Liam

214. ‘Dirty Water’, The Standells (1966) A simple garage rock song that has lived on in its use with the Boston Red Sox (up until 2010 at least). The writer was mugged on a bridge in Boston; there is dirty water and pollution in Boston – that’s about it really. I’m actually struggling with regards to what I can say about it. It’s a decent enough song that is on the list seemingly for its cultural significance to one city in particular. 215. ‘I Feel Free’, Cream (1966) A rock supergroup’s second single that needed to deliver after a poor first one, this is a fun burst of pop rock. Jack Bruce’s voice in particular is a real pleasure to listen to and this song gives him ample opportunity to showcase his pipes. The percussion and strings add a feeling of pace that compliments the positive message of the lyrics. I’ve only ever heard once song by Cream – that might need to change. 216. ‘You Just Keep Me Hangin’ On’, The Supremes (1966) This is an odd one. I feel that I’ve listened to so many variations of this without hearing the original that I’m surprised by how lacking in oomph the vocals have. Naturally, they can definitely song, but I expected a bit more punch. Naturally, the vocals are well sung, but yeah – just something slightly lacking until the second half of the song at least. The book talks about how this was the route in to a slightly harder edged, psychedelic soul influenced by rock, something heard with the Morse code-esque guitar and furthered (apparently) with the late 60s work by The Temptations.

211. ‘Season of the Witch’, Donovan (1966) This is a fair step away from the songs I might have expected from the band/man who did ‘Mellow Yellow’. A slightly psychedelic take on the poppier end of rock, yet menacing from beginning to end, this is an excellent song that I’ve never heard of whatsoever. Another example of a song that utilises the build from the verse to the chorus effectively as the volume (and I believe the speed, or perhaps that’s just an auditory hallucination) increases into the pretty simplistic vocal refrain, before settling back down again for the next stage. This sounds timeless and could be positioned in other decades with ease. 212. ‘Friday On My Mind’, The Easybeats (1966) Influenced by: The Swingle Singers Influence on: The Sound of the Suburbs • The Members (1979) Covered by: The Shadows (1967) • David Bowie (1973) • London (1977) • Peter Frampton (1998) • Richard Thompson (2003) • Ben Lee (2008) This is dubbed ‘power pop’ and you can hear why that is the case. It has more in keeping with some of the early 60s output and is two minutes of hooky melodies that celebrate living for the weekend. The guitars set the tone with a sense of urgency that is furthered by the vocals – they almost feel like they are trying to outrun the rest of the song. This was one of the only songs to have any success in the UK for the band as issues with contracts and drugs left them foundering. An interesting sidenote – the guitarist George Young’s siblings, Angus and Malcolm, went on to more fame as part of AC/DC. 213. ‘I’m A Believer’, The Monkees (1966) Influenced by: Cherry Cherry • Neil Diamond (1966) Influence on: Sugar Sugar • The Archies (1969) Covered by: The Ventures (1967) • The Four Tops (1967) • Wanda Jackson (1968) • Robert Wyatt (1974) • Tin Huey (1979) • The Frank and Walters (1992) • Sugar Beats (1997) • The Patron Saints (2008) For those who are a fan of Neil Diamond’s output in the 60s and 70s, you can immediately tell that this was penned by him. The Monkees were a very successful attempt to cash in on Beatlemania and the excitement of (primarily) teenage girl music fans. This is sweetly saccharine pop, but is hard to not enjoy or sing along to. A bit like some of Diamond’s other successful tunes, then.

208. ‘Good Vibrations’, The Beach Boys (1966) It probably speaks to how good a song ‘Good Vibrations’ is that I completely underestimated how complex it was. An attempt by Brian Wilson to capture the sounds in his head would take eight months and several studios to get right. There is so much going on here, but at heart it is just an excellent slab of pop that has hooks for days. It is another song that does a lot in a relative short run time as there are chunks of music, almost like chapters, each with its own interesting elements. To go from surf pop/rock to this speaks volumes about the musical talent of Wilson. 209. ‘Dead End Street’, The Kinks (1966) The books claims the Kinks were the most sonically challenging UK band at this time alongside the Beatles. Without being able to verify that, this song that tells a story of poverty yet with an element of jauntiness in the tune is definitely interesting when held up to some of the purer pop offerings. Paving the way for The Smiths, Madness and Pulp in this social commentary-style (again, according to the book), the shouted backing vocals, trumpet solo and hand claps add a touch of swing to an otherwise tonally negative song. An interesting juxtaposition of ideas, that’s for sure. 210. ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’, The Walker Brothers (1966) A song that sounds like it has Phil Spector’s stamp all over it as the layers of sound and vocals continue to build in lusher and lusher arrangements. The star here is Scott Walker, and it isn’t surprising to know that he was the one that went on to the most success as a singles artist, though departing significantly from this style of music. The lovelorn and angsty teen had a new anthem to sing and dance along to, sung by three guys who may not have been brothers, but could belt out a tune; they weren’t half bad looking either, which helped.

Watching mid 86 WWF and had two questions. Was Orndorff the first time that the WWF had used the 'friend of Hogan turns on Hogan' - I feel like it is, but might be forgetting something. Similarly, was it the first time they'd done the 'face returns under a mask' when it came to The Machines gimmick?

205. ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’, The Seeds (1966) There’s a beautiful, barely supressed anger about ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’ that I really enjoyed. Written in ten minutes by Sky Saxon, the lead singer, it is about as simplistic in delivery as it must have been in conception. That isn’t to say there isn’t skill here, but the little solos, the rudimentary drumming and the janky but kinda cool electric piano are a good example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. 206. ‘Psychotic Reaction’, The Count Five (1966) I always feel that you have to have some balls to prominently feature a harmonica in any song. However, when you have the swagger and sonic noise that The Count Five were offering, I guess you wouldn’t really care what I think. The percussion is hypnotic as are the changes in tempo; this all allowed them to mess around with it live and make it even crazier in nature. Having had success with this song, they were offered lots of bookings, yet turned them down to go to college. Brave men. 207. ‘Reach Out (I’ll Be There)’, The Four Tops (1966) There are just some songs on this list (some have gone, some surely still to come) where it is hard to get past the fact that these are just absolute bangers. I can pick out the woodwind intro, the percussion as it builds to the vocals, the sudden kick into the crux of the tune, the tambourine work or the excellent harmonies, but none of that does justice to an absolute belter of a tune. According to the book, this was primarily a departure from their original sound especially in the edgier vocals of Levi Stubbs – whatever it was, it worked as this was their second US No. 1. There's something about the juxtaposition of the last song with the two that came before it. Very different, but all very good.

‘River Deep-Mountain High’, Ike and Tina Turner (1966) Influenced by: Be My Baby • The Ronettes (1963) Influence on: Born to Run • Bruce Springsteen (1975) Covered by: The Easybeats (1967) • Harry Nilsson (1967) • The Supremes & The Four Tops (1970) • Erasure (1988) • Neil Diamond (1993) • Céline Dion (1996) The book claims this as the definitive Phil Spector ‘wall of sound’ song and it is probably hard to argue. Anchored by Turner’s powerful vocals that stir and build to the verse, the backing music swells as well before bursting into life. Ike was effectively paid $20,000 not to perform on this and its lack of success meant that Spector packed things up and went home having staked his financial future on it. Considering all of that, it is an absolute belter of a tune and it isn’t surprising that Turner still incorporated it as one of his signature live songs. 203. ‘7 and 7 Is’, Love (1966) Influenced by: Get Off of My Cloud • The Rolling Stones (1965) Influence on: Skeleton Key • The Coral (2002) Covered by: Alice Cooper (1981) • Billy Bragg (1990) • The Ramones (1993) • The Electric Prunes (2001) • Amoeba (2004) • Rush (2004) A band and a song that I’ve never heard of, though the names of some of the bands that covered this song speaks volumes about their influence/interest. Turning from a folk song when written by the lead singer into a galloping folky-punk with barely audible lyrics, it was the bands only top 40 hit. The build to the ‘explosion’ (a slowed down gunshot noise) is a great touch as things threaten to go completely off of the rails. A really good song that I’m glad to have unearthed. 204. ’96 Tears’, ? and The Mysterians (1966) An apparent favourite amongst a number of garage bands, as well as Bruce Springsteen (who was able to launch into a cover of this by request on a 2009 tour), this is an interesting slice of 60s…rock? What is most interesting is ?, the lead singer who claimed to be 10,000 years old. I feel this is the first time I really am aware of someone presenting themselves as a persona rather than themselves. The organ grooves and the vocals are hooky enough to make this an interesting song, if one that feels a little dated and of its time in spots.

199. ‘El Muerto Vivo’, Peret (1966) Part of my interest when it comes to music from other cultures on this list is as to whether I will recognise it or not. This definitely sounds like a tune I’m aware of, yet I also feel a little bit like this rumba flamenco style (stolen from the book) can occasionally sound very samey. That isn’t to knock the song whatsoever; the flamenco guitar and layered vocals work together to create a very catchy tune. On the list primarily for its influence perhaps, it is still worth a few minutes of your time. 200. ‘Tomorrow Is A Long Time’, Elvis Presley (1966) Presley is the perfect example of an artist that I’ve not really heard as much of as I feel I should have done. This is actually a Bob Dylan cover song, an artist that Presley covered at least four time. Though I’ve not listened to Presley that much, this definitely feels at odds with my expectations of his sound. A lot more ‘country’ in tone and with a long running time, there is a mournfulness that challenges Presley’s usual rock and roll swagger. It doesn’t do much for me truth be told, but it was Dylan’s favourite version of the song, so that’s something. 201. ‘Eleanor Rigby’, The Beatles (1966) Influenced by: Vivaldi Influence on: A Rose for Emily • The Zombies (1968) Covered by: The Standells (1966) • Richie Havens (1967) • Vanilla Fudge (1967) • P. P. Arnold (1968) • Aretha Franklin (1969) • Four Tops (1969) • John Denver (1970) • The Crusaders (1974) My own personal favourite Beatles song (next to ‘Norwegian Wood’) is up at 201. Somewhat hilariously, this was placed on the opposite of a single with ‘Yellow Submarine’, two very different songs tonally. Having mentioned how much was going on with ‘Ticket to Ride’, this takes things up a notch with the echoing vocal runs, the harmonising and the violin work. A rare example of a Beatles song where none of them played an instrument, ‘Eleanor Rigby’ stands head and shoulders above some of the more dated pop that the Beatles put out into the world and is testament to the quality of McCartney’s songwriting at times.

196. ‘God Only Knows’, The Beach Boys (1966) Just an absolute tune – well, as much of a tune as a song with what could be perceived as such a saccharine sentiment. This was a step above the surfer pop that the Beach Boys had become known for and the layering of sound here is ridiculously intricate (and clever) for what was essentially a pop song. Over twenty studio musicians added their own sound to Brian Wilson’s work and helped to sculpt a masterpiece that has an ethereal, spiritual tone throughout. 197. ‘(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone’, Paul Revere and the Raiders (1966) The book suggests that the decision to attire themselves in Revolutionary War outfits ultimately cost Paul Revere and the Raiders when it came to their legacy. Still, what it did claim was that Mark Lindsay’s snarl, fuzzy organ and the jabbing guitar noise added up to a potential claim for being an early onset version of punk. The dynamics of the song heading into and out of the chorus are fun, with Lindsay’s lyrically delivery was dripping defiance. 198. ‘Mas que nada’, Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66 (1966) One of those songs that transcends time and borders as it has had success globally. Not the first version of this song, but the most popular. Lani Hall, the vocalist, sang the Portuguese words phonetically so well that people assumed she knew the language – which she didn’t. Swinging, lively, sexy; a top song that has had significant longevity.

In an effort to get up to speed with the other forum where I am posting these, I thought I might as well just post the next lot - apologies for posting so many in such a quick space of time. 193. ‘Sunny Afternoon’, The Kinks (1966) Influenced by: Let’s All Go down the Strand• Clarence Wainwright Murphy (composed 1904) Influence on: Everybody Knows (Except You) • The Divine Comedy (1997) Covered by: Bob Geldof (1992) • Jimmy Buffett (1994) • Stereophonics (1999) A second entry for the Kinks that charts very different waters to ‘You Really Got Me’. Moving away from the rock of the first song to more music-hall stylings. Musically, the jangly nature of the piano evokes creates an oddly relaxing tone, though the lyrics do speak to things more severe than just lazing about. The implication here is to not necessarily follow the status quo and embrace the counterculture instead. What seems like a simple song is a greater whole than the sum of its parts. 194. ‘Paint It Black’, The Rolling Stones (1966) Inspired by: Ulysses • James Joyce (1922) Influence on: Thirteen • Big Star (1972) Covered by: Chris Farlowe (1966) • Eric Burdon & The Animals (1967) • After Hours (1987) • Echo & The Bunnymen (1988) • Deep Purple (1988) • Dominion (1998) • Acid Mothers Temple (2003) Nihilistic, insistent, unnerving; ‘Paint It Black’ feels odd to consider as a single when you compare it to other songs that were being released around this time. However, it is an absolutely cracking song that starts up at a pace and never relents. What brought it together, giving the song that touch of psychedelia, was the sitar playing by Brian Jones, something acknowledge by both the band and the book. It adds a hint of menace to everything, even on top of lyrics that are unremitting in their negativity. 195. ‘Summer in the City’, The Lovin’ Spoonful (1966) A song that I realised I’d never heard the whole of until today. All I’d ever been exposed to was the introductory verse, therefore never getting to the point where things brighten up and the ‘summer in the city’ becomes better evoked by the melody. A catchy ear-worm with the dynamic shift between the two moods making this a more engaging song that it otherwise might have been, especially the use of the keyboard and snare during the verses.

190. ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’, The Thirteenth Floor Elevators (1966) A cracking song that I’ve never heard of before. The Thirteenth Floor Elevators (so named as the 13th letter in the alphabet is ‘m’ and makes the link to marijuana) were a psychedelic rock band who used to hand out LSD to fans at gigs. The first thing that struck was the odd ‘womp’ sound that occasionally appeared; I believe that now to be the sound of the jug player. This is another song that feels like it does a lot over a short period of time as it moves from the paceier opening to a surf rock breakdown section that eases things somewhat. Really fun tune and doesn’t outstay its welcome. 191. ‘Substitute’, The Who (1966) Influenced by: 19th Nervous Breakdown • The Rolling Stones (1966) Influence on: Pretty Vacant • Sex Pistols (1977) Covered by: Sex Pistols (1979) • The Glitter Band (1986) • Ramones (1993) • Blur (1994) • Richard Thompson (2006) • Crosbi (2007) This song took me a moment to remember, though I do feel it is one that I’ve perhaps only heard a few times in my life. Loving the way that Smokey Robinson used the word in ‘Tracks of My Tears’, Pete Townshend named a whole song ‘Substitute’ and it is a fine slice of rock. The prominence of the acoustic guitar and the loudness of the bass in parts adds to a hook-laden set of lyrics, though ‘I look all white but my dad was black’ was cut from the US version for being deemed too controversial. By no means a world beating song, it is an enjoyable addition to the Who’s repertoire at this time and a song that went on to be a live staple. 192. ‘Eight Miles High’, The Byrds (1966) Influenced by: India • John Coltrane (1963) Influence on: Raga rock Covered by: Golden Earring (1969) • Roxy Music (1980) Hüsker Dü (1984) • Ride (1990) • Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians (1996) • Dave Cloud (1999) • Chris Hillman (2005) • The Postmarks (2008) A song that aimed to cover the experiences on an underwhelming tour of the UK (as well as the obvious drug references), the song was banned in the US. The Byrds were a favourite band of the Beatles and the blissed out pop-rock does sound – at points – like the Fab Four put through an American blender. The plucky guitar solos are great, whilst the airy vocal delivery just adds to the drug-fuelled vibe. A very worthwhile listen.

187. ‘Et moi et moi et moi’, Jacques Dutronc (1966) Apparently an example of a song from the French Yé-yé scene, it was a playful mix of the guitar sounds of bands like the Kinks with Gallic sarcasm. This is definitely the French song that has sounded the ‘coolest’ as much as that actually matters, with Dutronc’s playful vocal delivery effective even without knowledge of the lyrics. The bounciness of the whole tune also makes it something that transcends the need to know the words – it is hard not to nod along or tap your feet to the jangly guitar. 188. ‘Stay With Me’, Lorraine Ellison (1966) This is one powerful tune and Ellison’s voice is ridiculously good for it. Filling a gap in a recording schedule due to an illness to Frank Sinatra of all people, Ellison delivered. She was originally a gospel singer, yet the lyrics of this song (and songs in the lead up to this) had seen her move away from the chaste lyrical content of that style of music. Without that, we wouldn’t have this. Ellison pours her heart out for a lover who is walking out of the door. Few songs can match this in terms of pure delivery; Ellison is truly believable as the desperate lady who longs for one more chance to make things work. 189. ‘Al-Atlal’ Oum Kalthoum (1966) This was definitely a song. … …ok, so this is where the music in here does go somewhat beyond my own knowledge, interest, engagement. Impressive and skilful, it just isn’t the type of music I particularly care for. Though that didn’t stop me from enjoying over music from the list thus far, it was a barrier to my enjoyment for this song. It was difficult enough just to find a version of the song, so you’ll have to make do with the live one from 1967.

184. ‘The Sounds of Silence’, Simon and Garfunkel (1965) Influenced by: Masters of War • Bob Dylan (1963) Influence on: Catch the Wind • Donovan (1965) Covered by: The Bachelors (1966) • Bud Shank (1966) • The Ventures (1970) • Edward Woodward (1970) • James Last (1974) • Nevermore (2000) • Shaw-Blades (2007) Written in the aftermath of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the song had an interesting gestation period. Originally released with just a guitar as backing in 1964, the duo broke up due to general lack of interest in their work, or so it seemed. Tom Wilson, a producer, then overdubbed electric guitar, bass and drums without the duo’s permission, yet it turned it into the song that we all enjoy (or at least I do). There is something unsettling about the whole song, from lyrics to harmonies, and it has been used to great effect in a multitude of different films and television shows. A personal favourite from the list so far. 185. ‘My Generation’, The Who (1965) ‘I hope I die before I get old’ is a lyric that pretty much encapsulated the disaffection of the youth at this time, whilst also acting a microcosm for the devil may care attitude espoused by many a rock star. Though the drums, guitars and bass all add up to create a wonderful cacophony of noise, at the core this is a pop song (as mentioned in the book) and it is the hookiness of the vocals that sends this song into orbit. The co-manager told Roger Daltrey to stutter on the line ‘Why don’t you all f-fade away?’, a hint at a potentially stronger phrase that might have been uttered in this chaotic three minutes. Simple things make a big impact. 186. ‘Unchained Melody’, The Righteous Brothers (1965) One of my ex-stepmum’s favourite films was ‘Ghost’, thus this song was imprinted on my memory from a very young age. What is staggering is the number of times and the number of different people who released this song before this version, with 1955 seeing six different interpretations alone (if my maths is correct). This is naturally the most popular version of the tune with Bobby Hatfield’s voice in particular given a chance to shine (he of the higher notes compared to Bill Medley who sung the lower stuff, though Medley also produced the song even though a credit was given to Phil Spector – a convoluted set up indeed). Apparently Spector was angry that the A side of this, a song called ‘Hung On You’, didn’t get more airtime, but it probably isn’t hard to hear why that was the case as the soaring vocals work their dizzying way to the end of this song.

181. ‘I’ve Been Loving You For Too Long (To Stop Now)’, Otis Redding (1965) After Sam Cooke has been shot to death by a motel keeper, Redding took a step away from the bawling style that he had used for most of the early 60s and added a little bit of Cooke’s elegance in a play for the mainstream. It is the earnestness of the vocals here from Redding that mostly stand out, building up, slowing down, reaching a peak of release. Sadly (and not something I was aware of), Redding died in 1967, thus not really having particularly long to enjoy his burst into the public conscious. 182. ‘Stop! In The Name Of Love’, The Supremes (1965) The Supremes had already had three number one by this point, but this was to go on and be the one they are most associated with. It isn’t anything much more than some of the other girl group stuff that has been on the list up until this point, but there was a polish about The Supremes that made it hard not to see why they were heralded in such a manner. Take the version I’ve used – every shimmy and hand gesture beautifully complements a song that is undeniably catchy, whilst the aesthetic appeal of the trio was unarguable. The book talks about them entering the realms of groups who were able to bridge the black/white divide and the package they offered highlights why. 183. ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’, Bob Dylan (1965) Influenced by: Too Much Monkey Business • Chuck Berry (1956) Influence on: We Didn’t Start the Fire • Billy Joel (1989) Covered by: Harry Nilsson (1974) • Red Hot Chili Peppers (1987) • Mountain (2007) One of the most ripped off videos ever (I saw ‘it’ first in INXS ‘Mediate’ off of my Dad’s ‘Kick’ VHS), Dylan gleefully messed around with the concept of ‘Too Much Monkey Business’ by Chuck Berry , threw in some lyrics from other acts he enjoyed and created this beautiful mess. It is a song I genuinely enjoy, though the importance of ‘Bringing It All Back Home’, the album it comes from, is something I can’t really process due to the distance of time. The suggestion made is that it was seismic, somewhat like the Sex Pistols in the following decade. Whether that is true or not, it does leave me with one thought: maybe I really should go back and check out more Dylan.

178. ‘Who Do You Love’, The Preachers (1965) And things get ever noisier. The Preachers didn’t last very long and the lead singer was eventually fired for his over the top vocal style, yet this Bo Diddley cover became a garage rock staple. There is just non-stop noise from the opening all the way through to the shouting that closes out the song. It feels almost punky in nature, though still with enough of a focus on hooks. Very out there for its time and a definite eye (ear?) opener for what was out there alongside your acts like the Beatles and the Stones. 179. ‘The Carnival is Over’, The Seekers (1965) A rare example (so far) of an Australian band turning up on the list. The focus on the book’s entry is that strength of the lead vocals, the harmonising and the strings. I say this primarily because the song did little for me in the grand scheme of things. Yes, Judith Durham has a good voice and the harmony of it all is pleasant enough, but as for its position on a list such as this? I’m not so sure. 180. ‘Psycho’, The Sonics (1965) Tacoma, Washington was the home to five teenagers who called themselves ‘The Sonics’, and it was this distance from some of the glitzier music hubs that meant their rock and roll sound lacked some of the polish that their contemporaries did. Not that that is something to complain about as the rawness and vitality make it a really good song still today. Hooky, yet with a grungy tone throughout, it is just over two minutes of what rock and roll perhaps should have sounded more when the tone set out to match the ideals.

175. ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, The Byrds (1965) I’ve grown to like Bob Dylan a lot more over the years as I’ve become more accustomed to his work, yet I’ve often been of the opinion that he is a better writer than he is a performer. I’ve often felt that the tunes he writes are performed better by other people. However, I do like Dylan’s ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, so this isn’t necessarily the case for this song. That’s not to say that the Byrds version isn’t good – indeed, Dylan himself loved that The Byrds did to his song, turning it into a slightly more upbeat song tonally that he thought you could dance to. For me, I have nothing much more to say about it; it is an enjoyable piece of folky rock that is understated, yet catchy. 176. ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, Bob Dylan Influenced by: Lost Highway • Hank Williams (1949) Influence on: Hey Jude • The Beatles (1968) Covered by: The Turtles (1965) • Cher (1966) • The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1970) • Spirit (1975) • Mick Ronson (1994) • The Rolling Stones (1995) • Nancy Sinatra (1999) • Green Day (2009) Claimed by many to be Dylan’s best song, it is definitely a spiralling epic of a tune when you compare it to what existed around it at this time. It feels like it goes on forever, yet in a positive fashion. Dylan’s sneery and acerbic vocals/lyrics are good, but it is the music that works most for me here. In particular, the electronic organ that offers what is effectively the riff, alongside the harmonica, make this the song it becomes. In terms of its wider importance, it charted highly, breaking the expectations for what could and could not be a single. 177. ‘People Get Ready’, The Impressions (1965) This is another perfect example of a song that was pleasant enough, yet its importance becomes more apparent when the lyrics are explored in more detail or the background story known a bit better. Using the gospel idea of a train journey, The Impressions sang beautifully about black unity and a hope for a better future. The song did little outside of the ordinary to catch my attention, but time, place and person when it was released would have made it something special.

172. ‘Ticket To Ride’, The Beatles (1965) Influenced by: When You Walk in the Room • The Searchers (1964) Influence on: Tomorrow Never Knows • The Beatles (1966) Covered by: The 5th Dimension (1967) • The Carpenters (1969) • The Punkles (1998) The first of perhaps a number of Beatles songs and one that I'm personally a fan of. Whilst it isn’t the best song in their catalogue, it is definitely a step above some of their saccharine pop tunes that don’t age as well as some of the songs they released. The stop/start nature of the drums as well as the melancholy nature of the lyrics made this sound like a sonic departure from what the Beatles had become known for, thus making it almost most interesting just by proxy as much as anything else. What always underpins a Beatles song is the earworm element – it is rare to hear a Beatles song (in my opinion) and not feel like singing along at least a little bit. Ticket to Ride definitely has this element nailed down. 173. ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, The Rolling Stones (1965) Influenced by: Dancing in the Street • Martha & The Vandellas (1964) Influence on: Sunshine of Your Love • Cream (1967) Covered by: Sandie Shaw (1968) • The Troggs (1975) • Devo (1977) • Tom Jones (1996) • Cat Power (2000) • Britney Spears (2000) Never having really considered it before, it feels strange to have this song in such close proximity to the Beatles’ output. For some reason, this just feels more 70s to me, which perhaps is why it stood out amongst the other songs released this year as it felt ahead of the curve. This was another song that came to a singer/songwriter in their sleep as Keith Richards woke up, played the riff and sang the title into a recorder, before falling asleep once more. Divine intervention indeed. The fuzzy, grimey feeling of the guitar from that intro onwards still rocks today, whilst Jagger had the right lip-curling sneer to his vocals to make the band sound that little bit aggressive and dangerous. I’ve never been a huge Rolling Stones fan, but this is undoubtedly a belter of a tune. 174. ‘Tracks of my Tears’, The Miracles (1965) As mentioned in the book, it is perhaps the eloquence of Smokey Robinson’s lyrics that stand out when you dig a little deeper – anyone that can just casually drop the word ‘substitute’ a song is impressive. Robinson’s vocal delivery sells the narrative of the lyrics, whilst horns and drums add a slightly more bombastic tone (apparently more akin to output from Stax than Motown, The Miracles’ actual label). It only reached 16 in the US charts, but enjoyed a resurgence due to covers and its use in some big eighties movies such as Platoon, and I for one am pleased that that was the case.

169. ‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag’, James Brown (1965) Some songs are just the aural equivalent of swag; this is one of them. This is considered the first song of what would be considered ‘funk’, with a harder sound that focused on the downbeat. Horns, guitars and Brown’s iconic vocal stylings (grunts and all). Whilst it still sounds cool today, I can imagine it sounding incredibly vital around the time it was released. A song that just makes you want to move. 170. ‘La boheme’, Charles Aznavour (1965) They do love a French song on this list – not that that is necessarily a bad thing as they have more often than not delivered. Aznavour had done what he could do make it in showbusiness, even taking a job as Edith Piaf’s chauffeur. This is another song about looking back on a past love, with strings and piano to match the melancholy tone. Aznavour is a good singer, yet it is the slightly rough edge that he has which works (something that the book points out) to the benefit of the song. It makes him one of us, easier to empathise with and someone we want to drink with to his lost love. Understated beauty from start to finish. 171. ‘California Dreamin’’, The Mamas and the Papas (1965) Influenced by: Mr. Tambourine Man • The Byrds (1965) Influence on: Sunday Will Never Be the Same • Spanky and Our Gang (1967) Covered by: The Seekers (1966) • Bobby Womack (1968) • The Four Tops (1969) • M.I.A. (1985) • The Beach Boys (1986) Is there a better example of a song that everyone has – at least once – tried to sing along to? Written by John and Michelle Phillips, the latter’s longing for California the spark for the narrative, it mixes folk and pop in an irresistible tune. The harmonising is beautiful from all of the members of the group, whilst the simple musical accompaniment adds a toe-tapping/head nodding melody to the whole thing. Until it was pointed out, I hadn’t really noticed the slight unease throughout the song – a layer that subconsciously added an interesting wrinkle to an otherwise quite straightforward song, perhaps.

166. ‘Sinnerman’, Nina Simone (1965) By far the longest song on the list thus far at about double the length of the leader up until this point, this was a traditional gospel standard that was given new life by Simone. A staple of her live show, this was the first time that it had been committed to an album (Pastel Blues). Simone had been getting further involved in the civil rights movement and this song gave the album a positive, emphatic finish. I’ve never really heard the song past the opening minute or two, so it was a novel experience to get the full ten minutes. Whilst I’m not going to knock the studio version, I can only imagine that this was a stunningly effective means through which to finish a live set, leaving the fans invigorated and revitalised. 167. ‘The Irish Rover’, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (1965) A song that went on to be famously (I guess – it is at least the version I am aware of) covered by the Pogues and the Dubliners, ‘The Irish Rover’ had disputed roots but has been claimed to be 19th century Irish sea shanty. The lyrics tell a story of a boat travelling to New York with a load of bricks, only to end up wrecked on the high seas. Every version of this gets the toes tapping and begs to be sung along to, whilst the humour in the lyrics adds another layer to the whole shebang. I’m higher on this than some might be, but just love it. 168. ‘Needle of Death’, Bert Jansch (1965) I didn’t really know what to expect when you add the interesting title and the fact that I’ve got no idea who Jansch is having never heard of him, let alone his music. What I got was a beautifully poignant song about the death of David Polly, a guitarist who had died due to a heroin and cocaine overdose. This was a Jansch-penned song amongst an album of old standards and is as touching in its delivery as it is lyrically. Simple, folky guitar supports Jansch’s plaintive vocals, with this being perhaps one of the earlier examples to explore the effect of drugs on those in the music industry.

163. ‘Go ‘Way From My Window’, John Jacob Niles (1964) This is something very different. Having got the main two lines from a song sung by a ‘Negro ditch-differ’, Niles left it for just over twenty years before he transposed it to a higher key. This only covers the period thirty five years before this song was recorded as Niles was an old man of 72 in 1964. It’s the transition from traditional folk-style vocals to falsetto and back again that gives this its eerie charm. The song itself is simplistic in nature, but Niles was out there in terms of the sonics of his delivery in a way that makes him an eye opener even now. 164. ‘Amsterdam’, Jacques Brel (1964) Perhaps somewhat of an oddity as a song on the list that was never formerly recorded outside of this live version at L’Olympia. This is all about Brel’s build, the insistent power of his voice telling his story of the sailors that live a life of depravity, yet Brel’s crescendo eventually – and briefly - touches on his feelings over either an unfaithful love, or the whores who give away their love for money. Either way, it is powerful stuff.. This is an arresting live performance even now; irrelevant of your knowledge of the narrative or the lyrics, Brel is brilliant from opening note to nerve jangling finish. 165. ‘La Paloma’, Caterina Valente (1964) A song that is as much about the history of it more so than the performance by Valente. The book claims that this could be the most recorded song in history with a six CD collection of versions of it barely scratching the surface of the 2,000 recordings that are known to exist. The orchestral backing and Valente’s sultry vocals make this an easy listen. The rhythm relies on the Cuban habanera, whilst the earliest known recording of ‘La paloma’ as an instrumental goes as far back as 1883. A piece of musical history if nothing else.

160. ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’, The Righteous Brothers (1964) Influenced by: Baby I Need Your Loving • The Four Tops (1964) Influence on: The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore • The Walker Brothers (1965) Covered by: Isaac Hayes (1970) • Tom Jones (1970) • Erasure (2003) This has been (and will continue to be) a learning experience for me, and one of the things I learnt with this batch is that this is a Phil Spector song (not that I’d thought much about it, truth be told). In some ways, it should be obvious – the singing, the instrumental and the backing vocals build to create a wall of sound that feels really cutting edge. This was forty-five seconds longer than the length of the usual radio song, so the label lied to stations in order to make sure it got airplay. Not that I believe they would have been overly concerned; this is another slice of pop that perhaps unarguably goes down as a truly great song. From the production to the execution, nary a step is taken in the wrong direction. 161. ‘You Really Got Me Going’, The Kinks (1964) Influenced by: Louie Louie • The Kingsmen (1963) Influence on: I Can’t Explain • The Who (1965) Covered by: Robert Palmer (1978) • Van Halen (1978) • The 13th Floor Elevators (1978) • Sly and The Family Stone (1983) • Iggy Pop (1995) • Small Faces (1996) • The Patron Saints (2005) Up until this point, we’ve seen a lot of what I effectively feel is ‘rock and roll’. With ‘Louie Louie’ and songs like this, it feels like the transition to songs that are more out and out ‘rock’ has begun. Under pressure to have a hit after tanking with their first two singles, the Kinks hit it out of the park with this song. Between the distorted guitar, incessant percussion and increasingly loud and aggressive vocals, a blueprint had formed. Unlike some rock songs from in and around the next decade, I feel this still stands up to this day and doesn’t feel particularly dated, even though it does have moments that feel of its time. 162. ‘The House of the Rising Sun’, The Animals (1964) Influenced by: Honey Hush • Big Joe Turner (1953) Influence on: Delta Lady • Joe Cocker (1969) Covered by: The Supremes (1964) • Frijid Pink (1969) • Tim Hardin (1969) • Santa Esmeralda (1977) • Tracy Chapman (1990) • Sinéad O’Connor (1994) • The Walkabouts (1996) • Muse (2002) Recorded in fifteen minutes, this was a rare example of a UK band (…I was not aware of this) sending a traditional American song back over the ocean. Eric Burdon’s vocals here are king for me, as his wailing and growling makes this a more striking song than it otherwise might have been. That’s not to say the instrumentals are bad, just that it takes what could have been a good song and makes it a great song. My only real gripe is that they unleashed a song that was destined to be played at every school talent show ad nauseum, so fuck them for that. Probably the best trio of songs in my opinion, though that probably speaks more to my own growing awareness of the songs by this point on the list.

157. ‘A Change is Gonna Come’, Sam Cooke (1964) At least the second song that came to its writer in a dream, the book suggests three reasons for Cooke’s earnest song about his desire for change – talking with student demonstrators; seeing Bob Dylan and realising that he could write songs with a significant message; being turned away from a segregated Holiday Inn. Cooke’s vocals ring true from beginning to end, whilst the lyrical content is central to the significance of this song. In a time when race relations were not always at their best (perhaps an understatement), Cooke believed there was a chance for change in the near future. A song of hope that is sadly still relevant today. 158. ‘Dancing In The Street’, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (1964) Released shortly in the same month as race riots in Harlem and Rochester, there was a suggestion that this was a veiled attempt to get black people out into the streets and protesting/rioting. This was always denied by Reeves in particular and it does just sound like a song that explores the excitement of a good song. Motown was arguably at its creative peak and this is one of its real legacies. This is no ‘Be My Baby’, but is a step above other all girl songs on the list such as ‘Leader of the Pack’. 159. ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself’, Dusty Springfield (1964) Whilst many black artists were bridging cultural divides and bringing ‘black’ music to the masses, there were fewer examples of white artists recording in genres stereotypically considered for black audiences. All these generalities are a little bit of a tortured way to say that Springfield was a rare example of a successful white singer doing what was effectively a take on soul music, with a touch of the ballad and pop genre never too far away. I’ve loved covers of this song without ever hearing this version – itself a cover – and was blown away by Springfield’s dynamic vocals. Soft and sultry to loud and passionate, this Burt Bacharach-penned song (the first of many pairings between the two) was perfect for her voice.

154. ‘Don’t Gimme No Lip Child’, Dave Berry (1964) Following on from ‘Walk On By’, this is another song that started life as a B side, though this time the original single is probably a smidge more popular – ‘The Crying Game’. Still, with a saccharine take on a ballad on one side, this more raucous rock-and-blues song stood out even more so for fans of Berry. There’s a nastiness to the lyrics and the overall demeanour of the delivery (The Sex Pistols famously covered this song, perhaps drawn to the overall atmosphere), whilst Jimmy Page was a notable session guitarist who contributed to the frenetic sound. You can see how songs like this paved the way for what would eventually become punk in the 70s. 155. ‘E Se Domani’, Mina (1964) A song that was originally written for Fausto Cigliano and Gene Pittney for the Sanremo Music Festival, Mina eventually recorded the best known version of the song. She had such success with it that it became the B side to two singles. The lyrics tell a story of a lover who tries to put into words what a life without her partner would be like and are well known. The build toward Mina’s higher and more passionate notes towards the end is effective, though I miss the real significance of the song as it feels very much ‘wrong time, wrong place’ for me to fully comprehend its success. 156. ‘The Girl From Ipanema’, João Gilberto and Stan Getz (1964) It feels a little bit churlish not to include Astrud Gilberto in the title for this one as she is the vocalist that to me has always been the thing that stands out about this song. She isn’t even a particularly ‘good’ singer, but her straight delivery of the English lyrics (translated from the original Portuguese) is part of the charm. Coupled with Getz doing wonderful music on the saxophone, there is something undoubtedly cool about this song even today, so I can only imagine the response to it over forty five years ago.

151. ‘Les copains d’abord’, George Brassens (1964) There has been mention in the book a few times of the French ‘chanson’, something that I’ve never heard of before and don’t really know what it necessarily means. Brassens is considered one of the greatest exponents of this style, though his lyrics being such a fundamental part of his act means that it is apparently difficult to really ‘get’ him unless you understand French. This is a pleasant little ditty even without that extra layer of meaning, though I really can’t vouch for its importance on a list like this. 152. ‘Samba malato’, Nicomedes Santa Cruz (1964) Another song that finds me completely out of my depth. This is a pretty cool song though that saw Cruz attempting to bring to prominence the songs he had heard from his mum and grandmother. Afro-Peruvian was almost extinct up until Cruz decided to take it, reconstruct and reproduce for a new audience. The call and response, use of Peruvian drums and heavy percussion are all common features of the style and they come together to create a song that is enjoyable even without the knowledge of the context. 153. ‘Walk On By’, Dionne Warwick (1964) A Burt Bacharach tune that originally sat as a B side to a song that Warwick and team had expected to be the hit. Warwick’s sadness within her vocals sells the narrative of the song beautifully, whilst this was apparently the first time Bacharach had tried to use two grand pianos on record in a studio. That’s odd inasmuch as the arrangement feels very simple at points, allowing Warwick to be the star, though the piano does accompany the chorus in a fashion that makes it all the more memorable.

148. ‘Surfin’ Bird’, The Trashmen (1963) A song that somewhat feels like a novelty, whilst also feeling a little bit on the timeless side as it doesn’t easily fit into the style of music from this time period. Created by the Trashmen messing around live with two songs (‘The Bird is the Word’ and ‘Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow’), they were convinced to record it as a single. There is a vibrancy and an energy that makes this likeable, if unlikely to be a song that people would return to on a regular basis. 149. ‘Sapore di sale’, Gina Paoli (1963) Written during a time when Paoli was having an extra-marital affair that eventually led to him trying to kill himself the same year, this is a bittersweet song that perhaps hints at some of his losses and regrets, though the tone is more often than not one that feels sweet in nature. Translated as ‘Taste of Salt’, most of the song focuses on the enjoyment of love and lazy days on the beach. However, it also offers up a sense of the bitterness that comes with loss. A pleasant song that soars in parts, but doesn’t particularly impress beyond an interesting backstory. 150. ‘The Leader of the Pack’, The Shangri-Las (1964) Another song that has a lot of interesting tales around the recording, primarily focusing on label honchos rejecting it and illicit recording sessions. Mainly they have been debunked, though the tale of a teenage romance that ends up with the titular biker ending up crashing his motorbike and dying in the last verse. More conversational than a lot of songs up until this point and with suitably sad lead vocals, this still feels like it lacks something to push it beyond just being good - not that that is a bad thing necessarily.

145. ‘In Dreams’, Roy Orbison (1963) Influenced by: Surrender • Elvis Presley (1961) Influence on: Wicked Game • Chris Isaak (1989) Covered by: Tom Jones (1971) • Chris de Burgh (1995) • John Terra (1999) • Jan Keizer (2001) • Big Fat Snake with TCB Band & Sweet Inspirations (2003) Orbison is an interesting singer for me inasmuch as I am a huge fan of how his voice sounds, yet I haven’t actually heard a lot of his songs. Naturally, ‘In Dreams’ is in the list of songs I have heard and it is a masterful slice of music, moving all over the place and eschewing standard pop structure over the course of a short three minute run time. Orbison’s range is on full show on a song that he claimed came to him literally in a dream – it went on to be his signature song for the rest of his career. 146. ‘Sally Go ‘Round The Roses’, The Jaynetts There is a creepiness about this song that elevates it above the normal pop song. A particular favourite of Andy Warhol, the warning given by the Jaynetts to the titular Sally is never entirely explained, giving things an eerie tone alongside its generally catchy melody and strong vocal performances. To me, the best pop often has that foreboding sense, a depth behind the saccharine style that suggests that things might not quite be as they seem. This hits it out of the park. 147. ‘Be My Baby’, The Ronettes (1963) Are there any better slices of pop than this? Everything works here – the intro, the drums, the castanets, the harmonising and Ronnie Spector’s main vocals over the top. The book talks about this forcing Brian Wilson to stop driving when it was played over the radio, such a transcendent piece of music it was as far as he was concerned. It is hard to argue, especially when compared the music around it. It jumps out of the speakers even today, fully formed and ready to wow.