It's that time of year again. 1961 had its highs and lows; there was some really great stuff in there, as well as some complete garbage, but that's what I'm learning to expect at this point. The biggest hits of the year were by Burt Kaempfert, Chubby Checker, the Marcels, Del Shannon, Bobby Vee, Jimmy Dean, and the Tokens; with the biggest of all being "Tossin' and Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis, spending 7 weeks at the top.
This year saw its share of one-hit wonders, like Ernie K-Doe and Joe Dowell, as well as early successes that made superstars of their singers, like Roy Orbison and Dion. Here are my awards:
Best Song: I really loved a lot of the songs this year. I was particularly impressed by some of the great rock and roll tracks that made it big; "Tossin' and Turnin'," "Quarter to Three," and "Runaround Sue" are all terrific and exciting songs whose effect hasn't worn off in the least. But, for my money, I'll take The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow." It is, for all intents and purposes, a perfect pop song. Its writing, arrangement, and performance are flawlessly executed—it's a tour de force of the girl-group genre.
Worst Song: For this award, I easily narrowed it down to just 2 songs—the only 2 this year to receive a score of F—Bert Kaempfert's "Wonderland by Night," and Lawrence Welk's "Calcutta." The songs are similar in that they are both instrumentals in the blossoming "easy listening" genre of the 60s. However, since I actually like Leo Kottke's cover version of the Kaempfert hit, I'll have to pick "Calcutta", which is a particularly egregious example of how low popular music can sink.
Song With the Curiousest History: Several of this year's hits were covers, but the Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" goes back to Africa in the 30s, and in my entry, I included no less than 4 versions that are each notable in their own right—not counting the numerous other cover versions over the years.
Most Blatantly Unoriginal Song: Chubby Checker may not have invented "The Twist," but he was certainly on to something when he made it an international sensation. However, it soon became obvious that he didn't know how to do anything else, as each of his subsequent songs were attempts (some more successful than others) at creating a dance craze, essentially ripping himself off again and again. "Pony Time" is just one of the many that he cranked out. (Joe Dowell's "Wooden Heart" would be a runner-up in this category.)
Most Hypocritical Song: It may not have seemed so at the time, but when Dion hit it big with "Runaround Sue," he was decrying the very same promiscuity he himself would later admit to in "The Wanderer." The nerve!
Most Offensive White Appropriation of Black Music: Mainstream audiences generally like things sanitized for their consumption. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was certainly guilty of this, retaining very little of the spirit present in the original "Mbube." However, it's still a pretty good song, so it gets a pass in favor of the much blander "Michael" by the Highwaymen. This one is especially bad considering their follow-up hit, "Cotton Fields," which is literally about picking cotton, something these sheltered college boys surely knew so much about.
That's about it, folks. 1962 lies ahead, another year with 19 fresh songs to chronicle. I can't wait!
