Let’s face it, most people don’t give a shit about pop music. In the early dawn of the 21st century it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore. Once upon a time, pop music was modern culture. These days it has returned to the pre-Beatles sixties; sugar sweet, razzle-dazzle, showbiz puppets of middle-aged entrepreneurs playing their end of the pier equivalent. Except now that pier has moved to the 60 inch plasma screen in your living room with Simon Cowell as puppet master supreme.
I was just about around for the start of the real sixties, born a nice middle class, suburban boy in the very last week of the fifties. Pop meant a lot more back then, although it didn’t mean that much to me. Toy soldiers, cowboys and Indians, scalextric, subbuteo and bikes were far more exciting. But, pop gradually seeped into my soul. Thanks to my old man it was always around, always being played, and these records (because that’s what they are really, not CD’s at all) are my tribute and thanks to him.
Like his own father before him, ironically nicknamed ‘Pop’, my Dad was completely obsessed with music, records, tapes, portable players, hi-fi systems and super stereo sound. I have clear memories of musty, dusty sheds piled high with the rusty innards of ancient turntables, speakers and valve amps. Infact, clearing out my parents loft recently, with my Dad long gone, I uncovered his last stash of long lost, sixties and seventies vintage record players, all wood effect sticky back plastic and smoked Perspex.
I guess music made his world a better place and the same thing happened to me. The first song I remember is ‘Battle Of New Orleans’, not sixties at all although that’s when I would have heard it, and it was probably the rip off Lonnie Donegan version rather than Johnny Horton’s because my Dad loved a bit of Lonnie. In truth his taste stretched from Dylan to Debussy and all points between, although in his later years there was a scary amount of easy listening.
Even so, all of these tunes bring a smile to my face and a glow to my heart. Strangely, some have even become hip, referenced by ubercool oldsters like Nick Cave, Quentin Tarantino, Mark Smith and Jarvis Cocker. Odd to think how times change and how the ghastly can become the good. But, as we all know, that’s the nature of Secret Pleasures, the songs you can’t quite admit you like. My old man would have had no problem. He loved them all!
One
01 JOHNNY HORTON / The Battle Of New Orleans / June 1959
02 THE SHADOWS / Apache / July 1960
03 EVERLY BROTHERS / Love Hurts / February 1961
04 HELEN SHAPIRO / Walkin’ Back To Happiness / September 1961
05 BRYAN HYLAND / Sealed With A Kiss / August 1962
06 ROLF HARRIS / Sun Arise / October 1962
07 ANDY WILLIAMS / Can’t Get Used To Losing You / March 1963
08 ROY ORBISON / Blue Bayou / September 1963
09 MANFRED MANN / 5-4-3-2-1 / January 1964
10 THE SEARCHERS / Needles And Pins / January 1964
11 BILLY J KRAMER & THE DAKOTAS / Little Children / February 1964
12 DAVE CLARK FIVE / Bits And Pieces / February 1964
13 CILLA BLACK / Anyone Who Had A Heart / February 1964
14 DORIS DAY / Move Over Darling / March 1964
15 FOUR SEASONS / Silence Is Golden / June 1964
16 VAL DOONICAN / Walk Tall / October 1964
17 GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS / Ferry Across The Mersey / December 1964
18 THE SHANGRILAS / Leader Of The Pack / December 1964
19 BOBBY VINTON / Mr Lonely / December 1964
20 TOM JONES / It’s Not Unusual / February 1965
21 PETULA CLARK / I Know A Place / March 1965
22 THE DIXIE CUPS / Iko Iko / May 1965
23 SANDIE SHAW / Long Live Love / May 1965
24 BARRY MCGUIRE / Eve Of Destruction / August 1965
25 THE SEEKERS / The Carnival Is Over / October 1965
26 NANCY SINATRA / These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ / January 1966
27 THE OVERLANDERS / Michelle / January 1966
28 WALKER BROTHERS / The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore / February 1966
29 LOVIN’ SPOONFUL / Daydream / February 1966
30 SIMON & GARFUNKEL / Homeward Bound / March 1966
Two
01 GEORGIE FAME / Getaway / June 1966
02 THE LEFT BANKE / Walk Away Renee / July 1966
03 THE HOLLIES / Stop! Stop! Stop! / October 1966
04 HERMANS HERMITS / No Milk Today / October 1966
05 THE MONKEES / I’m A Believer / December 1966
06 DONOVAN / Mellow Yellow / February 1967
07 NEIL DIAMOND / Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon / April 1967
08 THE FOUR TOPS / If I Were A Carpenter / August 1967
09 DAVID MCWILLIAMS / Days Of Pearly Spencer / October 1967
10 BOX TOPS / The Letter / November 1967
11 BRIGITTE BARDOT / Harley Davidson / December 1967
12 NIRVANA / Lonely Boy / February 1968
13 HONEYBUS / I Can’t Let Maggie Go / March 1968
14 MAMA’S & PAPA’S / Dream A Little Dream Of Me / May 1968
15 THE DILLARDS / Reason To Believe / June 1968
16 R. DEAN TAYLOR / Gotta See Jane / June 1968
17 JULIE LONDON / Yummy Yummy Yummy / September 1968
18 FRANCOISE HARDY / Comment Te Dire Adieu? / September 1968
19 JEANNIE C RILEY / Harper Valley PTA / October 1968
20 BARRY RYAN / Eloise / October 1968
21 DUSTY SPRINGFIELD / Son Of A Preacher Man / December 1968
22 NOEL HARRISON / Windmills Of Your Mind / December 1968
23 PETER SARSTEDT / Where Do You Go To (My Lovely) / February 1969
24 NILSSON / Everybody’s Talkin’ / September 1969
25 BOBBIE GENTRY / Fancy / November 1969
26 NORMAN GREENBAUM / Spirit In The Sky / November 1969
