Tuesday 2 October 2018

Hot 100 #64



No.

It was just too obvious a choice.

Plus, it's one of those Beatles songs that always annoyed me, even when I was a huge Beatles fan. Like most of the songs Ringo sang. (I've got a lot more time for him as a singer when he's not in the Beatles.)

Alyson did come up with some interesting research in her efforts to persuade me, and I'm never one to let other people's hard work go unrecognised...

Paul McCartney put lyrics to the music for the song later, in honour of his father's 64th birthday. Paul also split with Heather Mills when he was 64 so the answer was, no, she definitely wouldn't still be sending him a Valentine.

Also, as we all know, two of the Beatles sadly didn't make it to 64.

What else do we have then?

The Swede started out by taking one very small step away from the Fabs... The Rutles - Back In '64.

Then he zoomed as far away from them as possible with 64 Bits & Malachite by Baloji… which is... interesting. (I have become wary of any opinions that could be construed in any way as negative on this feature since I mumbled something vaguely disinterested about one of your previous suggestions a few weeks back, only for the artist themselves to - apparently - leave a comment.) So:  64 Bits & Malachite - instant classic! Thanks, Swede.

Martin then joined us, saying, "There's a lot of bang-average country, rap and Americana that all seems to reference cars from '64. I'm not going to pitch them all. Or any." Which is a shame, because I'd probably have liked all of them. Still, I appreciate your restraint.

Instead, Martin offered the following lyrical 64...

The Inspiral Carpets - Saturn 5

Lady, take a ride on a Zeke '64.

Two mentions for the Carpets in one week. Respect to the Oldham massive. Nice organ.

Lynchie also went the lyrical route, with a fine piece of Americana... Kate Campbell - Trains Don't Run from Nashville.

Momma waved goodbye to Daddy as he went off to war
She stood right here crying back in '64
And now it's me that stands here all alone on this old platform
And the trains don't run from Nashville anymore...

And then Jim from Dubai popped up with "the brilliant MJ Hibbett - Hey Hey 64K", which does actually turn out to be brilliant... although I only ever had a 48K. I used to dream of a 64K.

This week's winner, however, was suggested by both Martin and Rigid Digit, and comes from - no lie - one of my favourite albums of the 80s. It's the one song by this act that everyone knows, but the rest of that album really is quite special too.

Well they passed a law in 64
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far...




Nothing so obvious for #63, I don't think. Over to your suggestions...

10 comments:

  1. 'Tanglewood 63' by Michael Gibbs springs immediately to mind, a tune quickly covered in a Jazz-Rock vein by Colosseum and several more times since.

    ReplyDelete
  2. In Winter 1963
    It felt like like the world would freeze
    With John F Kennedy and the Beatles

    Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Four Seasons 'December 1963 (Oh What A Night)' is one that came to my mind first

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And there’s your feature Rol
      Good call Walter

      Delete
  4. Beyond those already mentioned I can only suggest...

    White Flag, by Shonen Knife, for the earth-shattering lyric:
    "He's a gummer. He's over 63."

    Hands Up To The Ceiling, by Tracey Thorn, for better lyrics:
    "Here is the street and here is the door
    Same as it was before
    And up the stairs and on the wall
    Is, Kiss and Terry Hall
    And Siouxsie Sioux and Edwin too
    And Bobby Dee in '63."

    And best of all, Bell Boy by The Who, with the line:
    "I don't suppose you would remember me, but I used to follow you back in '63."

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  5. Divine Comedy - National Express
    "Mini skirts were in style, when she waltzed down the aisle back in 63"

    John Wesley Harding - The Devil In Me
    "I shot John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 63"

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes it's "December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" by the Four Seasons from me too although both a year song and the full four digits included in the title. I seem to remember it was the soundtrack to my first kiss down the local youth club!

    ReplyDelete

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