1961

 Here I am transported to 1961. I’m in a New Frontier where pigs are invaded in some bay or something. I don’t even know which side the pigs are on. Oh, well, at least I’m not the walrus. Some young kid is running the country and is saying things like, “Ask not what your country can do for you,” which, translated into English, means No Social Security for you, Pal.

There are also a lot of color TV’s being bought these days. That’s such a waste; I mean all the shows are in black and white. Why would you need a color TV? Oh, I see; it’s for the commercials. But they’re in black and white too. Okay, I’ll shut up and eat my Oscar Meyer weiner. Do you wish you were an Oscar Meyer weiner? Me neither.

Ike is talking about some military industrial complex. I hope they make cookies. Some guy with an asterix keeps hitting home runs. I hope he isn’t cheating and drinking Maypo or something. By the way, is Mickey Mantle related to Reggie Mantle of the Archie Comics? Or, maybe he’s related to Mickey Rooney. Has anyone see Toto. No, talking dog, Toto isn’t a toy!

There’s a man in space but he has to come back to Earth. I hope he doesn’t land on that pretty wall in Berlin. The Russians worked so hard to build that; they must be tired. At least they can be more successful keeping people that don’t like them in. Hey, has anyone seen that nice clown out of Chicago (no, not Mayor Daley)? He’s such a bozo.

Well, the talking dog is making me listen to a lot of folk this year because he got electric shock when he played the electric guitar. Well, what do you expect when you’re playing in the bathtub? Geez!

Well, anyway, here we go with the best of 1961.

Event of the year: Pigs invade Cuba and are repulsed by Castro forces and sharks

Fad: Getting lost in space

Babe of the Year: Speedy the Alka Seltzer kid

Scandal of the Year: Some little kid in Ohio is wishing people into the cornfield.

Movie or TV show to barf to: Sing Along With Mitch

What we could have done without: Colored Only water fountains

Pet of the year: Laika the Russian space dog

Other Tidbits: East Germany builds the Great Wall of China, Kennedy promises to put LBJ on the Moon by 1970, Natalie Wood declares she’s so pretty, Kennedy forms the Peace Corps and supports war in Vietnam, Pampers invented for incontinent adults, people ride to the south for free, Roger Maris cleared of steroid accusations, Khrushchev joins the circus. The Sharks beat the Jets in the first Super Bowl, Mothra destroys Tokyo and turns into a giant caterpillar, Fred Flintstone becomes sheriff of Mayberry, Mr. Wilson arrested for spanking Dennis the Menace, Jackie Kennedy joins the French Foreign Legion; pill box hats replace the kepi, experts agree: Bullwinkle is not a squirrel.

So this is the year folk becomes a major factor in my charts. Are we ready? Tough, I’m doing it anyway…

1)  John Coltrane- Olé Coltrane

2)  Robert Johnson- King of the Delta Blues Singers

3)  Joan Baez- Joan Baez 2

4)  John Coltrane- My Favorite Things

5)  Blind Gary Davis- Harlem Street Singer

6)  The Miracles- Hi, We’re The Miracles

7)  James Brown- The Amazing James Brown

8)  Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland- Two Steps From the Blues

9)  The Journeymen- The Journeymen

10)  Roy Orbison- Roy Orbison at the Rock House

11)  Dave Van Ronk- Dave Van Ronk Sings

12)  Hank Mobley- Roll Call

13)  Mal Waldron- The Quest

14)  Dave Brubeck- Time Further Out

15)  The Shadows- The Shadows

16)  Oliver Nelson- The Blues and the Abstract Truth

17)  Ornette Coleman- Free Jazz

18)  Ray Charles and Milt Jackson- Soul Meeting

19)  Cecil Taylor- The World of Cecil Taylor

20)  Charles Mingus- Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus

21)  Judy Collins- A Maid of Constant Sorrow

22)  Kenny Drew- Undercurrent

23)  Ike and Tina Turner- The Soul of Ike and Tina Turner

24)  Max Roach- Percussion Bitter Sweet

25)  Bo Diddley- Bo Diddley is a Lover

John Coltrane owns this year. My Favorite Things is probably one of his most acclaimed albums and it is quite good, but for me, Olé Coltrane blows that one out of the water. It’s his best since Blue Train. I put Robert Johnson at number two even though he technically recorded his songs in 1936-37, but they released his collection this year. So I cheated a little so I could include him somewhere in my project, plus he was pretty damned good. I really start to become a fan of Joan Baez this year. She had such an angelic voice in the early sixties in particular. Blind Gary Davis was my other surprise. It’s basically a blues gospel album and quite soulful in its own way. It’s certainly has to be one of the most underrated blues albums out there.

James Brown comes up with one of his energetic pieces with his usual mix of hits and tunes to get jumpy with. I cheated a little with Roy Orbison too. He’s actually one of the greatest singles artists ever but his sixties albums are generally mediocre as a rule. Rock House is a collection of songs from his Sun days. It’s about as good as anything Elvis or Cash did to be honest. Other entries to note include Dave Van Ronk (again), Dave Brubeck, and Judy Collins who won’t remind anyone of Joan Baez but isn’t half bad in the early sixties folk scene.

This is the first year where I start to include honorable mentions. Eventually, they will essentially be my 26^th to 30^th albums in no particular order, but for now, they’re just the albums I thought deserved some mention.

Biggest Surprise- The Miracles- Hi We’re the Miracles.

I wasn’t expecting to like Motown albums in general, but some of the early Motown albums really rock it. This one by the Miracles may be the best of the bunch before What’s Going On though I guess time will tell.

Biggest Disappointment- Elvis Presley- Something For Everybody.

 I know, I shouldn’t expect much out of Elvis’ albums in general but 1961 was a banner year for him with hits like Little Sister and (Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame. Unfortunately, neither song is on the album.

Honorable Mention-  The Ventures- Another Smash, Elvis Presley- Something For Everybody

Stinker of the Year-  Ronald Reagan- Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine.

This, from  a man who once co-starred with a monkey. He later would famously slap Angie Dickinson silly and win the Governorship of California. Anyhow he felt the right for doctors to move to Antarctica was more important that somebody’s trivial heart operation. If you think he’s in a lather here, imagine his horror when Medicare becomes the law of the land.

Well, that does it for 1961. Stay tuned later as we get into 1962.