1966

The talking dog has transported me to the year 1966.

And what a year it is. Everyone is wearing day-glo. The boys have long hair and are growing beards which have scientists going mad- ten year old boys can’t grow beards yet. The girls are wearing skirts that show their thighs- how shocking. I showed my toes at the beach once and I got caned by a school marm named Carrie Nation. Boy was she an alkie. Does she or doesn’t she? I guess she doesn’t.

Crime is at an all time low because of some guy that wants to look like a bat and some kid in a mask. He calls himself Robin but he doesn’t look like a bird to me. He must be some sort of joker. Why are they throwing tomatoes at me?

The shows on TV are all saying they’re in color which is a shock to the majority that still have black and white TVs. Some clown says the Beatles were bigger than Jesus. That’s not true; Jesus is at least six foot eleven. I know because he plays basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters. It also proves that Jesus isn’t even white (actually I think Jesus Alou is Mexican but he doesn’t even play basketball). Whatever, I think I’m in love with Batman. Keep your claws off him, Catwoman!

They’re having a riot on Sunset Strip. Where’s the Green Hornet when you need him? I want to be a contestant on the Dating Game because everybody says I look like Twiggy. Okay, so they tell me I look like Phyllis Diller, some people need to get glasses.

Well, anyway, I guess it’s time to review 1966. Beam me up, talking dog.

Event of the year: Mr. Spock fails to take over the Starship Enterprise

Fad:  Burning Beatle records

Babe of the Year:  Catwoman

Scandal of the Year: Batman gets drunk off milk on national TV

Movie or TV show to barf to: Three On a Match (Jerry Lewis)

What we could have done without: China’s cultural revolution

Pet of the year: The Lost in Space robot

Other Tidbits: Historians announce that at least one German POW camp was a barrel of laughs, says Professor Wilhelm Klink, John Lennon says The Beatles are better looking than Jesus and  Alabama invades Liverpool, Batman complains you just can’t get rid of a bomb, Charles Whitman wins the Texas Clock Tower shooting event and joins the NRA, Miranda is warned not to do it again, The Pink Panther is dyed Black, Ronald Reagan becomes Queen of England, Oh, the pain- the pain!

1966 may be my favorite year musically, though 67 and 68 may have been better years for albums. Anyway, here we go…

1)  The Beatles- Revolver

2) The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds

3)  Mothers of Invention- Freak Out

4)  The Kinks- Face To Face

5)  The Rolling Stones- Aftermath

6)  The Thirteenth Floor Elevators- The Psychedelic Sounds of the Thirteenth Floor Elevators

7)  Simon and Garfunkel- The Sounds of Silence

8)  The Byrds- Fifth Dimension

9)  The Seeds- The Seeds

10)  Bob Dylan- Blonde On Blonde

11)  Simon and Garfunkel- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme

12)  Donovan- Sunshine Superman

13)  The Who- A Quick One While He’s Away

14)  John Lee Hooker- It Serves You Right To Suffer

15)  Phil Ochs- In Concert

16)  The Mamas and the Papas- If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears

17)  John Coltrane- Ascension

18)  Otis Redding- Complete and Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul

19)  The Seeds- A Web of Sound

20)  Love- Da Capo

21)  Tim Buckley- Tim Buckley

22)  The Remains- The Remains

23)  The Young Rascals- The Young Rascals

24)  Cream- Fresh Cream

25)  The Everly Brothers- Two Yanks in England

Yes, 67 and 68 are better album years but 1966 is no slouch. The Beatles hold the top spot for the fourth straight year followed by another deserving number one, the Beach Boys’ brilliant Pet Sounds that would greatly influence the Beatles’ magnus opus next year. It’s a year for experimentation as Zappa comes in at number three. The first of several classic albums by the Kinks comes in at number four, while the Stones come back and round out the top five. The Thirteenth Floor Elevators and the Byrds also score standouts in the top ten as do the Seeds. Simon and Garfunkel score twice on this chart, Parsley, Sage, etc. just missing the top ten. Other gems include Sunshine Superman, a classic John Lee Hooker entry, John Coltrane’s last great piece, a surprisingly good Mamas and Papas album, and an equally surprising Everly Brothers who prove they still have it. Also check out Eric Clapton and the Bluesbreakers in the honorable mentions. Maybe it’s here where the heavy lead guitar that would define the seventies begins.

Biggest Surprise-  Tim Buckley- Tim Buckley.

 Another one I didn’t expect to crack my top Twenty-Five, but this is a perfect example on how the folk scene was progressing. This comes off as a typical rock n roll album but Buckley is actually a folk artist. This is really more of a great folk-rock album and Gertie loves her folk rock.

Biggest Disappointment-  Los Bravos- Black is Black.

I was tempted to make this my stinker of the year but the title track saves this album from that dubious award. I wasn’t expecting to be enlightened by this album, but basically it was a lot of pap surrounding one classic single. Ugh!

Honorable Mention- The Lovin Spoonful- What’s Up Tiger Lily Soundtrack, The Blues Project- Live at the Café Au Go-Go, Paul Butterfield Blues Band- East-West, The Yardbirds- Roger the Engineer, John Mayall- Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton

Stinker of the Year- Mrs. Miller- Mrs. Miller’s Greatest Hits

Hey, remember Leona Anderson? Well, Mrs. Miller made her look like Aretha Franklin. She became a bit of a sensation the way Susan Boyle would later (though Boyle could obviously sing). Of course, Capitol Records and the public knew she (Mrs. Miller) was terrible and she became something of a novelty. And yes she is. She’s off key and even more off rhythm. A must listen for lovers of bad music.

Wow, that was a fun ride. Will we turn on, tune in, drop out? Stay tuned to next week to find out in 1967. Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel.