust Vabosity to do a far better one!

As far as I'm concerned the best James Bond music was all made in the sixties, that made in the seventies wasn't bad, but not exceptional, but that made since the eighties has been by and large bland and forgettable.