Soccer season is underway, and I try to wrap this up before Vanderbilt athletics actually resume. But we said we were doing a season finale, and this is what the people voted for it to be.
Look, it’s 60s one hit wonders. Most of you probably know these anyway, so I’ll just stick to a couple of fun facts for each entry. Probably. And then go overboard anyway.
Previous Result
See our list of all previous winners
.For the Ottoman Empire: Mozart gave it a solid run, but it was They Might Be Giants’ “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”
taking the win in a clash of distinctly not-Ottoman artists. Was the only entry to not get a vote an actual Ottoman Empire song? You know it.
The Songs
1.) Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs, “Stay” (1960)
Still the shortest #1 song of all time, clocking in at only 1 minute and 36 seconds! God, I love doowop.
And then it had a big revival in the late 80s, thanks to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Oh right, speaking of that movie…
2.) The Contours, “Do You Love Me” (1962)
The Contours had an even bigger revival thanks to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. This managed to rechart in 1988, and go all the way back up to #11.
Also, that entire album lineup in the video image is one banger after another. Maybe we should’ve done a 60s Motown contest.
3.) The Cascades, “Rhythm of the Rain” (1963)
Sold over a million copies, and in 1999 BMI listed it as the 9th most performed song of the 20th Century, right ahead of “Georgia on My Mind.” (No one cares, but “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” was #1. You knew a couple were idiots if they played it at their wedding reception.)
I get why a lot of one-hit wonders only have the one hit, but The Cascades stun me. I guess the British Invasion the next year just ate up the market space for vocal harmonies.
4.) The Surfaris, “Wipe Out” (1963)
The Surfaris went into the studio to record a song called “Surfer Joe,” only to be informed that they also needed a B-side. Because, you know, that’s how records work. The drummer played a drum cadence he used in the high school marching band at double speed, the rest of the band just jammed over the top of it, and they knocked the whole thing out in about 10 minutes.
And then the radio DJs said “nope, playing the B-side” as Surfer Joe got relegated to forgotten lore.
5.) ? And the Mysterians, “96 Tears” (1966)
Mr. ? (he actually changed his name in real life) up there has claimed that was born on Mars, lived among the dinosaurs in a previous life, and that voices from the future have revealed he’ll be back to perform “96 Tears” in the year 10,000. Not sure how Zager & Evans feel about that last one.
The band’s name was taken from a 1957 Japanese sci-fi movie The Mysterians, and here’s a trailer for that because 1950s sci-fi is just the best. LOVE HUNGRY SPACEMEN, COME TO SEIZE OUR WOMEN!
6.) Strawberry Alarm Clock, “Incense & Peppermints” (1967)
That album art is incredible. I am dying. I think we’ve got our header image.
True story: A 16-year old who wasn’t even in the band wound up singing lead vocals. Can we agree it’s insane that guy’s only 16? There’s a bunch of stories about why, but none of them really conflict: The real lead singer hated the lyrics and finally left with two girls, no one else in the band could sing it right, and the manager finally got annoyed and brought in a ringer.
Honorable Mentions
So this is what the inside of my head sounds like outside of my head. Huh.
The Corsairs, “Smoky Places” (1962)
The Reflections, “(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet” (1964)
No idea how they managed to slip this on the radio before the British Invasion killed this style off, but I’m glad they did.
Swinging Medallions, “Double Shot” (1966)
Greenwood, South Carolina’s own! Along with The Fantastic Johnny C! And Gregg Marshall, weirdly enough. When does college basketball season start again? Certainly no time soon for Mr. Marshall (hurr!).
Los Bravos, “Black is Black” (1966)
Mason Williams, “Classical Gas” (1968)
The height of Vietnam-era counterculture, and The Mason Williams Phonograph Record craps out the #2 song. It was the 1960s, people did just whatever. In fact, keep scrolling.
Dishonorable Mentions
Proving that, in the 1960s, people really did just do whatever.
Larry Verne, “Please Mr. Custer” (1960)
Actual #1 songs from 1960:
- “El Paso” by Marty Robbins
- “I’m Sorry” by Brenda Lee
- “It’s Now or Never” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight” by Elvis Presley
- “The Twist” by Chubby Checker
- “Save the Last Dance for Me” by The Drifters
- “Georgia on My Mind” by Ray Charles
- This:
Napoleon XIV, “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” (1966)
The B-side was just the song played in reverse and called “!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er’yehT”
Does anyone remember when they’d play this at Hawkins Field when the other team would change pitchers?
Richard Harris, “MacArthur Park” (1968)
And somehow, a decade later, America looked at Dumbledore singing this and said “You know what the country really needs right now? A disco version of this at #1.”
All the sweet green icing can flow down for another year now. I thank each of you who read any of these.
And as a bonus for reading this far, here’s a Spotify playlist (five songs for each year, roughly). Queue it up for your Monday morning.
Vote in the Poll
Up Next
Women’s soccer vs. ETSU at 7:00 PM Sunday. Football vs. Austin Peay on September 5.
