Time Machine co-ordinates VIIV43152660

Today we go to May 26, 1960- and Henry Cabot Lodge goes to the UN with this:

A wooden replica of the Great Seal of the United States, given to the US embassy by "Russian citizens"- complete with a bug just under the eagle's beak.  This proof of Soviet espionage was supposed to equal out the U2 spy plane that was shot down on the first of the month.  Just goes to show you that in 57 years, nothing has changed between the US and Russia- just a couple of petty, overgrown nuclear kids.


But here in that rad-proof Time Machine of mine, we can safely look into the music of the age including for the first time, a song that sweeps the trifecta of Panel winner, US Cashbox #1, and #1 in the UK!!! Plus, a record label named for a movie song (kinda), a song to a cat (sorta), and "undoubtedly the greatest Canadian singer of all time"!  Plus, for just the 4th time, a song DEBUTS in the M10 in the top four!  Don't get bugged, get with the music!


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Now since I have left the cat out of the bag as far as the trifecta, I can give you the the Panel list but not the Cashbox national positions this week.  However, I will give you a clue in a bit here to narrow things down a little- and it's not a big list of candidates.  Six candidates, in fact from 22 stations- and not surprisingly, our winner ran away with it, collecting 68% of the vote.  But without a clue yet, here's the six:

The Hollywood Argyles (which I still think is one of the coolest names in music history) and  new debut (clue!)Alley Oop;

The Everly Brothers and Cathy's Clown;

Jimmy Jones, perhaps better known for the original version of Handy Man, with Good Timin' (that "perhaps better known" not necessarily a clue);

Roy Holden- allegedly discovered by former cop-turned-record exec Larry Nelson in jail after being busted for possession- and Love You So;

Anita Bryant, two years removed from winning Miss Oklahoma, a year removed from runner up in Miss America, and nine years from singing about the Florida Sunshine Tree, and Paper Roses;

And, his majesty Elvis Presley with Stuck On You.

4 of these are in the top ten- and that leaves the Argyles and Roy in the cold.  Pick from the remaining quartet and we'll let you know later.


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Three debuts this week- and two of them replace songs by the same act!  At #10, we replace Styx's Gone Gone Gone with their second single from The Mission, called Radio Silence (ironically)...

...BUT they are only putting it out on streaming right now.  So if you have Spotify, follow this link to find it!  If not, why not get it?  It's free, kicks Pandora's butt in that you can pick your song and setlist, and maybe you can link up with what's on my shuffle playlist!  Just sayin'...


However, so you won't be too disappointed, the OTHER song replacing one of their own is the latest by Flogging Molly!  The Hand Of John L Sullivan drops out, and this one drops in at #7...








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Our POTM, Johnny Horton, was just finishing a run in the top ten and falling this week with Sink The Bismark.  It was the 8th of nine country top tens for the man known as The Singing Fisherman.  That is, before he was killed in November of this year (1960) by a drunk driver.   Johnny Cash read John chapter 20 at the funeral. He would have one more- the #9 Sleepy Eyed John- after his death, from a 1961 Greatest Hits record.
 He made the pop top 4 three times- with last week's winner, The Battle Of New Orleans, plus North To Alaska and the aforementioned Sink The Bismark.


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So this week I slumped a bit, only knowing 14 of the week's hot 100.  HOWever, there were another 8 songs I knew, but by other acts.  Dion and the Belmonts were doing Jimmy Cricket's When You Wish Upon A Star; Harold Dorman was doing Mountain Of Love; Ella Fitzgerald doing a tasty cover of Mack The Knife, Lenny Welch doing You Don't Know Me, Jimmie Rodgers strolling gospel with Just a Closer Walk To Thee; Pat Boone Walking The Floor Over You; Sylvia Robbins doing Frankie And Johnny, and Bobby Darin stylin' on Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey.

 The #60 in '60 belonged to Jack Scott- the man reviewer Dave Marsh called "Undeniably the greatest" etc. etc.  Scott, who never charted in his homeland until 1992, is fifth all time with 19 charting singles in a 41-month period, including 4 top 10s and 9 top 40s-  The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino and Connie Francis ahead of him.  The song he had at #60- Oh, Little One- was not one of his big ones, peaking at #34.  In fact, it was the b-side of his #3 Burning Bridges (which was #10 on this week's chart)- the last time he would sniff the top ten.


And finally, we had 3 songs tied for the 100th spot on the chart this week.  One gentleman you should be familiar with- Paul Anka, with Something Happened.  The second was from one Marv Johnson, called Ain't Gonna Be That Way.  Marv was the first act to record for Motown- back when it was called Tamla (originally Tammy after the movie and its theme, but soon changed because there was already a Tammy Records).  The final act of the trio is Larry Bright with a local hit called Mojo Workout (Dance).  It didn't make a bigger impact because it was so spread out over time- stations were featuring it as much as three months after it peaked.  Bright had a bit of a drinking problem, during which he would "sign anything", and often found himself tied in contracts he didn't want.  One such contract he tried to void by gathering a couple buddies and throwing rocks through their picture window!  He ended up seeing  Mojo Workout on an lp by the Kingsmen- their breakout lp, in fact- but never saw a dime because of yet another bad contract.  His only other ripple in the music world was a tune called Twinkie Lee- written for the cat of a record exec's daughter.

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And before the 6D and the tops, here is that high debut- coming in at #3.  It's been a year and four months since this act put together a four song, 22-week run at the very beginning of the M10, and they are back with a song actually recorded in between the twin releases of their lps Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the return of- Beach House:




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Not much "6" in the 6D this week- the victim being Jackie Wilson showing off his vocal talent in the opera range with the song Night, which sat at #3.  Night was adapted from the aria Softly Awakes My Heart (English version) from the 1877 opera Samson and Delilah.  It was Delilah's part, first sung by Auguste von Muller at the premiere.  It has since been recorded by people as varied as Julie Andrews, Reverend Run of Run DMC, and alt rockers Muse.


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And now, the rest of the M10.

9 and slipping a spot, The Fleetwoods and Graduation's Here.

8 and up a pair, Nothing But Thieves and Amsterdam.

6 and holding, Ruth B and Dandelions.

5 and down 2, Jason Isbell et al with Hope The High Road.

4 and down 2- Melody's Echo Chamber and You Won't Be Missing That Part Of Me.

2 and up a pair, PVRIS and Heaven.

And still Numero Uno this week-

...the Orwells and They Put A Body In The Bayou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(BTW the part I won't be missing- after four weeks of songs with a combined 15 words in their titles, the current contenders for the top next week have a grand total of TWO.  Thank you, Lord!)

And the winner of that Panel vote?  Well, Jimmy Jones and Anita Bryant got one vote each, and Elvis got three, so that means the winners- again-

The Everlys and Cathy's Clown- number one on Cashbox, in the UK, and on the Panel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


1961 comes next, see you then!