The Shirelles: Soldier Boy (1962)

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"Soldier Boy" is the name of a song written by Luther Dixon and Florence Green. The song, recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York and released as a single by The Shirelles in 1962 on the Scepter label, met with great success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100. The song's lyrics are a profession of the singer's love for the titular soldier boy in which she promises to remain true to him while he's away.

The Rolling Stones: Time Is On My Side (1964)

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"Time Is on My Side" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy (under the pseudonym of Norman Meade). First recorded by jazz trombonist Kai Winding and his Orchestra in 1963, it was covered with additional lyrics by Jimmy Norman by both soul singer Irma Thomas and The Rolling Stones in 1964. The Rolling Stones recorded two versions of "Time Is on My Side" in 1964. The first with the organ intro was released in the U.S. in 1964 on single and on the "12 X 5" album. The re-recording (November 8, 1964) with the guitar intro released in the UK on January 15, 1965 on the "The Rolling Stones No. 2" album. This is the version that appears on most "best of" compilations. Both Rolling Stones' versions copy several distinctive elements of the Irma Thomas version, including the vocal interjections between the chorus lyrics, the monologue in the middle of the song, and the guitar solo which intertwines with this monologue. The U.S. version was released on September 26, 1964 as a single (a month after Thomas' cover) and peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart to become The Rolling Stones' first top ten hit in the U.S. (their previous single, "It's All Over Now", had only peaked at number 26). When they performed "Time Is on My Side" during their first guest spot on The Ed Sullivan Show, Sullivan was shocked by their appearance and declared that they would never be invited onto the show again, but he subsequently invited them back several times. A live version of the song from the band's 1982 live album, "Still Life", reached number sixty-two on the UK singles chart.

The Newbeats: Better Watch Your Step (1965)

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The Newbeats were a popular music vocal trio, best known for their 1964 hit, "Bread and Butter" on the Hickory label. It was the group's first hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Three more singles followed in 1964 and 1965. "Run Baby Run (Back Into My Arms)" reached as high as number 12 that fall, but it was the trio's penultimate chart entry, although they remained with Hickory until 1972. Brief stints at Buddha and Playboy followed before The Newbeats dissolved in 1974. "Better Watch Your Step", recorded in 1965, unashamedly bore a similarity to "Bread and Butter" in an endeavour to repeat its success.

Tom Courtenay: Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter (1963)

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"Mrs Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" is a popular song written by Trevor Peacock. It was originally sung by actor Sir Tom Courtenay in The Lads, a British TV play of 1963. The best-known version of the song is by Herman's Hermits, who took it to number one on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100 in April 1965. 

Herman's Hermits: One Little Packet Of Cigarettes (1965)

 

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By being so cheerful, playful, clean, charming, friendly, and cute, they epitomized perfectly the "British Invasion" of 1964-1967. They were British to a fault. Even their musical style, unlike other groups (such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles), was based equally, if not more so, on British pop music, rather than American rhythm & blues. Hermans Hermits owed at least as great a musical debt to English music hall, and to vaudeville. On stage Herman often acted more like a corny vaudevillian than the lead singer in a rock band.  

Twinkle: Poor Old Johnny (1965)

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Sadly, after the 1965 song "Golden Lights" which charted in the UK at #25, Twinkle's following efforts were largely ignored and by the end of the 1960s she was all but forgotten. This song, "Poor Old Johnny" in 1965, failed to make any impression on the charts.

Billy Joe Royal: Hush (1967)

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"Hush" is a song written by Joe South for Billy Joe Royal. It was a minor hit in 1967, peaking at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100. Billy Joe Royal (born 3 April 1942) is an American singer. Born in Valdosta, Georgia and raised in Marietta, Royal became a local star at Savannah, Georgia's Bamboo Ranch in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for the 1965 Top 10 pop hit "Down in the Boondocks," which, along with the singles "I Knew You When" (Top 20, 1965) and "Hush" (1967), were written and produced by Joe South.

Betty Everett & Jerry Butler: Let It Be Me (1964)

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Betty Everett (23 November 1939 - 19 August 2001) was an African-American R&B singer and pianist. She is known for her biggest hit single "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss). Jerry Butler (born Jerry Butler Jr., 8 December 1939) is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is also noted as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions, as well as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Betty and Jerry collaborated on the duet "Let It Be Me" in 1964, peaking #5.

The Beach Boys: Wouldn't It Be Nice (1966)

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"Wouldn't It Be Nice" is the opening track on the 1966 album "Pet Sounds" and one of the most widely recognized songs by the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was composed and produced by Brian Wilson, with lyrics by Tony Asher and Brian Wilson, and the lead vocal was sung by Brian Wilson with Mike Love singing lead vocals on the bridge and the end tag, 'Good night my baby, Sleep tight my baby'. Brian Wilson described the song as "what children everywhere go through. wouldn't it be nice if we were older, or could run away and get married". Wilson was quoted as saying: "Listen for the rockin' accordions and the ethereal guitars in the introduction. Tony and I had visualized a scene. We had a feeling in our hearts, like a vibration. We put it into music, and it found its way onto tape. We really felt good about that record." In a 1996 interview, Wilson stated, "'Wouldn't It Be Nice' was not a real long song, but it's a very 'up' song. It expresses the frustrations of youth, what you can't have, what you really want and you have to wait for it." Wilson also used the title of the song for the title of his autobiography.

The Beach Boys: I Get Around (1963)

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"I Get Around" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for The Beach Boys. The song features Love on lead vocal for the verse, and Wilson for the chorus. It is noteworthy for its back-to-front structure - it starts with a chorus and has two short verses. It was a single which was released in 1964 through Capitol Records; the B-side of the single was "Don't Worry Baby", which itself charted at number 24 in the United States. "I Get Around" was The Beach Boys' first number-one hit song in the United States. The single charted at number seven in the United Kingdom, and was the band's first top ten single there. The song's first album release was on "All Summer Long" in 1964.

Major Lance: Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um (1964)

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Major Lance (April 4, 1939 - September 3, 1994) was an American R&B singer. After a number of US hits in the 1960s, including "The Monkey Time" and "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um", he became an iconic figure in Britain in the 1970s among followers of Northern soul. "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" was his biggest hit, reaching #5 in the US pop chart and #40 in the UK, where it was his only chart success. Billboard magazine did not publish an R&B chart during 1964, but Cashbox magazine charted this recording at #1.

The Kinks: Tired Of Waiting For You (1965)

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"Tired Of Waiting For You" was a hit 1965 rock song by the English band The Kinks. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart and #6 in the USA. It was recorded late August 1964 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London, with additional guitar overdub at IBC Studios, London on 29 December 1964. B-side "Come On Now" was recorded 22 or 23 December 1964 at Pye Studios (No. 2). The single was released on 15 January 1965 in the UK and on 17 February 1965 in the USA.

The Jelly Beans: I Wanna Love Him So Bad (1964)

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The Jelly Beans were an R&B vocal group from Jersey City, New Jersey. Formed in 1962 by five high schoolers, the group signed with Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller's label, Red Bird Records, in 1963. Working with songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the group released its debut single, "I Wanna Love Him So Bad", in 1964. The song became a hit in the United States, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up, "Baby Be Mine", peaked at #51 later that year, and while the group recorded copiously, a full-length album was never issued. Red Bird dropped the group at the end of 1964; one final single was released on Eskee Records, but it fizzled and the group broke up in 1965.

The Impressions: People Get Ready (1965)

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"People Get Ready" was a 1965 single by The Impressions, and the title track from the album of the same name. The single is today the group's best-known hit, reaching number-three on the Billboard R&B Chart and number 14 on the Billboard Pop Chart. The gospel-influenced track was a Curtis Mayfield composition, and displayed the growing sense of social and political awareness in his writing. Rolling Stone magazine named "People Get Ready" the 24th greatest song of all time. The song was included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. "People Get Ready" has also been chosen as one of the Top 10 Best Songs Of All Time by a panel of 20 top industry songwriters and producers, including Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Hal David, and others as reported to Britain's Mojo music magazine. Mayfield said, "That was taken from my church or from the upbringing of messages from the church. Like there's no hiding place and get on board, and images of that sort. I must have been in a very deep mood of that type of religious inspiration when I wrote that song." The song is the first Impressions hit to feature Mayfield's guitar in the break.

The Rivieras: California Sun (1964)

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The Rivieras were a rock and roll group formed in the early 1960s in South Bend, Indiana, United States. They are best known for their hit "California Sun." It reached #5 in the main U.S. pop chart., and is the most popular version of this much covered song. In fact, "California Sun" was one of the last songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart before the "British Invasion". The song has become a classic on "oldies" radio in North America over the years.

Ricky Nelson: Again (1964)

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Ricky Nelson, or Rick Nelson (born Eric Hilliard Nelson; 8 May 1940 - 31 December 1985), was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor. He placed fifty-three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1957 and 1973, including nineteen top-ten hits, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987. Nelson began his entertainment career in 1949 playing himself in the radio sitcom series, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet", and, in 1952, appeared in his first feature film, "Here Come the Nelsons". In 1957, he recorded his first single, debuted as a singer on the television version of the sitcom, and recorded a number one album, "Ricky". In 1958, Nelson recorded his first number one single, "Poor Little Fool", and, in 1959, received a Golden Globe Most Promising Male Newcomer nomination after starring in the western film, "Rio Bravo".

The Murmaids: Popsicles And Icicles (1964)

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The Murmaids were a one-hit wonder all-female vocal trio composed of sisters Carol and Terry Fischer; and Sally Gordon from Los Angeles, California who, in January of 1964 reached #3 with "Popsicles and Icicles". "Popsicles and Icicles" began receiving airplay in Los Angeles in October of 1963, breaking nationally in November to reached its #3 peak in Billboard and Cash Box on their charts dated 11 January 1964. The Record World chart ranked "Popsicles and Icicles" at #1 for the week of 18 January; as Record World's next #1 was "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles, "Popsicles and Icicles" is sometimes cited as the last #1 of the pre-British Invasion rock and roll genre. In the UK "Popsicles and Icicles" was released on Stateside Records - with "Comedy and Tragedy" as the B-side. The tune did not chart, however, possibly due to the Brits' unfamiliarity with the term Popsicles, which in Britain are called "ice lollies".

Roy Orbison: Pretty Woman (1964)

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"Pretty Woman" is a song, released in 1964, which was a worldwide success for Roy Orbison. Recorded on the Monument Records label in Nashville, Tennessee, it was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1999, the song was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #222 on their list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time." The lyrics tells the story of a man who sees a pretty woman walking by. He yearns for her and wonders if, as beautiful as she is, she might be lonely like he is. At the last minute, she turns back and joins him. The title was inspired by Orbison's wife Claudette interrupting a conversation to announce she was going out; when Orbison asked if she was okay for cash, his co-writer Bill Dees interjected "A pretty woman never needs any money."

Diane Renay: Navy Blue (1964)

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Diane Renay (born Renee Diane Kushner) is an American pop singer, best known for her 1964 hit song, "Navy Blue". She started singing at an early age and took voice lessons from Artie Singer, a voice teacher who also managed Danny and the Juniors (of "At the Hop") fame. Singer encouraged Renay to pursue a recording career. Record producer/songwriter, Pete DeAngelis, was a frequent customer at the Kushners' family jewelry store, and Renay's parents arranged for her to audition for him. DeAngelis, impressed with her talents, got Renay signed to the Atco Records label. Under the new stage name Diane Renay, she released her first single, "Little White Lies," in 1962, but it failed to chart nationally, as did the follow-up, "Tender," and Atco dropped her from the label. However, Bob Crewe, who had written and produced material for Renay's second recording session, then signed her to a new recording contract whereby he would write and produce records for her. Under Crewe's guidance and signed to the 20th Century label, Renay, then seventeen years old, released her biggest hit, "Navy Blue," in late 1963. It became a national smash, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1964, and soaring to number one on the Adult Contemporary singles chart. The song was followed by Renay's debut album, also titled "Navy Blue."

The Drifters: Under The Boardwalk (1964)

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"Under the Boardwalk" is a hit pop song written by Kenny Young and Arthur Resnick and recorded by The Drifters in 1964. The song was set to be recorded on May 21, 1964, but the band's lead singer, Rudy Lewis, unexpectedly died of a heroin overdose the night before. Lewis had sung lead on all of their hits since the 1960 departure of Ben E. King, including "Up on the Roof". Rather than reschedule the studio session to find a new frontman, former Drifters lead vocalist Johnny Moore was brought back to perform lead vocals for the recording. The last-minute move was a success, as the single, released on Atlantic Records, went to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and number one for three non consecutive weeks on Cashbox Magazine's R&B chart.

The Ventures: Walk Don't Run (1960)

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"Walk, Don't Run" is a rock'n'roll instrumental composition written and first performed by Johnny Smith in 1955. It became a hit single in autumn 1960 for the Seattle-based instrumental rock band The Ventures, charting #8 on the UK charts. The Ventures' version is believed to be one of the first surfing songs to make the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #2 and reaching #3 on the Cash Box magazine chart for five weeks in August and September 1960.

The Searchers: Needles And Pins (1964)

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"Needles and Pins" is a song by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono. In his autobiography, Bono states that he sang along with Nitzsche's guitar-playing, thus creating both the tune and the lyrics, being guided by the chord progressions. The song was originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon. The Searchers heard British performer Cliff Bennett perform "Needles and Pins" at a club in Hamburg, Germany, and instantly wanted it to be their next single. Soon after, in 1964, "Needles and Pins" appeared on The Searchers' next album, "It's Fab! It's Gear! It's The Searchers". It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in America and was number one in the United Kingdom. Audible during The Searchers' recording of "Needles and Pins" is a faulty bass drum pedal, which squeaks throughout the song. It is particularly noticeable during the opening of the number.

Ketty Lester: Love Letters (1962)

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Ketty Lester (born Revoyda Frierson, August 16, 1934) is an American singer and actress, who is best known for her 1962 hit single, "Love Letters", which reached the Top 5 of the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1961 Era Records released her single, "I'm a Fool to Want You" b/w "Love Letters". Radio listeners and disc jockeys preferred the B-side, a reworking of a 1945 hit by Dick Haymes, and Lester's recording of "Love Letters", which featured Mayorga's sparse piano arrangement and Earl Palmer on drums, rose to #5 in the Billboard Hot 100 early in 1962. The record also reached #2 on the R&B chart, and #4  in the UK Singles Chart, selling over one million copies in all, and in 1991 was ranked 176th in the R.I.A.A. compiled list of Songs of the Century.

Canned Heat: On The Road Again (1967)

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Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists. The music and attitude of Canned Heat afforded them a large following and established the band as one of the popular acts of the hippie era.

Brian Poole & The Tremeloes: Good Lovin' (1965)

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The Tremeloes first got together in 1958, when the original members were all in their teens. They were closer in years and background to early British beat bands like The Shadows than to the British Invasion bands with which they subsequently became associated. They auditioned for Decca Records on New Year's Day, 1962. At the time, Decca was looking for a new rock & roll act, and The Tremeloes were up against a relatively obscure Liverpool quartet called The Beatles. Decca executives Dick Rowe and Mike Smith were in charge of the auditions, with Rowe reportedly leaving the choice up to Smith. The latter chose The Tremeloes, reportedly based on the fact that they were based in London and, thus, would be more accessible than The Beatles. The signing had a range of consequences for the band and its future. At the time, it was routine for groups to have a featured member, Cliff Richard & The Shadows being the prime example; thus, the label insisted that the band be signed as Brian Poole & The Tremeloes. "Good Lovin'" was released as a single in 1965 but failed to impact on the charts.

Freddie & The Dreamers: Over You (1964)

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Freddie and the Dreamers were a British band, who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Although the band were grouped as a part of the Merseybeat sound phenomenon that The Beatles exploded around the world in the wake of Beatlemania, they came from Manchester. "Over You" was released in February 1964 on the Columbia label and reached #13 on the UK charts. There was no US issue of this single.

Mary Hopkin: Knock Knock Who's There? (1969)

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"Knock, Knock Who's There?", written and composed by John Carter and Geoff Stephens, produced by Mickie Most, was the United Kingdom's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1970, performed by the Welsh singer Mary Hopkin. On March 7, 1970, Mary Hopkin sang six songs at the UK National Final, A Song for Europe, which was aired on the television series It's Cliff Richard!. Hopkin was chosen by the BBC to be the United Kingdom's representative for that year, and the winner of a postal vote would determine which of the six songs would progress with her to the finals in Amsterdam. "Knock, Knock Who's There?", the sixth and final song performed that evening, won the postal vote with over 120,000 supporters. At Amsterdam, the song was performed seventh on the night, after France's Guy Bonnet with "Marie-Blanche", and before Luxembourg's David Alexandre Winter with "Je suis tombé du ciel." At the end of judging that evening, "Knock, Knock Who's There?" took the second-place slot with 26 points. The UK received points from nine out of a possible eleven voting juries. The singer expresses a long-held optimism at the prospect of love finally finding her. At the exact point that said optimism has faded, and she has resigned herself to not finding love and companionship, she hears a "knock, knock," which signifies love finally becoming attainable for her. Excited, she beckons love to "come inside" and into her life. After Eurovision, the song placed at #2 on the UK Singles Chart.

Them: Baby, Please Don't Go (1965)

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Them was a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career. The group was marketed in the United States as part of the British Invasion. Them, fronted by Van Morrison, released "Baby, Please Don't Go" as the A side of a single in late 1964. Boosted by the B side, a ditty entitled "Gloria", the single became their first hit, reaching No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart. 

Dave Berry: Not Fade Away (1964)

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"Not Fade Away" is a song credited to Buddy Holly (originally under his first and middle names, Charles Hardin) and Norman Petty (although Petty's co-writing credit is most likely a formality). The song's rhythm pattern is one of the classic examples of the Bo Diddley beat, which itself was an update of the so- called "hambone" rhythm, or "patted juba" from Western Africa. Dave Berry's version of "Not Fade Away" featured on his self-titled 1964 album.

The Beatles: Bad Boy (1965)

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"Bad Boy" is a song written by Larry Williams. It is one of several Larry Williams songs which The Beatles covered during their career. Along with "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", "Bad Boy" was recorded by The Beatles on May 10, 1965, (Larry Williams' birthday) and was originally intended for a solely American release; however, "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" featured on the British "Help!" album that year. "Bad Boy" was first released on "Beatles VI" in June 1965. It eventually got a UK release on "A Collection of Beatles Oldies" in December 1966. It is also available on the 1988 release, "Past Masters, Volume One". The song features John Lennon on lead vocal and rhythm guitar, Paul McCartney on bass, George Harrison on double-tracked lead guitar, and Ringo Starr on drums and tambourine.

The Animals: We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (1965)

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"We Gotta Get out of This Place", occasionally written "We've Gotta Get out of This Place", is a rock song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and recorded as a 1965 hit single by The Animals. It has become an iconic song of its type and was immensely popular among United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. In 2004 it was ranked number 233 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list; it is also in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list. The arrangement featured a unique bass lead, played by Chas Chandler. It also included unusual organ work from Dave Rowberry. Eric Burdon's vocals range from a calm whisper to a primal roar. Rolling Stone described the overall effect as a "harsh white-blues treatment from The Animals". As singer Eric Burdon put it, "Whatever suited our attitude, we just bent to our own shape." The song reached number 2 on the UK pop singles chart on August 14, 1965 (held out of the top slot by The Beatles' "Help!"). The following month, it reached number 13 on the U.S. pop singles chart, its highest placement there. In Canada the song also reached number 2, September 20th, 1965.

Swinging Blue Jeans: It Isn't There (1964)

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By 1962, The Blue Genes were working full-time and playing skiffle at venues in Liverpool and at the Star Club in Hamburg. However the German audiences booed them off the stage, and the group rapidly changed direction and focus. They switched to rock and roll, and with a name change to reflect their attire, to The Swinging Blue Jeans. This earned them a recording contract with HMV. Their recording debut was with a Ray Ennis penned original, "It's Too Late Now," which made the UK Top 40. An album "Hippy Hippy Shake" was released in 1964 by EMI on their HMV label. In Canada it was issued by Capitol Records, and in the US on Imperial Records. "It Isn't There" is a track from that album, and one of the better ballads of 1964.

The Beatles: Dizzy Miss Lizzie (1965)

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"Dizzy Miss Lizzie" is a song composed and sung by Larry Williams in 1958. It shares many similarities with the Little Richard song "Good Golly Miss Molly". The title is playfully misleading, the actual lyric being, "You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzie". The song has been covered many times, including - most famously - by The Beatles on the 1965 "Help!" album, though the recording was initially intended for the 1965 American compilation "Beatles VI" along with the Larry Williams cover, "Bad Boy", recorded by The Beatles on the same day. Paul McCartney has stated that he believes this song to be one of The Beatles' best recordings. It features loud, rhythmic instrumentation, along with John Lennon's particularly rousing vocals. In the United Kingdom, The Beatles' version first appeared on the album "Help!", misspelled "Dizzy Miss Lizzy". In North America, it was included on "Beatles VI". The song was originally thought about by band manager Brian Epstein, and was later introduced to Ringo Starr, the band's drummer. He made sure that the band recorded it after loving its upbeat rhythm and interesting lyrics.

The Everly Brothers: Cathy's Clown (1960)

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"Cathy's Clown" is a popular song, written and recorded by The Everly Brothers. It was their first single for Warner Bros., after spending three years on Archie Bleyer's Cadence label. "Cathy's Clown" sold eight-million copies worldwide, spending five weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and one week on the R&B charts. Overseas, "Cathy's Clown" spent seven weeks at number one in the UK in May and June 1960. It would become The Everly Brothers' biggest hit single and their fourth and final number one. The song is ranked number 149 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The Tokens: The Lion Sleeps Tonight (1961)

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The Tokens are an American male doo-wop vocal group from Brooklyn, New York. They are best-known for their chart-topping 1961 single, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". In early 1961, The Tokens released a single for Warwick Records entitled "Tonight I Fell In Love," which went to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned them an opportunity to appear on American Bandstand. The popularity that the band garnered as a result of this performance brought them new recording opportunities, culminating in their cover of Solomon Linda's "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" for RCA Victor. It rose to #1 on the Billboard chart, where it remained for three weeks. Both "Tonight I Fell in Love" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" sold over one million copies, and were awarded gold discs. Decades after receiving no publishing credit for their specific original musical composition within "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", the band went to court in order to regain some of these publishing rights. However, the case was thrown out due to the statute of limitations. To this day The Tokens claim that some of the original musical composition in the 1961 hit was created by them, even though they have not been awarded this status through their record label.

Marianne Faithfull: Go Away From My World (1965)

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Marianne Faithfull's early years as a Euro-waif pop singer coincided with a well-chronicled relationship with Rolling Stone frontman Mick Jagger, and her recordings were often overshadowed by the couple's legendary exploits. Marianne Faithfull began her musical career while still a teenager with timely, well-packaged singles that never quite achieved their full potential; meanwhile, life among the Stones entourage led to bouts with heroin addiction and alcohol abuse. Marianne was implicated in a notorious 1967 drug bust involving the band, and her relationship with Jagger came to an end in 1969. "Go Away From My World" b/w "Oh Look Around You" was released by Decca in 1965 charting at #89 in the US. "Go Away From My World" was the re-titled "Marianne Faithfull" album released for the US market in December 1965. It charted #12 in the UK and #15 in the US. In 1966 "Go Away From My World" was also issued as an EP recording in the US, reaching #81.

The Byrds: Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965)

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"Turn! Turn! Turn!" was the third single by the American folk rock band The Byrds and was released on October 1, 1965 by Columbia Records. The song was also included on the band's second album, "Turn! Turn! Turn!", which was released on December 6, 1965. The Byrds' single (b/w "She Don't Care About Time") is the most successful recorded version of the song, having reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts and #26 on the UK Singles Chart. The Byrds' version distinguishes the song as the #1 pop hit with the oldest lyrics, dating back to the Book of Ecclesiastes.

Little Richard: I Don't Know What You Got (1965)

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Richard Wayne Penniman (born 5 December 1932), known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, bandleader and recording artist, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. Penniman began his recording career in 1951 by imitating the gospel-influenced style of late-1940s jump blues artist Billy Wright, but did not achieve commercial success until 1955, when, under the guidance of Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, he began recording in a style he had been performing onstage for years, featuring varied rhythm, a heavy backbeat, funky saxophone grooves, over-the-top Gospel-style singing, moans, screams, and other emotive inflections, accompanied by a combination of boogie-woogie and rhythm and blues music. This new music, which included an original injection of funk into the rock and roll beat, inspired many of the greatest recording artists of the twentieth century, including James Brown, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Michael Jackson, and generations of other rhythm & blues, rock and soul music artists. He was subsequently among the seven initial inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and was one of only four of these honorees (along with Ray Charles, James Brown, and Fats Domino) to also receive the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award. A more mellow Little Richard features on "I Don't Know What You've Got" which reached #92 on the US charts and #12 on the US R&B chart.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons: Sherry (1962)

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"Sherry" is a song written by Bob Gaudio and originally recorded by The Four Seasons. It was their first nationally-released single and also their first number one hit, initially reaching the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on September 15, 1962. It remained at number one for five consecutive weeks, and number one on the R&B charts for one week. According to Gaudio, the song took about 15 minutes to write and was originally titled "Jackie Baby" (in honor of then- First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy). At the studio, the name was changed to "Terri Baby", and then eventually to "Sherry". the name of the daughter of Gaudio's best friend, New York disk jockey Jack Spector (one of the names that Gaudio pondered for the song was "Peri Baby," which was the name of the record label for which Bob Crewe worked, named after the label owner's daughter). The Four Seasons (group members 1960-1965) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, and it joined the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. It is one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, having sold 175 million records worldwide.

Del Shannon: Runaway (1961)

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"Runaway" was a number one Billboard Hot 100 song in the spring of 1961 by Del Shannon. It was written by Shannon and keyboardist Max Crook, and became a major international hit. It is #466 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. "Runaway" was released in February 1961 and was immediately successful. In April, Shannon appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand helping to catapult it to the number one spot on the Billboard charts where it remained for four weeks. Two months later, it also reached number one in the UK. On the R&B charts, "Runaway" peaked at number three. 

The Buckinghams: Kind Of A Drag (1967)

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The Buckinghams are an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top selling acts of 1967. In early 1966 the band signed their first record contract with local label USA Records and recorded twelve songs that year. Several were released as singles, including "I'll Go Crazy", a song originally recorded by James Brown & The Famous Flames and The Beatles' "I Call Your Name". However, it was their number one single, "Kind of a Drag", that provided them with national exposure. "Kind of a Drag" was written by Chicago-based songwriter Jim Holvay, who had been performing with a group called The Mob, and spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1967. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

Steam: Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye (1969)

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Steam was a pop-rock music group best known for the 1969 number one hit song and perennial favorite "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." The song was written and recorded by studio musicians Garrett DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer, and producer/writer Paul Leka at Mercury Records studios in New York City. The single was attributed to the band 'Steam' although at the time there was actually no band with that name. Paul Leka and the studio group recorded the first album. "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" reached number one in the United States for two weeks in December 1969. By the beginning of the 21st century, sales of "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" had exceeded 6.5 million records.

The Lemon Pipers: Green Tambourine (1968)

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The Lemon Pipers were a 1960s psychedelic pop band from Oxford, Ohio, known chiefly for their song "Green Tambourine", which reached No.1 in the United States in 1968. The song has been credited as being the first bubblegum pop chart-topper. Credited or not, the song appealed to the hippy movement of the time, to which bubblegum music was anathema. The success of "Green Tambourine" caused the label to put pressure on the group to stay in the bubblegum genre, and in March 1968 the band released another Leka/Pinz song, "Rice Is Nice", which peaked at No.46 in the US and No. 41 in the UK in May. The band had little enthusiasm for either song, however, dubbing them "funny-money music" and recording them only because they knew they would be dropped by Buddah if they refused. The Lemon Pipers evolution from 1960s rock music into a gold record bubblegum band created what keyboardist Robert "Reg" Nave has described as "the duality of The Lemon Pipers": "We were a stand-up rock 'n' roll band, and then all of a sudden, we're in a studio, being told how to play and what to play."

The Troggs: Wild Thing (1966)

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"Wild Thing" is a hit song written by New York City-born songwriter Chip Taylor and originally recorded by The Wild Ones in 1965. The song is best known for its 1966 cover by English band The Troggs, which reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1966. The song charted one position lower in Britain, reaching #2. The Troggs' version is ranked #257 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Ray Charles: Hit The Road Jack (1961)

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"Hit the Road Jack" is a song written by rhythm and blues artist Percy Mayfield and first recorded in 1960 as an a capella demo. It became famous after it was recorded by singer-pianist Ray Charles. It hit number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning on Monday, October 9, 1961. The song was also number one on the R&B Sides chart for five weeks, becoming Ray Charles' sixth number-one on that chart. The song is ranked #377 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Manfred Mann: Do Wah Diddy Diddy (1964)

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"Do Wah Diddy Diddy" is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and originally recorded in 1963 by the American vocal group The Exciters. In 1964, it was covered by British R&B, Beat and pop band Manfred Mann. Manfred Mann's version, which was more commercially successful, was recorded on June 11, 1964, released on July 10 and spent two weeks in August at number one in the UK Singles Chart and in October of that year it spent two weeks at the number one spot in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Animals: Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (1965)

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"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" has been recorded or performed by many artists, and is widely known by the 1965 blues rock hit recording from The Animals. Lead singer Eric Burdon would later say of the song, "It was never considered pop material, but it somehow got passed on to us and we fell in love with it immediately." The Animals gave it one of their trademark R&B-unto-rock workups, speeding up the tempo and starting off with a memorable electric guitar-and-organ doubled riff from Hilton Valentine and Alan Price. The group gained a trans-Atlantic hit in early 1965 from their rendition, rising to number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, number 15 on the U.S. pop singles chart, and number 4 in Canada. This single was ranked by Rolling Stone at #315 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The Searchers: Sweets For My Sweet (1963)

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"Sweets For My Sweet" is a song written by the songwriting team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, originally recorded by The Drifters. In 1963, "Sweets for My Sweet" became the debut single on the Pye label for Merseybeat band The Searchers, reaching number one on the UK Single Chart for two weeks that August. The Searchers' version was also issued in the US in the spring of 1964 but failed to chart. In the UK, however, it was a different story, reaching the #1 position.

Billy Bland: Let The Little Girl Dance (1960)

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Billy Bland (born 5 April 1932, Wilmington, North Carolina) is an American R&B singer and songwriter. Bland first sang professionally in the 1940s in New York, and sang with a group called The Four Bees in the 1950s on New Orleans's Imperial Records. He left the group for a solo career in 1955 and signed a recording contract with Old Town Records. In 1960, Bland heard Titus Turner recording the song "Let the Little Girl Dance" in the studio, and demonstrated for Turner how to sing it (along with guitarist Mickey Baker and other session musicians). The event was recorded by record producer Henry Glover, and was eventually released as a single. The tune was a hit in the U.S., peaking at #11 on the Black Singles Chart and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Bland had two other minor hits that year, "Harmony" (U.S. Hot 100 #91) and "You Were Born to Be Loved" (U.S. Hot 100 #94). He recorded until 1963 for Old Town, and then quit the music industry. In the 1980s, he ran a soul food restaurant in Harlem.

Connie Francis: Everybody's Somebody's Fool (1960)

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"Everybody's Somebody's Fool" is a song written by Jack Keller (music) and Howard Greenfield (lyrics) which was a #1 hit for Connie Francis in mid 1960. Although "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" was written as a bluesy ballad, Francis envisioned the song as polka style number feeling that as such it would fare well in the West German market and producer Arnold Maxin followed Francis' advisement in the 7 April 1960 session at Olmstead Studios (NYC) when Francis cut the song with the Joe Sherman Orchestra. In the US "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" was intended to serve as the B-side for the track "Jealous of You (Tango Della Gelosia)", which like Francis' precedent A-side hit "Mama" was a ballad of Italian origin; however most American radio stations preferred to play "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" and - while "Jealous of You" did reach #19 - "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 27 June 1960 and remained there the following week. The first of Francis' three US #1's, "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" was also ranked on the R&B chart at #2 and was the only one of Francis' major hits to cross over to the C&W charts where it peaked at #24. A #5 hit in the UK, "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" was #1 in Australia for three weeks in July 1960 and in South Africa ranked as the #15 hit for that year. Francis' instincts re the West German hit potential of "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" proved correct: rendered as "Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel" became the best-selling single of 1960 in West Germany where the original English version of the song also reached #25 in West Germany. "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" was also #1 in Norway for eight weeks.