Tag Archives: tb60s

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Song of the Day #6,398: ‘She’s Just My Style’ – Gary Lewis and the Playboys

The week of January 11, 1966, found two stone-cold classics remaining atop the Billboard Hot 100 in The Beatles’ ‘We Can Work It Out‘ and Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘The Sound of Silence.‘

In third place that week was a song that hasn’t stood the test of time, at least not enough to be on my radar. ‘She’s Just My Style’ was Gary Lewis and the Playboys’ fifth single, and their fifth to make it to at least the top four. This was part of a record streak of seven straight top ten hits (tying them with The Lovin’ Spoonful as the only acts to achieve that feat with their first seven singles).

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Song of the Day #6,384: ”I Got You (I Feel Good)’ – James Brown

The week of December 28, 1965, saw a pair of singles atop the Billboard Hot 100 that typify the musical excellence of the 60s: Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘The Sound of Silence‘ at #1 and The Beatles’ ‘We Can Work It Out‘ at #2.

In the third spot that week was a song just as enduring and excellent as those two — James Brown’s ‘I Got You (I Feel Good).’ This track, Brown’s signature song, was the funk master’s highest-charting single, peaking right here at #3.

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Song of the Day #6,370: ‘Over and Over’ – The Dave Clark Five

Throwing back to the week of December 14, 1965, we find The Byrds holding on to the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ At #2, a week before ascending to #1, were English rockers The Dave Clark Five with ‘Over and Over.’

This song was written and first recorded by Robert James Byrd, known professionally as Bobby Day, in 1958. The song reached #41 for Day as the B-side to his #2 hit ‘Rockin’ Robin.’

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Song of the Day #6,356: ‘Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)’ – The Byrds

Topping the Billboard Hot 100 the week of Nov. 30, 1965, was The Byrds’ folk rock reimagining of Pete Seeger’s ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ Seeger took almost the entirety of the lyric from the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes. He did add the “turn turn turn” part, and for that claimed 5% of the royalties.

He earned another 50% for writing the musical arrangement, and donated the remaining 45% to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, a group “dedicated to ending the occupation of the Palestinian territories and achieving a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians.” Pete Seeger was a woke king.

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Song of the Day #6,342: ‘1-2-3’ – Len Barry

The week of November 16, 1965, found The Supremes atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘I Hear a Symphony,’ one of 12 #1 hits for the legendary girl group.

At #2 that week was Len Barry’s ‘1-2-3,’ a song that ended up embroiled in a copyright claim by those very same Supremes. Motown sued Barry and his co-writers, claiming that ‘1-2-3’ bore a strong resemblance to The Supremes’ ‘Ask Any Girl.‘ After two years in the courts, Motown’s Holland–Dozier–Holland writing team was awarded 15% of the royalties from this song.

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