6 of the 60s: 9/3/14 (1964)

It's time to go back to the 60s, and this week I've got a half-dozen more nuggets from 1964, the year the Beatles refused to play a concert in Jacksonville for a segregated audience....

The Animals - "The House Of The Rising Sun"
from the album The Animals (US-1964) 
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Songwriter: Traditional: arranged by Alan Price

The Beatles' ruled 1964, but it was this appropriation of an old folk tune that was the most influential record of the year, combining the howling blues with folk-style phrasing and beatnik rhythms and keyboards into a whirling dervish of sin.They did in four minutes what True Blood couldn't in all those seasons.

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The Marketts - "Out Of Limits"
from the album Out Of Limits! (1964)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3
Songwriter: Michael Gordon

The Hollywood-based instrumental group took the theme from the hip sci-fi TV show Twilight Zone to make a surf-rock classic. A lawsuit from Rod Serling would soon follow.

Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas - "Bad To Me"
from the album Little Children (1964)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #9
Songwriters: John Lennon/Paul McCartney (John Lennon)

The first #1 song in England written by either John or Paul wasn't a Beatles record, but this song written by John and recorded by the young former railway employee.

Dave Clark Five - "Do You Love Me"
from the album Glad All Over (US-1964) 
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #11
Songwriter: Berry Gordy

The British Invasion group's first hit in their home country was a cover of the song by the Contours that would be revived yet again for Dirty Dancing in the 80s.

The Searchers - "Don't Throw Your Love Away"
from the albums This Is Us (US-1964) and It's The Searchers (UK-1964)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #16
Songwriters: Billy Jackson, Jimmy Weiner

The Merseybeat band's third #1 hit in the UK was another cover - this time of the record by girl-group the Orlons...

The Beatles - "Thank You Girl"
from the album The Beatles' Second Album (US-1964) and Past Masters Vol. 1 (1988)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #35
Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

The Fab Four's appreciation for their female fans was expressed in this toss-off B-side to "From Me To You" that still made the top-40 in its own right.