September songs, part one 

Maybe because it was viewed through the carefree lens of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of soda and pretzels and beer, I always had it in my head that the Top 40s of June, July and August, 1964 to 1968 – the five greatest years of pop music – were somehow better, more magical, than any other time of the year. (And I should add that while soda or pretzels were always welcome, I never touched a beer during those five years). 

There are plenty of fantastic summer songs during that time: “Light My Fire,” “I Get Around,” “Satisfaction,” “Respect.” But as summer began its inevitable creep toward autumn, there’s a lot to be said about the music that charted during September. Based on a cumulative ranking of each song that hit the top ten in September 1964 (10 points for a #1 ranking, 9 points for #2, etc.) is this list: 

1. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN – Animals
2. WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO – Supremes
3. BREAD AND BUTTER – Newbeats
4. EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY – Dean Martin
5. LITTLE GTO – Ronnie and the Daytonas
6. OH PRETTY WOMAN – Roy Orbison
7. BECAUSE – Dave Clark Five
8. REMEMBER (Walkin’ in the Sand) – Shangri-Las
9. C’MON AND SWIM – Bobby Freeman
10. DO WAH DIDDY – Manfred Mann 

Any exercise like this unearths some bummers, but with one or two exceptions, overall this ain’t all that bad.

The Animals were #1 for three weeks that month, before giving way to Roy Orbison. A rearranged traditional folk song about a New Orleans brothel, “House of the Rising Sun” was recorded by Lead Belly, Bob Dylan and Andy Griffith (!), among many others, before the Animals. 

The Animals' version defied Top 40 conventions because it didn't have a chorus, only an extended organ break by keyboardist Alan Price. Keep that name in mind. On a traditional song, whoever arranges it takes the songwriting credit. In a Spinal Tap moment, the arranging credit went only to Price. There wasn’t enough room to list all five band members on the record label, and since Alan Price was first alphabetically – well yeah, if you’re one of the few who list alphabetically by first name – he received all the royalties. Needless to say, it was an oversight that caused a lot of tension within the band. 

Throughout the 60s, there were records whose rise to the top seemed completely propelled by adults buying 45s. Like “Strangers in the Night,” “Cab Driver” and “Everybody Loves Somebody,” which went to #1 for a week in early August, knocking “A Hard Day’s Night” off the throne. It was still in the top ten in September. Dino took this one literally to the grave: “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime” is inscribed on his burial vault. 

“Remember” was the first in a modest string of moody, psychodramas for the street-tough yet vulnerable Shangri-Las, four teenagers from Queens. A good part of their look and overall vibe was attitude, and the pre-teen me would watch them on Clay Cole and be reminded of the high school girls you’d see shopping for make-up at Woolworth’s on Saturday, chewing gum and wearing their boyfriend’s blue and gold letter jackets. 

September ’65 next.