Timeline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Some songs take a lot longer than others to climb the national charts. "Please Mr. Postman" was released in August 1961 and finally reached #1 on the pop charts - the first Motown song to do so - the last week in November (chart date December 11). The song was so popular and influential that its basic arrangement was copied by two of the biggest hits of 1962, "Mashed Potato Time" and "Monster Mash."
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
If not literally the first rock instrumental to have something of a "surf" sound to it, "Let`s Go Trippin`" is nevertheless regarded as the first clearly distinguishable surf music record. And no one questions Dick Dale`s claim to be "King of the Surf Guitar."
 

 
Bobby Bland was better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland throughout his career. After 1960, however, "Blue" was usually omitted from his name on singles releases but not from his albums. I decided to omit "Blue" in the Timeline to make searching more consistent. See this discography for details.
 

 
This New Orleans classic featuring General Johnson`s lead vocal spent 12 weeks in the lower half of the Hot 100 this time and then returned for another 3 weeks of national chart action in June 1964. General Johnson later attained fame as the lead singer of Chairmen of the Board ("Give Me Just A Little More Time") in 1970.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
One of the greatest R&B instrumentals, this song owes its basic riff to a Duke Ellington composition, "Happy-Go-Lucky Local," one of four parts of his Deep South Suite, first recorded in 1946. Jimmy Forrest was a member of Ellington`s band when it performed the song. Forrest`s 1952 adaptation to a slow, earthy arrangement was a huge R&B hit and has stood the test of time. So has James Brown`s 1962 re-conceptualization of Night Train into an upbeat dance number with vocal recitation of a train ride of cities, which hit the pop as well as the R&B charts again.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Bring It On Home To Me and Having A Party were the A and B sides of RCA Victor 8036. One of the greatest two-sided singles in pop history! Although they both broke on the R&B charts at the same time, "Party" started its climb up the pop charts a full month before "Home." Essentially, "Party" hit first and "Home" became a hit as "Party" was waning. Apparently, the down home gospel vibe of "Home" delayed its acceptance at mainstream radio.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Bring It On Home To Me and Having A Party were the A and B sides of RCA Victor 8036. One of the greatest two-sided singles in pop history! Although they both broke on the R&B charts at the same time, "Party" started its climb up the pop charts a full month before "Home." Essentially, "Party" hit first and "Home" became a hit as "Party" was waning. Apparently, the down home gospel vibe of "Home" delayed its acceptance at mainstream radio.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
First released twice in 1958 under different numbers, then as Deltone 5019 in May 1962, Miserlou never charted nationally. It`s slotted here at the one and only week it charted in Los Angeles.
 

 

 

 
In Smokey`s own words, he wrote this song because "I wanted to write something like [Sam Cooke`s] `Bring It On Home To Me.`"
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
In this song, Brian Wilson put new "surfer" lyrics to the melody and arrangement of Chuck Berry`s "Sweet Little Sixteen." Berry`s name was soon added as the co-writer of "Surfin` USA."
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
James Brown had to record his live show on his own dime, but was sweetly vindicated when the album climbed the pop charts all the way to #2 this summer. Whole sides of the album were played on black radio stations but it was the rare mainstream (white audience) station that played any of it.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Although "Freewheelin`" was released at the end of May 1963, it didn`t begin selling enough to register on the national pop LP chart until Peter, Paul & Mary`s version of "Blowin` in the Wind" crested in August.
 

 
Although "Freewheelin`" was released at the end of May 1963, it didn`t begin selling enough to register on the national pop LP chart until Peter, Paul & Mary`s version of "Blowin` in the Wind" crested in August.
 

 
Although "Freewheelin`" was released at the end of May 1963, it didn`t begin selling enough to register on the national pop LP chart until Peter, Paul & Mary`s version of "Blowin` in the Wind" crested in August.