The category that eventually became adult contemporary started on July 17th, 1961, as easy listening. On November 3, 1962, it became Middle-Road singles. Then on May 2nd, 1964, pop standard singles. On October 24, 1964, Middle-Road singles again. Then, back to Pop-Standard Singles on May 1, 1965. Finally, it reverted to easy listening on June 5, 1965, a format it maintained until 1979, when it transitioned to adult contemporary.
1965 Middle-Road Singles, or whatever:
King Of The Road – Roger Miller. 10 weeks at #1; #1 for five weeks CW, #4 pop. A real crossover. I own the greatest hits LP.
Crying In The Chapel – Elvis Presley, seven weeks at #1; #3 pop
You Were On My Mind – We Five, five weeks at #1; #3 pop. I love the folkie harmonies on this song.
Taste Of Honey – Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, five weeks at #1; #7 pop. I own several TJB albums from this era, including, OF COURSE, Whipped Cream and Other Delights. Herb, by the way, turned 90 on March 31.
Make The World Go Away -Eddy Arnold, four weeks at #1; #1 CW for three weeks, #6 pop
Matrimony
The Wedding – Julie Rogers, three weeks at #1; #10 pop. I don’t remember this song.
Cast Your Fate To The Wind – Sounds Orchestral, three weeks at #1; #10 pop. Oh, THAT instrumental. I didn’t know it by the title, but…
Save Your Heart For Me – Gary Lewis and the Playboys, three weeks at #1; #2 pop; Jerry’s kid
I’m Yours – Elvis Presley, three weeks at #1; #11 pop. I didn’t remember this.
A Walk In The Black Forest – Horst Jankowski, two weeks at #1; #12 pop. Oh, that song. On AM radio in the 1960s, instrumentals were often played as the news was being introduced.
(Such An) Easy Question – Elvis Presley, two weeks at #1; #11 pop. Another unfamiliar Elvis track.
A single week at #1
Willow Weep For Me – Chad and Jeremy; #15 pop
You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You – Dean Martin; #1 pop. I don’t specifically remember the recording, but I recall hearing him sing a snippet of it on his NBC variety show (1965-1974) each week.
Have You Looked Into Your Heart – Jerry Vale; #24 pop
The Race Is On – Jack Jones; #15 pop. I remember Vale and Jones from variety shows such as Ed Sullivan’s, but neither of these songs
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me – Mel Carter; #8 pop. I don’t remember it, yet I own a Gloria Estefan CD of cover songs with this song in the first position.