Rock Evolution – The History of Rock & Roll - 1986 - (page 212)

I've gone through and added the nominations to the playlist and also added In Dreams by Roy Orbison which is a song I love! If I've missed any I'll update them later if you can let me know!

Sorry it's a bit late but works ven insane again this week. Roll on getting that mortgage paid off:)
 
GoatersLeftShin said:
I've gone through and added the nominations to the playlist and also added In Dreams by Roy Orbison which is a song I love! If I've missed any I'll update them later if you can let me know!
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RIP David Lynch... :-(

The song and scene that made the movie...
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In March of 1963, the Drifters had booked some studio time and were a song short, so this track was forwarded to them to record. It was felt that the original song wasn't quite right, so an overnight brainstorming session was held with the songwriters to put together this better-known version, now with a rock-oriented groove and with a more bluesy feel. This matched the new lyric in which the singer was now actually on Broadway and having a hard time.

A young Phil Spector played the guitar solo on this song, and the distinctive trumpets were courtesy of Joe Newman and Ernie Royal.

"On Broadway" - The Drifters
 
Black&White&BlueMoon Town said:
In March of 1963, the Drifters had booked some studio time and were a song short, so this track was forwarded to them to record. It was felt that the original song wasn't quite right, so an overnight brainstorming session was held with the songwriters to put together this better-known version, now with a rock-oriented groove and with a more bluesy feel. This matched the new lyric in which the singer was now actually on Broadway and having a hard time.

A young Phil Spector played the guitar solo on this song, and the distinctive trumpets were courtesy of Joe Newman and Ernie Royal.

"On Broadway" - The Drifters
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I was going to nominate Up On The Roof, which was recorded in '62 but was a hit in '63. Yet another Goffin/King pop masterpiece. In the UK the version that was a hit was by a bloke you won't have heard of called Kenny Lynch, it's fair to say it's not really at the level of The Drifters.
 
threespires said:
I was going to nominate Up On The Roof, which was recorded in '62 but was a hit in '63. Yet another Goffin/King pop masterpiece. In the UK the version that was a hit was by a bloke you won't have heard of called Kenny Lynch, it's fair to say it's not really at the level of The Drifters.
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Kenny Lynch: poor singer and an even worse so-called comedian.
 
OB1 said:
I'm sure the play list needs some more Beatles and Beach Boys. Little Deuce Coupe is a personal favourite.


Away from the big two, Bob & Earl: "Harlem Shuffle" and The Kingsmen: "Louie Louie".

Oh and the The Ronettes: "Be My Baby" surely needs including.
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It would be easy to get lost in Beatles and Beach Boys in these years. I'm glad that, whilst doing them justice, so many other acts are being covered. 1963 is turning out to be a great playlist.
 
This only got to #18 in the US charts but I'm putting it up for two reasons

(1) As a baseline to compare against where he will end up on his musical journey
(2) We think often of snarling out lines, but when he wanted to he had a sweet sweet voice

Prisoner of Love - James Brown

On the subject of chart position, up until Living In America, I think Brown had only ever had 1 top 5 hit in his entire career. I know we all know this but it sort of drives home the limitations of the charts as a historical barometer of impact.

(watch the Ed Sullivan version of this, great outfit, great performance)
 
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threespires said:
This only got to #18 in the US charts but I'm putting it up for two reasons

(1) As a baseline to compare against where he will end up on his musical journey
(2) We think often of snarling out lines, but when he wanted to he had a sweet sweet voice

Prisoner of Love - James Brown

On the subject of chart position, up until Living In America, I think Brown had only ever had 1 top 5 hit in his entire career. I know we all know this but it sort of drives home the limitations of the charts as a historical barometer of impact.

(watch the Ed Sullivan version of this, great outfit, great performance)
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Didn't James Brown once admit that during the 5T's there were at least 3 acts touring the south claiming to be Little Richard...and he knew this because he was one of them!
 
The British are coming! The British are coming!

We've seen overt signs of the British music invasion in 1963 in the charts with a few original songs on here, but remakes were still en vogue as well. Other up-and-coming artists were getting started by taking other songs from US R&B artists already made popular and have them re-released as hits.

I'm actually sorry we missed the original of this from the soul and R&B group the Contours from 1962, but there it was. Not one, but 2 British groups took a successful swing at this song in 1963 and hit the charts with it. Do I prefer the original from 1962? Absolutely, but I can't go back in time, can I? (not without a Flux Capacitor - Great Scott!) :-)

Given the options, I'll choose The Dave Clark Five version over the Brian Poole and the Tremeloes version. Their versions of this hit were both released within a week of each other in late summer of 1963. This song needs to be included on our timeline as a classic and covered again in the studio and heard many times over the years by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and others.

Make no mistake, as bands across the pond got started in their own popularity with the hits of others, things were a-changing.

"Do You Love Me" - The Dave Clark Five
 
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Resurrection Joe... said:
Didn't James Brown once admit that during the 5T's there were at least 3 acts touring the south claiming to be Little Richard...and he knew this because he was one of them!
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Wasn't this with Little Richards blessing though? As he couldn't fulfil all the gigs he was offered, he 'encouraged' Brown to stand in for him!! I might have that bit wrong but either way it's properly funny.
 
threespires said:
Wasn't this with Little Richards blessing though? As he couldn't fulfil all the gigs he was offered, he 'encouraged' Brown to stand in for him!! I might have that bit wrong but either way it's properly funny.
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Yeah...who knows?..those juke joints woulda got a hell of a show either way!
 
Notes on the 1963 playlist:-

- As I'd previously commented, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys and The Beatles all carry on producing fine music, and in all three cases, their music has grown and improved since 1962.

- This list includes a lot of music by girl bands, primarily The Ronettes and The Crystals. But there are plenty of other familiar songs by other artists.

- Martha Reeves & The Vandellas make their first appearance in our playlists, and I'm sure it won't be the last for this fantastic vocal group.

- The Kingsmen and The Trashmen both have songs that provide the male side of music that still seems, for the most part, vocal-centric as opposed to focussing on the instruments.

- Johnny Cash provides a country classic, boosted by Mariachi horns, in the shape of "Ring of Fire".

- Interesting that @GoatersLeftShin picked the "Dr. Who" theme. Electronic music is not my favourite, but I was wondering when this important genre would make its debut - I didn't think it would be as early as 1963, so this is a very clever pick.

- "Those Hazy, Lazy, Crazy Days of Summer" - I never knew it was by Nat King Cole but this takes me right back to my grandparents' house at Christmas in the 1970s.
 
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