I feel bad about knocking out so many good songs, but 1963 really was a watershed year. Dylan, The Beatles, Be My Baby, Louie Louie. Great stuff!

01. (NEW) She Loves You (1963). The Beatles
02. (NEW) Louie, Louie (1963). The Kingsmen
03. (NEW) Be My Baby (1963). The Ronettes
04. (06) Runaway (1961, 3 years). Del Shannon
05. (NEW) Blowing In The Wind. Bob Dylan
06. (NEW) Ring Of Fire (1963). Johnny Cash
07. (NEW) In Dreams (1963). Roy Orbison
08. (NEW) The Girl From Ipanema (1963). Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
09. (05) Green Onions (1962, 2 years). Booker T & The MG's
10. (04) At Last (1961, 3 years). Etta James

Eliminated:

Love Letters (1962). Ketty Lester
He's A Rebel (1962). The Crystals
Telstar (1962). The Tornados
She Thinks I Still Care (1962). George Jones
Take Five (1959). Dave Brubeck Quartet
You've Really Got A Hold On Me. The Miracles
Moon River (1961). Henry Mancini

Skipped:

I Want To Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
Da Doo Ron Ron – The Chrystals
Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys

Can I do 1964?

Of course, mismaiome. Welcome to the forum and to this game!

Paul, nice list! I would have handled The Beatles' songs the same.

Oh no, you eliminated some of the best. George Jones' masterpiece would have survived some more years had I been dictator.

Thanks, Henrik. :)

1964!



10.(--) You Really Got Me by The Kinks

You can hear everything in this song, from "Louie Louie" to next year's Who's "My Generation" to The Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog", and it smells more like teen spirit than Nirvana. The YouTube videos do it no justice. With a few tweaks, it could have been a perfect song. Too bad The Kinks became so mellow shortly after it.

09.(0 The Girl From Ipanema by Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto (1963)

Soft and irresistible. Again, there's no good video, and the one higher up the page is unfortunately missing some of the song. I wish there was more bossa nova like it.

OH NO. The curse of smiley with glasses has a new victim. I do rectify:

09.(0 The Girl From Ipanema by Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto (1963)

And now.



08.(--) Oh, Prety Woman by Roy Orbison

One of the catchiest songs to have ever delighted the ears of anyone anywhere, and this crooner's defining moment.

07.(04) Runaway by Del Shannon

Another paragon of infectiousness. How anyone can hold off from listening to this several times in a row is beyond my ken.

06.(07) In Dreams by Roy Orbison (1963)

I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Oh, Pretty Woman may have been his defining moment, but nowhere else did he attain the beauty of this.

05.(01) She Loves You by The Beatles (1963)

I like "I Want To Hold Your Hand" a bit more, but this one is almost as wonderful.

I'm so glad you kept In Dreams on. I was worried when Pretty Woman made it.

04.(--) Don't Worry Baby by The Beach Boys

Among their most gorgeous songs. The kind of song that makes me wish I lived back then.

03.(03) Be My Baby by The Ronettes (1963)

Still takes my breath away even today.

02.(10) At Last by Etta James (1961)

Incredible. That's all I have to say.

01.(--) Where Did Our Love Go? by The Supremes

The sweetest heartbreak song there ever was, and one that brings back many sad memories - it helped me get through those times.

01.(--) Where Did Our Love Go? by The Supremes (1964)
02.(10) At Last by Etta James (1961, 4 years)
03.(03) Be My Baby by The Ronettes (1963, 2 years)
04.(--) Don't Worry Baby by The Beach Boys (1964)
05.(01) She Loves You by The Beatles (1963, 2 years)
06.(07) In Dreams by Roy Orbison (1963, 2 years)
07.(04) Runaway by Del Shannon (1961, 4 years)
08.(--) Oh, Prety Woman by Roy Orbison (1964)
09.(0 The Girl From Ipanema by Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto (1963, 2 years)
10.(--) You Really Got Me by The Kinks (1964)

Had to eliminate:

Louie, Louie by The Kingsmen (1963)
Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan (1963)
Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash (1963)
Green Onions by Booker T & The MG's (1962)

Circled around:

You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' by The Righteous Brothers
Dancing in the Street by Martha and the Vandellas
House of the Rising Sun by The Animals
My Girl by The Temptations
Walk On By by Dionne Warwick
Gloria by Them

That's not that far off from how I would have done it. Anybody want 65? I'll do it if nobody wants to.

Go ahead, John. It should be interesting.

I'm shocked that 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling' wasn't included - it was quite simply,the best song up to and including 1964 (By the way,it's Brian Wilson's #2 fav. song)

I'll wait until tomorrow just in case somebody who hasn't participated or hasn't in awhile wants 65.

Henrik, do you still want to try to stick to one year per day?

It's a great song, Midaso, but I've always felt that a different vocalist would have been much more suitable.

Wow this is getting tougher with each year, so many great songs. High honors go out to netjade, paul and mismaiome.

That looks about how I would have done it to mismaiome. I would have tried to sneak in "Walk On By" and the Animals too but I don't know what I would have chucked.

And unless somebody else wants it I'll take a stab at 1966.

Just so you know, I'm taking 65 if nobody else wants to so we can keep the ball rolling. If you want 65 you can have it Stammer.

That's ok John. I wouldn't be able to get to it until Saturday afternoon. Can't manage more than a few short emails from work tomorrow, then we got a family engagement after. And now I'm off to catch about twenty winks.

I LOVE that list. Go ladies!

John and Stammer, thanks for taking on 1965 and 1966!

And the all-time list now looks like this:

1. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (1956 / 48 / 6 / 1 / 1)
2. Elvis Presley - That's All Right (Mama) (1954 / 32 / 5 / 1 / 2)
3. Dave Brubeck - Take Five (1959 / 27 / 4 / 2 / 0)
4. Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958 / 25 / 4 / 3 / 0)
5. Del Shannon - Runaway (1961 / 24 / 4 / 3 / 0)
6. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog (1953 / 22 / 3 / 2 / 0)
6. The Platters - The Great Pretender (1955 / 22 / 3 / 2 / 0)
8. Etta James - At Last (1961 / 18 / 4 / 2 / 0)
9. Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart (1953 / 18 / 2 / 1 / 1)
10. The Beatles - She Loves You (1963 / 16 / 2 / 1 / 1)
11. The Ronettes - Be My Baby (1963 / 16 / 2 / 3 / 0)
12. The Everly Brothers - All I Have to Do Is Dream (1958 / 14 / 3 / 5 / 0)
13. Kitty Wells - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1952 / 14 / 2 / 2 / 0)
14. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode (1958 / 14 / 2 / 4 / 0)
15. Chuck Berry - Maybellene (1955 / 13 / 2 / 1 / 1)
15. Bobby Darin - Mack the Knife (1959 / 13 / 2 / 1 / 1)
17. The Shirelles - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (1960 / 12 / 2 / 2 / 0)
18. Sam Cooke - You Send Me (1957 / 12 / 2 / 3 / 0)
19. Elmore James - Dust My Broom (1951 / 11 / 2 / 1 / 1)
19. Link Wray - Rumble (1958 / 11 / 2 / 1 / 1)
19. Henry Mancini - Moon River (1961 / 11 / 2 / 1 / 1)

I think this list has several pleasant surprises.

In Sweden we call this a marathon table, but I don't think direct translation can be used here...

Do you think I'd be run off these boards if I didn't include Like a Rolling Stone? This is getting hard.

1965:

10.(-)(NEW) Mama's and the Papa's-California Dreamin' (1965)

9. (1)(2 years) Supremes- Where Did Our Love Go (1964)

Yes you would John, you would.

I didn't comment on California Dreamin. That video is from Monterey Pop which everyone should see and is more essential to understand the scene than Woodstock can ever be. Woodstock is a great documentary but I think Monterey Pop (which has been given the Criterion treatment) is the definitive 60's doc.

Now to the Who (video also from Monterey Pop). I had to squeeze this on the list somehow. It's tough deciding between importance and greatness. This is very important; not sure about how great it is but it's good enough to make the cut so somebody else can bump it up (if they can find room).

8. (-)(NEW) The Who- My Generation (1965)

Looking through Youtube reminds me why I've soured on this next song a little bit. Everybody in the world thinks they can sing it (it's gotta be getting close to Yesterday) and relate it to something different each time. Now people are using it for Obama's campaign. Whatever, it's a still a great, powerful song when Sam Cooke is singing it.

7. (-)(NEW) Sam Cooke- A Change is Gonna Come (1965)

The opening of this song is one of my favorite openings of all time. That riff as clean as it is, without really any power behind it, is one of the most recognizable riffs ever and makes me smile every time I come upon it.

Sorry that was...

6.(-)(NEW) The Byrds- Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)

How 'bout some Beatles? I'm a little shocked In My Life isn't in the top 10 but it's understandable considering how hard this top 10 was to make. I'd go In My Life before Yesterday but it works.

5. (-)(NEW) The Beatles- Yesterday (1965)

This is an old one but I had to post the Blue Velvet clip.

4.(6)(3 years) Roy Orbison-In Dreams (1963)

I love this song! A lot of people discredit Motown singers as merely performers. But, Smokey had a hand in the writing of almost all of the Miracles hits and this is the greatest one.

That was...

3. (-)(NEW) Smokey Robinson and the Miracles- Tracks of My Tears (1965)

Alright, I'm just kidding. It's here. You can be mad about some of the other songs I cut, but this has gotta be here. From the night Dylan went electric... Don't worry you don't hear the booing over the entire song! Crazy.

2. (-)(NEW) Like a Rolling Stone- Bob Dylan (1965)

Like a Rolling Stone was actually written by Smokey Robinson too. Sorry.

And at #1 a repeat. Only three holdovers from 1964...sorry. There was just no way I could justify any of those songs above these ones.

1. (4)(2 years)- Beach Boys- Don't Worry Baby (1964)

Wrapup:

1. (4)(2 years) Beach Boys: Don't Worry Baby (1964)
2. (-)(NEW) Bob Dylan: Like a Rolling Stone (1965)
3. (-)(NEW) Smokey Robinson and the Miracles: Tracks of My Tears (1965)
4. (6)(3 years) Roy Orbison: In Dreams (1963)
5. (-)(NEW) Beatles: Yesterday (1965)
6. (-)(NEW) The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)
7. (-)(NEW) Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come (1965)
8. (-)(NEW) The Who: My Generation (1965)
9. (1)(2 years) The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
10. (-)(NEW) Mamas and the Papas: California Dreamin (1965)

Leftovers:

Etta James: At Last
Ronettes: Be My Baby
Beatles: She Loves You
Del Shannon: Runaway
Roy Orbison: Oh, Pretty Woman
Getz/Gilberto: Girl From Impanema (So close)
Kinks: You Really Got Me

Never made it (Not many):

Rolling Stones: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
James Brown: Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
Wilson Pickett: In the Midnight Hour

When this process is finished, I predict that at least 8 of the top ten songs of all time will be from the 2000s.

I think all would be. But if the game was reversed, I think most, if not all, would be from the 50s. It's just the nature of the game.

That's now how it works Paul, the longer you stay in, and the higher the positions, the more points you get for the overall ranking. Some of the earlier years are probably gonna be very heavily represented on that list.

*not how it works

I think we could have several winners at the end, depending on how you look at it.