50 Years Ago This Weekend

10/31, 11/1, 11/2 - 

BABY LOVE by THE SUPREMES pushes DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY out of the top spot for MANFRED MANN this week … it's now the #2 song in America according to The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart. Once again British Invasion Artists are held to just TWO Top Ten Hits as HAVE I THE RIGHT by THE HONEYCOMBS climbs to #7. 

CHAD AND JEREMY are at #13 with A SUMMER SONG, THE NASHVILLE TEENS stall at #15 with TOBACCO ROAD, I LIKE IT by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS continues its climb up the chart (from #26 to #18) as does EVERYBODY KNOWS by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE (#19), I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN by PETER AND GORDON (#20) and I'M CRYING by THE ANIMALS (#21). 

YOU REALLY GOT ME climbs to #32 for THE KINKS, ALL CRIED OUT by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD hovers at #41, SHE'S NOT THERE by THE ZOMBIES continues its ascent on the chart, up to #45 from #61, as does TIME IS ON MY SIDE by THE ROLLING STONES, now sitting at #46 (up from #65). 

I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD by HERMAN'S HERMITS seems to have slowed its pace this week, climbing from #64 to #57 (and losing its bullet in the process) … but it'll be back stronger than ever the following week (and beyond!)  WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM by THE SEARCHERS is now sitting at #58 (up from #71) … but that's about it for British Acts this week.  (That still gives them 24% of The Top 58 songs in America, however … no mean feat ten months into the so-called British Invasion. 

Another record of note this week … LORNE GREENE of BONANZA fame premiers on The Billboard Chart at #62 with his soon-to-be #1 Hit, RINGO.  (They couldn't have come up with a more timely title!  BEATLE RINGO STARR was FAR more popular here in America than he was back home, having replaced long-time BEATLES drummer PETE BEST.  Even A HARD DAY'S NIGHT seems to have been written in such a way so as to give RINGO more of the "STARR" Spotlight Treatment.  Of course the song had absolutely NOTHING at all to do with THE BEATLES Drummer … but folks who may not have heard the record yet might likely have picked up a copy when they saw it in the store, just in case! 

Never one to pass up an opportunity to cash in on the latest craze, American LARRY FINNEGAN soon released THE OTHER RINGO … which WAS, in fact, about THE BEATLES Drummer!  It was a short-lived triumph however … although the record DID chart here in Chicago, it never sold enough copies to make Billboard's list of Top 100 Records. 







Closing out October on The WLS Silver Dollar Survey, we've got ROY ORBISON back in the #1 Spot with OH, PRETTY WOMAN, which knocks THE HONEY COMBS down to #3 with last week's #1 Song, HAVE I THE RIGHT.  DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY by MANFRED MANN sits at #5, followed by TOBACCO ROAD by THE NASHVILLE TEENS at #6, YOU REALLY GOT ME by THE KINKS at #7, I'm CRYING by THE ANIMALS at #9 and FROM A WINDOW by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS at #11.  (That gives British Acts six of the Top 11 songs in Chicago this week!) 

And it doesn't end there … I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD is at #14 for HERMAN'S HERMITS, I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN by PETER AND GORDON is at #21, SHE'S NOT THERE by THE ZOMBIES is at #22 and DON'T IT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD is at #28 for THE OVERLANDERS.