"Succession" An Outstanding Novel by Herbert Lobsenz

I just completed reading an outstanding novel by Harper Prize Winner author Herbert Lobsenz.  This book is an awesome page turner. I relaxed on Sunday morning picked up the book and spent 6 1/2 hours reading this splendid story that has the back drop of the 60s. The novel takes place at the end of the Kennedy Camelot period.   The main character is Jake Garrison who is tasked to take care of his dying father who wants nothing but to die with dignity and asks Jake for his assistance.  Jake is a paranoid individual that is a New York big business hatchet man who becomes a partner to a sleazy associate. His associate asks Jake to downsize Kennsington Typewriters, a once successful but now failing company.  Jake's wife, Diane, is carrying his  child but not sure if it is his.    Who can you trust?  What side are these characters on as they try to out manipulate one another?  Excellent reading and definitely a quality page turner with a few twists and turns.  I highly recommend this to all my followers of The 60s Official Site. 

 

October 1961, Do You Remember The Times, The Music?

The month and year is October 1961.  As a baby boomer can you recall the headlines, the times, and of course the music of that month?

I remember watching Roger Maris on a black and white TV hitting his 61st home run of the season against pitcher Tracy Stallard of the Boston Red Sox on October 1st.  If you recall Roger Maris was cussed, his life  and his family's life threatened as he approached the milestone of breaking Babe Ruth's record.  Mickey Mantle was the love the fans and Maris suffered the entire season  as he approached breaking the record.  The number one song on The Billboard Hot 100 on that day was Bobby Vee's "Take Good Care of My Baby." 

Also one of the funniest TV Shows of that era began its debut on CBS on October 3, "The Dick Van Dyke Show." 

On October 6, 1961 President John F. Kennedy recommended all families  purchase or build a bomb shelter in case of a nuclear exchange between the Soviet Union and the U.S.  It was a very scary time we lived in then.  I was 12 and probably more interested in playing baseball, football and hanging out with my friends then to understand what was really going on besides I couldn't do anything about it.  To my friends and me,  it was a great time to be alive and we were so unaware of what was going on in the world as most kids of that age is today. 

And the joke of the year (Who is buried in Lenin's Tomb?) ended as Joseph Stalin's body was removed from Lenin's tomb where it was on public display on October 31. 

Why do I bring up October 1961 and the headlines and news of the month and year?  Every month The 60s Official Site looks back at the current month and a year of the 60s decade on The Soundtrack of the 60s, featuring DJ Neal Stevens where he spins the songs from the Billboard Charts of that month and gives you the insight scoop on the songs, headlines and more.  Join in on the fun each month as he spins the great songs of the era and takes your requests and dedications.

The Top 40 Songs of the 60s Decade Has Been Tabulated

For the past two months I have requested visitors to both of my 60s nostalgia sites (The 60s Official Site and Soundtrack of the 60s)  to vote on their five favorite songs of the sixties decade.  A tall order because there were so many great hits from the 60s.  I received thousands on thousands of votes and to make it interesting, those who voted were automatically entered to win prizes to be given away during the broadcast as DJ Neal Stevens counts them down from number 40 to number 1.  The results were mixed to say the least.  Listening habits and love for different songs change as we get older, at least it has for me.  Some songs I truly loved while in my teens, I don't care to hear and those that were not so popular I love to listen to.  Don't get me wrong I love the 60s music sounds.  It is just the taste of certain songs change over time.

Listed below are the Top 40 Songs of the 60s decade according to Billboard Magazine.  Their results are based on amount of time staying on the charts which of course was based on record sales.  These songs do not come close to the list the visitors to the most popular 60s site on the web voted.  Some songs listed are on the final countdown but not many.  Of course this list is based on time on the charts but time on charts were also an indicator of popularity of a song.  Tastes do change as we get older.  You can listen to DJ Neal Stevens countdown the Top 40 hits of the sixties decade based on our visitors voting.  Go to The 60s Official Site/Top 40 Hits of the 60s decade or Soundtrack of the 60s/Top 40 Hits of the 60s decade.

Billboard's Top 40 songs of the Sixties Decade

1.  Hey Jude/The Beatles

2.  The Theme from A Summer Place/Percy Faith

3.  Tossin' and Turnin'/Bobby Lewis

4.  I Want to Hold Your Hand/The Beatles

5.  I'm A Believer/The Monkees

6.  I Heard It Through the Grapevine/Marvin Gaye

7.  Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In/The 5th Dimension

8.  Are You Lonesome Tonight/Elvis Presley

9.  In the Year 2525/Zaeger and Evans

10. It's Now or Never/Elvis Presley

11. I Can't Stop Loving You/Ray Charles

12. Love is Blue/Paul Mauriat

13. Big Girls Don't Cry/The 4 Seasons

14. Big Bad John/Jimmy Dean

15. Sugar Shack/Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs

16. Honey/Bobby Goldsboro

17. To Sir with Love/LuLu

18. Cathy's Clown/Everly Brothers

19. People Got To Be Free/The Rascals

20. Get Back/The Beatles

21. The Ballad of the Green Berets/Ssgt Barry Sadler

22. Sherry/The 4 Seasons

23. Can't Buy Me Love/The Beatles

24. Sugar, Sugar/The Archies

25. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay/Ottis Redding

26. Honky Tonk Women/The Rolling Stones

27. Stuck on You/Elvis Presley

28. Roses Are Red (My Love)/Bobby Vinton

29. Daydream Believer/The Monkees

30. Everyday People/Sly & The Family Stone

31. Dizzy/Tommy Roe

32. Windy/The Association

33. Runaway/Del Shannon

34. He's So Fine/The Chiffons

35. Ode to Billy Joe/Bobbie Gentry

36. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction/The Rolling Stones

37. Dominique/The Singing Nun

38. There! I've Said it Again/Bobby Vinton

39. Somthin' Stupid/Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra

40. Groovin'/The Young Rascals

Go to The 60s Official Site/Top 40 Hits of the 60s decade or Soundtrack of the 60s/Top 40 Hits of the 60s decade