The Music Of The 1960s: An Overview
   The Music Of The1960s: An Overview

1964: 'THE BRITISH INVASION' - THE YEAR THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE 1960s YOUTH REVOLUTION BEGAN TO COALESCE... 

The 'Chronicles' year by year postings of the events of The Golden Era are periodically reposted - for the purpose of adding to them and upgrading the content. For the latest revisit (currently underway), I've decided that it's necessary to consider 1960 - 1963 as the first phase: the phase before the phenomena of The Beatles global popularity and 'The British Invasion' : two obviously connected phenomena that changed the whole youth popular social and cultural scene worldwide... 

RÉSUMÉ OF 1960 - 1963

Late 1940s Beatnik intellectualising, café culture protest - with a background of Jazz music, was vying with the more recent (mid-late 1950s) high energy, scowling, 'rebels without a cause' Rock and Roll youth subculture, for dominance of the youth scene... 

But during this early 1960s phase, a New Wave fringe was breaking away from the Beatnik scene in the USA: a Folky protest fringe, that looked to earlier Folk singers, like Woody Guthrie, for inspiration. Bands and artists, such as Peter Paul and Mary; Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; and Judy Collins emerged from this fringe - and recorded protest song albums that charted... 

Meanwhile, in the UK, for the first time, British youth didn't just straight up "ape' American youth culture: two very British variations on American youth culture emerged:

The Teddy Boys: who were into American Rock and Roll, but ditched the jeans and leather look for sharp dressing Edwardian style suits (that's why the name 'Teddy': short for Edward.)

And, emerging from the British Beatnik scene: The Mods: a youth culture centred on London, which ditched Beatnik grungy dressing, in favour of sharp suits (inspired, so I've read, by the Teddy Boys: though not dressing the same, Edwardian suits, way: rather, a slick modern look); over which was draped a parka anorak...  To further distinguish themselves as stylish youth, the Mods rode Italian style scooters, rather than Rock and Roll motorbikes... 

Musically, the Mods sound ditched Beatnik Jazz for something more R'n'B / Pop - though the guitar power riffs of bands like The Who and The Kinks might be considered the template for the Heavy / Hard Rock that was to emerge towards the late 1960s... 

ANOTHER VERY INFLUENTIAL SCENE - BUT IN THE BACKGROUND... 

Around the same time, at venues in the western outskirts of London, a separate British youth culture development scene was quietly at work: The Ealing Club, in NW London, is widely recognised as the birthplace of British Blues: young white British guys playing the music of older generation African Americans: music that American youth - white or black - didn't play - or even get to hear much... 

In the western suburb of Richmond, especially at a venue in the area called Eel Pie Island (on the Thames, between Richmond and Twickenham), a mix of culturally evolving Beatniks, Folkies, and Blues players, made a separate and very cool scene; they identified as 'Heads' and 'Freaks': constructing their own, individual, alternative 'reality' in their culture and lifestyle... 

AND - 'UP NORTH'... 

Liverpool - Merseyside - The Cavern Club... Young bands and artists were making music that was influenced by American Rock and Roll - but also by British stars who brought a British twist (no pun intended, considering the American Twist dance craze was big at the time... ) to American music: artists and music like like Lonnie Donegan and Skiffle; and pure Pop... 

The Mersey Beat sound developed out of these influences - but it was distinct. As well as the sound, there was a 'look'; an image... 

1963

In the UK, a Mersey Beat band, called The Beatles, had made a small blip on the UK charts in 1962, with the single 'Love Me Do'; but things warmed up at the beginning of 1963, with the number 2 hit, 'Please Please Me' - and then a UK Pop music phenomenon was well and truly established, when the follow-up, 'From Me To You' reached number 1... 

Mersey Beat caught the attention of the UK public - and other Mersey Beat bands and artists filled the UK singles charts: perhaps most notably, Gerry And The Pacemakers: who made history by becoming the first band to score number 1 UK hits with their first three singles. 

In the same year, North London produced what was called 'The Tottenham Sound' - with the band The Dave Clark Five: a big beat, stomping sound to rival Mersey Beat... 

The British Pop music scene was buzzing with diverse new sounds and ideas... 

EARLY 1964

I've learned from American folks who follow 'Chronicles' (a special shout out to Catherine (Baffa)), that even before The Beatles' groundbreaking appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show', in February 1964, which launched both Beatlemania and 'The British Invasion' in the USA, American youth had heard about what was happening in the UK music scene - but it didn't get much airplay on US TV or radio... 

But in January 1964, The Beatles entered the Billboard Hot 100 mid-table - then shot up to the top 5 in a week... 

US TV and radio took note - especially Ed Sullivan,but seems... 

The Beatles' February 1964 performance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' is now the stuff of legend: it opened the floodgates to British bands and artists to storm to popularity in North America and around the world - from 1964 on through the 1960s and into the 1970s... 

The Beatles - and other Mersey Beat bands and artists; British Blues bands, like The Animals and The Rolling Stones; Mods, like The Who and The Kinks; Pop bands like Herman's Hermits, and Beatnik Folkies, Heads, and Freaks, who'd hung around Eel Pie Island - most notably a young Scottish born wanderer, inspired by Bob Dylan - called Donovan - became huge hits in North America in the early years of 'The British Invasion'. The centre of modern popular culture moved from the USA to the UK, and new British bands and artists continued to thrice world-wide, throughout The Golden Era... 

North American youth - and the world - couldn't get enough of 'British Invasion' sounds... 

THE CAUSE?

I look at things through coolly analytical eyes... 

I suggest that the usual money motivated corporate Interests initially played a big part in youth Pop culture - from the 'invention of' the teenager in the 1950s, with Rock and Roll - right up to 'The British Invasion': all seen as just a lucrative market to get teens to spend their money. 

After Rock and Roll - a next wave, in the early 1960s, needed something new - and significantly different... 

There may also be an element of political cynicism: American youth, via the new Folky protest fringe of the Beatniks, was beginning to get restless and worried about American involvement in the Vietnam War - and about Cold War politics and aggression generally...  Perhaps a major distraction was needed... Something to get this focused youth unfocused and placated by a new craze...??? 

Well, I can't ignore these possible cynical elements.. 

Mind you, that's not to take away from the attraction of the sheer talent, the creativity, the innovation, charisma that also played a big part in 'The British Invasion' phenomenon... 

However, I'd certainly say that it was all just intended as pure entertainment - and commercial interests... 

BUT... 

THE EFFECT...? 

Effects of cynical political and / or commercial plans, tend, I think, to be seen by the planners only through their own narrow lens...  They broadly assume that those that they are targeting are pretty gullible - a bit naive and, frankly, a bit stupid, in fact: easily manipulated...  They cannot anticipate any other consequencesn of their plans but the ones they have in mind... 

It's been my suggestion in past 'Chronicles' articles, that the mixing and mingling of intellectualising Beatnik youth / and its American Folky protest fringe - with the raw, but aimless energy of Rock and Rollers - and then that missing ingredient: the organised, long time tradition of 'class war' anti-Establishment protest and resentment of working class and lower middle class British youth: more especially, a 1960s British working class that was the first to benefit from childhood onwards from the very socialist polices of the 1945 - 1951 Labour government: extensive free schooling; the National Health Service; provision for proper nutrition - produced unforeseen effects and consequences of 'The British Invasion'... 

This was a robust, educated, healthy - and energised British youth - well used to the British tradition of protest against injustice and unfairness... 

Mix that in with Beatnik / the emerging Beatnik intellectualising Folky fringe - and Rock and Roll energy... in an increasingly dangerous world, where the Establishment powers seemed internet on bloody and destructive wars - and on pushing and provoking each other closer and closer to the nuclear annihilation of humanity...? 

Well, let me say that I don't think that the Establishment saw the results and consequences coming... 

Over the next two or three years, this youth entertainment became so much more than just entertainment: the ideas, the creative genius, the motivations, the inspirations of the artists involved, produced music that was, in large part, an education: it discussed social and political issues - and informed its audience; and more than that: it created a revolution in TRULY free thinking: by discussing and informing about history, philosophy, world religions, ideologies: a search for a new view of what reality is: a better understanding of it than the accepted view - which had brought humanity to the brink of nuclear annihilation... 

CONCLUSION


In short, 'The British Invasion' was the catalysing element that would bring about a coherent and cohesive youth social and cultural revolution: '...a whole generation - with a new explanation...' (Scott McKenzie, 'San Francisco' (1967))... 

That's my take on the possible deeper causes and effects of the pivotal event in modern history, that we call 'The British Invasion', folks... It needed a special article: 1964 was a very important year in The Golden Era...  (M).

Textual content (and graphic image (other than the Union Flag design rough copy)) © Copyright MLM Arts 20. 08. 2022. Edited and re-posted: 18. 02. 2024

1964: THE FIRST YEAR OF 'THE BRITISH INVASION' POP CULTURE PHENOMENON


February 1964 was the first month of the first year of what is recorded in history as 'The British Invasion': the sudden and massive popularity of British bands and artists in North America and around the world; a phenomenon that moved the centre of modern popular culture from the USA to the UK.


The Beatles paved the way after the band's barnstorming appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in the USA in February 1964. After that other British bands and artists followed: most notably Mersey Beat bands - and - very significantly - British Blues bands and artists (such as The Rolling Stones, and The Animals), who took the music of older generation African American artists - the Blues: which at that point was popular only with older generation African Americans in the USA - and exported it back to its native USA: performed by young, white British artists...  The result was a reinvention and rejuvenation of the Blues - and instant popularity among U.S youth.


Here's a list from a Billboard charts archive site of the best selling singles in the USA in that pivotal year.  It's another fascinating and valuable historical archive document.


(I found this image on Google Images. . My acknowledgement and thanks to the Billboard charts archive site. )


Textual content: © Copyright MLM Arts 17. 02. 2024. Edited and re-posted: 18. 02. 2024

THE MUSIC OF 1960

This OLD 1960s mono record player is our picture to go along with our choice of 'Best Of' singles and albums from 1960. My older sisters owned one like this and I 'inherited' it once both had left home (the younger of them left about 1970 and I got all her singles too: a lot of Motown, some Monkees and various others).

The singles charts of 1960 contained some classics that have stood the test of time. The best of the album charts featured albums by Rock 'n' Roll, R'n'B, Soul and Country artists, most of whom were established stars by the time the 1960s got underway - and were accomplished enough to survive the Beatles, Mersey Beat and and Mod 'British Invasion' that would dramatically change modern music - and shift the focal point from the USA to the U.K. (Though, perhaps ironically, British Rock 'n' Rollers, such as Marty Wilde, Joe Brown and Billy Fury (who features in this album Top 10) had their careers cut short by 'The British Invasion'...)

Importantly though - 1960 saw the release of the debut album by Joan Baez (Joan Baez), who, along with Bob Dylan, was at the forefront of the edgy, Folky, protest fringe that was emerging from the Beatnik camp and was to play a big part in the youth cultural and social revolution that developed throughout the 1960s...

A particular mention here for an album not previously in the Top 10 list that appears in this review, but which, on reflection, I have edited in for this re-posting, as it is such significant and a noteworthy release, in terms of the early expressions of protest in the early stages of The Golden Era:

'We Insist! - Max Roach's Freedom Suite', is an early example of protest music in support of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA, by avant-garde Jazz man Max Roach and his band. It was kinda underground, even for the Beatnik Jazz scene, which was still big, but beginning to wane with the popularity of Rock and Roll, but it's a significant album in terms of the emerging phenomenon of popular, mass culture being used to protest and spread ideas, protest, and social commentary... 😎

Here's mine (and Big Ds) choice of Top 10 singles and albums from 1960. (no particullar order):

SINGLES:

1. Elvis Presley - It's Now Or Never
2. Duane Eddy - 'Shazam'
3. Eddie Cochrane - Three Steps To Heaven
4.The Everly Brothers - Cathy's Clown
5. Roy Orbison - Only The Lonely
6. Elmore James - The Sky Is Crying
7. Chubby Checker - The Twist
8.Johnny Kidd - Shakin' All Over
9.The Shadows - Apache
10.Johnny Cash - I Love You Because

ALBUMS:

1. G.I Blues (Elvis Presley)
2. Cooke's Tour (Sam Cooke)
3. Joan Baez (Joan Baez)
4. Rockin' At The Hops (Chuck Berry)
5. Everly Time (The Everly Brothers)
6. We Insist! (Max Roach)
7. Haley's Juke Box (Bill Haley)
8. Mack The Knife (Ella Fitzgerald)
9. At Newport 1960 (Muddy Waters)
10. The Sound Of Billy Fury (Billy Fury)

Textual content: ©Copyright MLM Arts & Big D. First posted in January 2012. Edited and re-posted: 25. 10. 2015. Edited and re-posted: 19. 01. 2017. Edited and re-posted: 28. 08. 2018. Edited and re-posted: 16. 08. 2019. Edited and re-posted: 29. 05. 2022. Edited and re-posted: 02. 01. 2023
THE MUSIC OF 1961

1961 was a very interesting year for the evolution of music and youth culture and the shift towards the more cohesive youth social and cultural protest that was emerging. The Beatnik cultural influence was still very evident, with Jazz artists like John Coltrane, and Oscar Petersen featuring in the album charts. Soul / R’n’B and Blues artists like Ray Charles and John Lee remained popular, and would have an increasing influence on the development of modern music. Ray Charles’ 1961 album ‘Do The Twist With Ray Charles’ showed that musical fusion was happening: R’n’B with the Pop / Rock’n’Roll, which was still in evidence with artists like Chuck Berry, Elvis and Chubby Checker in the album charts.

The soundtrack from the movie musical ‘West Side Story’ I have described as musical and cultural fusion between Beatnik and Rocker youth – and a ‘last hurrah’ for Beatnik Jazz as a prominent music form among the youth of the day.

Most significant, I think, was the continued progress of the Folk protest singer-songwriters that were emerging from the more Bolshie fringe of the Beatniks. Joan Baez had success with her second album, and Judy Collins charted with her debut album.

On the same subject, a special mention for an often over-looked influence on the 1960s youth cultural and social revolution: the Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. Brel was big with the Beatniks since the 1950s; his music was an interesting fusion of Jazz and Folk. His song writing had a creative, abstract uniqueness that included Folk style lyricism of social commentary / criticism.

Brel's 1961 album, ‘Marieke’ (Jacques Brel 5) reflects that, particularly in the track ‘Les Singes’ (The Apes (or Monkeys)), which is a clever critique of modern life and humanity’s post-Enlightenment, scientific age dependency on, and slavish adherence to, technology and consumerism – and how cold, brutal, materialist ‘reason’ has replaced the more truly human and emotional reason of the human soul / psyche:

‘Long before them, when the man was a prince
The woman was a princess, love darling
But since they came to the prince's a beggar
The empire dies out and the princess merchandise
For they, they found out the love that dishonours
That love is a thing of the slave trade

Freedom of person who was still worth something
But since they came, they succeeded in
That the reason of state has expelled reason
For they, they found out which pointed bayonet
Napalm and the atomic bomb, the guided missile
The brainwashing they have learned and high
And from then on, they are civilized…’

This is powerful lyricism – especially for 1961; it was a cleverly worded and judged critique of all Establishment mainstays: politics; organised religion and also the cynical, clinical ‘scientism’ which had, in seemingly unlikely collaboration, reduced humanity and human freedom, to bland, servile, consumerist drones. The ‘Apes’ of the title is, I suggest, a dig at how evolutionary theory had gone from a description of the development of life – to a social statement that dehumanises and reduces humanity to a lowly state of servile, grunting pack animals – obedient to the whim and the will of politics, religion and science.

Brel’s influence is pretty clear to discern in the work of Baez, Collins and Beatnik-fringe contemporary Bob Dylan – and in the lyrics and protest / social commentary of other artists throughout this era; Bowie, perhaps, most notably.

The title track from this album ‘Merieke’ became an international hit in 1974 when translated into English by Canadian Terry Jacks and released as the single ‘Seasons In The Sun’. Jacks’s version is somewhat more commercial and syrupy that Brel’s more deeply thoughtful and emotional original (which was more faithfully covered by Judy Collins).

The singles charts of 1961 featured a mix of Soul, Rock and Roll, R’n’B, pure Pop and Country – with some great singles that stood the test of time and became classics…

My choices for noteworthy musical moments are: The Beach Boys release their first single 'Surfin'', and The Beatles play their first ever gig at Liverpool's Cavern club. They also meet Brian Epstein for the first time - but only to say hello!

(M).

MY TOP 10 ALBUMS (in no particular order):

1. Blue Hawaii (Elvis Presley)
2. New Juke Box Hits (Chuck Berry)
3. Do The Twist With Ray Charles (Ray Charles)
4. The Folk Lore Of John Lee Hooker (John Lee Hooker)
5. West Side Story (Movie Soundtrack)
6. Joan Baez 2 (Joan Baez)
7. Let’s Twist Again (Chubby Checker)
8. Ole’ (John Coltrane)
9. A Maid Of Constant Sorrow (Judy Collins)
10. Marieke (Jaques Brel 5) (Jacques Brel)

MY TOP 10 SINGLES (in no particular order):

Chubby Checker: Let's Twist Again
Del Shannon: Runaway
Sam Cooke: Cupid
The Everly Brothers: Walk Right Back
Jimmy Dean: Big Bad John
Helen Shapiro: Walking Back To Happiness
The Shadows: FBI
The Shirelles: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
Ben E. King: Stand By Me
Elvis Presley: I Can't Help Falling In Love With You

(I found these images online - and made up this collage headline picture from them. My acknowledgment and thanks to the record artists - whoever took the picture of the record player (identity unknown to me). 🙂)

(M).

Textual content:
©Copyright MLM Arts 18. 11. 2015. Edited and re-posted: 03. 09. 2019. Edited and re-posted: 16. 06. 2022
THE MUSIC OF 1962

This was a very significant year in the development of music and the youth culture of the 1960s and 70s generations. Music was beginning to comment on the environment around it - and to protest.

Peter, Paul and, Mary released their debut album (see our 'Classic Albums' section), which is a discernibly an anti-war protest album; Bob Dylan released his debut album ‘-----‘, but even more importantly, he wrote the classic protest song; 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall' in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Joan Baez continued her success as a post-Beatnik Folk protest singer by confidently releasing a live album to follow up her first two studio albums.

The Beatles released the single 'Love Me Do' – which, though not a world-wide hit until the following year, was, all the same, their first big U.K hit single and their break-through in terms of big-time success, and the single that laid the foundations of the shift in the major influence in modern music away from the USA and towards the U.K. - with 1963's ‘British Invasion’: the sudden mass appeal of British music artists in North America.

There certainly was variety in the album charts – not surprisingly, as 1962 was probably the ‘cusp’ year of musical change and development, which began in 1961 with the gradual waning of the influenced of Beatnik Jazz and Rocker Rock ‘n’ Roll – and the emergence of Folk protest, R’n’B influenced sounds and Pop-Rock.

1962 album releases included debuts by Stevie Wonder: ‘The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie’, which is another early example of musical hybridizing, and showcased the extraordinary talent that Stevie Wonder possessed, even at the astonishing age of just 12..!; The Supremes debut: ‘Meet The Supremes’ – another accomplished debut album by remarkably talented teenage Motown artists; The Beach Boys debut: ‘Surfin’ Safari’ – Rock’n’Roll merging into Pop Rock.

The R’ n’ B / Blues influence that was to become more prominent from 1963 onward, must owe homage to artists like the much acclaimed, but commercially under-appreciated Howlin’ Wolf. His 1962 ‘Howlin’ Wolf’ album contained the tracks ‘The [or Little] Red Rooster’, made famous by the Rolling Stones, and ‘Spoonful’, later to become a standard for Cream.

Oh - and a mention for ‘the U.Ks answer to Elvis’: Cliff Richard; he was one of the first artists to display resourcefulness and adaptability in order to survive the ever changing modern music scene. When most British ‘wannabe American Rock and Rollers’ careers were pretty much over once The Beatles and The Beach Boys arrived – Cliff saw the writing on the wall an reinvented himself as an Easy Listening crooner – with the album ‘32 Minutes and 17 Seconds with Cliff Richard’. His guitar twanging instrumental backing band, The Shadows (big favourites with British Beatniks and Rockers alike – quite a feat…), also charted with the album ‘Out Of The Shadows’.

The singles chart was also an eclectic mix, and included some real classics – including classic novelty ‘One Hit Wonders’ ‘The Nut Rocker’ by B. Bumble and The Stingers, and the first of several chart appearances for that Hallowe’en ‘must play’ ‘Monster Mash’ by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett and the Crypt Kickers…

... And The Tornados released the single 'Telstar' in tribute to the first transatlantic T.V broadcasting satellite - called 'Telstar'... 😎

Latest edit: .. Let's add a single that still wouldn't quite make my personal top 10, but is a great and hugely influential single: the Peter, Paul and Mary big hit cover of the Seeger - Hayes song of Peace and Love, 'If I Had A Hammer'... 🙂

... And a single that should be in the top 10 list, really - but now gets a special mention: the Booker T and the MGs instrumental classic, 'Green Onions'... 😎

(M).

My choice of Top 10 singles for 1962 are (no particular order):

1. Love Me Do: The Beatles
2. The Loco-motion: Little Eva
3. Batchelor Boy: Cliff Richard
4. The Nutrocker: B. Bumble and the Stingers
5. Monster Mash: Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt Kickers
6. Big Bad John: Jimmy Dean
7. Telstar: The Tornados
8. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: Neil Sedaka
9. If I Had a Hammer: Peter, Paul and Mary
10. 'Return To Sender': Elvis Presley

And my choice of Top 10 albums (in no particular order):

1. Meet The Supremes (The Supremes)
2. Peter, Paul and Mary (Peter, Paul and Mary)
3. Out Of The Shadows (The Shadows)
4. ‘32 Minutes and 17 Seconds with Cliff Richard’ (Cliff Richard)
5. Joan Baez In Concert (Joan Baez)
6. Howlin’ Wolf (Howlin’ Wolf)
7. The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie (Stevie Wonder)
8. Bob Dylan (Bob Dylan)
9. Surfin’ Safari (The Beach Boys)
10. Pot Luck (Elvis Presley)

Textual content:
©Copyright: MLM Arts 12. 12. 2015. Edited and re-posted 18. 03. 2017. Edited and re-posted: 30. 09. 2019; Edited and re-posted: 05. 07. 2022
THE MUSIC OF 1963

1963 showed that the music that was identifiable as that which expressed the slowly emerging cultural and social revolution of 1960s youth was still in its early, fledgling phase

Bob Dylan released his second album, but the one which I’d say was his first ‘definitively Dylan’ album: ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’. Stevie Wonder, at the age of 12, released his first Live album: ‘Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius’ (released when he was all of 13..!) and released his third studio album: ‘With A Song In My Heart’. The Beach Boys had a busy year, with three studio albums: ‘Surfer Girl’; Little ‘Deuce Coup’ and ‘Surfin’ USA’, and The Beatles debuted with ‘Please Please Me’. Johnny Cash charted with the great gritty, Folk-Country album ‘Blood, Sweat and Tears’, which has a flavour of Woody Guthrie style social comment and tribute to the trials of ordinary working folks.

In the singles charts, The Beatles were prominent, and we had the big impact arrival of the rival ‘Tottenham Sound’ of The Dave Clark Five, with ‘Glad All Over’. The Kingsmen released the kinda ‘Punky R’n'B’ song ‘Louie, Louie’, and Dylan charted with ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ – which became a Dylan classic, and an early example of his social commentary / protest lyricism. The Rolling Stones released two charting singles: 'Come On' and 'I Wanna Be Your Man' - both Top 20 hits in the U.K, but not biggies... 🤔

There were signs of the protest and social and cultural revolution staring to happen – with styles of music changing (with The Beatles and Stones especially), and the continuation of the Folky protest style of music that had emerged in recent years with Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Judy Collins, but the social and cultural revolution was still very much at a formative stage and finding direction.

The British Invasion (sudden mass appeal of British artists in North America: which caused the centre of focus of modern culture to switch from the USA to the U.K) was, however, soon to be underway (when The Beatles took the USA by storm after their appearance on US TV's 'The Ed Sullivan Show' in February 1964) – and it was to bring North American and British youth culture and identity together – and that mix was to bring about the changes that were to lead to the cohesive and coherent youth revolutionary culture that was to change society and the world – for the better – through the 1960s and 70s…

My personal choice of Top 10 albums and singles from 1963 are (in no particular order):

ALBUMS:

1. Please Please Me (The Beatles)
2. Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius (Stevie Wonder)
3. Surfin’ USA (The Beach Boys)
4. Little Deuce Coup (The Beach Boys)
5. Summer Holiday (Cliff Richard And The Shadows)
6. Trini Lopez At PJ’s (Trini Lopez)
7. Blood, Sweat And Tears (Johnny Cash)
8. Mr. Soul (Sam Cooke)
9. Live At The Apollo (James Brown And The Famous Flames)
10. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (Bob Dylan)

SINGLES:

1. Glad All Over: The Dave Clark Five
2. Da Doo Ron Ron: The Crystals
3. Please Please Me: The Beatles
4. From Me To You: The Beatles
5. She Loves You: The Beatles
6. Sweets For My Sweet: The Searchers
7. The Hippy Hippy Shake: The Swinging Blue Jeans
8. Summer Holiday: Cliff Richard and The Shadows
9. Louie Louie: Kingsmen
10. Blowin’ In The Wind: Bob Dylan

(I found the images for this collage online; my acknowledgment and thanks to whoever made them (identity unknown to me.) 🙂) (M).

Textual content: ©Copyright MLM Arts 17. 12. 2015. Edited and re-posted: 06. 05. 2017. Edited and re-posted: 02. 08. 2022. 03. 08. 2022
THE MUSIC OF 1964

What a year 1964 was for singles – and emerging bands. As the year that began ‘The British Invasion’, and the beginning of the dominant influence of British music, you’d expect it to be special, and it is…

1964 was also the first really important year for album releases. Albums began to reflect the emerging new youth culture and influences that would inform and inspire the direction of the cultural and social revolution that was beginning to become a coherent and cohesive expression of protest.

In a year that included three Beach Boys album releases, some may find it interesting or curious that none of those albums appear on my personal Top 10 list of most important albums from this year. That's not because The Beach Boys albums are not great albums - they are: it's just an indication that 1964 represented the first year of significant cultural change in terms of the social and cultural revolution of this era, and the albums that I chose reflect that... 🙂

1964 was a year of multiple Beatles album releases – in a tangle of rival record company confusion and ‘USA only’ and ‘Canada only’ releases, and I’ll leave it to the ‘Chronicles’ Beatles experts to (hopefully! – they usually do..!) explain that on the thread that this posting generates. So for the purpose of this posting I’ll stick to the one 1964 Beatles album that we can all identify: ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. With this album, The Beatles were well and truly on top of the world by 1964… And ‘The British Invasion’ - of U.K artists storming North America - was well underway…

The Kinks joined ‘The British Invasion’ and released their eponymously titled debut album, and also charted with the single ‘All Day and All of the Night’: an innovative power riffing song that is considered to be a major influence on the Heavy / Hard Rock sound that was to emerge in the late 1960s.

The Rolling Stones released their R’n’B influenced debut album: ‘The Rolling Stones’ (in the USA it was titled: ‘England’s Newest Hit Makers’). The Animals and Dusty Springfield were two other British artists who put a British tint on American R’n’B and exported it back to the USA, with their debut albums: 'The Animals’ and ‘A Girl Called Dusty’…

Also influential in the ‘British Invasion’ and the future development of Heavy / Hard Rock was The Yardbirds. In 1964 the band released their debut album: curiously, it was a live album debut: ‘Five Live Yardbirds’, and introduced the world to guitar demi-god Eric Clapton. The Yardbirds, as we know, would later showcase the guitar talents of Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, and would ultimately ‘evolve’ into Led Zeppelin, via The New Yardbirds…

In America, The Supremes underlined their popularity and the rise of Motown Pop / Soul with their second album ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ and the massive international hit single ‘Baby Love’.

1964 also saw the debut album by Simon and Garfunkel: 'Wednesday Morning 3.00 AM'. Like Dylan, Joan Baez and others, Simon and Garfunkel represented the emergence of the Folky / protest / social commentary element that grew out of the declining Beatnik culture.

Dylan himself released two albums in 1964 (The Times They Are A’ Changin’’ and ‘Another Side To Bob Dylan’), both of which confirmed the self-assurance and confidence in his own song writing and performing that had been evident in his second album, the 1963 release ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’. It seemed almost prophetic of Dylan to write the song ‘The Times They Are A’ Changin’’ in 1964: because it can now be identified as, I’d suggest, the year that was the catalyst to the gelling of the 1960s youth cultural and social revolution…

The elements of that revolutionary youth movement were converging. First and foremost, the failure of the Establishment system that condoned racism, sexism and other social iniquities, and the gung-ho war mongering that had, by the early 1960s, brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation – gave the youth of this generation very, very good and noble reason to rebel and to seek revolutionary change…

In the course of the 1960s, the energy of 1950s Rock and Rollers, and the intellectual, thoughtful theorising of The Beatniks, was mixed with the Folky Beatnik protest fringe, and given rebellious edge by its mixing with the inherent sense of social fairness and Lefty Bolshiness of the post WW2 better educated, better nourished, more robust British working class…

The aim was not merely to engage with the Establishment and to achieve political tweaks in the system: it was to – idealistically, perhaps – seek an alternative to the established, Eurocentric , materialist ‘reality’ that had led society and the World to the sorry state that it was in…

In 1963 Dr. Timothy Leary and his associates at Harvard University were undertaking experiments with hallucinogenic drugs (in particular LSD: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; a drug that had been used in anti-psychotic therapy since the 1930s), with the purpose of discovering a higher – and superior - level of human consciousness. This began as part of that sincere search for this alternative reality, and not some hedonistic recreation. As an underpinning and complementary extension of this search, ancient Native American, and more so eastern religious and philosophical traditions were later explored…

This brings me to two albums released in 1964 which I have included in my Top 10 as being culturally important to the revolution of this era: Beatnik renegade Tony Scott’s ‘Music for Zen Meditation and Other Joys’: a hybrid of Trad. Japanese Folk and western Jazz. Scott was a pioneer of the exploratoration of eastern philosophy and culture by people from modern western society and cultural traditions; he was very much an influence in introducing these eastern ideas into modern western culture - and in the fusion of these ideas and cultures... 🤔

And also the Ravi Shankar album: ‘Portrait of Genius’. This is a classic Ravi Shankar album. In the mid-late 1960s Ravi Shankar was, as we know, to become greatly influential in bringing an understanding of Indian culture and spirituality to the West, when he became a close friend and mentor to The Beatles, and in particular to George Harrison, after George met Ravi in the USA - which led to The Beatles and others traveling to India in search of a new wisdom… 🤔

So, by 1964 the elements of social and cultural revolution were in place and beginning to gel… The years that followed would confirm Dylan’s ‘prophecy’: the times they are a changin’…

(M).

Here’s my Top 10 singles of 1964 (No particular order):

1. Do Wah Diddy: Manfred Mann
2. A Hard Days Night: The Beatles
3. Little Red Rooster: The Rolling Stones
4. The House of the Rising Sun: The Animals
5. Baby Love: The Supremes
6. All Day and All of the Night: The Kinks
7. I Can’t Explain: The Who
8. I’m Into Something Good: Herman’s Hermits
9. Under The Boardwalk: The Drifters
10. Fun, Fun, Fun: The Beach Boys

…And my Top 10 albums (no particular order):

1. A Hard Day’s Night: The Beatles
2. A Girl Called Dusty: Dusty Springfield
3. The Kinks: The Kinks
4. Five Live Yardbirds: The Yardbirds
5. Where Did Our Love Go: The Supremes
6. Portrait of Genius: Ravi Shankar
7. The Times They Are A’ Changin’: Bob Dylan
8. Music for Zen Meditation and Other Joys: Tony Scott
9. Wednesday Morning 3.AM: Simon and Garfunkel
10. The Rolling Stones (England’s Newest Hit Makers): The Rolling Stones.

Textual content:
©Copyright MLM Arts 27. 10. 2014. Edited and re-posted: 05. 01. 2016; 23. 06. 2017. Education and re-posted: 04. 11. 2019. Edited and re-posted: 02. 09. 2022
THE MUSIC OF 1965

1965 was, I think, the first really great year for singles...

'The British Invasion’ of North America (the sudden mass popularity of British bands and artists there) was well under way, and The Beatles, The Rolling Stones. The Animals, Donovan, The Kinks, The Who etc… put out some great material on 45rpm.

American artists responded in kind with great single from Bob Dylan, The Byrds and The Supremes, The Four Tops, etc... Protest songs got more edgy and powerful – the Barry McGuire single ‘Eve of Destruction’ (written by American teenager P.F Sloan) is one of my favourite protest songs ever. This was the year that the youth social and cultural revolution really began…

In 1965 albums output is beginning to show a clear definition in terms of the development of this cultural innovation. I don’t know if I’d call it the first GREAT year for albums, but maybe the first significant year. ‘British Invasion' artists continued to arrive on the scene in North America: Donovan put out his first two albums: ‘What’s Bin Did and What’s Bin Hid’ (released in the USA as ‘Catch The Wind’), and ‘Fairytale’ and The Who debuted with the album ‘My Generation’. The Kinks released their second and third albums: ‘Kinda Kinks’ and ‘The Kinks Knotroversy’; The Animals released their second album, ‘Animal Tracks’; The Yardbirds put out a second album with ‘Rave Up’; and The Rolling Stones released the albums ‘The Rolling Stones No. 2’ and 'Out Of Our Heads'.

The Beatles consolidated their position as the world’s top – and most innovative – band, releasing the album (and movie) – ‘Help!’, and what is arguably their first real ‘classic’ album – showing their musical progression and maturity – ‘Rubber Soul’.

But U.S artists responded to this new wave of musical influence and innovation a in a big way: Bob Dylan released two albums that showed his own musical progression: Bringing It All Back Home’ and Highway 61 Revisited’. The Byrds released their first two albums: ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ and ‘Turn Turn Turn’. A very interesting album release was The Beach Boys’ second of three album releases in 1965: ‘The Beach Boys’ Party!’ – which might almost be described as an album that showcases the musical development that was beginning to take shape in 1965, as it features covers of Lennon / McCartney, Dylan and Phil Spector songs, as well as Beach Boys compositions.

The musical aspect of the youth social and cultural revolution of the 1960s and 70s gelled in 1965, and the years that followed were to bring an explosion of ever changing musical innovation, experimentation – and the evolution of modern culture… 🤔

Here’s my Top 10 Singles of 1965 (no particular order):

1. Yesterday Man: Chris Andrews
2. Eve of Destruction: Barry McGuire
3. We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper: The Beatles
4. Get Off Of My Cloud: The Rolling Stones
5. Stop In The Name Of Love: The Supremes
6. Catch The Wind: Donovan
7. I Got You Babe: Sonny and Cher
8. Nowhere To Run To: Martha and the Vandellas
9. Turn, Turn, Turn: The Byrds
10. My Generation: The Who

My Top 10 Albums (no particular order):

1. Help! The Beatles
2. Rubber Soul. The Beatles
3. Highway 61 Revisited: Bob Dylan
4. Bringing It All Back Home. Bob Dylan
5. What’s Been Did And What’s Been Hid. Donovan
6. My Generation. The Who
7. The Beach BoysParty. The Beach Boys
8. The Byrds
9. Rave Up. The Yardbirds
10. Out Of Our Heads. The Rolling Stones

Textual content:
©Copyright MLM Arts 13. 11. 2014. Edited and Re-posted: 02. 02. 2016; 26. 07. 2017. Edited and re-posted: 27. 11. 2019. Edited and re-posted: 01. 19. 2022

1965: DECEMBER 10th. : NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS (NME) READERS' POLL


Well, having now completed the first 'Chronicles' review of 1975 - let's go back a decade to 1965, to see how things looked back then...


This is the New Musical Express UK music paper readers' poll of who and what was popular in musical culture each year - this one being 1965


It's a year in since the game changing 'British Invasion' of 1964 - when British bands and artists - most notably The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, but many others besides - suddenly took North America - and the world by storm, and the centre of popular modern culture shifted from the USA to the UK.


However, the poll reflects the continued popularity of late 1950s Rock and Roll bands and artists, and older generation crooners.


There's also an acknowledgment of the influential U.S Folkies - who had emerged as a fringe of the fading Beatnik scene: like Dylan, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and Joan Baez - who, as the 1960s youth social and cultural revolution developed, were to be every bit as influential in that paradigm shift in social psyche as the 'British Invasion'bands and artists...

Interesting that Beatnik Jazz artists are not well represented...


Mind you, they are included in Best Instrumental Unit - so too old style Big Band sound legend Joe Loss and his band (nothing amiss with that: Big Band music has been acknowledged on here in one of our posts dedicated to influences on Golden Era music and other culture).


But it is the British 'New Wave' that dominates this poll, as you'd expect - and with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones at the forefront.


Nice to see Donovan as best new solo singer (the category isn't called that - it's New Disc or TV Singer (Eh? What...? )); and Best New Group going to Aussie trailblazers The Seekers.


What's very noticeable is the lack of Best Singles - or Best Albums sections.  Albums didn't become a big point of focus until around 1967 or so; but I'm surprised that there's no Best Singles section.


Mind you, on the plus side, there's a section that dusappeared from polls in later years when Best Singles and Best Albums sections were included: Best Disc: which, when you look at it, effectively means best track - single or album: that was a great idea...


So here's another fascinating historical archive document for us all to ponder, folks... It's Interesting to look back and see how musical culture changed and developed during The Golden Era...


(Footnote: I've blanked out Best DJ: because back then it was consistently won by someone whom it is better to blank out of history...)


(I found this image online. My acknowledgment and thanks to whoever posted it / owns it (identity unknown to me), and of course to the NME.) (M).


Textual content © Copyright MLM Arts 03. 07. 2024

The Music of 1966

This is the year folks! - The first truly great year for the music of the era, in my opinion, and one of the greatest years of them all! It was no easy task sorting through all the great albums and singles that were released in 1966 - to come up with my personal Top 10 of both.

By 1966 there were already established artists in the new youth culture, such as The Beatles (I've included the December 1965 release 'Rubber Soul' - as it's impact was more significant through 1966), The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Dylan and Donovan, and they released albums and singles that are considered to be among their finest work in their entire long careers; and also, Simon and Garfunkel, for example, established themselves in 1966, after their 1965 debut.

But there were some great debut albums too, from the Mamas and the Papas, ('If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears'), Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention ('Freak Out!'), The Monkees, ('The Monkees') Buffalo Springfield ('Buffalo Springfield'), Cream ('Fresh Cream') and others, which introduced bands and artists that would be highly significant to the development of the new music culture that was happening in the 1960s and 70s…

Yep, this was a tough year for choosing Top 10 lists..! But, as always of course, my choice is no more or less valid that anyone else’s, so do please comment on what you would include in your Top 10s…

Here are my Top 10s (In no particular order):-

Singles:
1. Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)
2. Paperback Writer (The Beatles)
3. Homeward Bound (Simon and Garfunkel)
4. Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)
5. Sunshine Superman (Donovan)
6. River Deep – Mountain High (Ike and Tina Turner)
7. I'm A Believer (The Monkees)
8. Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys)
9. You Can’t Hurry Love (The Supremes)
10. Monday, Monday (The Mamas and The Papas)

Albums:
1. Rubber Soul (The Beatles)
2. Revolver (The Beatles)
3. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (Simon and Garfunkel)
4. Sounds of Silence (Simon and Garfunkel)
5. Aftermath (The Rolling Stones)
6. River Deep – Mountain High (Ike and Tina Turner)
7. Sunshine Superman (Donovan)
8. The Monkees (The Monkees)
9. Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys)
10. Blonde on Blonde (Bob Dylan)

What else in music in 1966..? Buffalo Springfield was formed, David Jones became David Bowie (had to, because of the arrival and massive popularity of The Monkees, with their own Davy Jones) – and John Lennon was woefully misunderstood when he told the London Evening Standard newspaper that The Beatles are now bigger than Jesus…

There was of course a great wailing and a burning of all things Beatles – especially in the American ‘Bible Belt’ – in response to Lennon's remark; I guess by the kind of shallow, knee-jerk reaction people who don’t bother to really listen and understand what is being said when their religion is mentioned – I find that to be a sign of their own insecurity, personally – but hey – let's not get all amateur Freud here… Let’s be clear – Lennon’s comment was, I think it's fairer to say, a criticism of the vacuous and shallow state of society: that a group of entertainers could attract more attention and adoration than, well - than God (if you are a believer in a theistic religion, that is…). He was NOT being disrespectful to Christianity, nor was he making an arrogant boast.

(I found the images for this collage online. My acknowledgment and thanks to the various people who made them and own them. ) (M).

Textual content:
©Copyright MLM Arts 11.10.2013 Re-posted: 01. 01. 2015; and on 26. 02. 2016. Edited and re-posted: 30. 08.2017. Edited and re-posted: 13. 12. 2019. Edited and re-posted: 27. 10. 2022

THE MUSIC OF 1967

1967 – The Summer Of Love, and the year that The Beatles did again what they had done when they ‘arrived’ in 1962: reinvented Pop / Rock music – this time with the release of the album ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. The Hippie and Psychedelic scene was ‘out there’, and the music of that year reflected that. Indian and ‘New Age’ cultural and philosophical influences combined with experimental drug use to produce music and artwork that was often abstract and surreal.

The Beatles used Classical instruments, and also the new and still experimental mellotron on the band's 1967 albums (or E.P / album in the case of 'Magical Mystery Tour'). George Harrison experimented with sitar sounds, and lyrics based on Indian philosophy, in the track ‘Within You, Without You’ on the 'Sergeant Pepper album. The Moody Blues made similar musical experiments and innovation on the ground-breaking 'Days of Future Passed' album; and Procol Harum's song 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' was a clear homage to the Classical composer Bach, musically, and lyrically remains one of the most surrealist / abstract lyrics ever recorded...

The Beatles' ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ album and E.P was a clear indication of how innovative and ground-breaking - even to the extent of being risky, in terms of critical appraisal - 1967 was for creative musical talents of this era. It was the first serious criticism that The Beatles music ever received: they had pushed the boundaries yet again, and even the 'Beatles friendly' critics were not fully prepared for the likes of ‘I Am The Walrus’ and 'Blue Jay Way'… However, personally, ‘Blue Jay Way’ is one of my favourite George Harrison songs..!

This was also the year that The Beatles made history - yet again: this time by broadcasting the specially ‘All You Need is Love’ ‘live’ across the World, by satellite. The song was specially written for that history making satellite broadcast event. 

In a great year for influential debuting bands and artists, 1967 saw debuts for The Doors; The Mamas and the Papas; The Velvet Underground; Procol Harum; Pink Floyd; and Jimi Hendrix.

Pink Floyd’s debut album: ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’ was named after the chapter in Kenneth Graham’s classic novel ‘The Wind in the Willows’, in which the animal characters are awe struck and enraptured at sighting the nature god Pan - playing his pipes at dawn. It was very much in tune with the spiritual / mystical search that was part of the youth cultural and social revolution. ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’ was their only Sid Barrett led album. Barrett’s experimenting with the drug LSD would cause him to become yet another tragic casualty of the misuse of drugs when his mental health deteriorated.

The Velvet Underground debuted with the album ‘The Velvet Underground and Nico’. The album is laced with references to drug use and other anarchic themes. The cover art was by the recognised doyen of the psychedelic underground art scene – Andy Warhol.

Jim Morrison’s lyrical genius was expressed to great effect in the album ‘The Doors’: ‘Break on Through (To the Other Side)’, and ‘The End’ being songs which were inspired by the search for alternatives to materialist ‘reality’, and in the case of Jim Morrison, I suggest, expressions of his troubled search for something beyond the corporeal.

Procol Harum released their debut album, ‘Procol Harum’. The album originally didn't ocontain the classic single 'Whiter Shade of Pale', but it was added to the album after it's huge success. It's a song which, it is said, very much impressed and influenced Jim Morrison and John Lennon, who read hallucinogenic and ‘other worldly’ influences into the surreal, abstract and enigmatic lyrics: lyrics which remain among the most debated and analysed lyrics in modern music culture…

(The music in the song is widely acknowledged to be inspired by Bach’s "Sleepers, Wake!" and "Air on the G String", but, contrary to popular belief, it does not actually straight-forwardly rip-off those pieces, but is, according to expert analysis, significantly different enough to be considered original – though, perhaps, derivative).

Jimi Hendrix released his outstanding debut album, 'Are You Experienced?', to great critical acclaim.

The Bee Gees made their first chart impact, with the album 'Bee Gees' 1st.' (which was actually not their first, but their third album release), and the single 'New York Mining Disaster, 1941'.

Soul / R ‘N’ B legend Aretha Franklin released her brilliant ‘I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You’ album, which included the classic song ‘Respect’.

The Moody Blues reinvented themselves, and became one of the pioneers of Prog. Rock with the album: ‘Days of Future Past', an album that is widely considered to be the first ever Prog. Rock concept album.

Cream released what I, personally, would consider their best album: Disraeli Gears.

With the Indian influence on Rock music being so pronounced, I must mention a beautiful album by Indian musicians, which came out that year: ‘Call of the Valley’, by Shiv Kumar Sharma, Harirasad. Chaurasia, Brij Bushan Kabra. It’s one of the best albums of 1967.

The singles charts were equally full of quality in 1967, as I will show in my personal Top 10. (Though one or two of these may raise a few eyebrows..!)

My Top 10 albums for 1967 (no particular order):

1. Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (The Beatles)
2. Days of Future Past (The Moody Blues)
3. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (Aretha Franklin)
4. Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Pink Floyd)
5. The Velvet Underground and Nico (The Velvet Underground and Nico)
6. Procol Harum (Procol Harum)
7. Magical Mystery Tour (The Beatles)
8. The Doors (The Doors)
9. Call of the Valley (Shiv Kumar Sharma, Harirasad. Chaurasia, Brij Bushan Kabra)
10. Disraeli Gears (Cream)

My Top 10 singles for 1967 (no particular order):

1. A Whiter Shade of Pale
2. Respect (Aretha Franklin)
3. There is a Mountain (Donovan)
4. Tracks of My Tears (Smokey Robinson)
5. 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) (Simon and Garfunkel)
6. Silence is Golden (The Tremeloes)
7. All You Need is Love (The Beatles)
8. Ruby Tuesday (The Rolling Stones)
9. Hi Ho Silver Lining (Jeff Beck)
10. Daydream Believer (The Monkees)

As ever – this is just my opinion! – You are all welcome to post your own..!


(I found the images for this collage online. My acknowledgement and thanks to the various people who own these images. :))


(M).

Textual content: ©Copyright MLM Arts 29. 03. 2016. Edited and re-posted: 27. 09. 2017. Edited and re-posted: 28. 12. 2019. Edited and re-posted: 04. 01. 2023

THE MUSIC OF 1968


THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 1960s YOUTH SOCIAL AND CUTURAL REVOLUTION


1966 prepared the way for the take-off of what had become the cohesive, unified ideology of the various expressions of youth social and cultural revolution and protest, which came to be referred to collectively (though inaccurately) by the catch-all term ‘Hippie’; 1967 launched it full-on with ‘The Summer of Love’ – and 1968 saw Rock and Pop music fully embrace the themes and ideologies of love, peace and harmony – and the Indian philosophical and cultural influences that played such a major part in informing Hippie and other alternative lifestyles and the youth revolution’s vision for the future of humanity.


THE - GENUINELY - FREE THINKING SEARCH FOR ANSWERS...


Hindu, Buddhist, and ‘New Age’ spiritualist core beliefs, practices and doctrines were featured in significant album and singles releases, such as Procol Harum’s ‘Shine On Brightly’ album, with its epic ‘In Held Twas in I’ suite, including ‘Glimpses of Nirvana’ (etc.); The Moody Blues album ‘In Search of the Lost Chord’ (Aum); The Small Faces album ‘Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake’, with its surrealist, meditative musing in the suite ‘Happiness Stan’; Tyrannosaurus Rex's debut album ‘My People Were Fair’, featuring (what I think is) the first ‘Hari Krishna’ chant on a Western Folk/ Rock/ Pop song: ‘My Inca Love’; The Rock musical ‘Hair’ which was a celebration of the hippie spiritual belief in the dawning of a new astrological age (Aquarius), which was to be an age when love, peace and harmony would replace the 'age' and powers of conflict that ruled the Earth at the time.


CHANGE AND REACTION TO CHANGE


1968 was a powerful year of change and reaction to change. In the midst of this gathering momentum of peace and rejection of conflict, negative forces backlashed in response in ways that were devastatingly destructive. It seemed like the rise of positive energy in the world caused the established negative forces in the world to react in the only way that they knew: with violence and aggression. (Call this spiritual – or call it Einstein’s ‘Cause and Effect’ - either way, 1968 seemed to demonstrate this phenomenon…) Bad things happened in 1968… How did the modern culture of Love, Peace and good vibes respond…??? – Woodstock in 1969: we SHALL overcome…


(But that’s for the ‘Chronicle of 1969’…)


For now, here’s my list of Top 10 albums and singles for 1968 (no particular order):


Albums:


1. The White Album (The Beatles)

2. Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (The Small Faces)

3. In Gadda Da Vida (Iron Butterfly)

4. The Sounds of India (Ravi Shankar)

5. In Search of the Lost Chord (The Moody Blues)

6. My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair, But Now They’re Content To Wear Stars On Their Brows (Tyrannosaurus Rex)

7. The Hurdy Gurdy Man (Donovan)

8. Hair (the Musical) (Lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot)

9.. Electric Ladyland (Jimi Hendrix)

10. Shine On Brightly (Procol Harum)


Singles:


1. Sunshine of Your Love Cream (Cream)

2. Son of a Preacher Man (Dusty Springfield)

3. Hey Jude (The Beatles)

4. Lazy Sunday (The Small Faces)

5. Lady Madonna (The Beatles)

6. Do It Again (The Beach Boys)

7. Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf)

8. Street Fighting Man (The Rolling Stones)

9. On the Road Again (Canned Heat)

10. All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan)


Just my person choice – and, of course, it’s not any better or worse a choice than anyone else’s – so feel free to add your own!


(I found the images for this collage online. My acknowledgement and thanks to the various people who own these images. :))


(M).


Textual content:

©Copyright MLM Arts 20. 12. 2013.

Edited and re-posted: 25. 04. 2016. Edited and re-posted: 30. 10. 2017. Edited and re-posted: 12. 01. 2020. Edited and re-posted: 02. 01. 2023. Edited: 07. 01. 2023

THE MUSIC OF 1969


What a massive and inspirational year in music to end the first decade of the youth cultural and social revolution; the forming of modern culture; the paradigm shift – that was the 1960s… 😎


Consequently, this is a necessarily long posting, but I hope that you will all find it quite interesting and entertaining. I’m happy to say that this was a combined effort, written by my late, great buddy Big D; who wrote his sections of this only several weeks before he passed away, and me. That means that Big D contributed to all 10 years of this first phase of this project: the 1960s. I’m very glad about that… 🤗


Big D’s account (with edit. By (M)).


1969 for me was a pivotal time as far as music was concerned. The [early 60s] Ferry Cross the Mersey with the Liverpool sound of the Fab Four and the likes had [by the mid 1960s] been put into dry dock. 1969 gave us a new form of transport, as David Bowie blasted us off into space with the stellar hit Space Oddity. Music [which had been evolving throughout the 1960s] was getting a major makeover in more ways than one. Out went the [early 60s] mop top hairstyles and suits in favour of unkempt long hair, cheesecloth shirts, dessert boots and denims, the uniform of The Love Generation. So we cannot mention 1969, without mentioning Woodstock. Billed as an Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music, it was the mother of all concerts. The defining event of the ‘hippie generation’ [‘hippie’ being a convenient ‘catch-all’ term for the various expressions of mid – late 1960s youth culture: Hippies; Heads; Freaks; Children of God; Flower Children etc.]. Here are some statistics from the event.


WOODSTOCK STATS:


Ticket price: $18 in advance, $24 at gate; Tickets sold in advance: about 100,000; Tickets sold at gate: 0; When festival was declared free: noon Aug. 15; Cost of festival: $2.4 million; Total paid to all talent: $180,000; Highest-paid performer: Jimi Hendrix, $32,000; Years it took for promoters to break even: 11; Musical performances: 32; Space at Max Yasgur's farm: 600 acres; Rent Yasgur charged: $75,000; Crowd estimate: 500,000 [Richie Havens is on record as insisting that the crowd totalled around 800, 000 at its most numerous]; Medical cases treated: 5,163


THE GIG:


The initial estimate of 200,000, which was already an unprecedented and incredible number, turned out to be at least 400,000 [up to 800,000], were treated to an amazing array of stars and varied musical styles, whom I am sure we are all familiar with. Personally my highlights were Ritchie Havens (who could forget "Freedom") Janis "Pearl" Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner still gives me goose bumps.


[My Woodstock highlights are: Country Joe and The Fish rousted things up with the in-your-face and tell it as it is anti-war anthem ‘Feels Like I’m Fixin’ To Die Rag’. The Who’s performance was a spectacular, and I pick out ‘See Me, Feel Me’ and ‘I’m Free’ from their 1969 album ‘Tommy’ as highlights. I also love Joan Baez’s very moving and emotionally sincere set, especially ‘Joe Hill’ and ‘Drug Store Truck Driving Man’. Joe Cocker was one of the show stealers as he gave the definitive performance of ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ as part of his set].


For the entire list the artists that played Woodstock and every song that they performed, cut and paste this link to the excellent page Digital Dream Door: Woodstock 1969 Lineup and Songlist | DigitalDreamDoor.com


THE ROOTS OF MUSIC’S DIRECTION FOR THE 1970s:


But now the petals from the "Flower Power Generation" [of Hippies, Heads, Freaks, Flower Children, Children of God etc.], that had emerged in the mid-1960s out of the Beatniks, Rockers, Mersey Beat and Mods of the early 1960s, which were gently blowin' in the wind, were now being blown at gale force by a new wave of music: "ROCK" - as Led Zeppelin exploded on to the music scene with their eponymous first album: Led Zeppelin, and, along with Cream, took on the mantle of Rock super-group.


[The Zeppelin sound on their first album was very Bluesy, but it was their second album, Led Zeppelin II (also 1969), that really began to identify the band as something new and innovative. There was still the Blues influence, with tracks such as ‘The Lemon Song’, but Heavy Rock explodes out of the classic riff ‘Whole Lotta Love’ (controversially adapted from a Willie Dixon Blues song). ‘Livin’, Lovin’ Maid' is also a Heavy mover. There are hints too of the subtler side of Zeppelin, to be revealed in full on 1970s ‘Led Zeppelin III’, with ‘Thank You’ and Ramble On’].


In 1969 The Beatles were about to disband and abdicate their position as top band in modern music culture – and Led Zeppelin had arrived to take up that mantle…


1969 for me [Big D] personally, is when my music world really changed. It saw the formation of Deep Purple MKII. Here is my list of Top 10 singles and album choices from that great year - in no particular order.

D: )


Top 10 Singles

1- Good Morning Starshine, Oliver

2- You've Made Me So Very Happy, Blood, Sweat and Tears

3- Honky Tonk Women, The Rolling Stones

4- Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In, The Fifth Dimension

5- Dizzy, Tommy Roe

6- Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition

7- Sugar Sugar, The Archies

8- In the Year 2525, Zager and Evans

9- Space Oddity, David Bowie

10- Hallelujah, Deep Purple


Albums

1- Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin

2- Live At San Quentin, Johnny Cash

3- Deep Purple, Deep Purple

4- Space Oddity, David Bowie

5- Tons Of Sobs, Free

6- On The Threshold Of A Dream, The Moody Blues

7- Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg, Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg

8- Yes, Yes

9- Taste, Taste

10- In The Court Of The Crimson King, King Crimson


P. S. For all guitarists. Fender have released a signature model of the Black Strat used by Ritchie [at this time]. The tremolo arm on [that] guitar was later replaced by a quarter inch bar, because Ritchie kept breaking them. The signature Strat comes complete with the thicker bar. Happy guitaring.


D: )


(M): Top 10 Singles (no particular order):


1. In The Year 2525 (Zager and Evans)

2. Get Back: (The Beatles)

3. I Heard It Through The Grapevine: (Marvin Gaye)

4. Honky Tonk Woman (The Rolling Stones)

5. Sugar Sugar (The Archies)

6. Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

7. The Israelites (Desmond Dekker)

8. Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac)

9. Give Peace A Chance (Plastic Ono Band)

10. Living In The Past (Jethro Tull)


Top 10 Albums:


1. Led Zeppelin II (Led Zeppelin)

2. In The Court Of The Crimson King (King Crimson)

3. Abbey Road (The Beatles)

4. Let It Bleed (The Rolling Stones)

5. Tommy (The Who)

6. Willy And The Poor Boys (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

7. Stand Up (Jethro Tull)

8. A Salty Dog (Procol Harum)

9. Barabajagal (Donovan)

10. YES (YES)


This was such an incredible year for record releases. It’s good that this posting features two lists of Top10s - and with only a few agreements in them. I’m sure everyone on this page will have very different lists of your own – all as valid as these…


WHAT ELSE IN MUSIC IN 1969..?


Blind Faith played to 100,000 people at London’s Hyde Park and The Beatles played their last ever gig: the famous free show on the roof of the Apple offices in London.


Tragically it was the year that Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones died (R.I.P)


The Rolling Stones survived that tragic loss, and paid tribute to their founder member guitarist by releasing doves at their free concert at London’s Hyde Park in 1969. At that gig Mick Taylor made his live debut as The Stones new guitarist.


What a year for music: Prog. Rock was now an established genre that would push experimentation and innovation for the next several years; Heavy Rock was now out there and would go on to develop and diversify its sound with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Kiss, Iggy and the Stooges, Bachman Turner Overdrive and many others (including the early - mid 70s Glam Rock variation); Art Rock was the natural successor to Psychedelic Rock and was still developing, with Bowie; The Move – and the newly arrived Genesis (who would soon evolve into a Prog Rock band), and songs from the grand celebration of Art / Psychedelic Rock - the musical ‘Hair’- charted as singles…


The 1960s ended in triumph: both for the achievements of the social and cultural revolution and its campaign for peace, love, fairness, justice and equality, and also for the advances in cultural, especially musical, innovation. The 1970s was set-up to be an exciting time for modern music and all other culture…


(I found the images for this collage online. My acknowledgment and thanks to the various people who made them (identity unknown to me). ) (M).


(M).


Textual content:

©Copyright MLM Arts (with acknowledgement to content by Big D) 08. 03. 2015. Edited and re-posted: 01. 06. 2016. Edited and re-posted: 30. 11. 2017. Edited and re-posted: 04. 01. Edited and re-posted: 2019. 28. 01. 2020Edited and re-posted: 04. 01. 2023

A CELEBRATION OF THE 50th. ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL (August 15th., 16th., 17th., 1969)

The Woodstock Festival (1969). Truly a phenomenon. I'd say it is the centrepiece of the era; it's like the very essence of the 60s, and the 70s that lay ahead, was condensed into this event: three Summer days of celebrating Peace, Love and Music.   


Big D’s account (with edit. By (M)).


1969 for me was a pivotal time as far as music was concerned. The [early 60s] Ferry Cross the Mersey with the Liverpool sound of the Fab Four and the likes had [by the mid 1960s] been put into dry dock. 1969 gave us a new form of transport, as David Bowie blasted us off into space with the stellar hit Space Oddity. Music [which had been evolving throughout the 1960s] was getting a major makeover in more ways than one. Out went the [early 60s] mop top hairstyles and suits in favour of unkempt long hair, cheesecloth shirts, dessert boots and denims, the uniform of The Love Generation. So we cannot mention 1969, without mentioning Woodstock. Billed as an Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music, it was the mother of all concerts. The defining event of the ‘hippie generation’ [‘hippie’ being a convenient ‘catch-all’ term for the various expressions of mid – late 1960s youth culture: Hippies; Heads; Freaks; Children of God; Flower Children etc.]. Here are some statistics from the event.


WOODSTOCK STATS:


Ticket price: $18 in advance, $24 at gate; Tickets sold in advance: about 100,000; Tickets sold at gate: 0; When festival was declared free: noon Aug. 15; Cost of festival: $2.4 million; Total paid to all talent: $180,000; Highest-paid performer: Jimi Hendrix, $32,000; Years it took for promoters to break even: 11; Musical performances: 32; Space at Max Yasgur's farm: 600 acres; Rent Yasgur charged: $75,000; Crowd estimate: 500,000 [Richie Havens is on record as insisting that the crowd totalled around 800, 000 at its most numerous]; Medical cases treated: 5,163

THE GIG:

The initial estimate of 200,000, which was already an unprecedented and incredible number, turned out to be at least 400,000 [up to 800,000], were treated to an amazing array of stars and varied musical styles, whom I am sure we are all familiar with. Personally my highlights were Ritchie Havens (who could forget "Freedom") Janis "Pearl" Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner still gives me goose bumps.

[My Woodstock highlights are: Country Joe and The Fish rousted things up with the in-your-face and tell it as it is anti-war anthem ‘Feels Like I’m Fixin’ To Die Rag’. The Who’s performance was a spectacular, and I pick out ‘See Me, Feel Me’ and ‘I’m Free’ from their 1969 album ‘Tommy’ as highlights. I also love Joan Baez’s very moving and emotionally sincere set, especially ‘Joe Hill’ and ‘Drug Store Truck Driving Man’. Joe Cocker was one of the show stealers as he gave the definitive performance of ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ as part of his set].

For the entire list the artists that played Woodstock and every song that they performed, cut and paste this link to the excellent page Digital Dream Door: Woodstock 1969 Lineup and Songlist | DigitalDreamDoor.com

Here's to the memory if one if the greatest cultural events in history: the magnificent Woodstock Festival of 1969...       

(M) - with archive material from Big D

(I found this graphic on Google Images. I don't know who it's by, but my acknowledgement and thanks to that talented artist.  (M)).

1969: AN ADVERT FOR THE MUSIC AND WOODSTOCK ARTS FESTIVAL... 


Interesting document, this: it gives a pretty full overview description of the event scheduled for Max Yasgur's farm at Woodstock, New York State... 

(From what I can tell, it's from a publication called 'Ramparts'... )

It's remembered as a music festival, but it was so much more than that - there were many arts and crafts stalls and events to entertain the crowds... 

And I love the 'Hundreds of acres to roam' attractive selling point: away from the stress and strife of city life... 

But dear oh dear...! What about those prices...  $7.00 for each of the days - $13.00 for two days - $18.00 for the whole three days...? Extortionate...! LOL...! 

(I am, of course, being ironic... )

This is another fascinating archive document from back in the day... )


(I found this picture online, my acknowledgement and thanks to whoever posted it (identity unknown to me)... ) (M).

THIS IS LINK TO THE 'CHRONICLES FACEBBOK PAGER POSTING OF THE ABOVE ADVERT FOR WOODSTOCK. THE LONG THREAD ATTACHED TO IT IS A GOLDMINE OF FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF THAT EVENT AND HOW IT AFFECTED PEOPLE.


https://www.facebook.com/121782527911692/photos/a.4204022036354367/5824459920977229/

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