1960
Here we are in a new decade that will make a huge dent in 20th-century culture. This decade will change the world from the black and white 1950s into technicolor with tragedy, freedom, generation gaps, and thoughts of change that are still felt…both good and bad. Music is filled with safe artists…not many edgy artists like Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Even Elvis was safe now and he became Cliff Richard a movie star. Rock and Roll had temporarily lost its bite. There was still some great music as we see below.
Let’s start off with those sweet harmonies by the Everly Brothers. Cathy’s Clown which was huge this year. It was written by Don Everly.
Ok, let’s get a driving voice in this look at 1960. Here is the one and only Wanda Jackson with Let’s Have A Party. It was written by Jessie Mae Robinson.
Instrumentals were huge through the 1950s and 60s. They gradually wound down through the decades. I’ve always liked instrumentals because it’s not as easy as writing songs with lyrics. It’s almost like a silent movie…you try to get the point across without words… just painting with music. Here is one of the best-known instrumental bands ever…The Ventures with Walk Don’t Run. They also released a version four years later but we will go with the 1960 version. It was written by Johnny Smith. He was a jazz guitarist who wrote this back in 1954. This guitar sound lent itself to beach music that was just around the corner in becoming popular.
Roy Orbison and Joe Melson wrote Only the Lonely, which they tried to sell to Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers. Both of them turned him down so Orbison did the song himself thank goodness. His voice was truly unique and one of a kind. Here is Roy singing Only The Lonely.
The Shirelles released this song in November of 1960. The song is beautiful and it was written by the husband and wife duo of Gerry Goffin and Carole King.
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Great choices, as usual. The video for “Walk, Don’t Run” showed another influential song of that year – Chubby Checker’s “The Twist”…not to mention it reminded me of my brother working on cars in the driveway while my sister twirled her baton in the backyard. Other unforgettable songs from that year: “El Paso” by Marty Robbins, which had a second life via the Grateful Dead’s cover (and, to tell its story, is much longer than the average single), “Stay” by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs (covered by Jackson Brown), “Finger Poppin’ Time” by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, “Chain Gang” by Sam Cooke, “Volare” (a smaller hit for Domenico Modugno in 1958, a big hit for Bobby Rydell in 1960), and “Money” by Barret Strong (the first Tamla/Motown hit, which the Beatles would cover in 1963). But it’s your list…
I replaced Money with Otis Redding…it was on my list along with The Twist….I wanted to get Wanda Jackson in there although she didn’t score a huge hit. Thanks for reading…the ones you mentioned very well could have been on there.
These are all great songs to be sure, but that Wanda Jackson cut just hits different.
That’s why I included it. To have some more drive although not a big hit.
Wanda Jackson, “I never kissed a bear, I never kissed a goon, but I can shake a chicken in the middle of the room”, now that has to get you rocking.
That is rock poetry
Shakes-a-beer at his most erudite?
That is a good definition…
I like these choices a lot. As you point out a year when Rock and Roll was not what it was just a year before. Wanda was keeping the faith!
I had to include that one… she was a throwback.. back then
Cathy’s Clown and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow are on my all-time greatest songs list.
They are two classic songs and yes I agree… they are up on mine also Liam.
some good picks, especially ‘Only the Lonely’
That song gives me the chills… his voice was just great. I’ve read where if Roy would have looked like a pinup he would have challenged Elvis… he is hard to copy
The older I get, the more I love Roy Orbison. What a voice.
You have Elvis impersonators but rarely do you see someone copy him… that voice is one in a million. Thanks for reading John.
I just read that Roy Orbison and Enrico Caruso “were the only 20th century tenors capable of hitting E over high C”. I guess there’s a good reason there are no impersonators – no one can match his range.
I didn’t know that… thank you. His son tries and doesn’t succeed but it’s a losing battle..
My favorites? Wanda Jackson and The Ventures! They’re all good, though…
Man, whenever I see a post on Roy it takes me back to ’88 when he was on the bounce back with the Wilbury’s and passed away as soon as the album took off….
I know it was so sad. They dude had a tragic life…he lost a wife and I think a kid in a fire in the sixties also.
The look is an singular of 1960 as the sound!
It’s as if music was standing (marching?) in place for a few years. Many sounds were tried out but, as you said, all very safe. Nothing to rock the boat, no Elvis sneer, now it was cheery faced half-assed Elvis wannabes like spruced up clean cut Cliff. The Teen Idolatry production line was just cranking up, Gawd save us from the cookie-cutter Fabians, Frankies and Bobbies.
Roy’s ‘Only The Lonely’ cuts through the turgidity though- that song is timeless.
Obbverse that is why I threw in the non hit Wanda Jackson song to rough it up a little.
The next year and 62 is where I had a hard time finding songs that had any edge.
I think the record companies wanted it to be sanitized.
In the terms of the times ‘Squaresville Man.’
That is a superb representation of 1960. I love Walk Don’t Run.
Yea me also… when I was beginning guitar I figured it out… made me feel like a pro.
Oh wow, I bet that one is a lot of fun to play. And I bet people love hearing it performed.
All great selections Max, and three are in my top 10 for the year. For what it’s worth, here’s my entire personal top 10 of 1960:
1. Theme from “A Summer Place” – Percy Faith (far and away my favorite of the year, and one of my favorite songs of all time)
2. Are You Lonesome Tonight? – Elvis Presley
3. Save the Last Dance For Me – Drifters
4. El Paso – Marty Robbins
5. Cathy’s Clown – Everly Brothers
6. Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles
7. New Orleans – Gary U.S. Bonds
8. It’s Now Or Never – Elvis
9. Walk, Don’t Run – The Ventures
10. Only the Lonely – Roy Orbison
The Shirelles’ “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” is in my top 10 for 1961.
Nice list, ‘New Orleans’ is the rocker in there.
Thanks!
All great picks, Max. I think the first two might be my favorites of the bunch. The harmony singing by the Everly Brothers was just amazing. I also love that Wanda Jackson tune – that song is just rockin’ and, man, what a voice!
She is special… I think she just retired recently
Another great year! I LOVE that Orbison tune!!
Thanks Keith…sorry I’m late…I’m in Atlanta on business.
I think you’re selling 1960 a bit short… Any year with ‘Cathy’s Clown’, ‘Only the Lonely’ and ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ isn’t half bad. By 1962 though, sure, things had definitely gone a bit flat.
It is good…but my choices were not huge…I guess what I meant was dangerous rock and roll…it had largely vanished
What? No “Theme From A Summer Place?”
I think I’ll sit down and be quiet now…