One Hit Wonders
1961
The Beatles make their first appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. Robert Zimmerman or Bob Dylan makes his first appearance in Greenwich Village/Gerd’s Folk City. North America is Dance Crazy, The Pony/The Twist/The Fly/Bristol Stomp/The Majestic and more. FM Stereo becomes available for the first time. Those Oldies but Goodies by Little Caesar & the Roman is a hit and it gives chart success to The Marcels Blue Moon/ Cleftones Heart and Soul / The Regents Barbara Ann and the Capris with There’s a moon out tonight. Writer, Producer, Musician Phil Spector launches the Phillies Label and “The Wall of Sound” / The Righteous Brothers / Crystals / Ronettes / Bob B. Sox and the Blue Jeans and so on.
Angel Baby / January 1961 / Rosie and the Originals / #5 BB
This one of my all-time favourites. For more information about Rosie, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/rosie-hamlin-gary/
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There’s a Moon Out Tonight / February 1961 / The Capris / #3 BB
They were from Queens NY.
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Baby Sitting Boogie / March 1961 / Buzz Clifford /
I actually met him in 1961. For more information about the Cliffords, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/the-cliffords-mike-and-buzz/
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Apache/ April 1961 / Jorgan Ingmann / #2 BB
For me the better version was by the Shadows, but we could not get that record. For more information about Apache, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/apache/
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Baby Blue / May 1961 / The Echoes / #12 BB
For more information about The Echoes, see this post:
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Mother-In-Law / May 1961 / Ernie K-Doe / #2 BB
I loved this song, he was from New Orleans and left us in 2001.
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Daddy’s Home / May 1961 / Shep and the Limlites / #2 BB
OK, James “Shep” Sheppard wrote Daddy’s Home, but also wrote “A Thousand Miles Away” which to me is the same song. The Heartbeats recorded it in 1957, lots of law suits on this one.
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Heart and Soul / June 1961 / The Cleftones / #18 BB
From Queens NY, the song in 1956 “Little Girl of Mine” is my favourite. For more information about the Cleftones, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/the-cleftones/
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Rama Lama Ding Dong / June 1961 / The Edsels / #21 BB
For more information about The Edsels, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/the-edsels/
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I Like it Like That / July 1961 / Chris Kenner / #2 BB
A great song, not so his like, he went to prison in 1968 for Statutory Rape, 3 years and died in 1976 of a Heart Attack.
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Last Night / August 1961 / The Mar-Keys / #3 BB
Great Song. For more information about the Mar-Keys, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/the-mar-keys/
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Pretty Little Angel Eyes / August 1961 / Curtis Lee / #7 BB
Well I liked this song and it was produced by this guy, the best http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/phil%C2%A0spector/ I do not agree he was a one hit guy, but Billboard says so. Curtis was from Yuma AZ and Under the Moon of Love peaked at # 46, so you be the judge.
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I just Don’t Understand / September 1961 / Ann Margret / #17
Boy did I have the “Hots” for this woman: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/ann-margaret/
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Who Put the Bomp / September 1961 / Barry Mann / #7 BB
Along with his wife Cynthia Weil, they have written some of the greatest songs. For more information about Barry Mann, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/barry-mann/
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Nag / September 1961 / The Halos / #25 BB
They were the back up group on Pretty Little Angel Eyes. To read more about where the Halos fit in the grand scheme of Doo Wop, see this post: http://strathdee.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/the-doo-wop-revival-1959-1987-gary/
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This Time / October 1961 / Troy Shondell / #6 BB
For more information about Troy Shondell, see this post:
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