Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1966.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 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 1966, the Action Man toy figure is first introduced to the UK, John Lennon declares that the Beatles are more popular than Jesus, after it goes missing from an exhibition- Pickles the dog finds the FIFA World Cup Trophy wrapped in a newspaper in a garden in south London, the General Election takes place and Labour led by Harold Willson win, the UK opens the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa at Longleat Park, regular Hovercraft service starts across the English Channel, Time magazine uses the phrase “Swinging London“ for the first time, the Moors Murders Ian Brady and Myra Hindley are sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of three children, Guyana gains independence from the UK, it’s rarely been mentioned by the English, but England beat West Germany 4-2 and win the World Cup and it is watched by an all-time record UK television audience of 32,000,000 (to put that in perspective the UK population was 54,000,000 at the time), the Beatles play their very last concert in San Francisco, a coal soil tip collapses in Aberfan, Wales killing 144 (116 of which were children), Barbados achieves independence from the UK, anti-Vietnam war protests take place across the world, the TV series Batman  and Star Trek debut, ex-marine Charles Whitman kills 14 and injures 31 during a killing spree at the University of Texas, Chairman Mao launches China’s Cultural Revolution and begins purging intellectuals, and the films Blow-Up, Alfie, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? and Born Free are released.

Yep, I’m still sitting here crying over how great the 60s were. It’s relentless. Tune after tune after tune. After a mini-breakdown, I still managed to whittle the tunes down to 10 and here they are for y’all. Spotify list at the end as per.

1. I’m a Believer by the Monkees

2. You Can’t Hurry Love by the Supremes

3. Sunny Afternoon by the Kinks

4. All or Nothing by the Small Faces

5. Reach Out, I’l Be There by Four Tops

6. Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra

7. Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles

8. River Deep Mountain High by Ike & Tina Turner

9. When A Man Loves A Woman by Percy Sledge

10. God Only Knows by the Beach Boys

Ooooh it’s close between the Four Tops, Frank, the Supremes and the Beach Boys, but it’s the lads with God Only Knows that’s my absolute favourite from 1966. Which one is yours, gang?

See you next week for 1967!

 

Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1963.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 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 1963, the Beatles release their debut album Please Please Me, 70,000 marchers protest against nuclear weapons in London, 16 year old Pauline Reade becomes the first victim of the Moors Murders, the Great Train Robbery takes place in Buckinghamshire, rioters burn down the British Embassy in Jakarta to protest against the formation of Malaysia, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan announces his resignation after 7 years in office on the grounds of ill health, Alec Douglas-Home replaces Macmillan and becomes Prime Minister, the Dartford Tunnel opens, the first episode of Doctor Who is aired, Kenya gains independence from the UK, Zanzibar gains independence from he UK, the launch of the lava lamp takes place, Alcatraz Penitentiary closes, Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space, the Profumo scandal results in resignations from he cabinet caused by war minister John Profumo having an affair with Christine Wheeler who was also involved with a Soviet Navy officer, Hurricane Flora kills 6,000 people on Haiti, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada, the Klu Klax Klan dynamite a baptist church in Alabama killing 4 young girls, a tsunami in Bangladesh kills 22,000 people, Martin Luther King delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech.

On 22nd November both authors C.S.Lewis and Aldous Huxley die, but their deaths are overshadowed by the assassination of American President John F Kennedy who was shot dead whilst being driven through Dallas, Lyndon Baines Johnson is sworn in as president on Air Force One, 2 days later night club owner Jack Ruby shoots dead the president’s suspected assassinator Lee Harvey Oswald live on TV.

The films the Birds, Cleopatra, the Great Escape, Tom Jones, From Russia With Love, the Pink Panther and Billy Liar are released.

Another year from the 60s, another corker. This week features several of my all time favourite musicians. Here’s my favourite tunes from 1963, in no particular order.

1. I Only Want To be With You by Dusty Springfield

2. Surfin’ USA by the Beach Boys

3. She Loves You by the Beatles

4. Da Doo Ron Ron by the Crystals

5. It’s My Party by Lesley Gore

6. Wipe Out by Surfaris

7. Can I Get a Witness by Marvin Gaye

8. Tell Him by Billie Davis

9. Be My Baby by the Ronettes

10. Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan

Dusty and Bob are close seconds, but this week my favourite is Be My Baby by The Ronnettes. Don’t forget to let me know, which one is yours below.

See you next week for 1964!

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!

Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1961.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 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 1961, the farthing ceases to be legal tender, the Beatles perform at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool for the first time, Sierra Leone gains independence from the UK, betting shops become legal, the act of suicide is decriminalised, the first Mothercare store is opened, police arrest over 1,300 people during a CND rally in London, a volcanic eruption on the South Atlantic British territory Tristan de Cunha causes the entire island population to be evacuated and rehomed in…Surrey, the first edition of Private Eye is published, birth control pills first become available on the NHS, the border between East and West Germany closes and the construction of the Berlin Wall starts, Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space, US Cuban exiles and the CIA attempts and fails to overthrow Fidel Castro, John F Kennedy is inaugurated as the new US President, the USSR tests the largest nuclear bomb ever and America is instructed to build bomb shelters by Kennedy, South Africa becomes an independent republic and the films Breakfast at Tiffany’s, West Side Story, The Misfits, The Parent Trap and Babes in Toyland are all released. 

What a year! I love 1961 for music, lots of strong choices. Here they are, in no particular order. Spotify playlist at the end as per.

1. At Last by Etta James

2. Will You Love Me Tomorrow by the Shirelles

3. Blue Moon by the Marcels

4. Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles

5. September in the Rain by Dinah Washington

6. Runaway by Del Shannon

7. Take Good Care of My Baby by Bobby Vee

8. Save the Last Dance For Me by the Drifters

9. Cupid by Sam Cooke

10. Moon River (Choral Version) by Henry Mancini

While At Last is a stunner, it’s Ray Charles that’s my favourite this week. Let me know below, which one is yours.

See you next week for 1962!

Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week, we’re finally all caught up- it’s here, it’s the turn of 2017.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 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 2018 2019

So, 2017 wasn’t much of an improvement on 2016. In 2017, millions of people march in the Women’s Marches across the UK and the world in protest of reality TV star Donald Trump’s inauguration as the US President, a petition to stop reality TV star Donald Trump from entering the UK gains 2 million signatures, Ian Stewart is found guilty of killing his fiancee- the children’s author Helen Bailey, a terrorist attack takes place in London when a car ploughs into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge– killing 6 and injuring over 40- the driver then stabs a police officer to death, the UK invokes Article 50 which triggers the formal withdrawal from the EU, a terrorist attack takes place in Stockholm, Sweden where a lorry is driven into crowds and then crashes into a department store- 5 people die, one of which is British and 14 are injured, Ian Brady- the Moors Murderer- dies at 79- he was Britain’s longest serving prisoner, a female zookeeper is killed by tiger at a zoo in Cambridgeshire, 8 people are killed and 48 are injured in a terrorist attack when a vehicle ploughs into people on London Bridge and then subsequently the attackers stab several people to death on the street- the police shoot all 3 of the terrorists dead within 8 minutes, the UK general election takes place, but the Conservative party fail to gain enough votes for a majority win– they have to form a coalition with the DUP as a result, 1 person is killed and 10 are injured when a van deliberately rams into people outside a mosque in Finsbury, London, the Duke of Edinburgh retires from public duty at 96 years old, 15 people are killed in two terrorist attacks in Spain, Prince Harry announces his engagement to American actor Meghan Markle, the Me Too movement against sexual harassment and abuse spreads globally and results in many allegations against people especially in Hollywood (here’s my little “fuck sexual harassment” post HERE), Emmanuel Macron becomes the new French President, at least 90 people are killed in Texas as Hurricane Harvey strikes the US, in Charlottesville, Virginia, a car crashes into a crowd at an anti-racist rally and kills 1 person and injures 28 others, in Texas a gunman attacks a baptist church killing 26 people and injuring 20 others, 58 people are killed by one gunman in Las Vegas as he opens fire on a crowd of concert-goers from his hotel room.

A major fire engulfs Grenfell Tower (a 24-storey block of flats in London), which causes the deaths of 72 people and injuring 70 others. It is the worst residential fire since the Second World War. The fire was believed to have started from a faulty fridge/freezer. However, the rapid spread of the fire was caused by the exterior cladding. A new review on building regulations and fire safety has since been published.

On the 22nd May, Manchester Arena was attacked by a suicide bomber during an Ariana Grande concert. 22 people were killed and 139 were injured. More than half of the victims were children. The youngest person killed was 8 years old. Two weeks later, Ariana Grande returned to Manchester (and a day after the London Bridge terrorist attack) for the One Love Manchester concert in honour of the victims of the attack and to raise funds for the injured and the bereaved. It was attended by over 50,000 people and watched by over 22 million in the UK and across 38 different countries around the world. Shortly afterwards, in a unanimous vote by councillors, Ariana Grande was made an honorary citizen of Manchester city.

The films Dunkirk, Get Out, Wonder Woman, Baby Driver, Call Me By Your Name, Ladybird, Lion, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, IT, Beauty and the Beast and T2 Trainspotting are all released and I turn a mere 41 years old.

Have we really reached the end?! Phewee- 42 posts later and here we are in 2017. So, here’s the top ten tunes from 2017 and it’s probably one of the least commercial playlists, I’ve done. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this journey. Next week, I’ll be doing a little review of these Top Ten Tunes post where I’ll provide a bumper playlist plus they’ll be a little announcement…

1. Green Light by Lorde

2. Don’t Kill My Vibe by Sigrid

3. Tomorrow by Anni

4. Everything Now by Arcade Fire

5. 1998 by the Dears

6. Issues by Julia Michaels

7. Fior Di Latte by Phoenix

8. Dear Life by Beck

9. New York by St. Vincent

10. Fireworks by First Aid Kit

Special bonus as it’s the last week: Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Ariana Grande

At the end of last year, I said that my favourite song from 2017 was St.Vincent HERE, but almost a year on, I would now say it’s Julia Michaels. Which one is your favourite?

 

See you next week for the Top Ten Tunes Review!

Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 2016.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year:1960 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 2017 2018 2019

Oh 2016. Ok, let’s do this.

In 2016, junior doctors strike over contract conditions, former Eastenders actor Sian Blake is murdered along with her two sons by her partner, all four members of British indie band- Viola Beach are killed along with their manager in a car crash in Sweden, a major incident is declared as one person is killed and three remain missing after an explosion at Didcot Power Station in Oxfordshire, 6 people from Rotherham are jailed for a combined sentence of 103 years for the grooming, sexual assault and the rape of 15 teenage girls, three bombings take place in Brussels and are declared a terrorist attack- 35 people are killed and over 300 are injured, thousands of people protest austerity cuts in central London, the Queen celebrates her 90th birthday, for the first time in history Leicester City win the Premiership defying all odds, Labour MP Sadiq Khan is sworn in as the new Mayor of London, a shooting takes place in an Orlando, Florida nightclub and 49 people are killed, Andy Murray wins the Wimbledon Mens Singles for the second time, a terrorist attack takes place in Nice, France when a lorry plows into a crowd at a Bastille Day fireworks display and kills 86 people many of whom were children, the Olympics take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Team GB finish 2nd in the medals table, the BBC loses the rights to broadcast Great British Bake Off, 7 people are killed and 50 are injured when a Tramline tram derails in Croydon, a terrorist attack takes place at a Christmas market in Berlin leaving 12 people dead and 56 injured, people of Syria are mercilessly bombed for several months by their government in an attempt to bomb and starve them into submission- tens of thousands of lives were lost.

Labour MP Jo Cox is shot and stabbed to death in public by far-right supporter Thomas Mair. She was 41 and had two young children.

51.9% of people that voted in the United Kingdom’s EU referendum vote to leave the European Union. It becomes the first country in the 59 years of the organisation to vote to leave it. David Cameron resigns as Prime Minister and Theresa May replaces him.

In the USA, reality TV star Donald Trump is elected as President of the United States.

And Pete Burns, David Gest, Kenny Baker, Frank Kelly, Paul Daniels, George Martin, Liz Smith, Leonard Cohen, Ronnie Corbett, Terry Wogan, Caroline Aherne, Gene Wilder, Alan Rickman, Victoria Wood, Muhammed Ali, Prince, Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, George Michael and David Bowie all pass away.

FFS.

The films Zootopia, Arrival, Deadpool, La La Land, Moana, Moonlight, Ghostbusters, Manchester By the Sea, Sully, the BFG, I, Daniel Blake and Hackshaw Ridge are released and I celebrate my 40th birthday.

I mean, fuck 2016, right? But, we did have the Olympics and Paralympics and I had my 40th and there is all the below music. I’m a big fan of this week’s playlist, but it is quite the emotional one. There’s Bowie, there’s Beyonce, there’s Gaga and then there’s Nick Cave laying his emotions bare. Spotify playlist at the end as per. List in no particular order as per. I don’t like to change things round here much.

1. Tilted by Christine and the Queens

2. Where Are You Now? by Lady Leshurr

3. Don’t Touch My Hair by Solange

4. Formation by Beyonce

5. Secret Love Song by Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo

6. Best to You by Blood Orange

7. The Orange Monkey by PJ Harvey

8. Lazarus by David Bowie

9. Million Reasons by Lady Gaga

10. Distant Sky by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds– where do I start with this song (and performance). I can barely listen to a few seconds of it without the tears starting. For those of you that don’t know, Nick’s 15 year old son, Arthur, died in a cliff fall whilst Nick was recording the Skeleton Tree album that this song is taken from. If you ever get a chance to watch the accompanying film One More Time With Feeling, I strongly recommend you do. It is both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.

While Formation and Secret Love Song are close runner-ups, my favourite is undoubtedly the stunning Distant Sky. Come on, don’t be shy- let me know which is your favourite.

See you next week for 2017! And then we’ll be all caught up, gang!

Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 2015.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 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 2016 2017 2018 2019

In 2015, 12 people are killed and 11 are injured in a terrorist attack at French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo‘s offices in Paris, an arson attack takes place in Crowmarsh, Oxfordshire where a large council office building is destroyed (FYI, my parents live next door to this building and they were terrified when they were woken in the early hours of the morning by a noise that sounded just like a bomb. For some inexplicable reason, this meant that my brother was then featured on Sky news, various radio stations and national newspapers as an eye witness), Gary Glitter is found guilty of sexually abusing three young girls and weatherman Fred Talbot is found guilty of abusing 2 young boys, TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson is suspended from Top Gear and the rest of the series is cancelled after he punches his producer in the face and racially abuses him because his dinner wasn’t hot enough (BTW- he recently claimed the “youth of today” are too sensitive), an estimated £200,000,000 worth of jewels are stolen from Hatton Garden Safe Deposit in meticulously planned heist, an earthquake in Nepal kills 6,000 people, Princess Charlotte is born– daughter of Prince William and Catherine, the Conservative party wins the general election, which secures David Cameron a second term in office, former leader of the Liberal Democrats Charles Kennedy dies at the age of 55, a serious collision happens on the Smiler ride at Alton Towers which results in 5 people being seriously injured, a terrorist attack takes place on a beach in Sousse in Tunisia– 30 of the 38 people that are killed are British, singer and television star Cilla Black dies aged 72, Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning British monarch– surpassing Queen Victoria, Jeremy Corbyn becomes the new leader of the Labour party, on Friday 13th November a series of terrorist attacks take place across Paris killing 137 and injuring 413, astronaut Tim Peake becomes the first Brit to step afoot on the International Space Station, a former disgruntled news anchor shoots dead two of his colleagues live on air in Virginia, USA, the films Inside Out, Star Wars: A Force Awakens, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, Spotlight, Brooklyn, The Big Short, Spectre and Amy are all released and I turn 39 years old.

Another shitty year for news, but a pretty good year for music. On a personal level, 2015 was the year I had a total of 3 hen dos and oh yeah- got married. So, here are all those songs that remind me of one of the happiest days of my life and the year it took place (in no particular order).

1. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars

2. Black Magic by Little Mix

3. WTF (Where They From) by Missy Elliot featuring Pharrell Williams

4. Ghosttown by Madonna

5. 4 Degrees by ANONHI

6. Shut Up and Dance by WALK THE MOON

7. Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party by Courtney Barnett

8. Ong Ong by Blur

9. Stay Gold by First Aid Kit

10. God Knows (You’ve Got to Give to Get) by El Perro Del Mar

Well, it’s an easy pick again this week. As Uptown Funk was the absolute THEME of both my hen dos and wedding, I have to pick that. Which one is your favourite, gang?

 

See you next week for 2016!