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1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
1965 1966
1967 1968
1969 1970
1971 1972
1973 1974
MIKE SMITH’S HOT HUNDRED UK HITS 1965 During 1965 the existing North Sea "pirate" radio stations became established, and new ones began broadcasting around the coast of the UK from the south of England to Scotland. This enabled pop music fans to listen to the latest hits all day long. Some hits during the time they were active are attributed to heavy radio play on these stations. However, it didn't always work, and some well-played recordings failed to enter the UK charts. The dominance of the British Merseybeat groups, with the exception of the Beatles, was falling away in 1965. This allowed the return to the UK charts of American artists and groups, particularly Bob Dylan, The Byrds and Sonny & Cher. The latter two acts both had number ones in the UK, whilst the legendary Bob Dylan achieved four Top 10 hits during this year. There were hits too for American Soul singers Wilson Pickett and Fontella Bass, and several others. America also provided two male vocal groups, The Righteous Brothers and The Walker Brothers, but none were related. The Motown sound was slowly gaining ground, but only the Supremes from that record label were enjoying regular hits. However, a band from Australia, The Seekers, had considerable success in 1965 which continued for a couple of years. From the UK, the Beatles, carried on making chart-topping hits. Cliff Richard began to struggle in the charts, missing out on Top 10 status for two hits in 1965 for the first time since the summer of 1959. Nevertheless, he did have a number one and a number two in this year, so things were not too bad. The Hollies, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Manfred Mann and the Animals all enjoyed several hits in the UK charts. These are my personal favourite recordings from this particular year, listed in the order in which they entered the UK hit singles chart. You may not agree with my choices, but these were UK chart hits that had plenty of air play on the music radio stations of the day, such as Radio Luxemburg, Radio Caroline and Radio London ("Big L"). |
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1 Title: Go Now The Moody Blues
were an English rock band formed in Birmingham, England in 1964.
The five piece comprised Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Denny Laine,
Graham Edge and Clint Warwick. Laine and Warwick left in 1966
and were replaced by John Lodge and Justin Hayward. They
secured a contract with Decca Records in early 1964, and their
second release, "Go Now" rose to Number One, and set them
on the road to stardom. They became primarily an album band,
although they did have a Top 10 hit in each of the years 1967 and
1970. On the album chart, however, they enjoyed eight Top 10
albums, three of which reached Number One, from 1968 to 1981.
They continued to record and make concert tours in both the UK
and USA, the most recent in 2015 with Edge,
Lodge and Hayward still in the band. However, Graham Edge
retired in 2018 and the band ceased. Edge died from cancer in
November 2021 at the age of 80, and Mike Pinder, who left the band
in 1978, died on 24 Apr 2024. |
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2 Title: Yeh!
Yeh! Georgie Fame was
born on 26 Jun 1943 in Lancashire, UK. He is a keyboard player
and vocalist, mainly in the R&B genre of music. He went to
London at just 16 and was able to get a contract with impresario
Larry Parnes, who put him on tour with Marty Wilde, Joe Brown and
others, playing in the backing band. He then played piano in Billy
Fury's backing band which was called The Blue Flames. They were
sacked by Fury in 1961, so Fame took the lead and the band toured
the UK as Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames. They played mostly
American R&B material and became big enough to get a recording
contract with EMI. His first successful recording was "Yeh!
Yeh!", and this was followed by a series of hits through to
1971. He continued performing, but also played organ on all
Van Morrison albums from 1989 to 1997. His two sons now play
with him on concert tours, and he most recently toured in 2017. |
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3 Title: Ferry
Cross The Mersey Gerry & The
Pacemakers were the second group of Merseybeat acts from Liverpool
(after the Beatles) to break into the big time, although they were
the first to reach number one in the UK charts. They were led
by Gerry Marsden (24 Sep 1942 – 3 Jan 2021, born in Liverpool,
England). The four Pacemakers included Gerry's brother Freddie
(1940 - 2006) who played the drums. The group had been
performing around Liverpool for some time, and were the second act
spotted and signed by manager Brian Epstein. He arranged a
record deal with EMI records, and Beatles producer, George Martin
also produced the recordings for Gerry & The Pacemakers.
They went on to enjoy enormous success in the UK and were the first
act to see their first three record releases reach number one.
That feat was not equaled until the 1980s when the band Frankie Goes
To Hollywood (also from Liverpool) did the same thing. Gerry
& The Pacemakers went on to have a total of nine hit singles,
six of which made the Top 10, including those chart toppers.
Like most other British hit-makers at the time, they also enjoyed
much success in the USA. However, their last hit came in late
1965, and by then their popularity was rapidly declining on both
sides of the Atlantic. They disbanded in October 1966.
However, in 1974, Gerry reformed the band, and they continued to
perform at home and abroad in sixties nostalgia shows until 2018. |
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4 Title: Baby
Please Don't Go Them was an
R&B band formed in Northern Ireland in 1964 by the now legendary singer
and musician, Van Morrison. Van Morrison (born 31 Aug 1945 in
Belfast, Northern Ireland) remained with the group for only two
years. He left in 1966 to forge a solo career. During
those two years the band had two UK hits, both of which reached the
Top 10, coming in January and March 1965. They also had some
success in the USA, and toured there as well. After Morrison's
departure the group recruited new members and pressed on with
recording and performing but without success in the charts, and they
disbanded in 1972. |
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5 Title: I'll
Never Find Another You The Seekers was an Australian
Folk-influenced
group, formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1962. The four-piece
band comprised female lead singer Judith Durham (3 Jul 1943 - 5 Aug
2022), Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley.
They performed and recorded in Australia before going to the UK in
1964. There they were given the chance to perform on a few TV
variety shows where they met Tom Springfield. He offered them
the song "I'll Never Find Another You", which they
recorded in late 1964 and saw it rise to Number One in the UK and
Australia, and number four in the USA. This was followed by seven
Top 20 hits, including the UK Number One "The Carnival Is
Over" (in October 1965), through to 1967. They also
toured in the UK and Australia. In the summer of 1968, Judith
Durham announced that she was leaving for a solo career, and the
group disbanded. In 1992 the members of the group met up for
the first time in 20 years and decided to perform a reunion concert
tour during 1993. They also performed a fiftieth anniversary
tour of Australia and
the UK in 2013/14. |
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6 Title: Keep
Searchin' Del Shannon (30 Dec 1934 - 8 Feb 1990) was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan,
USA. After army service in the mid-1950s he joined a band which played in local venues. The lead
singer was sacked in 1958 and Shannon took over vocal duties. A record contract followed, and in early 1961
Shannon recorded "Runaway" which was a chart topper on both sides of the Atlantic. Shannon went on to
have seven Top 10 hits in the UK by 1963, and after some smaller chart entries, he had one final Top 10 hit in
1965. His hits tailed off after that, so he moved into music production with Liberty Records. He made
a few albums in the 1970s and 1980s but sales figures were poor. Suffering from depression, Shannon
committed suicide on 8th February 1990. |
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7 Title: You've
Lost That Lovin' Feelin' The Righteous
Brothers were Bill Medley (born 19 Sep 1940) and Bobby Hatfield (10
Aug 1940 - 5 Nov 2003). Based in Los Angeles, they had been in
different groups originally, but were in the same group from
1962. They began performing as a duo in 1963, and recorded
singles and albums for a local company, resulting in a couple of
small hits. In 1964 they were seen by producer Phil Spector
who had created his "wall of sound" production technique
for the groups the Crystals, the Ronettes and others. Spector
signed them up and asked
Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil to
provide a song. The song was "You've Lost That Lovin'
Feelin'". It was released in early 1965 and raced to the
number one spot in both the UK and USA. In the UK, this
recording was followed by two more hits produced by Spector,
although the higher was their follow-up, "Unchained
Melody", which peaked at number 14. However, "You've
Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" was re-issued in 1969 when it
returned to the Top 10. They split with Spector in 1966,
signed with Verve records, and had another couple of hits, including
the Spector-sounding "You're My Soul And
Inspiration". That was a number one in the USA and number
15 in the UK in spring 1966. The duo split in 1968 and they pursued their own
careers. They reunited in 1974 and enjoyed another
American-only Top 10 hit. They split again in 1976, but came
back together in 1981 and performed on and off for several years
after. Bobby Hatfield died in 2003. Medley continued as
a solo artist again, but in 2016 reformed the Righteous Brothers
with singer Bucky Heard. |
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8 Title: Come
Tomorrow This group had the same name as the founder and leader of the
band. Manfred Mann was born on 21 October 1940 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He studied music at University
in South Africa, and worked as a jazz pianist at a number of clubs in Johannesburg from 1959 to 1960. In 1961 he moved
to the UK and began work as a music journalist, as well as helping form a jazz band, in which he played keyboards.
This evolved into the pop music five-piece which was named after Mann. In 1964 the group was asked to provide
a new theme tune for the TV pop music programme "Ready Steady Go". This resulted in the
song "5-4-3-2-1" which, with the help of the weekly television exposure, rose to number five in the UK
charts. From 1964 to 1969 they enjoyed 17 hits, 13 of which were Top 10 entries, which included three number
ones. The lead singer from 1964 to mid-1966 was Paul Jones, and from mid-1966 to 1969, the lead vocals were
taken over by Mike d'Abo. Despite such a dramatic change, their success continued unabated with more
Top 10s and another chart-topper. Mann decided to disband the group in 1969, so that he could move on to
other projects. He had hits in the 1970s with a group named Manfred Mann's Earth Band. |
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9 Title: Tired
Of Waiting For You The Kinks were a
four-piece band formed in north London, England by the brothers Ray and Dave
Davies. Ray Davies, born 21 June 1944, and Dave Davies, born 3
Feb 1947 were joined by Mick Avory on drums and Pete Quaife on bass
to complete the original lineup. Ray had been at art school in
the early sixties and had played guitar with different R&B bands
in London. He joined the Ravens in 1962 which included his
brother Dave on lead guitar and drummer Avory. They signed a
contract with Pye Records, but changed their name to the Kinks with
encouragement from their management. Their first two releases
failed to chart, but their third single, "You Really Got
Me" (1964, song 67), zoomed all the way to number
one in the UK and was a Top 10 hit in the USA. They went on to
enjoy twelve further Top 10 hits in the UK by 1970, including
another number one in 1965 - all written by Ray Davies. The
band continued recording and performing on and off over the
following years, albeit with some personnel changes, but finally
broke up in 1996. The Davies brothers have recorded solo
albums, and some past members have regrouped for live performances
as the Kast Off Kinks, until the present time. |
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10 Title: Come
See About Me The Supremes
were the first Tamla Motown group to find lasting success in the
charts both in the UK and America. They epitomised the Motown
sound, and became one of the label's biggest acts. The vocal
trio comprised Diana Ross (lead singer, born 26 Mar 1944), Florence
Ballard (30 Jun 1943 - 22 Feb 1976) and Mary Wilson (6 Mar 1944 - 8
Feb 2021). They all came from the Detroit, USA area, where Motown
records was based. They began by providing back up to other
performers, but quickly gained a recording contract. Six
single releases between 1961 and 1963 failed to make the charts
anywhere, but in 1964 they recorded "Where Did Our Love
Go" (1964, song 75). The recording went to number one in the USA and
number three in Britain. They became so successful that their
first six releases in the USA went to number one, and they ended up
with eleven chart-toppers there by 1969. In the UK they only
had one number one, "Baby Love" (1964, song 89), but amassed 18
hits by the end of the 1960s, seven of which reached the Top
10. However, by 1967, Florence Ballard had developed a drink
problem, and she arrived for recordings and live shows too drunk to
perform on some occasions. In that year she was replaced by Cindy Birdsong.
Things continued with this new set up until 1970 when Diana Ross
left to pursue a solo career. She was replaced by Jean Terrell.
This version of the trio did enjoy some success, with five of their
recordings hitting the UK Top 10 from 1970 to 1972. With some
more personnel changes, the trio continued recording, after 1972,
but with little chart success. They remained a popular live act,
however, continuing to 1977, when they performed their farewell
concert (in London), and then disbanded. |
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11 Title: Yes
I Will The Hollies was
a beat group from Manchester, England.
It was formed by Allan Clarke and Graham Nash in 1962, and by early summer 1963 they had their first hit.
In the autumn of that year they made their debut in the Top 10 with a recording of a former American chart topper,
"Stay". This started a run of fifteen Top 10 hits by the end of the 1960s, and they continued successfully
into the 1970s as well. At the time of this hit, the other three members were Eric
Haydock, Tony Hicks, and Bobby Elliott. They became one of the most successful bands of the 1960s, although
they only reached the top of the UK charts once in that decade. They finally broke into the USA charts in 1966,
and enjoyed six Top 10 hits there. Some squabbles with their management led to the departure of bass guitarist
Eric Haydock in 1966. Two years later, founding member Graham Nash left the group following the band's
rejection of Nash's song "Marrakesh Express". Clark and the others wanted to continue recording
mainstream pop material, so Nash decamped to California where he teamed up with guitarist Stephen Stills (formerly with
Buffalo Springfield), and David Crosby
(ex-Byrds singer & guitarist) to form one of the first
super groups, Crosby, Stills & Nash, which released "Marrakesh Express" as its debut single.
In 1971, Alan Clarke also left to pursue a solo career, but he returned in 1973 when the band was enjoying success
in the USA. With some changes of personnel, the group continued to perform through to the 1990s, mostly in the
guise of a sixties revival group. Clarke finally retired in 2000, but the Hollies still perform on the
nostalgia circuit. |
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12 Title: Game
Of Love Wayne Fontana
(28 Oct 1945 - 6 Aug 2020) was born in Manchester, England.
Fontana had begun his music career in 1961 with a band called The
Jets, but that did not develop. With an ad hoc group of
musicians, Fontana performed at the Oasis club in Manchester in
1963, and was promptly offered a contract with Fontana Records,
which was just a coincidence. The band was given the name the
Mindbenders, and off they all went to London. Their first two
recordings only just grazed the Top 50, but their third release gave
them their first Top 10 entry in the charts, a cover of the American
hit "Um Um Um Um Um Um". This was followed by
another Top 10 in early 1965, but the hits fell away after
that. Fontana was somewhat unpredictable, and had walked off
stage to leave the band to finish the set on more than one
occasion. The last time this happened, in October 1965, it was
the end of the partnership. However, Fontana continued as a
solo act and made some medium-sized hits during 1966, including the
number eleven hit "Pamela Pamela" late in that year.
Meanwhile the Mindbenders continued as well, and they enjoyed a
number two hit in early 1966, followed by three lesser
releases. Fontana continued to perform occasionally up
to the 2000s, but he died from cancer at the age of 74 in 2020. |
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13 Title: Funny
How Love Can Be The Ivy League was a pop trio of session singers, comprising John Carter, Ken Lewis and Perry Ford. They formed this group in 1964 and arranged a contract with Pye Records' Piccadilly label. Their first hit, "Funny How Love Can Be", was written by two members of the band. They enjoyed another Top 10 hit in the summer of 1965, plus two other minor hits into 1966. Carter and Lewis left the group in 1966 and 1967 respectively, and were replaced by Tony Burrows and Neil Landon. More recordings were made, both singles and albums, but none had success in the charts. Carter and Lewis next recorded as The Flowerpot Men, and had the number four hit "Let's Go To San Francisco" in the summer of 1967. With Carter and Lewis declining to make live appearances, Burrows and Landon left the Ivy League to front a touring version of the Flowerpot Men. Tony Burrows ended up fronting several groups in the late 1960s. Carter and Lewis went into production and management, but the Ivy League, with new members continued performing, and is still active. |
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14 Title: Don't
Let Me Be Misunderstood The Animals were
a five-piece band from Newcastle, England. Their style was
Blues/R&B, and they, together with groups like the Rolling
Stones, revived old American Folk and Blues songs, and often
reintroduced them to the American record-buying public. The
Animals were formed in 1962 and comprised Eric Burdon (born 11 May
1941)(vocals), Alan Price (keyboards), Chas Chandler (bass), Hilton Valentine (guitar),
and John Steel (drums). They moved to London, and signed with
EMI's Columbia label and producer Mickie Most. They were
quickly assimilated into the British Beat music boom and became part
of the so-called British Invasion of the USA during the second half
of 1964. Their first release was a modest success, but their
follow-up, "The House Of The Rising Sun" was regarded as
adventurous, as is was a slow American Folk song running for four
and a half minutes. Despite the length of the recording, and
being totally different to the toe-tapping Merseybeat records, it
went all the way to number one in both the UK and the USA.
However, even by 1965, things were changing. Alan Price
decided to leave and form his own successful group. The
remainder of the band were getting unhappy with Mickie Most's choice
of songs, so left EMI and signed with MGM in the USA and Decca in
the UK, and re-titled themselves Eric Burdon & The Animals, in
1966. However, Burdon then started recording solo, and the
group disbanded that year. Burdon put together a new band,
still called Eric Burdon & The Animals, and they went on to have
success in the USA, but the only Top 10 hit in the UK, "San
Franciscan Nights", came in 1967. Various line-ups have
reunited over the decades for concerts and tours - the most recent
in 2008. In 2016 Burdon formed another Animals band. As
The Animals, they had six Top 10 hits plus the number one between
1964 and 1966 in the UK. As Eric Burdon & The Animals they
had six hits, one of which made the Top 10, in the UK between 1966
and 1969. |
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15 Title: It's
Not Unusual Tom Jones was born on 7 Jun 1940 in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales. For over six decades he has been an international star with TV series in the UK and USA, and seasons in Las Vegas. In his seventies he continues to perform and act as a judge on a TV talent contest. He began singing with a group called Tommy Scott & the Senators in the early 1960s. They performed in local venues and even made a couple of records. Then in 1964 Jones was spotted by artist manager Gordon Mills. He took Jones to London and arranged a contract with Decca Records. Jones' first hit, "It's Not Unusual", started a life-long career in showbiz. In 1966 he recorded the theme to the James Bond film "Thunderball", and had his second number one "Green Green Grass Of Home". 1967 saw him jet off for his first of many seasons in Las Vegas. The big hits continued through the 1960s, but chart entries were thinner after that. Nevertheless he remained immensely popular on both sides of the Atlantic, and in 1999 he released an album of duets, "Reload", which went to number one in the UK album chart. Several singles were released from the album, including "Sex Bomb" which peaked at number three on the singles chart in May 2000 when he was almost 60 years old. He continues to perform on TV, issue albums, and since 2012 has been a judge/coach on the UK version of the talent show "The Voice". |
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16 Title: I
Must Be Seeing Things Gene Pitney (17 Feb 1940 - 5 Apr 2006) was born in Hartford,
Connecticut, USA. He formed a band whilst at high school and learned to play several instruments. He had
a couple of small hits in 1961 and 1962, and had written hits for other performers, such as Bobby
Vee, but it was in 1963 that his career took off in the UK. Pitney went on to considerable success,
especially in the UK where he achieved ten Top 10 hits by the end of the 1960s. By contrast, he only had four
Top 10 hits in his American homeland. His popularity continued through the following decades and he toured
extensively. He never reached number one until his 1967 recording of "Something's Gotten Hold Of My
Heart" was re-recorded as a duet with British singer Marc Almond, and the result topped the UK charts in 1989.
He was on a tour of the UK in 2006, when he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. His death was deemed
to be due to a heart attack. |
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17 Title: Come
And Stay With Me Marianne
Faithfull was born on 29 Dec 1946 in Hampstead, north London,
England. She had started singing Folk music in coffeehouses in
early 1964, and got herself into the London music scene, where she
met Andrew Loog Oldham who was the manager of the Rolling
Stones. He saw her potential, and signed her up, including a
recording contract with Decca. Oldham had been encouraging
Jagger and Richards to start writing their own material. They
wrote Marianne's debut hit, "As Tears Go By" in August
1964, which
began a run of four Top 10 hits for her. However, her career as a hit
record artist barely lasted one year. Her final Top 10 hit
came in July 1965, followed by just two small hits that peaked at 36
and 43. Despite having married in 1965 and given birth to a
son, she began an affair with Mick Jagger, and she was soon better
known as Jagger's girl friend than a singer. She became
addicted to drugs in 1967, effectively ending her career. She
gradually recovered from the addiction, and in 1979 returned to the
lower reaches of the charts with an album and single. She has
continued to record and perform, and she released a new album,
backed by a concert tour in 2014. |
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18 Title: Silhouettes Herman's Hermits
were formed in Manchester, England in early 1964, with lead singer
Peter Noone (born 5 Nov 1947). They quickly acquired a
manager who arranged a contract with EMI records and producer Mickie
Most. Their debut single, "I'm
Into Something Good", a cover of an American song, rose up
the charts and was at number one by the end of September 1964. It
was released in the USA and reached number 13. They soon
became a major band on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK
they amassed ten Top 10 hits by 1970, and eleven in America by
1967. In the USA they issued several old music hall style
songs, such as "I'm Henry The Eighth I Am", which were very
successful there. Such recordings were not issued in the
UK. Noone left the band in 1971 for a solo career. The
remainder recruited a new lead singer and they have toured for many
years. Peter Noone only had one hit as a soloist, that was in
1971. Noone now tours as Herman's Hermits starring Peter
Noone. The rival group, with only one original member, tours
as Herman's Hermits. |
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19 Title: I'll
Stop At Nothing Sandie Shaw was
born on 26 Feb 1947 in Dagenham, Essex, England. She became
one of the top British female stars of the decade, and was famous
for appearing on stage and TV in bare feet, as well as being something
of a 1960s fashion icon. She won a talent contest in 1963, and
was spotted by Adam Faith who recommended her to his agent, who took
her on and arranged a contract with Pye Records. Although her
first record failed to enter the charts, her second release, the Bacharach & David song
"(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me" (year
1964, song 81), quickly climbed all the way to number one. She went on to have 17 hits by
the end of the 1960s - many of them written by Chris Andrews.
In 1967 she represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, and
became the first British winner of the annual event with
"Puppet On A String". The recording was a chart
topper in the UK and seven other countries. She took a back
seat in the music business during the 1970s but returned to the
charts in the 1980s with some smallish hits. Since then she
has been involved in various projects and has appeared on TV chat
and discussion shows. |
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20 Title: I
Apologise P J Proby was
born on 6 Nov 1938 in Houston, Texas, USA. After he graduated
from high school, and deciding that he wanted a showbiz career, he
moved to Los Angeles to become an actor and recording artist.
He soon had bit-parts in a couple of films. He was introduced
to Liberty Records by Sharon Sheeley (1940-2002) who was a
songwriter (wrote songs for Ricky Nelson) and was Eddie Cochran's
former fiancée. His early recordings were unsuccessful, but
he did gain experience by recording demos for various stars of the
day. He was later introduced to Jack Good (producer of the
British TV show "Oh Boy!"), who took him to London, and
produced his first hits in the UK. His debut was "Hold
Me" which climbed to number three in the British charts in
1964.
Several hits followed during 1964 and 1965. However, in
January 1965, during
two different energetic concert performances he split his trousers,
which led to him being banned by theatres and TV organisations.
This obviously restricted his chances of performing new records, and
his popularity waned. Nevertheless, he continued singing and
acting back in the USA for several decades with varying degrees of
success. In the 21st century he has been touring with sixties
nostalgia shows, and was performing in Scotland during 2017. |
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21 Title: Concrete
And Clay This
London-based band was formed in 1962, originally as a quartet called
Unit Four. When two additional members joined, they modified
the group name. They had a minor hit in 1964, but this release
propelled them to fame when it reached the top of the UK
charts. Sadly their two follow-up hits were disappointing, the
highest reaching number 14. They continued recording until
1969 but none reached the charts and they broke up in 1970. |
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22 Title: Goodbye
My Love The Searchers were one of several bands to immerge from the City of Liverpool and the Merseybeat
scene. Their origins go back to 1959 and even earlier, with several members passing through various lineups.
By 1962 the personnel had settled to a four-piece led by Mike Pender. Live work in Liverpool, England, led to a
recording contract with Pye Records who had producer Tony Hatch available. Their first hit, "Sweets For My
Sweet", climbed to the number one
spot in the summer of 1963, and set them on the road to stardom. They became one of the most successful of the
Liverpool bands, scoring three number one hits and three additional Top 10 entries out of a total of 13 hits by the
end of 1966. Unlike many of the other Merseybeat bands, the Searchers' chart toppers were covers of existing
American songs rather than original material. However, as those songs were largely unheard in the UK, they were
greeted as new by the record buyers. |
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23 Title: The
Last Time The Rolling Stones debuted on the British charts in 1963, and started a
career which challenged the Beatles for the "top band" accolade during the 1960s. The band comprised lead
singer Mick Jagger (born 26 Jul 1943), guitarists Keith Richards (born 18 Dec 1943) and Brian Jones (28 Feb 1942 - 3 Jul 1969),
bassist Bill Wyman (born 24 Oct 1936) and drummer Charlie Watts (2
Jun 1941 - 24 Aug 2021). Their early hits were written by
others, but Mick Jagger and Keith Richards soon began writing their own material, and most of their biggest hits were
composed by Jagger and Richards. Brian Jones drowned in a swimming pool during 1969, and was replaced by Mick Taylor,
formerly of John Mayall's
Bluesbreakers. Taylor left in 1974 and was replaced by Ronnie Wood who remains in the band at the present time.
Bill Wyman left in 1997 and has since toured and recorded with his own band. The Stones clocked up 15 hits during
the 1960s, including eight number ones. Hits continued in the singles and album charts through the following
decades up to the present time. They still embark on world tours in the 21st century, the most recent being a
concert tour of Latin America in 2016, 53 years after their first hit. |
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24 Title: The
Minute You're Gone Cliff Richard was born on 14 Oct 1940 in
Lucknow, India, whilst his parents were working in that country. He returned to England with his family in
1948. He formed a band in 1957 and a year later he was chosen as a singer for the TV Rock 'n' Roll
show "Oh Boy!". His first hit came in 1958, which started a career that continued into the 21st
century, with more than 130 hit singles and over 50 original albums, spanning 50 years plus. In the early
1960s he also starred in several musical films, notably "The Young Ones" and "Summer Holiday".
He also achieved a number one single in five different decades, and is the most successful British recording artist of
all time. He continues in the 21st century and issued a new
album of Rock 'n' Roll songs in 2016. |
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25 Title: I
Know A Place Petula Clark was born on 15 Nov 1932 in Surrey, England.
She became a child star at the age of nine when she broadcast on
radio for the first time. This led to numerous singing
opportunities on wartime radio. In 1944 she was given her
first film role, and she had appeared in 14 films by 1950.
In the early 1950s she began making records, and her first hit
came in the summer of 1954 when she was 21 years old. Clark went on to become a major international star with
numerous world-wide hits,
particularly in the 1960s with songs written and produced by Tony
Hatch. In the 1990s and 2000s she went into stage musicals,
both in the UK and America. She was still recording and
performing in the 2010s, and issued a new album in 2016. |
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26 Title: For
Your Love The Yardbirds were a Blues-influenced band from south-west London, England. It was a five-piece group which at the time of this recording, included acclaimed guitarist Eric Clapton. They began by playing Blues songs in local venues in 1963 and built a strong reputation which resulted in them supporting a tour of the UK by Blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson. They signed with EMI records in 1964, and reached the Top 10 for the first time with this recording. Eric Clapton was unhappy with the pop feel to the song and left the band on the day the record was released. He was replaced by guitarist Jeff Beck, and Beck played on all the hits that followed. In 1966 guitarist Jimmy Page joined the Yardbirds, and they embarked on world tours during 1966 and 1967. They enjoyed five Top 10 hits by the end of 1966, but Page gradually became the group's leader and he evolved the band into Led Zeppelin when Robert Plant joined and the original members left in autumn 1968. |
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27 Title: King
Of The Road Roger Miller (2
Jan 1936 - 25 Oct 1992) was an American Country Music
singer-songwriter. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, but
the death of his father when Miller was only one year old resulted
in him being brought up on a farm in Oklahoma by his uncles.
As a young teen, Miller was taught to play guitar by his cousin's
husband Sheb Wooley who went on to be a recording artist and actor
(see year 1958, song 59 in these lists). Miller enlisted in
the army at age 17, and was involved in the Korean war. Upon
discharge he went to Nashville, Tennessee and began singing and
songwriting. He gained a recording contract in 1958, and his
first hit on the USA Country charts came in 1960. He tended to
write songs that were quirky in nature, such as "Dang Me"
and "Do-Wacka-Do", which were American chart hits.
His biggest hit was "King Of The Road", which reached
number four in the USA. He also had hits in the UK with
"England Swings" (1965) and "Little Green
Apples" (1968). He continued singing and writing into the
early 1990s. He died from lung cancer in 1992 at age 56. |
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28 Title: Here
Comes The Night This was the
follow-up to their debut hit "Baby Please Don't Go" (song
4) in January 1965, and was their final hit of two. Although
lead singer Van Morrison did not leave the band until mid-1966,
recordings released until that time failed to chart in the UK,
although they did reach lower positions in the American
charts. For more info see song 4. |
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29 Title: The
Times They Are A-Changin' Bob Dylan was born on 24 May 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. He became one of the most influential singer-songwriters in the world during the 1960s with his thought-provoking "protest" songs. He started playing Rock 'n' Roll at high school, but when he enrolled at the University of Minnesota in 1959 he got into Folk music. He dropped out of university and went to New York early in 1961 and began playing around the clubs in Greenwich Village where there was a vibrant Folk music scene. By the end of 1961 he had a record contract and his first album was released in March 1962. His influence grew and by March 1963 when his second album "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" was released, he was well-known in the USA, and he was gaining attention in the UK. It was not until 1964, however, that his recordings began to sell in quantity, and his first British hit single came in March 1965. He performed at a number of Folk festivals, often with other performers such as Joan Baez. His album tracks were soon being recorded by others and released as singles which only increased his popularity and standing. He continued to write and perform throughout the following decades, and in the 2000s began radio broadcasting. In 2017 he announced a new tour of Europe, the USA and Canada. |
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30 Title: I'll
Be There This was the
follow-up to the group's hit of January, "Ferry Cross The
Mersey" (song 3). This was also their eighth hit, the
first having been two years earlier in March 1963. The
Merseybeat sound was on the way out, and so too were the Liverpool
bands except for the Beatles. Gerry & The Pacemakers had
just one small hit after this, in November 1965, peaking at number
29. See song 3 for more info. |
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31 Title: Stop
In The Name Of Love This recording was the follow-up to "Come See About Me", the Motown group's hit of January 1965 (song 10). That recording had only reached number 27 in the UK despite being a chart-topper in the USA. This time they were back in the Top 10 in Britain, whilst once again topping the American charts for the fourth consecutive time. However, it was September 1966 before they returned to the British Top 10, with two intermediate hits falling well short, and a third failing to chart at all. |
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32 Title: Little
Things Dave Berry was
born on 6 Feb 1941 in Sheffield, England. His first hit came
in 1963 - a cover of a Chuck Berry song. It just scraped into
the Top 20, but by the summer of 1964 he was in the Top 10,
something he did twice more until the summer of 1966. His
stage act was unusual, with him being dressed entirely in black, and
writhing his body and caressing the microphone as he sang.
Although his
chart career lasted barely three years in the UK, he was very popular in the
Netherlands and Belgium, where he performed in concert and saw his recording "This Strange Effect" reach
number one in
both countries during 1967. He has never stopped performing, and has
continued concert appearances well into the 21st century. |
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33 Title: Catch
The Wind Donovan was born on 10 May 1946 in Glasgow, Scotland. His simple Folk music style became popular in the mid-1960s, and some commentators dubbed him as Britain's Bob Dylan. He and his family moved to southern England when he was 10, and he developed an interest in music, particularly Folk music. He learned to play guitar and spent some time busking during 1964, as well as writing songs. He was offered a recording deal by Pye records late in 1964 and his first single, "Catch The Wind" was a Top 10 hit. As time went on his songs tuned in to "flower power" and Psychedelia, which were popular movements of their time. From 1965 to 1968 he enjoyed nine hits, seven of which reached the Top 10, and he had much success in the USA as well. Hit albums reached the chart until 1973. He continued performing and occasionally recording through the following decades, and still makes some appearances in the 21st century. |
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34 Title: Bring
It On Home To Me This was the
band's follow-up to "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" which
had been a number three hit in February 1965. It was the
second of four Top 10 hits that they enjoyed in this year.
However, this was the last single to feature organist Alan Price,
who left to form his own band. During April 1965 The Animals
were on a short tour of the UK with Manfred Mann. |
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35 Title: A
World Of Our Own Australian group
the Seekers recorded another Tom Springfield song, which became
their second UK hit, comfortably reaching the Top 10. Even
better was to come though, as in October 1965, the Seekers were at
number one in the UK with "The Carnival Is Over". |
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36 Title: Ticket
To Ride The Beatles were a pop group from Liverpool, England who became the most
popular and well-known music group in the world during the 1960s. They also conquered America, becoming the biggest
band there. The members were John
Lennon (9 Oct 1940 - 8 Dec 1980), Paul McCartney (born 18 Jun 1942), George Harrison (25 Feb 1943 - 29 Nov 2001), and
Ringo Starr (born 7 Jul 1940). All four were born and raised in Liverpool, England. They began with live
performances in Liverpool, then Hamburg in Germany. Brian Epstein saw them, and offered to be their manager.
He arranged a record deal with EMI's Parlophone label, which had producer and arranger George Martin in charge.
During the following seven years, The Beatles and Martin crafted a string of new and innovative singles and albums
that kept them at the top of the charts worldwide, and inspired countless other musicians.
They went on to have 21 consecutive Top 4 singles from 1963 to 1970, with 17 reaching number one - eleven of
those consecutive. On the album front, they had eleven number one original studio albums, the biggest being
the 1967 concept album "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" which remained in the UK album chart for
a year initially, but has clocked up 149 weeks (nearly three years!)
subsequently. However, internal differences between band members
led to the band's breakup in April 1970. All four members went on to have successful solo careers. |
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37 Title: Oh
No Not My Baby Manfred Mann
followed up the Top 10 hit of January this year (song 8) with a recording of a Goffin and King song written in 1964. It just
fell short of the Top 10 but spent one more week on the chart than
its higher-placed predecessor. The band was back with a number
two hit in September (song 77). |
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38 Title: Wonderful
World Herman's Hermits
revived this Sam Cooke song from summer 1960 (see year 1960, song
59) as the follow-up to their February chart hit
"Silhouettes" (song 18). This was their third Top 10
hit, with another due in December 1965 (see year 1966, song 1). They were on a concert
tour of the UK at this time, and were to embark on a tour of the USA
during the summer of 1965. |
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39 Title: Subterranean
Homesick Blues Dylan's
popularity was growing in the UK, and this second hit followed just
a month after his previous release had entered the charts.
They were in the Top 20 simultaneously in May 1965. His record
sales were reinforced by his tour of the UK in May 1965, which kicked
off in Sheffield on 30 April. |
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40 Title: This
Little Bird She followed-up
her "Come And Stay With Me" hit of February (song 17) with
this song from Nashville-based composer John D Loudermilk. It
provided her with a third Top 10 chart entry. The fourth and
final top tenner came in July. |
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41 Title: Poor
Man's Son The Rockin'
Berries are a group formed in Birmingham, England in the late 1950s,
and they chose the name as many of the songs they performed were
Chuck Berry compositions. Their leader is guitarist Brian
Botfield, and by 1961 the band included six other members.
They embarked on a series of club engagements in Germany that year,
but there were several changes of personnel, although Botfield
remained. Upon their return to the UK they secured a recording
contract, but early releases failed to enter the charts. 1964
saw a change in fortune when they covered American song "He's
In Town" (see year 1964, song 84), which reached number three in the UK
charts. Only three minor hits followed this chart entry, however, and their final chart appearance came in 1966 with a song
that peaked at number 50. They then developed a cabaret act
which included some comedy routines, and they have continued to
perform until the present time. Some 20 musicians have been
members of the band over the years, and currently Brian Botfield
remains at the helm, with four others. |
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42 Title: Long
Live Love This was Shaw's follow-up to her Top 10 hit in February, "I'll Stop At Nothing", and was her second chart topper. It was another Chris Andrews composition, and the Shaw/Andrews partnership was proving to be very successful. Her next release was written by Andrews as well, and it too became a Top 10 hit in September of this year. |
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43 Title: The
Price Of Love These two brothers had roots in American Country Music, but soon became major Rock 'n' Roll stars. They were Don Everly
(1 Feb 1937 - 21 Aug 2021) and Phil Everly (19 Jan 1939 - 3 Jan 2014).
They moved to Nashville in 1955 and in early 1957 they
signed with Cadence Records and recorded "Bye Bye Love"
which it is said had been turned down by 30 other acts. The
recording reached number two on the USA pop charts and sold a
million copies. "Bye Bye Love" became their first
hit in the UK too, peaking at number six. After three years
with Cadence they moved to Warner Brothers records and the hits
continued. They amassed 29 hit singles by 1968, after which the hits
stopped. They both went solo in the 1970s after a falling
out, and they did not speak to each other for some years. However, they
reunited in 1983 with a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall
in London, and they made a number of concert tours into the 1990s. |
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44 Title: Marie The Bachelors were an Irish easy-listening harmony trio. The act comprised Conleth (Con) Cluskey
(18 Nov 1941 - 8 Apr 2022), Declan (Dec) Cluskey (born 23 Dec 1942), and John Stokes (born 13 Aug 1940), all from Dublin, Ireland. They began as The Harmonichords in 1957, and enjoyed much success in their native Ireland. When they were offered a recording contract by Decca Records in 1960, they were also asked to change the name of the group to the Bachelors. In this new guise they enjoyed considerable success during the 1960s, achieving 17 hit singles in the UK, eight of which made the Top 10. They even reached the Top 10 in the USA.
After the hits dried up, they continued successfully as a live act in cabaret and summertime seaside shows until 1984 when the two brothers split from John Stokes.
Con and Dec continued as a duo, billed as Con & Dec - The Bachelors, and John Stokes formed a new group called The Bachelors with John
Stokes. Both acts continue to perform in local venues around the UK. |
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45 Title: Crying
In The Chapel The King of Rock
'n' Roll (8 Jan 1935 - 16 Aug 1977) was born in Tupelo, Mississippi,
USA. He and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee when he was
13 years old. Soon afterwards he acquired his first guitar and
began playing and singing. He started his recording career at
Sun Records in Memphis, USA. It took several attempts to get
Sun owner Sam Phillips to let Presley record, but eventually a
session was arranged with guitarist Scotty Moore and upright bass
player Bill Black providing backing. The resultant track
"That's Alright" was soon on local radio in Memphis, and
it became a local hit. Public performances followed, including
numerous appearances on the "Louisiana Hayride" radio show
which was broadcast to half the USA. Eventually he became
famous enough for RCA records to buy out his Sun contract and take
him to Nashville, in 1956. He rose to be arguably the biggest
music star of the 20th century, with world-wide record sales of over
one billion. Also in 1956 Elvis made his movie debut in the
film "Love Me Tender". By the end of 1969 he had
completed 31 films. He made no more movies after that, instead
concentrating on live concert performances, including many in Las
Vegas. His home in Memphis, "Graceland", is now a
museum and major tourist attraction, and his recordings continue to
be heard throughout the world. |
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46 Title: I'm
Alive The group had this song written for them by the American songwriter, and it gave them their only number one of the 1960s. It was the follow-up to "Yes I Will" which was a Top 10 hit for them in January 1965 (song 11). The recording was only a minor hit in the USA. September 1965 saw them back in the UK Top 10. |
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47 Title: Set
Me Free This was the fourth Top 10 entry for the Kinks, although their previous release "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" had stalled at number 17 in March 1965. This recording was the start of a run of eight consecutive Top 10 entries through to the end of 1967. They were back in the Top 10 in August 1965 with "See My Friend" (song 67). |
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48 Title: Colours This was his second release and second hit. His first hit, "Catch The Wind" (song 34), peaked at number four, and this release did the same. Unfortunately, his next release ("Turquoise") only reached number 30, and the single after that ("Josie") failed to chart at all. It was December 1966 before he entered the Top 10 again. For more about Donovan see song 34. |
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49 Title: Help
Me Rhonda The Beach Boys are an American band formed in California,
USA, in 1961. The group's original lineup comprised brothers
Brian (born 20 June 1942), Dennis (4 Dec 1944 - 28 Dec 1983), and Carl
Wilson (21 Dec 1946 - 6 Feb 1998); their cousin Mike Love (born 15 March 1941); and their friend Al
Jardine (born 3 Sep 1942). They began as a Surfing Rock group
on the west coast of America, with vocal harmonies that promoted the
Californian lifestyle of surf, cars and romance in the
sunshine. But with the increasingly complex writing and
production of Brian Wilson in the mid-1960s, they became one of the
the leading innovators of popular music. Their first
recordings from 1961 did not score in the UK, and many were not even
released in Britain. But in 1963, they had their first hit
("Surfin' USA"), although it peaked at a lowly number
34. Even their now-regarded classic hits of late 1964 to the
end of 1965 only achieved Top 30 status. They were in the Top
10 from 1966 (see below), and regular hits continued until 1970, with sporadic
entries in the following decades. |
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50 Title: Looking
Through The Eyes Of Love This was the
follow-up to his February 1965 hit "I Must Be Seeing
Things" (song 16). It was the second in a run of seven
consecutive Top 10 hits which he enjoyed until the end of
1966. The next in the series came in November 1965, "Princess
In Rags (song 93). It is interesting to note that whilst
Pitney was a successful songwriter, most of his big hits were
written by others. Pitney was on a concert tour of the UK
during October and November 1965. |
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51 Title: Back
In My Arms Again Another great Motown song that the Supremes took to the top of the American charts, being the fifth in a run of six consecutive number one hits in the USA. The lyrics of the song name-check group members Mary and Florence, as Diana Ross sings lead in the first person. It seems strange now that these records were not selling well in the UK during 1965. The same applied to Motown male vocal group the Four Tops, whose two 1965 releases were Top 5 hits in the USA (one was a chart topper there), but in the UK, the higher peaked at number 23. This despite the air play on British off-shore radio stations. Motown did take off in 1966 in the UK, the Four Tops getting their first number one, and the Supremes having two Top 10 hits. 1966 also saw the debut hit of Stevie Wonder. |
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52 Title: She's
About A Mover The Sir Douglas Quintet was formed in San Antonio, Texas, USA in 1964. The band was led by Doug Sahm (6 Nov 1941 - 18 Nov 1999) and friend Augie Meyers (born 31 May 1940). They began recording in Texas, but as as they became established, they moved to San Francisco. They became a very popular live act in the USA, but this was their only hit single on either side of the Atlantic. The group split in 1972 when Sahm contracted to record a solo album. However, Sahm and Meyers got back together in the late 1970s and they performed through the 1980s and 1990s with varying members joining the band. Sahm died from a heart attack in 1999 at age 58. Meyers continues to tour and record. |
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53 Title: Leave
A Little Love Lulu was born on
3 Nov 1948 near Glasgow, Scotland. She started singing at a
young age and by the time she was 13 she had a manager and was
singing with a band around Glasgow. Her manager took her to
London in early 1964 and arranged a recording deal with Decca
Records. Her debut single, "Shout", was an American
R&B song written by the Isley Brothers. It was an instant
hit, and Lulu's career took off from there. However, some of her
recordings with Decca did not sell as well as was hoped and she
missed the charts completely in 1966. So, in 1967 she moved to
EMI's Columbia label, and producer Mickie Most. This gave her
a new start, with hits for the rest of the 1960s. Lulu was given her own
BBC TV series in 1968, which ran annually until 1975. In 1969
she represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest where she came
joint first with three other countries. She continued to
record and tour in the following decades, and in 1993 achieved her
first chart-topper when she duetted with boy band Take That on
"Relight My Fire". She was in the Top 10 again in
2002 when she duetted with Ronan Keating with the song "We've
Got Tonight". Recording and touring continued, and she
embarked on another concert tour of the UK during the autumn of
2017. |
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54 Title: Mr
Tambourine Man The Byrds were a
five-piece band formed in Los Angeles, California, USA during
1964. The main man was Roger McGuinn (born Chicago on 14 Jul
1942), along with David Crosby (14 Aug 1941 - 18 Jan 2023), born in Los Angeles),
Gene Clark (17 Nov 1944 - 24 May 1991), Chris Hillman and Michael
Clarke. Their aim was to combine the pop music of the British
groups like the Beatles with American Folk music that was being
performed by Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary and several
others. This created a new genre of music known as Folk
Rock. The new band decided to record Dylan's "Mr
Tambourine Man" in early 1965, but as they were still trying to
gel as a group, only McGuinn performed on the recording, the backing
coming from session musicians. The recording went to number
one in both the UK and USA. Gene Clark left the group in early
1966, followed by David Crosby in autumn 1967, and by 1968 McGuinn
and Hillman were the only original members left. There were
some brief returns by some members, and recordings continued, but
the band finally broke up in 1973. They had six hits in the UK
from 1965 to 1971, two of which made the Top 10. |
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55 Title: Heart
Full Of Soul This was the follow-up to their first major hit in March 1965 (song 27), and was another song written by Graham Gouldman. This gave them a second Top 10 hit with another three to come by summer 1966. It was the band's first single after Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton as lead guitarist. The original arrangement called for a sitar playing the lead, but after problems with that, the band opted for Beck's sitar-sounding guitar, which used a fuzz box to create the effect. Lead vocals were by Keith Relf (22 Mar 1943 - 14 May 1976) who died by electrocution in his home. |
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56 Title: Tossing
And Turning The Ivy League enjoyed their biggest hit with this song written again by two members of the group. Their debut hit had been in February 1965 (song 13), but the follow-up "That's Why I'm Crying", stalled at number 23 in May. Following "Tossing And Turning" they had just one minor hit that peaked at number 50 in the charts during July 1966. For more info on the group see song 13. |
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57 Title: In
The Middle Of Nowhere Dusty Springfield (16 Apr 1939 - 2 Mar 1999) was born in London,
England. She began singing in the late 1950s, first with an all-girl group and then with her brother in the Folk
group The
Springfields. The trio enjoyed a couple of Top 10 hits, but in late summer 1963, Dusty went solo and began a very
successful career throughout the 1960s, becoming one of the top vocalists of that decade. From 1963 to 1969 she
enjoyed a total of 16 hits, ten of which made the Top 10 including her 1966 number one "You Don't Have To Say
You Love Me". During the late 1960s she had her own TV series, and she made albums in the USA, where she had
achieved three Top 10 hits as well. Things went quiet during the 1970s although she continued to record and
perform. In 1987 she came back to prominence when she recorded new material with Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop
Boys. The single "What Have I Done To Deserve This" reached number two - her first Top 10 hit since
1968, and the album from which it came reached the Top 20. She developed breast cancer in the mid-1990s, and
died from the disease in 1999, aged 59. |
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58 Title: You've
Got Your Troubles The Fortunes were established in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It was a five-piece band led by Rod Allen (1944-2008), and they were signed by Decca records in 1963. Their early releases were not hits, although one of those, "Caroline", was used as a theme song by the pirate radio ship Radio Caroline. The first hit, "You've Got Your Troubles", came in summer 1965, which reached the Top 10 in both the UK and USA. Their next two releases were hits, but no more came in the 1960s. They spent time in the USA during the late 1960s, and recorded some radio and TV commercial jingles there, including one for Coca-Cola titled "It's The Real Thing". They returned to the UK in the early 1970s and enjoyed two more hits in 1971-1972, both reaching the Top 10. With members coming and going they continued to perform on the nostalgia circuits into the 21st century. Even after the death of Rod Allen in 2008, the others recruited a new lead singer, and they still tour the UK theatres up to the present time. |
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59 Title: He's
Got No Love Unusually for the Searchers, this was an original song, written by two members of the band. However, it was their final significant hit, with four hits following until 1966, getting no higher than number 20 in the UK charts. They enjoyed 13 hits of which six reached the Top 10, including three number ones. They continued performing together until 1985 when Mike Pender left the band to form a new group. He now tours as Mike Pender's Searchers. John McNally and Frank Allen (original members), with others, tour as The Searchers. See song 23 for more info. |
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60 Title: We've
Gotta Get Out Of This Place This was the
Animals fifth Top 10 hit and the third of four during the year
1965. It was also the first hit since the departure of
organist Alan Price; his place being taken by Dave Rowberry
(1940-2003), who remained with the band until it broke up in
September 1966. Leader, Eric Burdon quickly formed a new band
after that called Eric Burdon & The Animals. See song 14
for more info. |
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61 Title: Catch
Us If You Can The Dave Clark Five was a beat group from
Tottenham, north London, England. The band's origins go back to 1957, and several personnel changes were made
before their hits began. By the time of this recording, the group had stabilised to have leader Dave Clark
on drums, and Mike Smith on keyboards and lead vocals, plus three others on guitars and saxophone. Smith was also
responsible for writing many of their hits, although Clark was always given joint composing credits. They became
known for their "thump-thump" drumming style, and remained popular throughout the 1960s, with seven Top 10
hits to the end of 1969. The band also enjoyed success in the USA during the "British Invasion"
years, where they had eight Top 10 hits. Dave Clark was a shrewd businessman, keeping the copyright on his
recordings, which he re-released sparingly during the following decades. |
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62 Title: In
Thoughts Of You Billy Fury (17 Apr 1940 - 28 Jan 1983) was born in Liverpool,
England. He bought his first guitar at age 14, entered talent contests, and by 1958 was writing his own
songs. He was spotted by impresario Larry
Parnes, who put him on tour, and arranged a recording contract with Decca. He also appeared on the TV pop
show "Oh Boy!", and released his first record in 1959. He went on to considerable success,
and had amassed 26 hit singles by the end of 1966, including eleven Top 10 entries. He never achieved a
number one. Heart problems, which he suffered from childhood, led to surgery in the early 1970s. He
did some touring and recording in the very early 1980s, but his heart problems worsened, and died in London in
January 1983, aged just 42. On 19 April 2003 a bronze statue of Fury was unveiled at the National Museum of
Liverpool Life. |
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63 Title: Summer
Nights This was her fourth and final Top 10 entry in the UK charts, and her third in this year. Her debut hit had been less than twelve months earlier. Her next release, a cover of the Beatles' "Yesterday" peaked at number 36, being vastly out-sold by the Matt Monro version (song 85). Her final chart entry of the 1960s, in March 1967, stalled at number 43. See song 17 for more info. |
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64 Title: Help! This was the
title song from their second film, "Help!". The
movie had its world premier on 29 July 1965, and was a great
success. The soundtrack album entered the album charts on 14
August at number one. Only side one of the album contained
songs from the film. Side two had other newly-recorded songs
by the Beatles. They made no more films until "The
Magical Mystery Tour" in 1967 which was made for TV
transmission, although it was shown in cinemas in the USA. |
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65 Title: Everyone's
Gone To The Moon Jonathan King
was born on 6 Dec 1944 in central London, England. He was
privately educated up to secondary level, and had developed a strong
interest in music, such that in early 1965 he had recorded a demo to
play to prospective record companies. He was taken on by Decca
records, and recorded "Everyone's Gone To The Moon" which
became his debut release. King plugged the recording to the
many offshore radio stations (they all had land based offices), and
it was played frequently by most of them. The result was a
number four hit in the UK charts. Meanwhile, King began
attending Cambridge University, juggling his studies with writing,
recording and producing music. His follow-up did not chart,
but a song he wrote and produced for Hedgehoppers Anonymous became a
Top 10 hit in September 1965 (see song 82). He soon took on
work as a journalist on a music paper, and began broadcasting, first
on pirate radio, but then with the BBC. He made a number of
records during the 1970s, mostly under pseudonyms, three of which
reached the Top 10. After the 1970s he mostly concentrated on
broadcasting on both radio and TV. In September 2001 he was
convicted of several counts of indecent assault, and sentenced to
seven years in prison. |
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66 Title: A
Walk In The Black Forest Horst Jankowski (30 Jan 1936 - 29 Jun 1998) was born in Berlin, Germany. He studied classical music in Germany but began playing Jazz in the 1950s. He first came to prominence in the UK when his recording of "A Walk In The Black Forest" reached the charts. It had been played by the pirate radio stations, often as a lead-up to the news, as instrumental recordings could be shortened as necessary to fit the available time. The single reached number three in the UK and the Top 20 of the American charts. He had no more hit singles, but recorded many albums of easy-listening music, although he moved more into Jazz during the latter part of the 1970s. He died from lung cancer in 1998 at the age of 62. |
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67 Title: See My Friend |
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68 Title: Don't
Make My Baby Blue
The Shadows were Cliff Richard's backing band, who were at first called
The Drifters.
At the time of this hit, the members of the group were Hank B Marvin (born 28 Oct 1941), lead guitar, Bruce
Welch (born 2 Nov 1941), rhythm guitar,
Brian
Bennett (born 9 Feb 1940),
drums, and John Rostill (16 Jun 1942 - 26 Nov 1973), bass guitar.
Whilst remaining Cliff Richard's backing band for several years, The Shadows enjoyed considerable success
in their own right, and in the early to mid-1960s, were Britain's top instrumental group, achieving five
number one hits plus an additional nine Top 10 entries out of 24 hits in total during the 1960s. Not
content with that, they had more hits in the 1970s and early 1980s.
The group has officially disbanded, but they have reunited for
special concerts with Cliff Richard two or three times in recent
years. |
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69 Title: That's
The Way The Honeycombs were a five-piece group, founded in London, England
in 1963. The lead singer was Denis D'Ell (14 Oct 1943 - 6 Jul
2005) from east
London. Singer and drummer, Honey Lantree (28 Aug 1943 - 23
Dec 2018), came from west
London. Honey's brother John Lantree played bass. The
band played in clubs and pubs in north London, and met record
producer Joe Meek, along with songwriters Ken Howard and Alan
Blaikley.
This resulted in Joe Meek recording the band and arranging a deal
with Pye Records. Their debut hit, "Have I The
Right" (year 1964, song 62) went all the way to number
one in the UK charts, and it reached number five in the USA as
well. They then embarked on a long tour of the far east and
Australia, which left them unable to promote their next
releases. As a result, singles issued in autumn 1964 and
spring 1965 stalled at numbers 38 and 39 in the UK charts.
They returned to the charts in summer 1965 with "That's The
Way", which was their final hit. They continued with live performances after
that, although three members left the group and had to be
replaced. They disbanded in 1967. |
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70 Title: I
Got You Babe Sonny & Cher were Sonny Bono (16 Feb 1935 - 5 Jan 1998) and Cherilyn Sarkisian (born 20 May 1946), who has always gone by the single name of Cher (pronounced 'share'). They first met in 1962 when Sonny was working for record producer Phil Spector, and Cher was looking for work as a singer. They began performing together as backing singers on many of Spector's recording sessions. Bono was also writing songs at this time, and he produced a Sonny & Cher album in early 1965, called "Look At Us", and this single was taken from that album. The single was a great success, reaching number one in the USA, UK and elsewhere. The duo fitted the "hippie movement" image which was beginning at this time, and the song was regarded as a hippie anthem. More duets were issued, but the two released solo recordings as well. The pair had their own TV series in the early 1970s, but eventually the act broke up. Sonny Bono went on to an acting career and later entered politics. As a politician he was mayor of Palm Springs, California from 1988 to 1992, and a USA Congressman from 1992 to his death. He was killed in a skiing accident in 1998 at the age of 62. Cher went on to become an internationally famous, Grammy Award-winning solo singer and an Academy Award-winning actress. |
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71 Title: All
I Really Wanna Do This was their
follow-up to "Mr Tambourine Man" (song 54), in June.
It was another Bob Dylan song that was included on the Byrds debut
album. The band was unsure about issuing a second Dylan song,
but their record company released it anyway. Despite reaching
the Top 10 in the UK, the single stalled at number 40 in the
USA. This was due in part, at least, because Cher had released
a cover version as well, and her rendition climbed to number 15 in
America. Despite such early promise, the Byrds only had two
Top 10 hits in the UK charts, three other entries only reaching the
Top 30 at best. |
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72 Title: Unchained
Melody This recording
was the duo's follow-up to their chart-topper of January 1965 (song
7). It was another Phil Spector production which reached
number four in the American charts, but fell short of the Top 10 in
the UK. Although credited to the Righteous Brothers, it was in
fact a solo performance by Bobby Hatfield. Their next release
stalled at number 48 in the UK but was another Top 10 hit in the
USA. Nevertheless, it was the last recording they made with
Spector, and they moved to a different record label in 1966. See
song 7 for more info. |
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73 Title: Make
It Easy On Yourself The Walker
Brothers were an American vocal trio comprising Scott Engel (9 Jan
1943 - 22 Mar 2019), John Maus, and Gary Leeds.
By the time of this hit they were all using the surname Walker,
although they were not related. They formed the group in Los
Angeles, California, USA during 1964. They had not found
success in the USA and so travelled to England to try their luck
there, in a
similar fashion to P J Proby. They were offered a contract
with Philips Records, and began live performances at various UK
venues. Their first hit just reached the Top 20, but it
was the next release, a rendition of a Bacharach and David song,
"Make It Easy On Yourself", written in 1962, that
propelled them to stardom. It was followed by a Top 10 entry
in 1965 and another chart-topper in 1966, but hits after that were
only moderate, the final of the 1960s coming in May 1967. Work
permit problems and internal differences led to the band splitting
up in 1968. All three members made solo recordings, with Scott
Walker enjoying the most success. They briefly reunited in the
mid-1970s and had a Top 10 hit in January 1976 ("No
Regrets"). However,
within a couple of years they went their separate ways again. |
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74 Title: (I
Can't Get No) Satisfaction The Rolling
Stones achieved their fourth number one with this recording, a
follow-up to their chart-topper of March 1965 (song 24). This
song was recorded in Hollywood, USA, and despite the incorrect
grammar in the title and lyric (double negative), it soared to
number one in the USA as well - their first of eight in
America. They were back at the top again in the autumn with
"Get Off Of My Cloud", with another grammatical inaccuracy
in the title and lyric! |
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75 Title: Look
Through Any Window This was the follow-up to their chart-topper, "I'm Alive", in May 1965 (song 46). It was co-written for them by Graham Gouldman, who had written two Top 10 hits for the Yardbirds (songs 27 and 55 above). This hit strengthened their position in the UK as a leading band of the 1960s. Things were slower for them in the USA, and this recording was their first Top 40 hit there. They did eventually wind up with six Top 10 hits in America. Their next release in the UK only reached number 20 in the charts, but they had three Top 10 hits in 1966. For more info see song 11. |
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76 Title: Hang
On Sloopy The McCoys was a
band formed in Union City, Indiana, USA, in 1962. The four
members worked with other group names originally, but eventually
settled on the McCoys, and this recording was their first release
under that name. "Hang On Sloopy" reached number one
in the USA, and they had one more Top 10 hit there before fading
away. This was their only hit of significance in the UK.
They continued recording until 1969 but with little success. |
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77 Title: If
You Gotta Go, Go Now Manfred Mann
gained their second Top 10 hit of the year, this time courtesy of
singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Many bands were picking up
Dylan's album tracks and making them hit singles, although the
original Dylan recording of this song did not appear on one of his
albums until 1991. Manfred Mann's first Top 10 of the year had
come in January; a release in April 1965, "Oh No Not My
Baby", peaked at number eleven. The band's next success was
in April 1966, the number one hit "Pretty Flamingo". |
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78 Title: Almost
There Andy Williams (3 Dec 1927 - 25
Sep 2012) was an easy-listening crooner, who issued several songs
during the 1960s and 1970s that entered the UK charts, three of
them making the Top 10 during the sixties. He was born in
Iowa, USA, but he and his family moved to Los Angeles while he was
at high school in 1943. He and his three brothers formed a
vocal quartet in the 1940s, and they soon found themselves in
demand from record producers and film makers. They had parts
in several musical films, and in 1947 they made their debut in Las
Vegas. However, in 1953 the brothers went their separate
ways and this gave Williams the opportunity to start a solo
career. He began appearing on TV, and by 1957 he was at the
top of the UK charts with his recording of
"Butterfly". He hosted his own TV variety show,
The Andy Williams Show, from 1962 to 1971, and recorded over forty
albums. He continued recording and performing until he was diagnosed
with cancer in 2011, and he died from the disease in 2012 at the
age of 84. |
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79 Title: Some
Of Your Lovin' Dusty quickly
followed her Top 10 hit of July (song 57) with this cover of a
Goffin and King song. Coincidentally it peaked at number eight
as did its predecessor. She scored just the two Top 10 chart
entries in 1965, but the following year saw her with three Top 10s,
one of which was her chart topping "You Don't Have To Say You
Love Me". |
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80 Title: Message
Understood This was the follow-up to her number one hit of May 1965 (song 42). This Top 10 entry was another of the several songs written by Chris Andrews that Sandie Shaw recorded with great success. However, her next release in November 1965, "How Can You Tell", also written by Andrews, stalled at number 21 in the UK charts. Nevertheless, she was back in the Top 10 early in 1966 with "Tomorrow", another Chris Andrews composition. |
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81 Title: In
The Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett
(18 Mar 1941 - 19 Jan 2006), born in Alabama, USA, was an
American Soul singer. He moved to Detroit, USA with his father
in 1955. He began singing with a Gospel group in Detroit when
he was 14, but joined a Soul group in 1959. Eventually he
began a solo career and had his first hit on the American R&B
chart in 1963. His big breakthrough came in 1965 with the
release of "In The Midnight Hour", recorded for the
legendary Stax record company in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. This led to a successful career,
and he moved to Atlantic records in 1967. He continued
recording until the end of the 1990s, and performing until his
death. He died from a heart attack at the age of 64. |
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82 Title: It's
Good News Week This band was
formed in 1963 under a different name. They changed their band
name in 1965 when Jonathan King took over production responsibilities.
The band members were all Royal Air Force personnel based at RAF Wittering, near Peterborough, England,
and hedgehoppers was RAF slang for low-flying planes which were
avoiding radar detection. Sadly, their only success was this
hit, and the band broke up after a couple of further releases. |
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83 Title: Here
It Comes Again This was the
follow-up to their debut hit in July (song 58). A different songwriting
team this time, but another Top 10 hit. Sadly it was their
second and last of the 1960s, but they had two more in the early
1970s. See song 58 for more info. |
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84 Title: Yesterday
Man Chris Andrews was born on 15 Oct 1942 in Romford, Essex, England. He is best known for writing many of Sandie Shaw's hit singles, although his first hits were by Adam Faith in 1963. Despite being a successful songwriter he did record songs himself. Although this was his only Top 10 hit in the UK, he was very popular in Europe, and "Yesterday Man" was a number one in Ireland and Germany. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he topped the music charts in South Africa. He continues as a singer-songwriter and lives in Germany, with a home also in Spain. |
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85 Title: Yesterday Matt Monro (1 Dec 1930
- 7 Feb 1985) was born in London, England. He began singing on talent shows while in the British Army in the early
1950s. He made some records in the mid-1950s, but none met with any success. In 1959 he was asked to record a demo
record for EMI, and when producer, George Martin heard the track, he arranged for Monro to record a new song, "Portrait
Of My Love". It reached number three on the UK charts and started his international career. He recorded several film
themes, but some like "Born Free" failed to enter the charts. He spent some time in America during the mid-1960s,
making albums of standards and new ballads, and was hailed as the new Frank Sinatra. He toured the world extensively,
especially during the 1970s and early 1980s. He died from liver cancer at age 54. |
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86 Title: Get
Off Of My Cloud This was the last in a run of five consecutive number one hits in the UK for the band. The recording was also a chart-topper in the USA. More number one hits were to come on both sides of the Atlantic. 1966 saw them with three Top 10 hits, including another chart-topper. See song 24 for more info. |
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87 Title: The
Carnival Is Over The Seekers gained their second and final number one hit with this song, again from writer Tom Springfield. Whilst the lyrics were all his own, the melody is actually taken from a Russian Folk song written in the late nineteenth century. The Seekers' recording spent three weeks at the top of the charts and sold well over a million copies in the UK alone. They continued their success in 1966 with three Top 11 (eleven) hits. See song 5 for more info. |
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88 Title: Positively
4th Street This was the
last of four Top 10 hits in the UK charts for Bob Dylan (as a
singer) during 1965. He was never again to have such a
successful year in the British singles charts. The recording
was made in the summer of 1965 during the sessions that provided all
the tracks for his 1965 album, "Highway 61 Revisited", but
this song did not appear on the album. The song's title does not appear anywhere in the lyrics. |
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89 Title: My
Generation The Who are a
four-piece Rock band originally comprising lead singer Roger Daltrey (born 1
Mar 1944), guitarist and singer Pete Townshend (born 19 May 1945), bass guitarist John
Entwistle (9 Oct 1944 - 27 Jun 2002), and drummer Keith Moon (23 Aug
1946 - 7 Sep 1978). The band was formed in the early 1960s in
west London, England under a different group name, but settled on
the name The Who in 1964. They began performing in local pubs
and other venues in west London They gained a recording
contract in late 1964, and their first hit came in early 1965,
"I Can't Explain", which reached the UK Top 10, followed
by another Top 10 hit in spring 1965. "My
Generation" reached number two and became their joint
highest-placed hit with "I'm A Boy" in 1966. They
never managed to reach number one. During the 1960s they
achieved nine Top 10 hits out of 14. The hits continued into
the 1980s with another four original Top 10 hits. Although
personnel deaths have forced changes to the line up, the band have
continued to perform up to and including a tour in 2017.
Daltry and Townshend remain, and in recent years drums have been
played by Zak Starkey, Ringo Starr's son. |
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90 Title: You're
The One Petula Clark was having quite a bit of success in the USA at this time, but her singles in the UK were often disappointing. Two releases since her March 1965 hit "I Know A Place" (song 26) had only just made the Top 50. This did make the Top 30 in the UK, but it was not issued in the USA after it was covered by American vocal quartet The Vogues. Their version climbed to number four in the USA charts. Things looked up for Petula in the UK during 1966, however, when she had two Top 10 hits - the first in February that year. |
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91 Title: 1-2-3 Len Barry (12 Jun 1942 - 5 Nov 2020) was born in Philadelphia, USA. After graduating from school he entered military service where he sang in a band. He decided to pursue a musical career after he left the military, forming a group called the Dovelles. As part of the group he enjoyed a few hit singles, but left to develop a solo career. His first big hit was "1-2-3", which reached number two on the American charts. His follow-up, the similar-sounding "Like A Baby" also reached the British Top 10, in January 1966. Although further chart success eluded him, he remained in the business, and has written songs for other acts during the following decades. He died from cancer at the age of 78. |
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92 Title: Wind
Me Up (Let Me Go) Cliff was back
in the Top 10 with this song from the American songwriters.
His two releases since his Top 10 of March 1965 had peaked at 12 and
22 respectively. Hits had become tougher for Cliff in this
year, and would remain difficult for the rest of the decade.
He still managed to gain a further nine Top 10 chart entries by the
end of 1969, although seven releases fell short of that target. |
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93 Title: Princess
In Rags This completed Pitney's trio of Top 10 hits in 1965. The following year would see him with another three entries in the UK Top 10. He was one of the biggest stars of the mid-1960s but he had less success back home in the USA. He was on a package tour of the UK during October and November 1965, supported by Lulu and the Rockin' Berries. For more info see song 16. |
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94 Title: A
Lover's Concerto The Toys were a
female vocal trio from New York City, formed in 1961. The
members of the band met at high school and began singing locally,
but eventually acquired a manger who found them work as backing
singers at recording sessions in New York. They later met
the writers of this song who arranged for them to record it.
"A Lover's Concerto" was a Top 10 hit in the USA, and the
follow-up reached the Top 20 in America but peaked at only number 36
in the UK. They appeared on TV and toured with Gene Pitney in
the USA, but new recordings failed to sell, and the group broke up
in 1968. |
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95 Title: Let's
Hang On The Four Seasons is a vocal group, characterised by the
falsetto voice of Frankie Valli (born 3 May 1934 in Newark, New Jersey, USA). The group started as the Four Lovers,
but they failed to make a breakthrough in the pop charts. In 1960, they changed their name to the Four
Seasons, and began working with record producer Bob Crewe, with Frankie Valli as the lead singer. The rest of the
band was Bob Gaudio on keyboards and tenor vocals (also their songwriter), Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and baritone
vocals, and Nick Massi on electric bass and bass vocals. Their first hit on both sides of the Atlantic
was "Sherry", which was an American chart-topper. Other similar recordings followed and they
managed to hit the charts through to 1966 despite the prominence of the British beat groups. They also had
hits during the 1970s, including some solo recordings by Frankie
Valli. The band is still performing, but with Valli as the only original member.
A farewell concert is planned for London in December 2018. |
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96 Title: Rescue
Me Fontella Bass (3 Jul 1940 - 26 Dec 2012) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Her mother was a singer in a Gospel choir, and Fontella accompanied her on tours until she was 16. Bass preferred R&B music, and turned professional at age 17 when she began working with touring bands as a singer and piano player. She made some records in St Louis but moved to Chicago in 1965 and signed with Chess records. This song was the result of a studio jam session, and it reached number four on the American charts. Several more releases did well in the USA, but only one small hit followed in Britain. She retired from the music business in 1972 to raise a family, but much later performed at some special events. She died from a heart attack in St Louis at age 72. |
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97 Title: My
Ship Is Coming In This was the follow-up to their previous hit which had reached number one in August 1965 (song 73). This recording did well in peaking at number three in the UK charts. Although they were an American band, they had found fame in the UK, and back home they were largely unknown. This recording peaked at a disappointing number 63 in the USA. In Britain they became very popular and were back at number one in March 1966. |
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98 Title: Spanish
Flea Herb Alpert was born on 31 March 1935 in Los Angeles, USA. His parents were musicians, and Alpert learned to play the trumpet from the age of eight. By his teens he was playing at school dances. From 1957 he was writing songs, and in 1962 he set up his own record company, called A&M, with partner Jerry Moss. Following a trip to Mexico he decided to form the Tijuana Brass which would play in the style of Mexican marching bands. This led to a series of singles and albums which became very popular on both sides of the Atlantic. His album "Going Places" became a multi-million seller, and eventually spent a total of 138 weeks on the UK album chart. He was a vocalist too, and his ballad "This Guy's In Love With You" was a number three hit in the UK during 1968. He has continued to perform, tour and record, and he released a new album in 2017. |
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99 Title: Day
Tripper The Beatles
rounded off the year with a double A-side. Predictably it went
to number one, and put them at the top of the charts for the third
consecutive Christmas. |
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100 Title: We
Can Work It Out This was a
double A-side release with song 99 above. Both of these songs
were recorded in sessions that included tracks that appeared on
their "Rubber Soul" album which entered the album chart in
December 1965. |
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EXTRA This extra song did not make it to my Top 100, but is still a favourite, so is listed here. X1 Title: Baby
Don't Go This song was recorded as far back as 1964. It was released by Reprise Records at that time, but although it became a local hit in Los Angeles, it failed to reach the American national charts. However, following the success of the duo's hit "I Got You Babe" (song 70, above), "Baby Don't Go" was reissued in autumn 1965, when it climbed to number eight in the USA charts and number eleven in the UK. See song 70 for more info about the duo. |
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Acts with most appearances in this list: Beatles:
4 Composers with most appearances in this list: Bob
Dylan: 6 New Names in
1965 Georgie Fame 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
1965 1966
1967 1968
1969 1970
1971 1972
1973 1974
Comments and corrections to: mjs@onlineweb.com Compiled
February 2018
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