Popular Songs Of 1966, Vol. 3

One more round of the most Popular Songs of 1966, and then we'll move on. These may be last, but they're certainly not least. Ready, set, enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  The Supremes  ~  “My World Is Empty Without You”

2)  The Lovin’ Spoonful  ~  “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?”

3)  Simon & Garfunkel  ~  “Homeward Bound”

4)  Robert Parker  ~  “Barefootin’”

5)  The Marvelettes  ~  “Don’t Mess With Bill”

6)  Neil Diamond  ~  “Cherry, Cherry”

7)  Dionne Warwick  ~  “Message To Michael”

8)  Lee Dorsey  ~  “Working In The Coal Mine”

9)  The Sandpipers  ~  “Guantanamera”

10)  Wilson Pickett  ~  “Land Of 1,000 Dances”

11)  The Turtles  ~  “You, Baby”

12)  The Vogues  ~  “Five O’Clock World”

13)  The Beatles  ~  “Nowhere Man”

14)  Herman’s Hermits  ~  “Dandy”

15)  Gary Lewis & The Playboys  ~  “She’s Just My Style”

16)  Bobby Fuller Four  ~  “I Fought The Law”

17)  Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass  ~  “Zorba The Greek”

18)  The Statler Brothers  ~  “Flowers On The Wall”

19)  Lou Rawls  ~  “Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing”

20)  SSgt. Barry Sadler  ~  “Ballad Of The Green Berets”

Popular Songs Of 1966, Vol. 2

We now return to the Swinging' Sixties for another round of the most Popular Songs of 1966. Groovy, baby!  ~  JH

1)  The Mamas & The Papas  ~  “California Dreamin’”

2)  Johnny Rivers  ~  “Secret Agent Man”

3)  The Lovin’ Spoonful  ~  “Daydream”

4)  Nancy Sinatra  ~  “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”

5)  The Supremes  ~  “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”

6)  The Rolling Stones  ~  “19th Nervous Breakdown”

7)  The Beach Boys  ~  “Barbara Ann”

8)  Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs  ~  “Li’l Red Riding Hood”

9)  The Mindbenders  ~  “A Groovy Kind Of Love”

10)  Dusty Springfield  ~  “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”

11)  The Cyrkle  ~  “Red Rubber Ball”

12)  The Left Banke  ~  “Walk Away Renée”

13)  The Outsiders  ~  “Time Won’t Let Me”

14)  The Hollies  ~  “Bus Stop”

15)  James & Bobby Purify  ~  “I’m Your Puppet”

16)  The Temptations  ~  “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”

17)  Simon & Garfunkel  ~  “I Am A Rock”

18)  Jimmy Ruffin  ~  “What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted”

19)  Ray Charles ft. Glen Campbell  ~  “Cryin’ Time”

20)  Stevie Wonder  ~  “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”

Popular Songs Of 1966, Vol. 1

Ahh...the 1960s. When I think of "oldies music," this is the era and these are the songs that come to mind. Motown, the British invasion, psychedelia, soaring harmonies, and blue-eyed soul. It was a hodgepodge of wonderful encapsulated in an unforgettable decade. Unforgettable even though I wasn't yet alive to experience it firsthand. That says a lot about the music this decade left behind. Without further ado, here's Part 1 of 3 of the most Popular Songs of 1966. Enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  The Association  ~  “Cherish”

2)  The Righteous Brothers  ~  “(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration”

3)  The Four Tops  ~  “(Reach Out) I’ll Be There”

4)  Question Mark & The Mysterians  ~  “96 Tears”

5)  The Monkees  ~  “Last Train To Clarksville”

6)  The Mamas & The Papas  ~  “Monday, Monday”

7)  The Supremes  ~  “You Can’t Hurry Love”

8)  Johnny Rivers  ~  “Poor Side Of Town”

9)  The Lovin’ Spoonful  ~  “Summer In The City”

10)  Frank Sinatra  ~  “Strangers In The Night”

11)  Simon & Garfunkel  ~  “The Sound Of Silence”

12)  The Young Rascals  ~  “Good Lovin’”

13)  Tommy James & The Shondells  ~  “Hanky Panky”

14)  Percy Sledge  ~  “When A Man Loves A Woman”

15)  The Rolling Stones  ~  “Paint It Black”

16)  The Troggs  ~  “Wild Thing”

17)  Donovan  ~  “Sunshine Superman”

18)  Bobby Hebb  ~  “Sunny”

19)  The Happenings  ~  “See You In September”

20)  The Beach Boys  ~  “Good Vibrations”

“Natural” & “Artificial” Songs

As promised,  here's another set of "Opposites" featuring "Natural" and (this time) "Artificial" songs. What else can I say, but enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  Moby  ~  “Natural Blues”

2)  Soul Asylum  ~  “Artificial Heart”

3)  Andrew Bird  ~  “Natural Disasters”

4)  Bobby Darin  ~  “Artificial Flowers”

5)  Gnarls Barkley  ~  “Run (I’m A Natural Disaster)”

6)  Demon Hunter  ~  “Artificial Light”

7)  Ryan Adams  ~  “Natural Ghost”

8)  Cherrelle  ~  “Artificial Heart”

9)  Keith Whitley  ~  “Don’t Our Love Look Natural?”

10)  Eleni Mandell  ~  “Artificial Fire”

11)  Lisa Stansfield  ~  “So Natural”

12)  The Sunset Curse  ~  “Artificial Heart”

13)  Kim Wilde  ~  “Love In The Natural Way”

14)  Typhoon  ~  “Artificial Light”

15)  Anathema  ~  “A Natural Disaster”

"Natural" & "Unnatural" Songs

Let's take a break from the ever-popular (by # of clicks at least) but seemingly endless series of "Popular Songs Of..." posts, and return to the somewhat-popular (but not as much so) world of "Opposites" posts. I had several good "Natural" songs I wanted to explore, but the songs for its (natural) opposite – "Unnatural" – were somewhat limited. So this is technically a two-part "Opposites" post. This time, "Natural" and "Unnatural" songs. Next time, "Natural" and "Artificial" songs (think ingredients). Ready or not, here they are...enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  Merle Haggard  ~  “Natural High”

2)  GODS  ~  “Unnatural”

3)  Rush  ~  “Natural Science”

4)  Muse  ~  “Unnatural Selection”

5)  EPICA  ~  “Natural Corruption”

6)  Fearless Vampire Killers  ~  “Our Nature’s Unnatural”

7)  Jasmine Villegas  ~  “Natural”

8)  The Sun Explodes  ~  “The Unnatural”

9)  Live  ~  “Natural Born Killers”

10)  EZ Basic  ~  “Unnatural”

11)  Crowded House  ~  “It’s Only Natural”

12)  Bubbles Erotica  ~  “Super Unnatural”  (Don’t let the band’s questionable name scare you off – this song’s not half bad!)

13)  Lou Rawls  ~  “A Natural Man”

14)  Voter Kernel  ~  “Unnatural Gathering Of Animals”

15)  Aretha Franklin  ~  “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”

Popular Songs Of 1976, Vol. 3

Last but certainly not least...the final installment of the most Popular Songs of 1976. Plenty of familiar tunes here, as well as a few forgotten gems. Enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  KC and the Sunshine Band  ~  “That’s The Way (I Like It)”

2)  Wings  ~  “Let ‘Em In”

3)  George Benson  ~  “This Masquerade”

4)  Merle Haggard  ~  “The Roots Of My Raising”

5)  Fleetwood Mac  ~  “Rhiannon”

6)  Electric Light Orchestra  ~  “Evil Woman”

7)  Keith Carradine  ~  “I’m Easy”

8)  Don Williams  ~  “Till The Rivers All Run Dry”

9)  Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes ft. Teddy Pendergrass  ~  “Wake Up, Everybody”  (What a great song...unfortunately, its message is still very apropos today.)

10)  Crystal Gayle  ~  “I’ll Get Over You”

11)  John Travolta  ~  “Let Her In”  (This video is more interesting for the post-song interview than it is for the tune itself. Travolta excitedly tells Dick Clark about getting a role in his first "serious" movie, Carrie, which incidentally was the first film made from a Stephen King novel. He also mentions having acted in the stage version of Grease. Two years later, he would star in the film version of Grease, which became a smash hit.)

12)  Daryl Hall & John Oates  ~  “She’s Gone”

13)  Queen  ~  “You’re My Best Friend”

14)  Johnny Cash  ~  “One Piece At A Time”

15)  Rufus  ~  “Sweet Thing”  (Yes, that IS a young Chaka Khan.)

16)  Orleans  ~  “Still The One”

17)  Foghat  ~  “Slow Ride”

18)  Marty Robbins  ~  “El Paso City”  (What is it with Marty Robbins and hideously ugly shirts? Blame it on the '70s? Or is it simply Marty's bad sense of style?)

19)  Thin Lizzy  ~  “The Boys Are Back In Town”

20)  Candi Staton  ~  “Young Hearts Run Free”

21)  Peter Frampton  ~  “Baby, I Love Your Way”

22)  David Ruffin  ~  “Walk Away From Love”

23)  Steve Miller Band  ~  “Take The Money And Run / Rock’n Me”  (This is a classic "HOGO" video. Hear One, Get One Free! Both songs were big hits in '76.)

24)  England Dan & John Ford Coley  ~  “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight”  (I'd totally forgotten about this wonderfully catchy song!)

25)  George Jones & Tammy Wynette  ~  “Golden Ring”