1963

The talking dog has transported me to 1963 where everybody has gone surfing and Martin Luther King likes to sleep a lot because he’s always having a dream. I have a dream too. I have a dream where Tarzan takes me and we go swinging on a vine, then I fall into a vat of oatmeal, yeech!

There’s some Governor in Alabama who thinks black kids don’t belong in his colleges. That’s okay, George; you probably don’t belong in kindergarten either. Neither does your buddy, Bull, or is that Bully?  Congratulations, dummy, you single handedly made America sympathetic to the people you were hosing down. You might make MLK’s dream come true yet.

I really like the kid President. I find out so much about him this year. I find out he can’t speak German very well for example. He also gets a lot older around Thanksgiving though and the President suddenly isn't a kid anymore. That’s not good. I think I’m going to cry (sniff).

I’m transported to England where the girls are going berserk. They don’t do that in the US because they’re all trying to act like Lesley Gore or something. The English Girls are going bonkers though because somebody wants to hold their hand. If somebody tried to hold my hand, I’d slug him. Oh, well, the American girls are safe because British records never get played there. It’s just as well because everyone knows that guitar players are on the way out. That’s why nobody will care about these Beatles (they can’t even spell beetle right) a year from now, right, talking dog? Dammit, talking dog, I’m not Lassie!

Event of the year: JFK gets attacked by the Birds

Fad:  The game ‘Who Shot John Kennedy?’

Babe of the Year: Betty Friedan

Scandal of the Year: Bob Dylan walks out on Ed Sullivan over his really big shoes

Movie or TV show to barf to: Cleopatra

What we could have done without: George Wallace and Bull Connor

Pet of the year:  Christine Keeler

Other Tidbits: JFK speaks German in Berlin and inadvertently tells the audience to screw themselves, he later accepts a teaching post in Australia during a trip to Dallas, Martin Luther King has a nightmare, At John Lennon’s request, the Queen rattles her jewelry, people are eaten by man eating flowers called triffids, Russia and US establish the Cone of Silence, Wilbur Post sent to mental institution for talking to a horse, Pebbles and Bamm Bamm refused a marriage license, Allan Sherman gets lost at camp.

Okay a note here. UK and US releases were a bit different from each others as the US liked to stretch albums out over time. Therefore, two Beatle albums in the UK would become seven in the US. I tried to use the UK releases as much as possible but if a couple slip through the cracks, blame Kapp records or something.

Okay here we go…

1) The Beatles- With the Beatles

2) Bob Dylan- The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

3)  The Beatles- Please Please Me

4)  Charles Mingus- The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

5)  James Brown- Live At the Apollo

6)  Dave Van Ronk- Folksinger

7)  Johnny Cash- Blood Sweat and Tears

8)  The Beach Boys- Surfer Girl

9)  Peter Paul and Mary- In the Wind

10)  Prince Buster- I Feel the Spirit

11)  The Impressions- The Impressions

12)  Sam Cooke- Night Beat

13)  Kenny Burrell- Midnight Blue

14)  Various Artists- A Christmas Gift To You From Phil Spector

15)  Thelonious Monk- Monk’s Dream

16)  The Beach Boys- Surfin USA

17)  The Searchers- Meet the Searchers

18)  The Atlantics- Bombora

19)  The Kingsmen- In Person

20)  Peter Paul and Mary- Moving

21)  Eric Dolphy- Conversations

22)  The Miracles- The Fabulous Miracles

23)  The Searchers- Sugar and Spice

24)  The Marvelettes- The Marvelous Marvelettes

25)  Lesley Gore- Sings of Mixed Up Hearts

This is the beginning of what I like to call the Beatle era. It’s also a good gage on how the quality of albums seem to improve, probably peaking around 1967-1968. As it is, 1963 is the best year to date as the Beatles take number one for the first of six consecutive years as well as the number three spot. In between, we have probably Bob Dylan’s best folk album. He’s full blown political now as he guides us through Masters of War and A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall. Mingus comes up with another jazz classic and then there is James Browns’ classic Live at the Apollo. Dave Van Ronk releases his best effort this year and the Beach Boys come up with their first classic album in my book. They also score with Surfin’ USA. Other interesting albums include the Searchers’ two UK entries and the Atlantics. In the Honorable Mentions I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Kingston Trio’s #16. While I couldn’t put it in my top twenty-five. I was surprised that they could still keep playing some decent stuff as late as 1963, especially since by now folk had gone all political.

Biggest Surprise- Prince Buster- I Feel the Spirit.

 I almost went with Dave Van Ronk’s Folksinger but I expect good folk music. I didn’t know what to expect from a ska album. I absolutely love this album. And Madness did get their name from his signature song.

Biggest Disappointment- Dick Dale and His Deltones- King of the Surf Guitar.

 I love your instrumentals but do me a favor, Dick, don’t sing- you suck!

Honorable Mention-  Dionne Warwick- Presenting Dionne Warwick, The Kingston Trio- #16, Ike and Tina Turner- It’s Gonna Work Out Fine, James Brown- Prisoner of Love, Miles Davis- Seven Steps To Heaven

Stinker of the Year- Danke Schoen- Wayne Newton.

Before he became a smarmy entertainer in Vegas, Wayne Newton was a child star of twenty-one who, in those days, sounded like he had just been fired from the Chipmunks. If you saw Ferris Bueller Takes Off, you likely heard Danke Schoen. You may not have heard the Beatles Twist and Shout though because you probably were fighting to get out of the theatre. Yes, Virginia, this album truly sucks.

Well now we’re in the Beatle era and it only gets better from here. See you later with 1964.