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Songs for the weekend: A Salute to the 60’s

I’ve decided to do things a bit differently this weekend. Don’t ask me why (because I don’t know) but these songs have taken up permanent residence in my head for the past few days. So I couldn’t think of a better solution than posting them on my blog. All three are classics in their own right and if you haven’t heard them before, you need to hear them.

  • Small Faces – Itchycoo Park

Released in the year 1967, this unarguably the Small faces best known song. If we are to believe Wikipedia (and I can’t think of any reason not to seeing as it has guided me to success with my many college essays in the past) where was I? Oh yeah Wikipedia. If we are to believe Wikipedia then The song was one of the first pop singles to use flanging, an effect that can be heard in the bridge section after each chorus. You can take two valuable pieces of information away from that factoid of information. One, if you have a technical music mind, then you will be acknowledging the use of flanging. For the rest of ye I hope you noticed the word ‘pop’. Yes this is a pop song. And no it sounds nothing like the crap that bombards the airwaves these days. Which just leaves me wondering, what has gone wrong with music?

  • The Animals – We’ve gotta get out of this place

Released in 1965, this song was one of The Animals spearhead tracks that allowed them to successfully take America. We’ve gotta get out of this place incorporates the unmistakable vocals of Eric Burdon  wits some interesting signature music that can be heard in their other hits such as ‘House of the rising sun’ and ‘Please don’t let me be misunderstood’. Since I am in the habit of doling out wiki trinkets of information, lets say what they have to say about this one. According to Wikipedia this song  ‘was immensely popular among United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War.’ So there you have it.

  • The Moody Blues – Nights in white satin

Like Itchycoo Park, this song was released in 1967. Only that’s where the similarities end. Nights in white satin, when first released only managed to reach number 19 in the UK singles chart. Many, including the band members, believe that the 7 plus minute length of the song accounted for its original demise. But it was re-released after The Beetles cleared a path with ‘Hey Jude’, also up in the 7 minute club. The Moody Blues had far greater success second time round as ‘it charted at #2 on Billboard magazine and #1 on Cash Box in the United States, earning a gold single for sales of a million copies and was also #1 in Canada.’ (yes that was also taken from Wikipedia)

So there you have it. Three great songs from three great British bands, released during the greatest decade music has ever seen. Hope you enjoy 🙂

Keelan Foley

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52 responses to “Songs for the weekend: A Salute to the 60’s”

  1. Great picks. Can’t say I ever listened to the first two songs before now (sadly), but I’ve always really liked “Nights in White Satin”; now THAT is what I call a love song.

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  2. It’s great to download digital files of the songs that you can’t find in the music stores. The Animals and The Rolling Stones and The Faces had great songs for the sixties and seventies.

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  4. I’m an 80s baby and I still find myself thinking on quite a few occasions that I wish I was born in the 60s. For a variety of reasons as you can imagine. But most of all because in spite of every revolution in the music industry, they just don’t make ’em like that anymore!

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  6. love hearing how new generations react to old songs, what they like what they don’t, fascinating stuff, thanks for that!

    Pearly Spencer was a big hit in 1992 in the UK for Marc Almond, he did a great version, all Trevor Horn urgent strings driving it chartbound.

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  8. Have these songs on various cassette tapes and CDs; this was ‘my’ decade and our kids grew up learning all the lyics and now have got the grandchildren into that music 🙂 Some of the 70s music was good too but too much crap around now! Thanks for highlighting these ‘tunes’ – just love Moody Blues and have most of their songs, think they owe a great debt to Justin Hayward! Have our radio tuned to the Gold channel and Itchycoo Park has just played 🙂

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  10. Hello ! I loved seeing the clip of Small Faces playing “Itchycoo Park;” I don’t think I’ve seen that clip before. I’ll let you know if this song wakes up the Earworm.

    — Ms Mary.

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  11. Thanks for sharing these songs, “house of the rising sun” is one of my faves, the measly bunch of English songs that I do listen to are all hits from the past, I hear ya…terrifying to say the least. Thanks for vising my blog and the “like”, your writing style is quite tongue-in-cheek and enjoyable, best of luck in your ventures. -Que

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    • I love that Animals song also but I wanted to post something a bit different. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. Its always great to hear that someone out there appreciates your work 🙂

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  12. Good picks. I was talking to my wife this weekend about how many great “British Invasion” bands are underloved due to the vacuum created by the Beatles and Stones. Even the Kinks never get their real due.
    I would have to argue about the 60s being the greatest decade in music ;-), but how great is it that some of the best 60s music is both widely available on vinyl for $1-2, and also readily available to everyone now via the internet?!

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    • I know what you mean. I went through an immature faze of hating The Beatles because they ‘stole The Kinks fame’ but now I realize that it wasn’t their fault 🙂 The 70’s and 80’s had their moments but will never come near the 60’s.
      Also I would love to know where you are buying your vinyls, those prices are unreal.

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      • There are a couple of used vinyl shops in my area (Sacramento) that sell most of their albums for $2 or less. There are also antique stores around which have a much better selection of 60s rock than anything else. Rarities of course are more, but it is pretty shocking. I think the glut of inventory from people selling off records from the mid-80s to the mid 90s because CDs were “perfect” still hasn’t run its course, although the end of cheap vinyl has to be near.

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    • I can’t say that I’ve heard of ‘Thelonious Monk’ before. But the majority of music from the 60’s is brilliant. The 3 songs above barely scratch the surface 🙂 Oh and best of luck with the song challenge.

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  16. THE ANIMALS have a special significance in my formative years. It seems funny, but they actually put the spotlight on culture in my backyard literally, Chicao Blues musicians like Bo DIddley. Great song from their book of music.

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      • Grew up in Chicago, and Eric Burdon and crew were big fans of Bo Diddley who was one of the Chess Record artists, along with Howling Wolf and Muddy Waters. So I started to get more into local music of “Chicago Blues” because of The Animals.

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      • Maybe in the future, but because mainstream music perhaps isn’t to our taste we would feel this way. I’m sure there are many who would argue that music is better now due to advances in technology etc.

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      • Yeah I agree. This is not an era for music purists anyway. I heard Olly Murs being described as the future of music on the radio today. I’m really not sure what that says for our times. But perhaps there might be a link between the advancement of technology and the decline of mainstream talent.

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      • I believe you may well be right there Keelan, I’m having trouble getting my head around Olly Murs being described as the future of music. Essentially he’s just an avatar anyway, I’m sure he doesn’t right his own music (correct me if I’m wrong of course). Where’s the creativity in that?

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      • Its a terrifying concept, to to say the least.that Olly Murs is the ‘future’. I’ll keep my gaze, and ears, fixed on the past I’d say. Never heard the term avatar described in that context before, but it works perfectly. I couldn’t tell you if he writes his own stuff or not. But from what I gather ‘creativity’ does not sell records, and thus pop singers are being discouraged from using it.

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      • It is terrifying! Of course by avatar I simply mean a front, a face for all the hard workers who put together his productions and it’s a shame that he is the sum of their efforts, why shouldn’t they also get some credit? Shame really.

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      • I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to see the people behind the likes of Jedward, One Direction and co. And if I did I wouldn’t be giving them credit.

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