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#1 pop hits of 1966

two by the Beatles, two by the Supremes

Here are the #1 pop hits of 1966. Well, some of them. All will be made clear eventually.

I’m A Believer – the Monkees, #1 for 7 weeks. The first week actually started on the last day of 1966. Written by Neil Diamond.

The Ballad of the Green Berets – s/Sgt Barry Sadler, #1 for five weeks. Also #1 AC (adult contemporary) for 5 weeks, and #2 CW (counry) for two weeks. Four years ago, I wrote a whole post about the song.

(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration – the Righteous Brothers, #1 for 3 weeks, #2 RB (rhythm and blues). One of the relatively few singles I owned.

Monday, Monday – the Mamas and the Papas, #1 for 3 weeks. “Can’t trust that day.”

Summer In The City – the Lovin’ Spoonful, #1 for 3 weeks. I played this (poorly) on my grandmother’s piano.

Cherish – the Association, #1 for 3 weeks, #38 AC

We Can Work It Out– the Beatles, #1 for 3 weeks. I was always fond of this because it was so clearly a Lennon-and-McCartney song. From the Yesterday… and Today album, which I bought at a Rexall drug store for $2.99, the first Beatles album I did NOT get from the Capitol Records Club.

Winchester Cathedral – the New Vaudeville Band, #1 for 3 weeks. Also #1 AC for four weeks. If I pinch my nose with two fingers, I can sort of approximate the vocal stylings of the song.

My Love – Petula Clark, 2 weeks at #1, #4 AC

When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge, 2 weeks at #1; #1 RB for four weeks

Paint It, Black – the Rolling Stones, 2 weeks at #1. This is the lead track of the first Stones album I ever purchased, Aftermath, though the song does NOT appear on the UK version of the LP.

Hanky Panky – Tommy James and the Shondells, 2 weeks at #1; #39 RB

Wild Thing – the Troggs, 2 weeks at #1. “But I wanna know for sure.”

Motown

You Can’t Hurry Love – the Supremes, 2 weeks at #1; also #1 RB for two weeks. This was on The Supremes A Go-Go, which my sister Leslie owned. Much later, I bought it on CD.

Reach Out I’ll BBe There – the Four Tops, 2 weeks at #1; also #1 RB for four weeks.. This was on the great The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland album, which I owned.

You Keep Me Hanging On – the Supremes, 2 weeks at #1; also #1 RB for four weeks. I owned this on the great The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland album.

The Sound of Silence – Simon & Garfunkel, 2 weeks at #1 . It’s the title song of an album I didn’t buy until after I got Bookends (1968). The original version, which appeared on Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., I didn’t purchase until well after I bought the Bridge Over Troubled water album in 1970. From Wikipedia: Throughout the month of January 1966 “The Sound of Silence” had a one-on-one battle with the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” for the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100. “The Sound of Silence” was number one for the weeks of January 1 and 22 and number two for the intervening two weeks. “We Can Work It Out” held the top spot for the weeks of January 8, 15, and 29, and it was number two for the two weeks that “The Sound of Silence” was number one.

Paperback Writer – the Beatles, 2 weeks at #1. Though it was recorded during the Revolver sessions, it was a stand-alone single (b/w Rain). I didn’t own it until I bought the peculiar Beatles Again/Hey Jude album when it came out in 1969. Oh, today is Ringo Starr’s 86th birthday.

I will revisit the topic soon with the one week at #1 pop songs, PLUS other #1s on non-Billboard charts.

#1 R&B Hits for 1956

These are the #1 R&B Hits for 1956. There are a total of 79 weeks represented, as there were charts for Juke Boxes, Best Sellers, and those played by Disc Jockeys.

Honky Tonk (Parts 1 & 2) – Bill Doggett (King), 13 weeks at #1; #2 pop for three weeks

The Great Pretender – The Platters, 11 weeks at #1 (also #1 pop)

Blueberry Hill – Fats Domino (Imperial), 11 weeks at #1; #2 pop for three weeks

I’m In Love Again – Fats Domino (Imperial) , 9 weeks at #1; #3 pop for two weeks. Written by Domino and Dave Bartholomew

Long Tall Sally – Little Richard and His Band (Specialty), 8 weeks at #1; #6 pop

Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel – Elvis Presley, 6 weeks at #1 )also #1 pop)

Why Do Fools Fall In Love – The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon (Gee), 5 weeks at #1; #6 pop. Lymon co-wrote the song and was 13 when he recorded it.

Fever – Little Willie John with Orchestra (King), 5 weeks at #1; #24 pop

Let The Good Times Roll – Shirley & Lee (Aladdin), 3 weeks at #1; #20 pop. Written by Leonard Lee.

Drown In My Own Tears – Ray Charles and his Band (Atlantic), 2 weeks at #1; did not chart pop

Rip It Up – Little Richard and his Band (Specialty), 2 weeks at #1; #17 pop. Co-written by Otis Blackwell.

My Prayer – The Platters, 2 weeks at #1 (also #1 pop)

At My Front Door – The El Dorados (Vee-Jay), 1 week at #1; #17 pop

Treasure Of Love – Clyde McPhatter (Atlantic), 1 week at #1; #16 pop. Founded the Drifters in 1953.

#1 pop hits of 1956

Aura Lee

These are the #1 pop hits of 1956. You might guess who dominated the charts; it was the guy who made his debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in September of that year.

Every song went at least gold. Note that, because of the multiple charts in that era, there were 83 weeks of #1 songs.

Don’t Be Cruel/ Hound Dog – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 11 weeks at #1, quadruple platinum. Written byOtis Blackwell and Leiber/Stoller, respectively.

Singing The Blues – Guy Mitchell with Ray Coniff and his orchestra (Columbia), 10 weeks at #1. I heard this song more often on the radio than any song on the list.

The Wayward Wind – Gogi Grant; orchestra under the direction of Buddy Bregman (Era), 8 weeks at #1

Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 8 weeks at #1, double platinum. His first RCA single. Song credited to Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, and Elvis Presley

Rock and Roll Waltz – Kay Starr, orchestra and chorus conducted by Hugo Winterhalter (RCA Victor), 6 weeks at #1

The Poor People Of Paris – Les Baxter and his Orchestra (Capitol), 6 weeks at #1. Instrumental. I know this song! But I didn’t recognize the title.

Memories Are Made of This – Dean Martin with The Easy Riders, orchestra conducted by Dick Stabile (Capitol), 6 weeks at #1

I know that tune from grade school!

Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 5 weeks at #1, triple platinum. From the 20th Century Fox production of the same name, Elvis’ first film. Song attributed to Elvis Presley-Vera Matson, based on the old folk tune “Aura Lee”

My Prayer – The Platters (Mercury), 5 weeks at #1; initially made famous by both Glenn Miller and The Ink Spots.

Lisbon Antigua – Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra (Capitol), 4 weeks at #1. Instrumental, piano by Stan Wrightsman

I Almost Lot My Mind– Pat Boone, orchestra and chorus conducted by Billy Vaughn (Dot), 4 weeks at #1. “Reviving” a 1950 R&B hit by Ivory Joe Hunter.

The Green Door – Jim Lowe with the High Fives, piano and orchestra by Bob “Hutch” Davie (Dot), 3 weeks at #1. You’d think I’d have heard a song with this title, but I do not recall it.

Moonglow and The Theme From “Picnic” – Morris Stoloff and the Columbia Pictures Orchestra (Decca), 3 weeks at #1. Instrumental from the movie.

The Great Pretender – The Platters (Mercury), 2 weeks at #1. Per The 45 Prof: “Tony Williams purportedly had a head cold and stuffy nose when he recorded this unforgettable #1 pop & R&B hit.”

Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)- Perry Como, orchestra conducted by Mitchell Ayres, with The Ray Charles Singers (RCA Victor), 1 week at #1

I Want You I Need You I Love You – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 1 week at #1, platinum. Elvis’ second RCA Victor single (released between “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel”).

#1 rhythm and blues hits for 1946

“jump music”

(Virtually the same intro as last week!)

These are the #1 rhythm and blues hits of 1946. Unlike the pop charts, which had 20 songs covering 96 weeks, there is only a handful here. That’s the function of the fact that in 1946, there was only one chart showing the most popular R&B songs.

When it was established in 1942, the chart was called the Harlem Hit Parade. In February 1945, it changed to Most Played Juke Box Race Records. It wasn’t until 1948 that Billboard tracked best-selling records, and not until 1955 that they followed the disc jockey’s most-played records. So, in the late 50s, you may see a lot more records, unless jukebox, sales, and radio play agree.

That is, until 13 October 1958, when they consolidated all the charts into what became Hot R&B Sides.

Choo Choo Ch’Boogie – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five (Decca), 18 weeks at #1. “Far and away the most popular rhythm ‘n blues recording artist of the decade.”

Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop – Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra (Decca), 16 weeks at #1, co-written by Hampton. I always loved how the last chorus is off the beat. Half a dozen of his albums are in my collection.

Buzz Me -Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, 9 weeks at #1. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influencer in 1987. His page notes, “The supreme ruler of Forties R&B. Louis Jordan topped the R&B charts for a total of one hundred thirteen weeks, an unheard of accomplishment.” I have one Jordan compilation CD.

Justifiable homicide?

Stone Cold Dead In The Market (He Had It Coming) -Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five, 5 weeks at #1

The Gypsy – Ink Spots (Decca), 3 weeks at #1. The only song on the list that crossed over to the pop charts that year

Ain’t That Just Like A Woman (They’ll Do It Every Time)-Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, 2 weeks at #1. I love the guitar intro, which sounds REALLY familiar.

Don’t Worry About That Mule – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, 1 week at #1. An NPR bio from 2008.

The #1 hits of 1936

Astaire, Dorsey, Goodman, Lombardo, Waller

I was wondering why the list of the#1 hits of 1936 was so long. It was a function of the national economy. The record industry underwent an almost total collapse. By 1932, only six million records had been sold, compared with a peak of 140,000,000 just five years earlier.

However, according to Joel Whitburn Presents A Century of Pop Music, the jukebox had become ubiquitous whenever people gathered to listen to music or dance. Some 225,000 were in operation by 1939.

You will likely recognize some of these. I’d heard 5 of the first six.

The songs

Pennies From Heaven – Bing Crosby with George Stoll and his orchestra (Decca), 10 weeks at #1. From the Columbia picture, Pennies From Heaven.

Goody Goody – Benny Goodman and his orchestra with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor), 6 weeks at #1. Co-written by Johnny Mercer.

The Way You Look Tonight – Fred Astaire with Johnny Green (no relation) and his orchestra (Brunswick), 6 weeks at #1. The Oscar-winning song from the movie Swing Time

Alone – Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, with Cliff Weston, vocals (Victor), 6 weeks at #1, from the M-G-M film, A Night At The Opera

The Glory of Love – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor) 6 weeks at #1

A Fine Romance (A Sarcastic Love Song) – Fred Astaire with Johnny Green andhis orchestra (Brunswick), 5 weeks at #1, from Swing Time, written by Fields/Kern

The Music Goes ‘Round and ‘Round – Tommy Dorsey and his Clambake Seven, with Edythe Wright, vocals (Victor), 5 weeks at #1, a novelty song

Did I Remember – Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra, with Charles Chester, vocals (Bluebird), 4 weeks at #1, from the M-G-M film Suzy

It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie – Fats Waller and his Rhythm (Victor), 4 weeks at #1

Is It True What They Say About Dixie – Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra, with Bob Eberly, vocals (Decca ), 4 weeks at #1

Three weeks at #1

Moon Over Miami – Eddie Duchin and his orchestra, with Lew Sherwood, vocals (Victor)

The Music Goes ‘Round and Around – Reilly-Farley and their Oxnard Club Boys, with Mike Reilly (Decca), a novelty song. Reilly’s name is subsequently spelled Riley.

Melody From The Sky – Jan Garber and his orchestra, The Idol of The Air Lanes, with Lee Bennett, vocals (Decca)

Two weeks at #1

When Did You Leave Heaven – Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, with Carmen Lombardo, vocals (Victor), from the 20th Century Fox film Sing, Baby, Sing

In The Chapel In The Moonlight -Shep Fields and his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra (Bluebird)

These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor), from the revue, Spread It Abroad

A Beautiful Lady In Blue – Jan Garber and his orchestra, The Idol of The Air Lanes, with Lew Palmer, vocals (Decca)

It’s Been So Long – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor). From the M-G-M film The Great Ziegfeld

Until The Real Thing Comes Along – Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy, with Pha Terrell, vocals (Decca)

Lost – Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, with Carmen Lombardo, vocals (Victor)

When I’m With You – Hal Kemp and his orchestra, with Skinnay Ennis, vocals (Brunswick). From the Temple film Poor Little Rich Girl

You Turned The Tables On Me – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor). From the 20th Century Fox film Sing, Baby, Sing

There’s A Small Hotel – Hal Kemp and his orchestra, with Maxine Grey, vocals (Brunswick). From the musical On Your Toes, written by Rodgers and Hart.

Take My Heart – Eddy Duchin and his orchestra, with Jerry Cooper, vocals (Victor)

One week at #1

Lights Out – Eddy Duchin and his orchestra, with Lew Sherwood, vocals (Victor)

You– Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, with Edythe Wright, vocals (Victor). From the M-G-M film, The Great Ziegfeld

All My Life – Fats Waller and his Rhythm (Victor). From the Republic film Laughing Irish Eyes

I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket – Fred Astaire with Johnny Green and his orchestra (Brunswick). From the film Follow The First, written by Irving Berlin

I’ll Sing You A Thousand Love Songs – Eddy Duchin and his orchestra, with Jimmy Newill, vocals. From the Cosmopolitan film Cain and Mabel