I Love No.1's - 1962

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Last week Debbie Harry & Her Blondie Band romped away into the lead with 47 ticks, making Heart Of Glass your favourite number one of 1979. Close behind were Trev "Buggles" Horn & Gary Numan with 44 and 41 ticks respectively, but poor old Lena Martell languished behind in last place with only 5.

Today we trudge back to the eve of Beatlemania when Elvis was still King and Cliff was still er, Queen. It's 1962!


[Poll #801432]

Comments

[graciousviv.livejournal.com]

I remember Dad playing Telstar and Nut Rocker when I was ickle.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've heard the Ray Charles one. ANy good?

I didn't tick any Elvis but I can't think of anything that wrong with 'Return To Sender'. It may just be that I can hear/picture Russ Abbott singing it in his old TV show one time that puts me off.

[strange-powers.livejournal.com]

Russ Abbott = Return to Zenda in p1ss-poor Prisoner of Zenda spoof. It's imprinted on my memory more clearly than any other Russ sketch.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

yes me too! ARGH why is this?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Similarly my enjoyment of "Thriller" is forever spoiled by it being COMPLETELY INEXTRICABLY LINKED with Lenny bloody Henry's "fans of Aston Villa! Villa!" parody video.

The Inventor of the Power Ballad?

[koganbot]

the rock ballad as such is derived from soul music and, in particular, from Ray Charles, whose gospel reading of a country song, "I Can't Stop Loving You" (1962), became the blueprint for generations of rock balladeers. Charles's emotional sincerity was marked by vocal roughness and hesitation (unlike the Italian balladeers), and, if his tempo was slow, it was nevertheless insistent.

Charles had a direct effect on such singers as Tom Jones and Joe Cocker (whose voice was soon featured regularly on film soundtracks, providing the closing credit uplift), but his most lasting influence was on lighter-toned singer-songwriters such as Elton John and Billy Joel, who drew also on rock's lyrical pretensions (and had a major impact on younger performers such as George Michael). An equivalent line of influence can be traced from female soul singers such as Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight through Anita Baker and Whitney Houston to Mariah Carey and Céline Dion.
--Simon Frith, excerpted from his ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA entry on "pop ballad"

IFIELD

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

He was good!

Re: IFIELD

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

I concur! Erm, except for Lovesick Blues which isn't great. I think I ticked it anyway.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

My knowledge of Elvis is very lacking. Truly, I am of the Eminem generation.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

The first version of I Can't Help Falling In Love that I heard was by UB40. I have 0 shame.

"the day he joined the army" etc etc

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

This is one of the first ones Elvis has been in and doesn't deserve to win, yet it's the first one he might win :o(

Pimp My Blog

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2004/09/cliff-richard-and-the-shadows-the-young-ones/

You can follow this (not particularly great) year in pop through my reviews!

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

I really feel I'm missing out by not having heard Telstar, which is quite uncommon for this era.

[strange-powers.livejournal.com]

It's flippin' ace. Seek it out, it's worth your effort!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

It was also in "Teach Yourself Keyboard, Book 3".

That's how I know it.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

is there a Bosh Telstar? we must make it happen.

[boyofbadgers.livejournal.com]

I can gmail a tinny copy to you, if you'd like.

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yes please!

[boyofbadgers.livejournal.com]

Oh bvm, just realised it's on my home machine. Will have to wait until tonight.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I just remembered a possibly slightly obscure thing that I read in Rock Sound about 'Telstar,' which was apparently Matt Bellamy (of Musular fame)'s dad played on it.

Useless fact but about all I could contribute to a discussion of this era.

[awesomewells.livejournal.com]

Also MARGARET THATCHER'S FAVOURITE POP RECORD.