Top Ten Tunes is back! After doing Top Ten Tunes for every year of my life, I have decided to go further back in time and start from 1960. So every Friday, I will be publishing my top ten songs from a single year from 1960-1975.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1961 1962 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 1960, the Queen gives birth to her third child and second son, Prince Andrew- he is the first child born to a reigning monarch since 1857, American musician Eddie Cochrane is killed in a car crash in Wiltshire- he was 21, 60,000 people demonstrate in London against nuclear weapons, Princess Margaret marries photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones in the first televised royal wedding, 38 miners are killed in an explosion in Monmouthshire, Cypress gains independence from the UK, British Somaliland gains independence from he UK and forms the Somali Republic with the former Italian Somaliland, The Beatles perform their first concert as the Beatles in Hamburg, Germany, the Olympics takes place in Rome, the first traffic wardens are deployed in London, Nigeria gains independence from the UK, the first successful kidney transplant takes place in the UK, Penguin Books is found not guilty of obscenity in the Lady Chatterley’s Lover case, the first episode of soap opera Coronation Street is aired, the last man is called up for national service as conscription ends, both Fairy Liquid and black bin bags are introduced, John F Kennedy wins the US presidential election, the US sends 3,500 soldiers to Vietnam, the new capital city of Brazil, Brasilia is officially inaugurated, the book To Kill a Mockingbird is published, a soviet missile shoots down the US U2 spy plane, the world’s first female prime minister is elected in Sri Lanka– Sirimavo Bandaranaike Ceylon, a tidal wave kills 12,000 in Agadir, Morocco and the films Psycho, Spartacus, The Apartment, La Dolce Vita, The Magnificent Seven and Ocean’s 11 are all released.

Well, this first year of the 60s was a difficult one for me personally to find 10 songs I love, but I got there. 1960 was still very much influenced by both rockabilly and swing. We are yet to see the emergence of the pop & rock music genre- populated by those four lads from Liverpool, but it will be here soon. Very, very soon…Here’s my personal favourites from 1960 in no particular order.

1. Shakin’ All Over by Johnny Kidd & The Pirates

2. Footsteps by Steve Lawrence

3. Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin

4. What Do You Want To Make Those Eye at Me For? by Emile Ford & The Checkmates

5. Nice ‘N’ Easy by Frank Sinatra

6. I’m Sorry by Brenda Lee

7. Cradle of Love by Johnny Preston

8. Clementine by Bobby Darin

9. As Long As He Needs by Shirley Bassey (Here she is- Dame Shirley- showing ’em how it’s done)

10. The Theme From “A Summer Place” by Percy Faith & His Orchestra

Whilst, Frank, Bobby & Dame Shirley are obviously strong contenders, it’s actually Brenda Lee that’s my favourite this week. Which one is yours? And what would you include that isn’t here? I’m very aware that I was’t around during these times (obvs). My taste in music stems from Generation X , so some of the artists from the very early 60s don’t do it for me personally. However, I know there will be some of you who remember this era and have their favourite artists that they would have included in their own top ten. I’d still love to hear which track from this year is your favourite, even if it doesn’t appear here.

See you next week for 1961!