Hi everyone, want to thank you all for your participation on the 1950’s Bracket. Should continue to be very competitive moving forward. Next we are going to go to the 1960’s. I’m going to give you a little spoiler alert (there is going to be a lot of Beatles). Thank you for all your support and please vote either on my Twitter @stewdrew or the Sports stew with drew facebook page. Thak you all again!!
#1. The Beatles- Hey Jude (1968)
Highly regarded as the most influential band of all time. The English band’s opus may have come in 1968 while at their APEX. Hey Jude was their longest standing single on the Billboard Hot 100 (lasting 9 weeks). Hey Jude was released in August of 1968 as a single, as it came out inbetween two of their most famous albums of all time (The White Album and Abbey Road).
#16. The Beatles- Yesterday (1965)
Hey look our 1-16 matchup is a battle of Beatles hits. Yesterday was in the height of the Beatles experimentation of psychedelic drugs (mainly LSD) and also during the Beatles civil rights movement (with Folk legend Bob Dylan) in the mid 1960’s. Yesterday was released in August of 1965 and spent 5 weeks at Billboard Hot 100. Both of these singles head to head were written and performed by Paul McCartney.
#8. The 5th Dimension- Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In (1969)
Yes this is the same song that is sang at the end of The 40 Year Old Virgin. So are having your first intimate conquest at the young age of 40 this shall be your theme song. The sunshine pop hit was recorded in 1968 and was released in March of 1969 spending 6 weeks at number one in the spring of 1969. James Rado and Gerome Ragni’s lyrics are just so in sync and melodic. Yes let the Sun Shine down on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#9. Zager and Evans- In The Year 2025 (1969)
Two songs released in 1969 going head to head here. Zager and Evans one hit Wonder spent six weeks at number one in the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 69 (yes sing it Bryan Adams!!). In an interesting fact about Zager and Evans who were gone as quickly as they arrived is this is the only artist to ever have a number one single in both the US and UK and never have another single top the Billboard hot 100. This is a very catchy melodic tune however, so enjoy it!!! You did have your moment Zager and Evans.
#4. The Beatles- I want To Hold Your Hand (1964)
I want to Hold your hand was the Beatles first number one single. Released in November of 1963 it spent 7 weeks at number one on the BillBoard Hot 100 in the winter/spring of 1964. I want to Hold your hand was also the single that began the British Invasion on the American movie scene in the mid 1960’s. Even though Hey Jude spent more weeks at number one than I want to Hold you hand, this hit from the legendary band from the UK was their biggest selling single of all time, selling more than 12 million copies worldwide. Yes this was the single performed on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 (only the most historic live performance in the history of talk show television).
#13. Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs- Sugar Shack (1963)
Sugar Shack was a single performed by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs and spent five weeks at number in the fall of 1963. It is a song that has a little bit of a 1950’s pop feel to it but you can’t help but shake it when you hear this time. In an interesting fact Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs pop hit was the last number one single by an American band before Beetlemania would take over the top of the Charts beginning in January of 1964.
#5. The Monkees- I’m a Believer (1966)
The hit that took America by storm during the Holiday season of 1966 was a song performed by a band formed in Los Angeles (The Monkees). Davy Jones was known as a solo artist as well but he was the one of the lead singers of the Monkees in the mid 1960’s. Two cool facts about this 60’s hit that has remained popular for generations. 1. This is the song that Eddie Murphy’s Donkey on Shrek performs at the end of the movie. 2. Neil Diamond wrote this song. I am a believer!!!
#12. The Beatles- Can’t Buy Me Love (1964)
The second Beatles single to Top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964 was Can’t Buy Me Love. Can’t Buy Me Love was the fourth highest selling single ever in the legendary yet somewhat brief history of the band from across the pond. To show how dominant the Beatles were in the music scene in the 1960’s this is their fourth single in this bracket.
#6. Bobby Lewis- Tossin and Turnin (1961)
In one of the most underrated songs of the 1960’s Bobby Lewis smash hit of the Summer of 1961 spent seven weeks at top of the charts in the Billboard Hot 100. Many would remember this Bobby Lewis hit from the 1978 comedy Animal House. Outside of Porkies (an early 80’s comedy) is there a comedy movie that has aged more poorly than Animal House. You cannot help but start Tossin and Turnin when you hear this classic. I can’t help but enjoy this tune!!
#11. The Rascals- People Got To Be Free (1968)
In a song that was widely regarded as a movement against the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. The Rascals hit that spent five weeks at number one in the summer of 1968 was certainly a product of it’s times. Music in the late 1960’s was the beginning of much of music becoming more of a movement in the political direction. Whether it was for equal rights are fighting against the War in Viet friggin Nam (to Quote Forrest Gump).
#3. Marvin Gaye- I Heard it Through The Grapevine (1968)
I heard it through the grapevine was a smashing R & B Hit by Marvin Gaye that spent 7 weeks at the Billboard Hot 100 during the Fall of 1968. Marvin Gaye was the third artist to record the single written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong but certainly was the correct artist to perform a song that is still widely regarded as one of the best 100 songs of All Time. Marvin Gaye would have more hits over the next decade, but no other single Gaye would release would have the success of I Heard It Through the Grapevine (honey honey yeah).
#14. The Four Seasons- Big Girls Don’t Cry (1962)
Big Girls they don’t cry yi yi. The smashing fall hit from the Four Seasons in 1962 spent five weeks at number one in the Billboard Hot 100. This Song is commonly performed by the Jersey Boys here in Las Vegas keeping the Four Seasons early 60’s classic relevant 60 years later.
#7. Elvis Presley- Are You Lonesome Tonight (1960)
After Elvis was honorably discharged from the Army in March of 1960 the king immediately got back into the studio and released two hit ballads in the summer of 1960. It’s Now or Never and Are You Lonesome Tonight. The latter was the bigger hit spent six weeks at number one. Elvis would later get into movies and karate and later gain weight before passing away in his home of Memphis Tennessee in 1977. Many of Elvis loyalist would claim that Elvis is still alive today. I believe I did see Elvis and 2pac riding a doo doo bird in the middle of the desert last week.
#10. Ray Charles- I Can’t Stop Loving You (1962)
A song originally performed by country artist Don Gibson was recreated by musical legend Ray Charles in 1962. Charles version spent five weeks at number one in the Billboard Hot 100. Ray Charles influence on music cannot be understated. He was a legend indeed.
#2. Percy Faith- Theme For A Summer Place (1960)
Percy Faith and his orchestra is back for arguably the greatest song of all time to have no lyrics. The Theme Song from the 1959 Warner Bros movie A Summer Place did not become a hit immediately on the Billboard hot 100, debuting at number 96 in January of 1960. But six weeks later the Theme song would make it all the way to number 1 and stayed there for nine weeks. It is an orchestrated classic.
#15. Lulu- To Sir With Love (1967)
The theme song from James Clavell’s To Sir, with Love was performed by British artist Lulu and spent 5 weeks at number 1 in the fall of 1967. At the time Lulu was only the third British female artist to ever have a billboard hot number one single behind Vera Lynn (see the 1950’s bracket) and Petula Clark. It is a very soothing melodic tune that is a great conclusion to the countdown.