The Sixties

Detroit 67: The Year that Changed Soul Here’s a playlist compiling every track and album mentioned in this first volume of @Detroit67Book’s trilogy that appears on Spotify: tinyurl.com/2wmpwmdn #Detroit #Motown #Soul

Sonny Burgess “Sadie’s Back in Town”/“A Kiss Goodnite” (US, Jan 1960) A: song.link/gb/i/157040268 B: song.link/gb/i/157040267 The Arkansas rockabilly pioneer essentially rewrites Jimmie Rodgers’ 1928 song “My Little Lady” for the lead side here. #PhillipsInternational #Memphis

The Bikinis “Crazy Vibrations” (US, Jan 1960) song.link/gb/i/997911234 Saxophonists #GeorgieAuld (aka John Altwerger) & #SolSchlinger took a sidestep from the New York jazz scene to deliver a run of novelty instrumentals, including this kooky B-side.

Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys “A Six Pack to Go”/“What Made Her Change” (US #102, Jan 1960) A: song.link/gb/i/714843200 B: song.link/gb/i/599002457 Masterful Western swing from the Texan, striking a tongue-in-cheek tone on side A, and evoking pure heartache on the flip.

Jerry Butler “Good Times”/ “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” (US #64, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/1442282445 B: song.link/gb/i/1442295073 Diverse cuts from the recently departed, original lead singer of the Impressions. Hopeful uptown soul on side A, backed by a ‘50s showtune.

Billy Preston “Billy’s Bag”/“Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’” (US, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/300980844 B: song.link/gb/i/1443759656 Two tracks, arranged by René Hall, previewing the 18-year-old Shindig! regular’s 2nd album. The self-penned A-side became a fixture in UK clubs.

The Rivingtons “I Love You Always”/“Years of Tears” (US, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/396400650 B: song.link/s/1J87KzvBLsP9… Famed for their fun & influential early-‘60s doo-wop hits, on this A-side the LA act deliver Northern Soul gold with an irresistible ascending chord sequence.

Jimmy Reed “I Wanna Be Loved”/“A New Leaf” (US, Jan 1965) A: song.link/us/i/1443847779 B: song.link/gb/i/1443847938 Two songs taken from Reed’s 1964 live-in-the-studio LP, At Soul City. The A-side — a #JohnnieMaeDunson composition — is backed by a self-penned flip. #VeeJay

The Astronauts “My Sin is My Pride” (US, Jan 1965) song.link/gb/i/1003883998 This B-side from the Boulder, Colorado surf act has a pure pop focus. A dash of Ronettes, a pinch of Beatles and a chord progression in the chorus that anticipates Just Brothers’ “Sliced Tomatoes.”

Wilson Pickett “Come Home Baby”/“Take a Little Love” (US, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/1067004046 B: song.link/gb/i/1067003665 #TamiLynn provides prominent backing vocals on the #BarryMann & #CynthiaWeil-penned lead side, while the flip was written by Pickett.

Bobby Harris “We Can’t Believe You’re Gone” (US, Jan 1965) song.link/gb/i/1562996858 With production from #BertBerns, Harris pays tribute to #SamCooke, who directly inspired his vocal style and died only weeks earlier. #AtlanticRecords

Doris Troy “Hurry”/“He Don’t Belong to Me” (US, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/447572117 B: song.link/gb/i/447572108 Side A is an enjoyable uptempo dancer, but the flip is even better: a flowing, “Walk on By”-inspired ballad written by #GregoryCarroll, #ValerieSimpson & #JoArmstead.

Glenn Yarbrough “Baby the Rain Must Fall”/ “I’ve Been to Town” (US #12, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/908836713 B: song.link/gb/i/908836723 Folk pop title theme to a film starring Steve McQueen also released that month. Yarbrough’s vibrato rich vocal is produced here by #DavidGates.

Skeeter Davis & Bobby Bare “A Dear John Letter”/ “Too Used to Being With You” (US, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/977874090 B: song.link/gb/i/977874093 Two songs produced by #ChetAtkins previewing Tunes for Two, their accessible LP of duets that went Top 10 on the US country chart.

Chet Atkins “Cloudy & Cool”/“Travelin’” (US, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/775433044 B: song.link/gb/i/891709768 Ten years into his role as manager of RCA’s Nashville studios, Atkins presented this A-side of folk blues from the pen of #JohnDLoudermilk, writer of “Tobacco Road.”

Al Hirt “Fancy Pants”/“Stardust” (US #47, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/1307223978 B: song.link/gb/i/1307226523 Side A’s jaunty melody is sure to raise a smile, as will the #AnitaKerrSingers' contribution. There’s also a strong reading of Hoagy Carmichael’s standard on the flip.

Hank Snow “The Wishing Well (Down in the Well)” (CAN, Jan 1965) song.link/gb/i/298325212 This old style waltz was, incredibly, the prolific Nova Scotian’s 34th single to reach the US country Top 10. #RCAVictor Below: German picture sleeve

Connie Smith “Then & Only Then”/“Tiny Blue Transistor Radio” (US #116, Jan 1965) A: song.link/gb/i/1062040887 B: song.link/gb/i/1062040880 The Indianan modestly credited pedal steel player #WeldonMyrick in creating “the Connie Smith sound” but her vocal here is equally breathtaking.

Glen Campbell “Tomorrow Never Comes” (US #115, Jan 1965) song.link/gb/i/714653699 Campbell’s take on the mid-40s #ErnestTubb country hit had appeared on his second LP, back in ‘63. While this single stalled outside the Billboard 100, by the end of ‘65 he’d cracked the Top 50.

Hank Thompson “Life’s Sweetest Moment” (US, Jan 1965) song.link/gb/i/599045886 Masterfully succinct Western swing from the Texan, delivered in his distinct baritone. Thompson generally directed his band, #theBrazosValleyBoys, to avoid soloing, so this single clocks in at 2:09.

The Four Preps “I’ll Set My Love to Music” (US, Jan 1965) song.link/gb/i/286373643 Beach Boys-inspired sunshine pop from the fading folk revival quartet. #DavidAxelrod produces #HBBarnum’s arrangement. Bizarrely used as theme music for Italian cinematic shock doc, Mondo Pazzo.