A History of Pop Music – Albums 1960

9th October 2020 Philthetestmanager 20th Century, Arts, History, Music 0

Featured Album:

Elvis is Back
This is a series of articles looking at albums from 1960 to whatever year we end up in.

I will select a featured album for each year and the link for the whole album, Plus list the songs on it.

As before, it is not just about the songs and tunes, it is very much about memories, and good ones, I hope.

Not everyone will like my choices of course, and you may remember some from each particular year that you feel should have been included, so do please post a link to the song.

So, on we go with memories from 1960: (Thank you Wiki)

Original Release – Elvis is Back

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date	Length
1.	“Make Me Know It”	Otis Blackwell	March 20, 1960	1:58
2.	“Fever“	John Davenport, Eddie Cooley	April 3, 1960	3:31
3.	“The Girl of My Best Friend“	Beverly Ross, Sam Bobrick	April 4, 1960	2:21
4.	“I Will Be Home Again“	Bennie Benjamin, Raymond Leveen, Louis C. Singer	April 4, 1960	2:33
5.	“Dirty, Dirty Feeling”	Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller	April 4, 1960	1:35
6.	“Thrill of Your Love“	Stan Kesler	April 4, 1960	2:59

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Recording date	Length
1.	“Soldier Boy”	David Jones, Theodore Williams, Jr.	March 20, 1960	3:04
2.	“Such a Night“	Lincoln Chase	April 4, 1960	2:58
3.	“It Feels So Right”	Fred Wise, Ben Weisman	March 21, 1960	2:09
4.	“Girl Next Door Went A-Walking“	Bill Rice, Thomas Wayne	April 4, 1960	2:12
5.	“Like a Baby“	Jesse Stone	April 3, 1960	2:38
6.	“Reconsider Baby“	Lowell Fulson	April 4, 1960	3:39

The Top 10 Albums with a You Tube hyperlink on the title:

Top Tip: Right-click and open in new tab

Top Albums of 1960
1	Original Soundtrack	South Pacific
2	One Hundred & One Strings	Down Drury Lane To Memory Lane
3	Elvis Presley	Elvis Is Back
4	The Everly Brothers	It’s Everly Time
5	Cliff Richard	Me And My Shadows
6	George Mitchell Minstrels	The Black And White Minstrel Show
7	Original London Cast	Oliver
8	Ray Conniff	Hi-Fi Companion Album
9	Bob Newhart	Button-Down Mind Of Bob Hewhart
10	Freddy Cannon	The Explosive Freddy Cannon

South Pacific, I remember hearing those tunes for years afterwards. It’s Everly time is a superb album and would be featured, but you cannot start a series off like this without the King. Interesting that whilst a great comedian, Bob Newhart also sold a lot of records! I listened also to the Black and White Minstrels as Sunday in our house when I was growing up was always top 40 on the radio with Alan “Fluff” Freeman, then this show on the telly, then Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

I was only 5 or 6 years of age so do not remember much. I do recall a Wimpy bar was a big treat. SMASH was invented and hit the shops 2 years later. Prawn cocktail was popular, not round our way though, we had no money.

More writings on this album here: Elvis is Back

In my view the best albums of the year, after the featured one, and the top tune from each, are:

Joan Baez Silver Dagger – If you like folk music. Good voice though.

Dean Martin – This Time I’m Swingin’ – Yes I like a bit of Deano.

Jackie Wilson – Please Tell Me Why – Great performer.

The Everly Brothers – Made To Love – Some more classics on this.

Johnny Cash – Ride This Train – Not one of his best, but there will many fans around

Johnny Cash – Now,There was a Song! – Much better

Chuck Berry – Rockin’ At The Hops – Proper rock music.

Hat tips to:

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/ratings/8-all-music-highest-rated/1960/1 these give the top 100 selling charts for each year

http://www.everyhit.com/chart1.html these give the top 10 songs for each year