Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1962.
For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
In 1962, Ipswich Town win the Football League First Division title, the last trolleybuses run in London, the UK’s first legal casino opens in Brighton, The Beatles play their first session at Abbey Road Studios, a heavy smog develops over London, the Rolling Stones make their debut at the Marquee Club, London, Jamaica gains independence, Trinidad and Tobago also gains independence, the Beatles first single Love Me Do is released, Uganda gains independence, the world’s first successful hip replacement takes place at a hospital in Wigan, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth, Marilyn Monroe sings Happy Birthday to JFK, James Meredith became the first black student to enrol at the University of Mississippi despite protests becoming a pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement, Marilyn Monroe dies of an overdose at the age of 36, Algeria gains independence and the films Lawrence of Arabia, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, To Kill a Mockingbird, Cape Fear and the first James Bond film Dr No are released.
So, the 60s just seems to be getting stronger with each passing year. I’m really starting to think I was born in the wrong decade. I’m also very aware that this week’s playlist looks a tad like the Dirty Dancing soundtrack (okay there’s just 3 songs that featured in the film are in this week’s list). Spotify playlist at the end as always.
1. Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs
2. Big Girls Don’t Cry by Four Seasons
3. Love Me Do by the Beatles
4. Do You Love Me? by the Contours
5. Let’s Twist Again by Chubby Checker
6. My Baby Just Cares For Me by Nina Simone
7. The Locomotion by Little Eva
8. Let There Be Love by Nat King Cole
9. These Arms of Mine by Otis Redding
10. What Now My Love by Shirley Bassey
Oh get lost, as if I can pick a favourite out of this lot. These Arms of Mine is beautiful, Let’s Twist Again is a brilliant perfect pop tune, then there’s Nina, the Beatles and Nat King Cole not to mention Green Onions which has got to be the coolest track ever. Fine, ok…I’ve thought long and hard and my favourite this week is Nina followed closely by Otis and Chubby. Are you more decisive than me? If so, which is your favourite?
See you next week for 1963!
Just Another Blog From a Woman 
The Beatles, oh I LOVE the Beatles. Great list this week though, lots of good stuff!
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Such a good week, isn’t it? And oh yes the Beatles have arrived! Expect them to feature every single week in the 60s.
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YAY!!!!!
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OMG such a good year two of my favourites from there Brian Hyland
And Carole King’s
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LOVE Carole King. Why were the 60s so good, Willow?
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Because we are looking back on them and not living in them Hun 💜💜💜
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I didn’t know it was called Green Onions, but that’s a great track.
My young self wasn’t aware of Nina Simone at all, which was my loss.
The Contours recording is very rough and out of tune, which may be why the covers by British groups are more familiar.
Let’s Twist Again was everywhere in the 60s, so that’s probably my favourite.
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Really enjoying hearing your thoughts, April. Yes the covers of the Contours did seem to fair better over here, but I definitely prefer their slightly rougher version.
I can just imagine every doing the twist like Chubby. I’m quite jealous of everyone that was alive in the 60s and lived through these times. What did I have growing up? Terrible haircuts and synthesizers (though to be fair I am very fond of the 80s too).
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Don’t be jealous. The food was dreadful.
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Haha. I have that to be grateful for.
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First, a question. Is all this independence-gaining from Being British colonies? Forgive my poor history knowledge, but that’s a lot of independence! And also not that long ago!
As to the music, Dirty Dancing and Forest Gump are some of the best period soundtracks ever, so not surprised to see a few here. I also agree, sometimes it seems like the music of that time is so clearly representative of an innocence—even if horrible things are happening (and were at the time) there’s still this sense of wonder. Maybe that’s the effect of looking in a rear view mirror, but it still makes me happy.
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Correct. Yes sorry, I didn’t quite elaborate enough in the news section. It is awful though, the Brits colonised so much of the world (mainly lots of countries in Africa, parts of Asia and the Caribbean). The 60s was a great time for them gaining independence from us.
Musically, the 60s was such an exciting and innovative time. There’s no other decade like it (whilst other decades have also brought us great music). I think our parents have good reason to look at those times nostalgically. News & events wise, whilst there is always distressful things happening whatever the decade, it was relatively a peaceful time for the U.K. Especially compared to now (and the awful times with the IRA and the world wars).
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Anything by Nina Simone is good for me!
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Absolutely 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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Has to be Nina for me!
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Yes sir. It has to be really. Love a bit of Nina.
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Amazing list totally impossible to pick a favourite. Controversial opinion time but I don’t love Dirty Dancing but I love the soundtrack!
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Girrrrrrrrl *high fives*. I’m 100% with you. Whilst it certainly is not an awful film, I’ve never got the general obsession with Dirty Dancing. It’s alright as films go. The soundtrack however is phenomenal. Glad you like this list, I think they just get better as the years go by in the 60s.
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