From Tuesday 2 May 2023
Jukebox
Pic one song from the list of top 1950s and 1960s jukebox songs that has been mailed to you. Enjoy this blast from the past!
Wilfred
I Got You Babe – Sonny and Cher Top of the Pops 1965
This is a favourite.
“I Got You Babe” is a timeless classic by Sonny & Cher, an American pop duo composed of Salvatore “Sonny” Bono and Cherilyn “Cher” Sarkisian. The song has an enduring legacy and several interesting facts associated with it:
Release date: “I Got You Babe” was released on July 9, 1965, as the first single from their debut album, “Look at Us.” The song was written by Sonny Bono and produced by him as well.
Chart success: The song became a massive hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. It has since been recognized as one of the greatest pop songs of all time.
Time signature: “I Got You Babe” has a distinctive time signature of 6/8, which gives it a unique waltz-like rhythm that contributes to its charm.
Groundhog Day: The song gained renewed popularity when it was prominently featured in the 1993 film “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray. In the film, Murray’s character wakes up every day to the sound of “I Got You Babe” playing on the radio, as he relives the same day over and over again.
Covers and parodies: “I Got You Babe” has been covered by various artists across different genres, including a notable version by UB40 and Chrissie Hynde in 1985. The song has also been parodied and referenced in various forms of media, such as TV shows and films.
Legacy: “I Got You Babe” is often regarded as Sonny & Cher’s signature song and has become a symbol of their partnership both on and off the stage. The song has been included in numerous “best of” lists and is considered a defining moment in 1960s pop music.
Live performances: Sonny & Cher often performed “I Got You Babe” as the closing number in their concerts and TV appearances. After Sonny’s death in 1998, Cher continued to perform the song in tribute to him, sometimes with a recording of his vocals or with guest artists.
Richard
Gene Vincent – Be-Bop-A-Lula
I was eleven years old when Gene Vincent exploded onto the music scene. My pal Graham had the record and we were into blue jeans and using Brylcreem. The lyrics were simple and easy to remember and the song had great danceability. If you enjoyed the guitar playing of Cliff Gallup then you are in good company – he was an inspiration to the likes of Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck.
Esther
Bill Haley & His Comets – Rock Around The Clock (1955)
Rock Around The Clock” first appeared on the charts on June 3, 1953, selling 75,000 copies and convincing Decca to pick up Haley’s option. Haley then recorded a successful cover of the Big Joe Turner song “Shake, Rattle And Roll,” and on March 25, 1955, “Rock Around The Clock” was featured in the movie Blackboard Jungle, which gave it a surge in popularity and prompted Decca to re-release the single. This time, the song surged to the top of the charts, entering the Top 40 on May 14, 1955 and hitting #1 on July 9, where it stayed for eight weeks.
This song is very special to me, as a child we used to have family parties every Friday night. My dad used to dance with me on this specific song. These are the best memories of my family ever. Then I also taught Johann to jive on this song. Enjoy
Liezel
The Four Seasons – Big Girls Don’t Cry
I will never forget the first time I heard this song and absolutely loved it. It was at the beginning of one of my favourite movies: Dirty Dancing. Truth be told, virtually every song in that movie has become a well-loved favourite of mine… but “Big girls don’t cry”, well that just resonates as a way of life.
The inspiration for this song came from a line in the 1955 western Tennessee’s Partner, starring John Payne, Rhonda Fleming, and Ronald Reagan.
When Payne’s character slaps the blonde bombshell played by Fleming, he asks her what she thinks about being slapped. She gets up, composes herself, and replies, “Big girls don’t cry.”
(Clearly this was the 50s… in today’s day he’ll be on an episode of “Why women kill” or YouTube’s “101 things you can do with a Bauer Pan”).
But anyway … continuing with the inspiration … Bob Crewe, was half-asleep at the time of the slap, jotted down the line, fell asleep, and wrote the song the next day.
Do enjoy …