Featured Album:
Righteous Brothers – Just Once in My Life
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.
Some absolute classics on this album including what is probably the best pop song ever “Unchained Melody”, covered by so many. Link here is the karaoke version, as I know you will want to serenade your loved one (or is that just me?)
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | “Just Once in My Life“ | 3:55 | |
| 2. | “Big Boy Pete” |
|
3:03 |
| 3. | “Unchained Melody“ | 3:34 | |
| 4. | “You Are My Sunshine“ | 3:04 | |
| 5. | “The Great Pretender“ | Buck Ram | 2:33 |
| 6. | “Sticks And Stones“ | Titus Turner | 1:54 |
| 7. | “See That Girl” | 3:09 | |
| 8. | “Oo-Poo-Pah-Do“ | Jessie Hill | 3:51 |
| 9. | “You’ll Never Walk Alone“ | Rodgers and Hammerstein | 2:15 |
| 10. | “Guess Who?” | Jesse Belvin | 2:30 |
| 11. | “The Blues” | Bill Medley | 2:50 |
More writings on this album here: Just Once in My Life
Just Once in My Life is the 1965 album by The Righteous Brothers. According to Bill Medley, he was allowed to produce most of the tracks in the album, including “Unchained Melody” which was originally intended only as an album track because Phil Spector was interested only in producing singles.
The Top 10 Albums with a You Tube hyperlink on the title:
Top Tip: Right-click and open in new tab
| Top Albums of 1965 | ||
| 1 | Original Soundtrack | The Sound Of Music |
| 2 | For Sale | Beatles |
| 3 | Original Soundtrack | Mary Poppins |
| 4 | Bob Dylan | Freewheelin’ |
| 5 | The Rolling Stones | Rolling Stones Number 2 |
| 6 | Bob Dylan | Bring It All Back Home |
| 7 | Val Doonican | 13 Lucky Shades Of Val Doonican |
| 8 | The Beatles | Help |
| 9 | Andy Williams | Almost There |
| 10 | Original Soundtrack | My Fair Lady |
Yet another wonderful year again. 2 Beatles albums, so easy to pick another from them, 2 from Bob Dylan and 3 soundtracks to classic films! For those of us of a certain age, Val Doonican was extremely popular on the telly, as of course was Andy Williams. Easy to pick any Beatles albums for the featured song, Bob Dylan, well I have always loved his songs, just not his usually dreary voice. Rolling Stones is particularly good, but they have much better to come. So, this year, my featured album does not come from the top ten.
I was only about 9 or 10 years of age. I do remember singing “Unchained Melody”, my voice was perhaps a little higher in those days, I could hit the high note! The Beatles were always being played. Val Doonican on the telly, mum and dad often singing along. Happy days. Last year at Junior school for me. Had to start wearing long trousers, I remember not liking that. Dr Who on the telly, getting to pick a line in the pools for score draws, bloke would come round and collect the pools coupon and money each week.
The top 10 albums for 1965, like the previous 4 years were all awesome. However, some more are below that I would say are well worth a listen. In my view the best albums of the year, after the featured one, and the top tunes from each, are:
The Rolling Stones – Out of Our Heads – Includes “The last Time”. This would have been the featured album as “Satisfaction” was on it, but only on the US release, the UK release did not include it. There time will come though.
The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man – great album.
The Beach Boys – Do You Wanna Dance? – Some pretty awesome tracks on this, including Help me Rhonda.
The Who – My Generation – Never my favourite group, but lots of respect. I am sure there will be some big lovers of The Who.
The Beatles – Rubber Soul – yet another. 55 years old now and still played by so many people so often.
Walker Brothers – Take it easy on yourself
Manfred Mann – Mann Made – “Since I don’t have you” wonderful track. Hi lilly, hi lilly hi low!
The Temptations – The Temptin’ Temptations – Awesome band, strongly recommend their epic biographical film.
Dusty Springfield – Ev’rything’s Coming Up Dusty – Wonderful voice.
Willie Nelson – Country Willie – His Own Songs – You cannot beat a bit of Willie
The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! – more from this group.
Them – The Angry Young Them – early Van Morrison here. Good album this.
The Kinks – The Kink Kontroversy – a most pleasant listen to is this.
Scoring:
As you know I like to review your “tunes” that you post. Scoring this week will be as per my first comment you will not read:
*Note. Anyone scoring a Morrissey (lowest score possible) will be reported and blocked.
Hat tips to:
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/ratings/8-all-music-highest-rated/1964/1 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
https://www.youtube.com/ you know them.
Next Time: 1966
Featured image: Author unknown; Photo courtesy Orange County Archives, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
© Phil the ex test manager 2020
