Almost Fifty Years Ago – But These Songs Still Sound Good To This Old Man…..

TheAgedP.com ^ | 02/07/12 | The Aged P

[sussex]

The big hits of 1963…. Difficult to believe that all these came out almost half a century ago (when I had just started out as a teacher) but each of them still gives me a buzz today, not just as a stroll down memory lane but because they are also still damn good songs.

[pookie18]

If Clifton Music was the store run by Ronnie I, I believe they closed relatively recently...

[pookie18]

Surfin' Bird is actually a combination of these two songs by The Rivingtons:

The Bird's The Word

Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow

[duckman]

Yes it was Ronnie I’s store. I think his daughter tried running it after his recent passing; but it didn’t work out for her. Back in the 70’s when I was collecting Doo-Wops, I would go to his store with several hundred dollars and spend a good portion of my Saturday buying records off his collector wall. I once met Noland Strong of the Diablos at Ronnie I’s, he was recording some sounds for one of the NJ record labels. I think the label was based in Jersey City, not sure.

[pookie18]

Nice memories! Ronnie I hosted a show I attended at Lead East (Labor Day weekend a few years ago at the Parsippany Hilton). Like The Jesters version of The Wind a bit more than The Diablos version. Good show Fridays 7-10 PM on 1250 WMTR-AM called Doo-Wop Drive (http://www.wmtram.com/)

[Krankor]

Great songs, but how could you leave this 1963 hit off the list

[humblegunner]

Ain’t my list. I was just hoping to deny a blogpimp a few hits.

[notaliberal]

Oh boy! I remember both so well!!

[csmusaret]

Pick your year....http://www.tropicalglen.com/Jukebox/1963Top/Channel1963.html

[duckman]

Thanx for he link Pookie. I prefer the Jesters version as well. The Diabolos version was a bit spooky for a pre-teen, (myself), growing up in the mid 50’s. BTW ‘The Paragons meet the Jesters’ was a right-of-passage album into Doo-Wop-dom in the Bronx NY where I grew up. All the kids that ‘knew’ had to have one.

[pookie18]

My pleasure, Duckman. I have that LP & had it when I grew up in Brooklyn.

[Fiji Hill]

My top 10 from 1963:

1. Six Days on the Road--Dave Dudley--my favorite song of the 1960's

2. Leave Me Alone--Baby Washington

3. Mecca--Gene Pitney (today this song would be highly politically incorrect)

4. World Without Love--The Angels

5. Sweet Dreams--Patsy Cline

6. Half Heaven, Half Heartache--Gene Pitney

7. The Bounce--The Olympics

8. I Will Follow Him--Petula Clark

9. Baja--The Astronauts

10. The Boy Next Door--The Secrets