I feel sorry for necroposting, however I liked your post a lot, and especially your top tracks choice (my favorite Fats Domino song! WOW!). Though, as for me, the best song of the year is British (probably, first time ever at least since 1930s) and it’s undoubtedly “Shaking All Over”, where the sound predates nearly everything recorded before 1965.
Other highlights of 1960, that you didn’t mention probably include fantastic instrumental “Man Of Mystery” by The Shadows, one of the weirdest rockabilly act of the era called The Phantom with his “Love Me” (the guy created his wild rebellious image with a help of… Pat Boone!), easy listening classic “First Date” by Floyd Cramer, early Celentano, who was, surprisingly, one of the greatest early rock and rollers, INCLUDING American ones and in his prime could easily outelvis Elvis (his song “Pitagora” really starts with the formula of Pythagorean theorem sung in Italian and it’s even catchy!), “Way Over There” by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (among with Fats’ “Natural Born Lover” it’s one of the cleverest string arrangements of the era, sounding quite actual even now). Also Jackie Wilson had a fantastic hit with “A Woman, A Lover, A Friend”, The Frantics made a (probably first) example of horror surf with “Werewolf”, Vince Taylor created amazing “Jet Black Machine” that wouldn’t look very out of place even at “Nuggets”. And also lots of other great stuff made by Joyce Harris (check her cover of “Got My Mojo Working”, it really makes Wanda Jackson look like Doris Day), Johny Hallyday (amazingly energetic twists, such as “Laisse les filles” and many mores), The Crests (one of the best and most talented doo-wop act of the era, sadly overlooked, they are NOT one-hit wonders), Bobby Rydell (“Wild One” was perfect example of commercial rock and roll at its best), Adam Faith (“Poor Me” was a good Buddy Holly-alike song, that deals with late, “symphonic” Buddy Holly), The Drifters (the beginning of “I Count The Tears” was later stealed by The Grass Roots and became somewhat iconic for late 60s pop rock), Neil Sedaka (Calendar Girl!), Connie Francis (amazing version of traditional “Siboney”, one of the most “cinematographic” songs of the era) and MANY MANY more, including various fantastic soundtrack themes (“The Magnificent Seven”, “The Apartment”, “Exodus”, Nino Rota stuff written for Federico Fellini) and quite weird acts that stood really far from rock and roll, but were still very much listenable and enjoyable (Eden Ahbez with his fantastic exotica-pre-psychedelic album, Tom Lehrer, and, if we speak about the blues, Howlin’ Wolf with first recording of the great “Back Door Man”).
Would like much to read more such observations on each year, starting from 1961, they’re great!
Your Tarantino "quote" put me in mind of a "quote" in the opposite direction by I think Godard (or someone of that crowd), though I also cannot find the source right now. It went, substantially, something like:
We all cherised and championed the great Hollywood auteurs of the 40s and 50s and clamored for their freedom. Then in the 60s they finally got it, and all they turned out was shit.
Sweeping generalisations either way, but I'm more inclined towards this view than Tarantino's. As regards to film.
The 1960 retrospective feels a tiny bit premature without Roy Orbison, whom I'm guessing is coming up now in January 1961, but 'Only the Lonely' and 'Blue Angel' were 1960 singles. Not that they change the overall trajectory or assessment in any way.
Very grateful for the continued journey and all the discoveries and thoughts along the way.
As usual, you've spread your net predictably wide, what a great mix of stuff. Nothing really to say apart from this: uncanny how some of the POP songs you chose sound very much like what AI songs being created today sound like, i.e. utterly artificial and flat. If the similarity announces our musical future, we may well find ourselves looping back to the early Sixties before another revolutionary musical idiom hits us at gale force. It ain't going to happen, of course, but it's fun to imagine a tuneful tsunami heading our way, something to temper the dismal-looking years ahead. But if I were a betting man, I would guess we will not be bouncing to the Beatles Mk2 but finding our kicks in the newly arrived Alien amongst us -- the all-seductive AI that David Bowie himself predicted in, wait for it . . . 1999.!
Which POP songs do you mean? I think I took pretty good care to select precisely those pop songs that don't sound artificial. On the other hand, generic and formulaic pop songwriting has been the trademark of just about every decade in which "pop" as a concept ever existed, which was, well, pretty much since the beginning of the record industry. There's barely any substantial difference here between the early Sixties and the vaudeville recordings from the early 1900s.
As for AI, I've been saying this for the past several years now: the problem is not with the limitations and deficiencies of AI, the problem is with the people who are unable to - or, rather, do not feel any need to - see past these limitations and deficiencies. Which is merely the sign of an age in which one listens to music not for its meaning (emotional or intellectual), but merely for its form. "This AI song sounds just like John Lennon" etc.
George, you are such a great writer. I love reading your stuff.
Even though you will probably disown me. My favorite all-time group is Uriah Heep.
That's fine. You were only seventeen, you fell in love with a gypsy queen. It happens to all of us.
Happy New Year, George!!
I feel sorry for necroposting, however I liked your post a lot, and especially your top tracks choice (my favorite Fats Domino song! WOW!). Though, as for me, the best song of the year is British (probably, first time ever at least since 1930s) and it’s undoubtedly “Shaking All Over”, where the sound predates nearly everything recorded before 1965.
Other highlights of 1960, that you didn’t mention probably include fantastic instrumental “Man Of Mystery” by The Shadows, one of the weirdest rockabilly act of the era called The Phantom with his “Love Me” (the guy created his wild rebellious image with a help of… Pat Boone!), easy listening classic “First Date” by Floyd Cramer, early Celentano, who was, surprisingly, one of the greatest early rock and rollers, INCLUDING American ones and in his prime could easily outelvis Elvis (his song “Pitagora” really starts with the formula of Pythagorean theorem sung in Italian and it’s even catchy!), “Way Over There” by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (among with Fats’ “Natural Born Lover” it’s one of the cleverest string arrangements of the era, sounding quite actual even now). Also Jackie Wilson had a fantastic hit with “A Woman, A Lover, A Friend”, The Frantics made a (probably first) example of horror surf with “Werewolf”, Vince Taylor created amazing “Jet Black Machine” that wouldn’t look very out of place even at “Nuggets”. And also lots of other great stuff made by Joyce Harris (check her cover of “Got My Mojo Working”, it really makes Wanda Jackson look like Doris Day), Johny Hallyday (amazingly energetic twists, such as “Laisse les filles” and many mores), The Crests (one of the best and most talented doo-wop act of the era, sadly overlooked, they are NOT one-hit wonders), Bobby Rydell (“Wild One” was perfect example of commercial rock and roll at its best), Adam Faith (“Poor Me” was a good Buddy Holly-alike song, that deals with late, “symphonic” Buddy Holly), The Drifters (the beginning of “I Count The Tears” was later stealed by The Grass Roots and became somewhat iconic for late 60s pop rock), Neil Sedaka (Calendar Girl!), Connie Francis (amazing version of traditional “Siboney”, one of the most “cinematographic” songs of the era) and MANY MANY more, including various fantastic soundtrack themes (“The Magnificent Seven”, “The Apartment”, “Exodus”, Nino Rota stuff written for Federico Fellini) and quite weird acts that stood really far from rock and roll, but were still very much listenable and enjoyable (Eden Ahbez with his fantastic exotica-pre-psychedelic album, Tom Lehrer, and, if we speak about the blues, Howlin’ Wolf with first recording of the great “Back Door Man”).
Would like much to read more such observations on each year, starting from 1961, they’re great!
Your Tarantino "quote" put me in mind of a "quote" in the opposite direction by I think Godard (or someone of that crowd), though I also cannot find the source right now. It went, substantially, something like:
We all cherised and championed the great Hollywood auteurs of the 40s and 50s and clamored for their freedom. Then in the 60s they finally got it, and all they turned out was shit.
Sweeping generalisations either way, but I'm more inclined towards this view than Tarantino's. As regards to film.
The 1960 retrospective feels a tiny bit premature without Roy Orbison, whom I'm guessing is coming up now in January 1961, but 'Only the Lonely' and 'Blue Angel' were 1960 singles. Not that they change the overall trajectory or assessment in any way.
Very grateful for the continued journey and all the discoveries and thoughts along the way.
Roy Orbison is coming this very week indeed. Thanks for the support!
As usual, you've spread your net predictably wide, what a great mix of stuff. Nothing really to say apart from this: uncanny how some of the POP songs you chose sound very much like what AI songs being created today sound like, i.e. utterly artificial and flat. If the similarity announces our musical future, we may well find ourselves looping back to the early Sixties before another revolutionary musical idiom hits us at gale force. It ain't going to happen, of course, but it's fun to imagine a tuneful tsunami heading our way, something to temper the dismal-looking years ahead. But if I were a betting man, I would guess we will not be bouncing to the Beatles Mk2 but finding our kicks in the newly arrived Alien amongst us -- the all-seductive AI that David Bowie himself predicted in, wait for it . . . 1999.!
Which POP songs do you mean? I think I took pretty good care to select precisely those pop songs that don't sound artificial. On the other hand, generic and formulaic pop songwriting has been the trademark of just about every decade in which "pop" as a concept ever existed, which was, well, pretty much since the beginning of the record industry. There's barely any substantial difference here between the early Sixties and the vaudeville recordings from the early 1900s.
As for AI, I've been saying this for the past several years now: the problem is not with the limitations and deficiencies of AI, the problem is with the people who are unable to - or, rather, do not feel any need to - see past these limitations and deficiencies. Which is merely the sign of an age in which one listens to music not for its meaning (emotional or intellectual), but merely for its form. "This AI song sounds just like John Lennon" etc.
Good point.