1963: The Year In Music

1963 – MLK delivers his famous “I have a dream” speech. JFK is assassinated. The Beatles release their first album. The Rolling Stones sign for Decca Records. All in all, quite a tumultuous year in history!

Same deal as always – I’ll be looking at the popular and highest-rated songs / albums for 1963, giving my opinions on their longevity and whether I think the acclaim is deserved.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Billboard Top 10 (Popular) Singles

Source: Wikipedia

10 – Sukiyaki (Kyo Sakamoto)

It sounds so bizarre hearing an entirely Japanese song in the 1963 Billboard Top 10 – I didn’t think people in the 1960’s would be ready for that kind of cultural diversity!

It’s quite tame on the whole, but the fact it was the first Western number one single recorded entirely in Japanese is commendable in itself.

9 – My Boyfriend’s Back (The Angels)

The spoken-word and clapping gets “My Boyfriend’s Back” off to a unique start, and the rest is alright too.

8 – Can’t Get Used to Losing You (Andy Williams)

I love the plucky instrumentation straight off the bat, and the harmonised vocals are gorgeous. Definitely an early contender for best song of the year.

7 – Fingertips (Little Stevie Wonder)

“Little” Stevie Wonder had his first hit in 1963 with “Fingertips” – looks like a lot of famous artists got their start in this year!

While I really like the energetic swing to it, I can’t help but miss Wonder’s incredible vocals on this purely instrumental track.

6 – Hey Paula (Paul & Paula)

Quite a standard Doo-Wop track. “Hey Paula” has a heart of gold, but I’ve heard this kind of song a hundred times.

5 – Blue Velvet (Bobby Vinton)

I’m a huge fan of Bobby Vinton’s vocals, and “Blue Velvet” is arguably his very best song. The off-beat guitar and the walking double bass work well together.

4 – He’s So Fine (The Chiffons)

“He’s So Fine” has one of the catchiest verses of the year, but the choruses are a little hit-or-miss.

3 – Rhythm of the Rain (The Cascades)

The rain sound effect and xylophone are a nice touch, and the multi-part harmonies are gorgeous.

I’ve only just heard “Rhythm of the Rain” for the first time while making this list, but already it’s becoming a favourite from the era.

2 – The End of the World (Skeeter Davis)

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting someone named “Skeeter Davis” to be a woman. I also wasn’t expecting this song to be so average.

It has some nice key changes and individual moments, but the whole thing is too slow.

1 – Surfin’ U.S.A. (The Beach Boys)

The Beach Boys would go on to make some of the most complex pop songs of all time, so “Surfin’ U.S.A.” near that start of the decade feels so jarring in hindsight.

It’s still a classic with an infectious energy, but I know they can do better than this tacky nonsense.

FAVOURITE – “Blue Velvet” (Bobby Vinton)

LEAST FAVOURITE – “Hey Paula” (Paul & Paula)

Top-Rated Songs

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

10 – In A Sentimental Mood (Duke Ellington & John Coltrane)

A combination of two powerhouses, Ellington and Coltrane have great musical chemistry all throughout this track.

9 – I Saw Her Standing There (The Beatles)

The first Beatles song to appear on one of these 1960’s lists! I can assure you it won’t be the last …

I really like McCartney’s vocals and bassline, and the rest of the Fab Four give the track an energetic oomph.

8 – Masters Of War (Bob Dylan)

There’s about to be a cavalcade of Dylan tracks on this list, so I’ll have to keep my praises short for each.

“Masters Of War” is a scathing track with damning lyrics, but musically it’s not the most interesting.

7 – Girl From The North Country (Bob Dylan)

The exact opposite end of the spectrum for this one – “Girl From The North Country” has a much more dynamic guitar part, but the lyrics don’t stand out too much.

6 – A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall (Bob Dylan)

And now the best of both worlds!

“A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” has both some fun guitar chords and some thought-provoking lyrics. So far, these songs are rated in the correct order.

5 – Solo Dancer (Charles Mingus)

Time for a break from Bob Dylan, I think.

The woodwind performance is exceptional, and the instrumentation is just as sleazy as I wanted. Mingus once again proves to be one of the Jazz titans of the 1960’s.

4 – Duete Solo Dancers (Charles Mingus)

The energy is continued on “Duete Solo Dancers”, and it’s possibly even sleazier and grander than the prior.

3 – Group Dancers (Charles Mingus)

Three Dylan tracks in a row, and now three from Charles Mingus. I’m starting to think 1963 didn’t have much to offer.

“Group Dancers” starts off with a slower approach, but soon devolves into beautiful chaos. That saxophonist gives the performance of his life.

2 – Blowin’ In The Wind (Bob Dylan)

And now we’re back to Dylan again. I respect the guy, but some variety couldn’t hurt …

“Blowin’ In The Wind” is the most iconic Dylan song on this list, and for good reason – its lyrics are iconic, and Dylan’s vocal performance is raw and real.

1 – Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Bob Dylan)

“Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” has Dylan’s best guitar performance yet, and the lyrics are very catchy too.

BEST SONG OF 1963 – “Blowin’ In The Wind” (Bob Dylan)

With five out of the ten highest-rated songs, I’d have been surprised if a Bob Dylan track didn’t win the “best song” award.

Top-Rated Albums

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

5 – James Brown Live At The Apollo (James Brown)

The Godfather of Soul knew how to perform a hell of a live show.

James Brown and his band are on-point for every song, so it’s a shame none of the songs are his big ones.

4 – Monk’s Dream (The Thelonious Monk Quartet)

I’d be surprised if a Jazz album didn’t make it onto one of these top fives!

Thelonious Monk and his Quartet are great from top to bottom. It’s a weird choice to have multiple takes of the same song on the same album, but they’re different enough for it to work.

3 – Beethoven: Symphonie No. 9 (Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra)

Alright … I admit, I wasn’t expecting a symphonic album to be in the highest-rated list.

It’s so different to everything I’ve heard thus far, but this is still a great take on some of Beethoven’s most famous works.

2 – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (Bob Dylan)

Five songs from “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” made the highest-rated tracks list, so I’ll try not to repeat myself too much.

Dylan is already the master of lyrical storytelling in these early years, but the music isn’t as refined as his later, more iconic work.

1 – The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (Charles Mingus)

Since I’ve already talked about three of the four tracks in the highest-rated songs list, I’ll keep this one brief too.

“The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady” is one of the best Jazz albums ever, and further proof that Mingus was one of the greatest.

BEST ALBUM OF 1963 – “The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady” (Charles Mingus)

Final Thoughts

Bob Dylan is a great addition to the mix, but he dominated the highest-rated list to the point of it getting stale. On top of that, the popular hits were pretty weak in 1963. Not the worst year thus far, but not great either.

Overall Grade: D

Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: