6 of the 60s: 6/4/14 (1965)

It's hump-day 60s madness, and this week I'm back to 1965, the year piano virtuoso Vladmir Horowitz ends a twelve year break and performs at Carnegie Hall....

Roy Head - "Treat Her Right"
from the album Treat Me Right (1965)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2
Songwriter: Roy Head

The Texan blue-eyed soul singer almost scored a #1 hit with this raver, but was kept away from the top by a little song called "Yesterday".

Jr. Walker & The All-Stars - "Shotgun"
from the album Shotgun (1965)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #4
Songwriter: Jr. Walker

This extended pre-funk jam, based on one chord (A flat seventh), broke the act nationwide, and Jimi Hendrix would perform with the band before his big heydey...

Marvin Gaye - "Ain't That Peculiar"
from the album Moods Of Marvin Gaye (1966)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8
Songwriters: Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Robert Rogers, Marvin Tarplin

You can tell that this is a Smokey Robinson and the Miracles song from its combination of sunny infectious beats with melancholy lyrics about a doomed relationship.

Sir Douglas Quintet - "She's About A Mover"
from the album The Best Of The Sir Douglas Quintet (1966)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #13
Songwriter: Doug Sahm

Another Texan act that put some soul in their work, the Quintet's leader, Sahm, would go on to form the Texas Tornados with Freddy Fender and Flaco Jimenez.

The Dixie Cups - "Iko Iko"
from the album Iko Iko (1965)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #20
Songwriters: Barbara Ann Hawkins, Rosalee Hawkins, Joan Marie Johnson

The story goes the the vocal trio were recorded riffing on an old song their grandmother sang to them in New Orleans, and there's been much legal wrangling over the true origin of the song, but at least it brought some true African-style soul to the charts.

Solomon Burke - "Tonight's The Night"
from the album The Best Of Solomon Burke (1965)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #28
Songwriters: Solomon Burke, Don Covay

This call to his lover to not give in to any distraction but his desires went to #2 on the R&B chart that year.


I'll be back tomorrow with 7 more from 1975 and 8 from 1985...