6 of the 60s: 5/14/14 (1962)...

It's hump day 60s time, with a half-dozen more nuggets from 1962, the year the first Target department store opened in Minnesota...

Gene Chandler - "Duke Of Earl"
from the album Duke Of Earl (1961)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Songwriters: Gene Chandler, Earl Edwards, Bernice Williams

A vocal exercise was transformed into one of the biggest crossover soul smashes of the early decade.

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Ray Stevens - "Ahab, the Arab"
from the album 1837 Seconds Of Humor (1962)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5
Songwriter: Ray Stevens

Back when racism toward that part of the world was solely to mock the Muslim desert culture, country hack Stevens had his first hit doing to Arabs what others would do to Native Americans...

Johnny Crawford - "Cindy's Birthday"
from the album A Young Man's Fancy (1962)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8
Songwriters: Jeff Hooven, Hal Winn

Former Mousketeer and child actor Crawford parlayed his success on TV to the radio with twee songs like this attracting the "Beliebers" of that generation (without the horrible lifestyle)...

Mike Clifford - "Close To Cathy"
from the single (1962)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #12
Songwriters: Bob Goodman, Earl Shuman

The C-level pop singer would go on to provide a voice for the animated Lord Of The Rings movie in the 70s, as well as sing "Love Will Keep Us Together" with Mae West in Sextette.

Bobby Rydell - "I've Got Bonnie"
from the album All The Hits By Bobby Rydell (1962)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #18
Songwriters: Gerry Goffin, Carole King

An early hit for the writing team of Goffin and King was this nugget for the teen idol on Chubby Checker's label.

Jimmy Dean - "Dear Ivan"
from the album Jimmy Dean's Greatest Hits (1966)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #24
Songwriter: Jimmy Dean

An open letter from the country singer pre-sausages to the Russian people, which eerily enough is relevant again.

Tomorrow I'll return with 7 more from 1972 and 8 from 1982...