It always seemed to me that the overall "feel" of the early 60's, as well as the music, was still very 50's-like. In fact, it almost struck me as more quiet and reserved than, say the mid/late 50's.

The 1960-63 time frame was kind of before the Beatles and the British Invasion caught on, but after the initial popularity of 50's rockers like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis & Chuck Berry wore off (well, they were/are legends, so it technically never wore off, I suppose, but their first burst of hits was slowing down by this time, I believe).

This was before the Vietnam war, but the Cuban Missile Crisis almost happened in '62. Other than that, can you think of any "notable" or defining events of the 60's from before 1964?

It seems like most of the hits at the time were lighter and more doo wop-y ballad type music. I think "Stand by Me" came out in 1961 - the oldest song that gets airplay on somewhat "modern" (i.e. non-oldies) stations. However, were there any louder, more rocking songs or new bands to gain popularity in this time? The only one I can think of is "Louie Louie" (the first garage band song, I think. Still can't understand the words, hehe!) which was at the end of 1963.

I think when JFK got assasinated, America entered a downward spiral that took years for us to reverse, and things were never the same - seems like all was happy and carefree after WWII until JFK's murder.

I think when JFK got assasinated, America entered a downward spiral that took years for us to reverse, and things were never the same - seems like all was happy and carefree after WWII until JFK's murder.


Good point. From all I've observed, that really was the (sad) end of an era.

Oddly enough, when I was younger, (probably about 10 years ago, before I had the Internet, etc) I remember once thinking what kind of music JFK could've heard in his lifetime. As he seemed like a youthful, liberal type president - I could've seen him liking the Beatles and other 60's rock (much like how Clinton was in the 90's).

I also thought how he only missed it by a mere 2-3 months. Although, I suppose by the end of 1963, the culture was beginning to shift away from the 50's feel anyway, but his assassination only sped it up and, I suppose, cut off the "innocent" culture the 50's had.

What I thought was so funny is that the parents of teens were so afraid of rock-n-roll, I mean the lyrics were just so outragous ("I wanna hold your hand" "All my love, all my kissin' you don't know what you've been missin'") we all know that the kids who were listening to that stuff were going to hell. (Can you imagine what they would think of today's lyrics?  :o). Most of the early rock-n-roll was very innocent. But, when JFK was assasinated, the U.S. seem to have lost its innocence and the music of the day seem to reflect that. And by the time the babyboomers had "come of age", the Viet Nam war was in full rage and the anger that the babyboomers felt was deffinately reflected in the music.


*A side note, my father-in-law used to listen to Glenn Miller and other big bands when he was teen and his parents thought the music was a bad influence on him. I guess parents had never approved of what their kids listened to.  ;)




Cat

It always seemed to me that the overall "feel" of the early 60's, as well as the music, was still very 50's-like. In fact, it almost struck me as more quiet and reserved than, say the mid/late 50's.

The 1960-63 time frame was kind of before the Beatles and the British Invasion caught on, but after the initial popularity of 50's rockers like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis & Chuck Berry wore off (well, they were/are legends, so it technically never wore off, I suppose, but their first burst of hits was slowing down by this time, I believe).

This was before the Vietnam war, but the Cuban Missile Crisis almost happened in '62. Other than that, can you think of any "notable" or defining events of the 60's from before 1964?

It seems like most of the hits at the time were lighter and more doo wop-y ballad type music. I think "Stand by Me" came out in 1961 - the oldest song that gets airplay on somewhat "modern" (i.e. non-oldies) stations. However, were there any louder, more rocking songs or new bands to gain popularity in this time? The only one I can think of is "Louie Louie" (the first garage band song, I think. Still can't understand the words, hehe!) which was at the end of 1963.


Yo! M. McFly! I think I can lay a lot on the cultural part, I said alot on the political sub-pressions and social injustices in related topics and it would be redundant to repeat again, although your topic still peeks my interest in a decade where I grew from a boy to a man and music and lyrics were my mentor in all my growth phases, stupid as that sounds maybe not, I'm sure it's been like that for every generation.

You ask about pre-Beatles and you have a handle on the tip of an era where music played more like a  political party than just a form a entertainment. It was a time where"walls" were put around post war morals of the 40's by the "Greatest Generation" of all time, (which I do believe they are and proud of them for their sacrifices) but where turning into that Dictator they defeated in the WWII and were saying that they knew what was best for us and it would take a fight to change the American Dream as they wanted it for us...I don't want to go there again with this topic...I'm going to stop for tonight and pick it up again tomorrow because you now "rattled my cage" and I want to lighten up and go with the music and related subjects that defined that era before the Beatles. Thanks

Hot Wax

I would say that the early 60's were still definitely doo-wop, but maybe a re-organized doo-wop.  Many of the best 50's groups seemed to drift apart, lost members, added members, and became non-original groups.  I think I mentioned in another post that The Platters and The Drifters split so many different ways that there are at least 6 different groups using the names today.  Also, Elvis was big, and also some blues. (Fats Domino)

Dion & The Belmonts became simply "Dion"

Anyway, here are some of the most well-known hits from the early 60's.  Hope it helps.

Blue Moon - The Marcels
Crying - Roy Orbison
Daddy's Home - Shep & The Limelites
Every Beat of My Heart - Gladys Knight & The Pips
Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles
Let's Get Together - Hayley Mills  (This song was from the movie Parent Trap.. I just learned it reached #8 on the charts)
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens
Once In Awhile - The Chimes
Peanut Butter - The Marathons
Runaround Sue - Dion
Runaway - Del Shannon
Spanish Harlem - Ben E. King
Travelin Man - Ricky Nelson
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - Shirelles