Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

Episode: Singing Nuns and Green Tambourines Edition Part 2

Release Date: March 28, 2025
Host: Chris Molanphy
Publisher: Slate Podcasts

Introduction: Revisiting the 1960s Hit Landscape

Chris Molanphy welcomes listeners back to Hit Parade, delving deeper into the forgotten and quirky hits of the 1960s. Building on the previous episode inspired by the TV show Mad Men, Chris aims to dissect the decade era by era—early, middle, and late 60s—to uncover the diverse range of chart-toppers that defined the era beyond the universally acclaimed classics.

Prologue to the 60s: The Camelot Years (Late 1950s to Early 1963)

Chris begins by defining the Prologue Era of the 1960s, starting around late 1963, post the Kennedy assassination—a pivotal moment that reshaped American culture and, by extension, its music.

Key Highlights:

• Chubby Checker's "The Twist" (1960 & 1962): An infectious dance craze that dominated the charts twice.
• Del Shannon's "Runaway" (1961): An operatic teen melodrama that captured the hearts of many.
• Girl Groups Phenomenon: Iconic groups like the Ronettes, the Shangri-Las, the Crystals, and the Shirelles delivered heart-wrenching number ones, many hailing from Motown Records.

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Molanphy [00:11]: "As cultural historians and actual baby boomers who were alive during the decade have long argued, the 60s as we understand them doesn't really begin until around late 1963."

Forgotten Hits:

• Larry Verne's "Mr. Custer" (1960): A spoken-word comedy monologue about the Battle of Little Bighorn.
• Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop" (1960): A piano boogie themed around a prehistoric comic strip character. Chris notes its influence on David Bowie’s Life on Mars (1971), highlighting the timeless nature of some 60s melodies.

Instrumentals Dominance:

• Bert Kaempfert's "Wonderland by Night" (1960): A sultry bop that reached number one.
• Lawrence Welk's "Calcutta" (1961): An instrumental that showcased Welk’s mainstream appeal, despite his later parody on Saturday Night Live.

The Rise of Elvis Presley in the Early 60s

Elvis remains a pop titan transitioning into the 60s, focusing on easy listening and pre-rock standards.

Key Points:

• "It's Now or Never" (1960): An adaptation of "O Sole Mio," becoming Elvis's biggest global hit with 20 million copies sold worldwide and five weeks at number one on the Hot 100.
• "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (1960): Another number one featuring a nostalgic ballad style.
• "Surrender" (1961): Transition from Italian "Torna a Surriento" to an English chart-topper.

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Molanphy [06:00]: "A fun footnote about Alley Oop… great artists steal back to the early 60s."

Novelty Hits and Cross-Cultural Phenomena

The Prologue Era also saw an array of novelty songs and unexpected cross-cultural hits.

Key Highlights:

• "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto (1963): Originally titled "Ue o Muite Aruko," this Japanese song topped the Hot 100 for three weeks under its anglized name, demonstrating cross-cultural appeal decades before the rise of J-Pop and K-Pop.
• The Singing Nun's "Dominique" (1963): Jeanette Marie Deckers, a Belgian nun, created this wholesome hit amidst national grief after JFK's assassination, providing cultural comfort.

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Molanphy [15:32]: "You ripen up all this for a melody that made an improbable journey to the west under the wrong English title sung by a Japanese pop star."
• Tom Bryan [08:16]: Reflecting on "Dominique" as a cultural balm during times of grief.

Bridging Eras: Bobby Vinton’s Early to Mid-60s Success

Bobby Vinton serves as a bridge between the early and middle periods of the 60s, dominating the charts with easy listening hits.

Key Highlights:

• 15 Straight Top 40 Hits: Including “Roses Are Red, My Love” and “Mr. Lonely.”
• Sampling in Modern Music: His song “Mr. Lonely” was sampled by Akon in 2005’s hit "Lonely."

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Molanphy [20:37]: "At a moment when the pre rock sound of songs like Blue Velvet could command the hit parade, Vinton's hits feel like missives from a distant galaxy."

The Middle 60s: Rockin’ Party Era (1964-1966)

Referred to as the Rockin’ Party Era, this period is hailed as the decade’s golden age for number one hits, marked by the British Invasion, Motown, folk rock, and surf rock.

Key Highlights:

• Surprising Chart Toppers by Older Artists:

  • Louis Armstrong's "Hello Dolly" (1964) [24:11]: At age 63, Armstrong ended the Beatles' 14-week run with this ragtime-inspired cover.
  • Dean Martin's "Everybody Loves Somebody" (1964): A pre-rock classic that outperformed Beatles tracks, showcasing Martin’s timeless appeal.
  • Lorne Greene's "Ringo" (1964): A spoken-word novelty song by the Bonanza star that unexpectedly hit number one.

• The Beatles and Their Dominance:

  • Despite fierce competition, the Beatles, along with the Supremes, Rolling Stones, and others, led the charts, establishing the British Invasion's strong influence.

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Molanphy [27:40]: "You can think of Dino as the Kendrick Lamar to the Beatles Drake."

Noteworthy Incidents:

• Gary Lewis & the Playboys' "This Diamond Ring" (1965): A teenage pop cover that clashed with the Beatles’ dominance.
• Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs' "Wooly Bully" (1965): A novelty bop that became Billboard's year-end top single, standing out in a Beatles-dominated year.

British Music Hall Revival:

• Herman's Hermits and The New Vaudeville Band: Their music hall-inspired hits like "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" and "Winchester Cathedral" resonated with American audiences, adding a nostalgic flair to the contemporary charts.

Frank Sinatra’s Resurgence:

• "Strangers in the Night" (1966) [32:38]: Despite Sinatra’s personal disdain for the song, it became his biggest hit of the decade, showcasing his enduring influence.
• Duet with Nancy Sinatra: "Something Stupid" (1967) highlighted a unique father-daughter collaboration, blending classic crooner style with contemporary pop trends.

Late 60s: The Groovy Era and Shifting Musical Landscapes

As the decade progressed, the influence of album-oriented rock took precedence over singles, leading to a more eclectic singles chart dominated by R&B and psychedelic pop.

Key Highlights:

• Surging R&B and Soul:

  • Icons like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Marvin Gaye dominated with legendary hits that still resonate today.

• Psychedelic and Sunshine Pop:

  • The Turtles’ "Happy Together" (1967): A quintessential sunshine pop hit with enduring appeal.
  • The Monkees: As a fabricated TV band, they achieved significant success with hits like "I'm a Believer" and "Last Train to Clarksville."

• One-Hit Wonders and Bubbling Bubblegum Pop:

  • Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley PTA" (1968): A Southern Gothic tale that crossed over from country to pop, temporarily displacing The Beatles’ "Hey Jude" at number one.
  • The Lemon Pipers’ "Green Tambourine" and John Fred & His Playboy Band’s "Judy in Disguise with Glasses": Embodied the quirky, whimsical side of late 60s pop.

• Instrumentals and Novelty Songs Persist:

  • Hugh Masakela's "Grazing in the Grass" (1968) and Mason Williams' "Classical Gas": Continued the trend of instrumental chart-toppers.

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Molanphy [39:20]: "As we noted in our B Sides edition of Hit Parade, three of 1967's number one hits started out as the backsides to 45s whose A sides flopped."

• Chris Molanphy [47:36]: "Maybe Dominique worked as a balm. And maybe in a newly dark and chaotic landscape, a place where beloved leaders die in broad daylight, it radiated a needed sense of wholesomeness."

Cultural Reflections through Music

Chris ties the musical trends back to cultural shifts, highlighting how Mad Men’s fictional portrayal of the 60s reflects the intricate relationship between music and societal changes.

Key Insights:

• Music as a Cultural Balm: During times of national grief, such as post-JFK assassination, wholesome and comforting songs like "Dominique" provided solace.
• Generational Transitions: The shift from pre-rock standards to album-oriented rock mirrored broader societal changes and the evolving tastes of younger generations.
• Cross-Cultural Influences: Hits like "Sukiyaki" showcased early instances of global music integration, presaging today’s multicultural pop landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• Chris Molanphy [49:19]: "Scenes like this really do make you reflect on not only how fiction can reflect larger cultural truths, but the ways that music can express our changing folkways, mores and generational transitions."

• Chris Molanphy [51:27]: "It's these illusions we recall. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Hit Parade."

Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of the 60s Hits

Chris wraps up by emphasizing the complexity and diversity of the 1960s music scene, celebrating both the widely recognized classics and the obscure gems that deserve more recognition. He invites listeners to appreciate how these forgotten hits not only entertained but also mirrored the cultural and societal transformations of their time.

Closing Remarks:

• "Strangers in the Night" by Frank Sinatra serves as a metaphor for the personal and cultural introspections characteristic of the late 60s.
• The episode concludes with a reflection on the interplay between fictional narratives in Mad Men and real historical music trends, underscoring the timeless nature of music as a cultural barometer.

Credits

• Host/Narrator: Chris Molanphy
• Producer: Kevin Bendis
• Supervising Producer: Joel Meyer
• Editor in Chief: Hilary Fry
• Podcast Availability: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or visit slate.com/hitparadeplus.

Notable Quote from Chris Molanphy [53:32]:
"Don’t know life at."

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