Trivia
From the
Past
Music
There was music to please everyone's tastes during the 60's and 70's. Soft rock, hard rock, bubble gum, country, disco, heavy metal, easy-listening, you name it, we had it! My own tastes leaned toward rock, but I was very easy to please musically. (Except for opera, which even today I can't get into!) Here are just a few of the titles (10 for each year) and artists that made them popular, in no particular order.
1961: For many of us it was our first year of school. My first grade teacher was Mrs. Heck and our classroom was in the basement of the North School.
Tossin' and Turnin'--Bobby Lewis
Runaway-Del Shannon
Take good Care of my Baby--Bobby Vee
Mother-in-law--Ernie Doe
Where the Boys Are--Connie Frances
Will You Love Me Tomorrow--The Shirelles
Hit the Road Jack--Ray Charles
Calendar Girl--Neil Sedaka
Runaround Sue--Dion
Wings of a Dove--Ferlin Husky
1962:
The Locomotion--Little EvaThe Twist--Chubby Checker
Roses are Red--Bobby Vinton
Soldier Boy--The Shirelles
Duke of Earl-Gene Chandler
Sheila--Tommy Roe
Sealed With a Kiss--Brian Hyland
Sherry--Four Season
Where Have all the Flowers Gone--Kingston Trio
If I Had a Hammer--Peter, Paul, and Mary
1963:
Sugar Shack--Jummy Glime and the FireballsSurfin' USA--Beach Boys
He's So Fine--Chiffons
Blue Velvet--Bobby Vinton
Hey Paula--Paul and Paula
Puff the Magic Dragon--Peter, Paul and Mary
Wipe Out--The Surfaries
Walk Like a Man--Four Seasons
It's My Party--Leslie Gore
Go Away Little Girl--Steve Lawrence
1964:
I Want to Hold Your Hand--BeatlesShe Loves You--Beatles
Pretty Woman--Roy Orbison
Last Kiss--J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
Hard Days Night--Beatles
Do Wah Diddy Diddy--Manfred Mann
Chapel of Love--Dixie Cups
Rag Doll--Four Seasons
House of the Rising Sun--Animals
Leader of the Pack--Shangri-Las
1965:
Wooly Bully--Sam the Sham and the PharaohsSatisfaction--Rolling Stones
You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling--Righteous Brothers
Help--Beatles
Downtown--Petula Clark
I Got You Babe--Sonny and Cher
This Diamond Ring--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
King of the Road--Roger Miller
Mr, Tambourine Man--The Byrds
Ticket to Ride--Beatles
1966:
Ballad of the Green Beret--Ssgt. Barry SadlerCherish--The Association
Monday Monday--Mama's and the Papa's
Summer in the City--Lovin' Spoonful
These Boots are Made for Walkin'--Nancy Sinatra
Wild Thing--The Troggs
When a Man Loves a Woman--Percy Sledge
Good Vibrations--Beach Boys
Bus Stop--The Hollies
Sounds of Silence--Simon and Garfunkel
1967:
To Sir With Love--LuluOde to Billy Joe--Bobbie Gentry
Light My Fire--The Doors
Happy Together--Turtles
Groovin'--Young Rascals
Kind of a Drag--The Buckingham's
Ruby Tuesday--Rolling Stones
The Happening--Supremes
Whiter Shade of Pale--Procal Harem
Penny Lane--Beatles
1968:
Hey Jude--BeatlesHoney--Bobby Goldsboro
Dock of the Bay--Otis Redding
Mrs. Robinson--Simon and Garfunkel
Mony Mony--Tommy James and the Shondels
Young Girl--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
Midnight Confessions--Grass Roots
Judy in Disguise--John Fred and His Playboy Band
Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
Born to Be Wild--Steppinwolf
1969:
Aquarius, Let the Sunshine--5th DimensionHonkey Tonk Woman--Rolling Stones
Dizzy--Tommy Roe
Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
Hair--Cowsills
Suspicious Minds--Elvis Presly
Get Back--Beatles
Boy Named Sue--Johnny Cash
Time of the Season--Zombies
These Eyes--Guess Who
1970:
Bridge Over Troubles Water--Simon and GarfunkelClose to You--Carpenters
American Woman--Guess Who
Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head--BJ Thomas
War--Edwin Street
Let It Be--Beatles
Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
Spill the Wine--Eric Burton and War
Cecilia--Simon and Garfunkel
In the Summertime--Jerry Mungo
1971:
Joy to the World--Three Dog NightMaggie May--Rod Stewart
It's Too Late--Carole King
Knock Three Times--Dawn
Me and Bobby McGee--Janis Joplin
Signs--Five Man Electrical Band
Rose Garden--Loretta Lynn
Brown Sugar--Rolling Stones
Br. Bojangles--Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Me and You and a Dog Named Boo--Lobo
1972:
Alone Again--Gilbert O'SullivanAmerican Pie--Don Mclean
Without You--Nilssen
Candy Man--Sammy Davis, Jr.
Brandy--Looking Glass
A Horse With No Name--America
Nights in White Satin--Moody Blues
Hold Your Head Up--Argent
My Ding a Ling--Chuck Berry
Schools Out--Alice Cooper
1973: We Made It!!
Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown--Jim Croce
Tie a Yellow Ribbon--Tony Orlando and Dawn
Crocodile Rock--Elton John
Killing me Softly--Roberta Flack
You're so Vain--Carly Simon
Delta Dawn--Helen Ready
Frankenstein--Edgar Winter Group
We're an American Band--Grand Funk
Shambala--Three Dog Night
Long Train Running--Doobie Brothers
Smoke on the Water--Deep Purple
Behind Closed Doors--Charlie Rich
Do It Again--Steely Dan
Money--Pink Floyd
If you would like to view a more complete listing of the top 100 hits of the years check out the Pop Archives.
Pop Archives
Politics
Politics was what it was all about during our school years. What a mess it was, too. Even if we didn't quite understand all that was going on at the epicenter, we certainly felt the waves it created.
In the 60's we had the Kennedy's (while they were still America's favorite family). In 1961, about the same time we entered the first grade, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated. On Nov. 22, 1963 he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Also in 1963 there was the Civil Rights March on Washington. 1964 through '67 brought violence in the form of riots in Watts, Detroit and Newark. In the midst of all the violence, we had Martin Luther King, Jr. and his peaceful means of getting the message across. There was the march in Montgomery Alabama in 1965, but he, too, was brought down by an assassin In April of 1968.( Does anybody recall the song Abraham, Martin and John?) We also lost another Kennedy, Sen. Robert Kennedy to an assassin in 1968. The Vietnam war was the cause of much of the turmoil of the late 60's and 70's. At it's height, the draft was taking tens of thousands of young men a month to go fight in the Vietnam jungles. War protests were common, as was the burning of draft cards. Some ways of avoiding the reality of war included draft dodging and drugs. (See odds and ends for more on the drug culture) Watergate was another hot topic, which led to the downfall of President Richard Nixon. For a timeline of the 1960's and 70's visitTimeline (I am having some problems with that particular link, one of those 'you can't get there from here' type of things. So you may have to type in the following URL to get there. gopher://gopher.well.sf.ca.us70/00/Community/60sTimeline/list60-75.nrf
Slogans and Sayings
If you think the kids nowadays talk funny, look back on some of the things we use to say. Buttons, bumper stickers, graffiti, and tee shirts all proclaimed the feelings of the baby boomers. Influenced by the times, some of them were bitter and controversial, but many were just plain fun. Enjoy.
Make love, not war
Suppose they gave a war and nobody came
War is not healthy for children and other living things
PEACE
Ban the bra
Flower Power
Black is beautiful
My button loves your button
Turn on, tune in, drop out
Don't trust anyone over 30
Legalize Marijuana
Some new words we introduced or popularized: Cool, groovy, man, can you dig it?, neat, far-out, radical, funky, freaky, bitchin'…
If you want to add something that you remember from our era just email me at:
This page is maintained by Donna Long Last update:1/30/99
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