Recalling November 1966

I had just graduated from high school in June and still not sure what path to take.  I was torn between college, working and the military but in November 1966 I made a road trip to a Kansas college with a friend who wanted to see his girlfriend whom I had graduated with.  I did not seek permission from home and my parents reported me missing after a couple of days.

My friend and I stayed in the dorm room of one student we met while there.  I immediately got a taste of college life without attending a class at that time of my life.  I do recall waiting outside a building for my friend's girlfriend to come out and an attractive girl came by and kissed me passionately and said "Hello Adam, awww, you are not Adam." Shockingly but with a smile I could only say "I can be." 

At any rate we made it home through a snow storm with the Ohio Highway Patrol looking for us.  On the way home Big Bear Supermarkets called my home and wanted me to start work the next day. Which I  began my job a couple of days late as the frozen foods manager.  I left JC Penneys for Big Bear Supermarkets for more money.  Less than a year later I will be in Vietnam.

November 1966 events were going all around me without notice but I do remember that actor Ronald Reagan was elected Governor of California and the big news was  Edward Brooks of Massachusetts becoming the first African-American elected to the Senate since Reconstruction.  Being from Ohio the re-trial of the Sam Sheppard case was the big news.  He was acquitted this time around.  It was also the basis for TV series of "The Fugitive."  Similarity was the fact Sam Sheppard's wife, Marilyn had been murdered and he had been convicted the first time in 1954.  The second time around he was defended by F. Lee Bailey.

Music was great that month as was the entire year of 1966.   Great songs like 96 Tears by ? & The Mysterians, Poor Side of Town with Johnny Rivers, Jimmy Ruffin's What Becomes of the Brokenhearted and Reach Out I'll Be There by The Four Tops just to name a few.

This month on Soundtrack of the 60s on The 60s Official Site, DJ Neal Stevens plays the songs we listened to in November 1966.  A great year and a great month of memories.

August 1963 Rocks as I Remember It

The summer of 1963 was the break between my freshman and sophomore year of high school and much of it remains etched in my memory.  The Vietnam issue was beginning to take focus.  Although our presence was only minimal as only advisers, the country started to make headlines.  At the time I did not know where or what Vietnam was.  The country was demonstrating anti-American sentiment and monk Buddhists were committing suicides by burning themselves in protest of Ngo Dinh Diem's government. We know the rest of the story as the years progressed.  All of this did not matter to me as I was more interested in my world of Circleville, Ohio.  We were a small town but it was the entire world to me and my friends.

I do recall the Kingsmen's song Louie Louie was released and was labeled obscene by many radio stations.  The song was not obscene and it leaped up on the charts to the top position because of those rumors. Kids our age just loved to give our parents fits as we made them think it was raunchy.  Even if it did contain the lyrics  suggested, it would be very tame compared to what the kids listens to today.

As far as televison goes, do you recall the TV show What's My Line on CBS? Hosted by John Charles Daly and with panelists Dorothy Kilgallen, Arlene Francis, and Bennett Cerf, On August 8, the Kingston Trio were the mystery guests.  I recall my mother would not miss an episode of that show so since we only had one TV I was forced to watch that show.

Another great event of the month, looking at it in a teenager' prospective, was the release of Alan Sherman's #2 hit Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah.  Of course there were other great hits for  the month which consisted of  Fingertips by Stevie Wonder, My Boyfriend's Back by the Angels, Martha & the Vandellas' hit Heatwave and of course the Tyme's classic So Much in Love.

The most significant historical event was Martin Luther King Jr's I Have a Dream Speech delivered in Washington DC on August 28, 1963 during the civil rights movement.  It has been labeled one of the best if not the best oratories of all time.

We remember August 1963 on Soundtrack of the 60s of the 60s Official Site as DJ Neal Stevens plays the hits from that month and delivers the key headlines of that period.  Join him to share some of the fun this month as he plays the same songs you listened to in August 1963.

Remembering July 1965

The summer of 1965, July to be specific was a very memorable month not only for music but events that eventually shaped our country.  An event that took place back in July 1965 is now causing debate and concerns if it in fact can remain solvent.  President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed Medicare into law on July 30, 1965 and which took effect in 1966.

On July 2, 1965 the President ordered an increase in  troop level in Vietnam by 125,000 and he raised the montly draft call from 17,000 to 35,000.

On July 27 U.S., the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act was signed into law. The law required health warnings on all cigarette packages. The warning had little or no affect initially after the law was signed as cigarette sales continued to skyrocket.  At that time they sold for around 25 cents a pack.

I never smoked other than an occasional cigar later in life so my mind was more occupied with girls and the great music of the times.  The month of July brought us (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by the Rollings Stones.  This song was number one four of the five chart weeks.  Great music, great times and one of the best decades to have grown up.

Other great music right off the Billboard charts for July 1965 was The Four Tops I Can't Help Myself, Back in My Arms Again, by the Supremes, and who can forget The Beach Boys singing Help Me Rhonda?  Also on the charts was a song initially recorded in 1960 and withheld from his LP and released in 1965 as a single.  It was none other than Elvis Presley's Crying in the Chapel. Some other great memories we tuned our transistor radios to were Wooly Bully, Cara Mia, Mr. Tambourine Man, and Yes, I'm Ready.

Yes summer of 1965 was a great summer with some of the best music ever recorded but then again wasn't the whole decade loaded with great music?

You can listen to all of these marvelous songs and plus many more at Soundtrack of the 60s where Neal Stevens spins the best music ever recorded. This month he features July 1965.

Stepping Back to April 1962

April 1962.  Do your remember the year or even better the month and year.  I was a freshman in the 8th grade in Circleville, Ohio.  I don't recall my homeroom teacher but I do recall some of the teachers that inpired me during the year.  My favorite subject was History, (no surprise for anybody who knows me) with Mr. Dole at the reins.  I recall he was an expert on The Civil War and I also remember him drawing the campaigns of the Union and Conferedate forces on the blackboard explaining the battle in detail.  It's funny of all the things in one's memory bank you recall something like that.

My math teacher was Mrs. Davis and she really made it easy although math came pretty easy for me anyways.  When Mrs. Davis passed away a few years ago,her estate consisted of all the high school yearbooks from the time she had been teaching.  Mrs. Davis was wonderful teacher who loved her students.

The 8th grade was a time for me to notice the girls more.  They began wearing makeup, nylons and perfume.  Well maybe I just began noticing it all at that time of my life.

In April 1962 we were gearing up for baseball.  Our hero was Mickey Mantle who hit his  375th career homerun.. The New York Mets was the expansion team that year and of course lost their first game.  When the season ended they had won only 40 games. Being from Ohio,  my personal teams of choice were the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians.
The music of April 1962 looked like this.  The number one songs of the month consisted of Bruce Channel's Hey Baby, Shelley Fabares Johnny Angel and of course Elvis singing Good Luck Charm. The month of April 1962 had several cross over country hits as well including PT 109 by Jimmy Dean, Patsy Cline's hit She's Got You and several more.  It not only was a memoral month for music but a wonderful beginning as I edged closer to beginning a new adventure in high school.

I recommend you take the time and listen to Soundtrack of the Sixties on The 60s Official Site. as DJ Neal Stevens spins the songs from April 1962.

Looking Back to March 1960

I have been delinquent posting to my blog.  I want to apologize.  It seems like there is so much on my plate lately.

In March 1960, I was 11 years old and all that mattered to me was playing sports and hanging out with my friends as the music on the radio, that sat on top of the fridge, played the great hits of March 1960 as I ate breakfast before treading off to school. 

On March 5, 1960 Elvis Presley was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army and on March 6th the United States increased its role in Vietnam by sending 3,500 troops.

On March 21 Elvis Presley made his first post Army recording with  one of his best, "Stuck on You."

Great music captured the month of March 1960.  "A Theme from a Summer Place" by Percy Faith remained number one throughout the month of March.  It reached #1 on February 22 and remained in the top slot for nine weeks and 17 weeks on the Top 40.  Music with the country flavor manged to make the big time as well.  Jim Reeves nailed a great song that was kept out of #1 by Percy Faith's hit.  Reeves' "He'll Have to Go" peaked at #2 on March 7.  Another country great that hit the charts in March was Jack Scott's "What in the World Came Over You."

Overall March was a memorable month in music.  To listen to these great songs and others for the month of March go to Soundtrack of the 60s on The 60s Official Site as Neal Stevens plays the great music of the 60s plus your dedications and requests.

Looking Back to November 1965

The month is November 1965 as we look back to the events and music that shaped the decade.  I was in my senior year of high school.  Where has all the time gone?  The top TV shows were Bonanza, Gomer Pyle, USMC, The Lucy Show, The Red Skelton Hour and The Andy Griffith Show.  Great television during a great decade!

On November 6, 1965 the Freedom Flights program began which would allow 250,000 Cubans to come to the United States by 1971. On that day the Rolling Stones topped the charts with "Get Off My Cloud" where it remained for two weeks.  Behind it at #2 was the Toys big hit "A Lover's Concerto." 

A great icon of advertising appeared for the first time on TV on November 7 as the Pillsbury Dough Boy was first seen in TV commercials.   Do you remember that?

For you soap opera addicts, "Days of Our Lives" debuted on TV on NBC on November 8, 1965.

November 9, 1965 may be forever in the memory banks of those who lived in the Northeast as the great Northeast blackout occurred across several states and Canada.  Those parts of the country were hit with a series of power failures that lasted over 13 hours. 

The buildup and news coverage of the Vietnam War continues to grow as ABC radio begins weekly "Vietnam Update" report on November 19,  1965 as the Supremes hit "I Hear a Symphony charts at #1. Also on this date, Kellogg's Pop Tart Pastry is created.

On November 22 Muhammed Ali TKOs Floyd Patterson in 12 rounds to win the heavyweight boxing title.

The Vietnam War protests begin as 15,000 demonstrate against war in  Washington D.C. "I Hear a Symphony" was still #1 followed by the Byrds with "Turn, Turn, Turn" at #2.

Join me each month as I recap a month and year from the 60s decade.  Also be sure to visit The 60s Official Site  which has over 900 pages related to the 60s including jukebox music.

The music you were listening to on your favorite radio show played by your favorite DJ is now being played on Soundtrack of the 60s with Neal Stevens.  You can listen to the hits of November of 1965 by clicking here.  A great show with insight on the artist and music of that month and year.  Beginning this month in celebration of four years on the web, contests with prizes but you must listen to win.

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.