Search - Various Artists :: Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1960

Fine tunes with lots of nostalgia...

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 02/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1960 has ten great hits here in excellent sound to let us remember the great pop music of 1960. This brings back memories for those of us who first heard these tunes on the radio; and I loved it myself very much! It's a real keeper!



Duane Eddy & The Rebels kick off the track set with their pop hit entitled "Because They're Young." "Because They're Young" has excellent electric guitar arrangements and the strings also work well for this number. The percussion, drums and more carry the melody along nicely. Mark Dinning's "Teen Angel" is a sweet tune that always pulls at my heartstrings when I hear it; Mark sings this with all his heart and soul as if he truly means it about the girl in this song. Great!



A major, fun highlight of this album has got to be Brian Hyland singing his "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini." "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" has a slight Latin edge to it and the melody is excellent and catchy, too. Brian sings this very well with his strong tenor voice and I predict that you'll enjoy this song, too. The backup vocalists harmonize well and it all sounds very good.



Kathy Young and The Innocents perform "A Thousand Stars" passionately and without a superfluous note--I love it! Listen also for Connie Francis singing her very strong pop hit called "Everybody's Somebody's Fool." This song shines just as bright and strong as it did the first time I ever heard it; Connie's voice is as clear as a bell.



Jackie Wilson's "Night" showcases his excellent operatic vocal ability; Jackie never misses a note and his wide vocal range really impresses me a great deal. Last but not least, the album ends strong with "The Theme From 'A Summer Place'" performed by Percy Faith & His Orchestra. Percy Faith & His Orchestra were always pros and just one listen proves why.



Overall, this is an excellent installment in this multi CD series. I highly recommend this CD for lovers of early `60s music; and newcomers to this genre will enjoy this album every bit as much.

"

Unexpected Greatness!

Matthew G. Sherwin | 03/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A lovely compilation of great oldies..."Because They're Young" is a fabulous instrumental bt Duane Eddy and his Rebels.first bieng introduced to a guitar at age 5, Eddy's unique "Twangy" sound led to a free and young new style that held a string of hits, including this one, which soared to #1 in July 1960."I'm Sorry" Is an outstanding ballad by Brenda Lee, who started recording when she was 11 and scored no less than four top 10 hits in 1960. Little Miss Dynamite's golden voice makes this song come alive, even now in 2002. A deserving Lee was inducted into the Hall of Fame in March of this year."Teen Angel", a classic teen tragedy sung soulfully by Oklahoma native Mark Dinning, is a shining example of that genre. It is the jewel of his career and a jewel in the crown of the pop world."Itsy Bitsy...Bikini" is one of the most sucessful novelty songs to date, featuring the crystal-clear voice of Brian Hyland in the lead. Brian also made the top 10 with "Sealed With A Kiss" and "Gypsy Woman", but Itsy Bitsy remains his best recording. I love this song and most likely you will too!The only true weak spot in this album has to be "A Thousand Stars", sung by the reedy adolescent voice of Kathy Young. Some may love it, but I choose to leave it by simply pressing the fast-forward button."Mule Skinner Blues" is a great one hit wonder by a rather obscure group called the Fendermen. It makes for great listening both on the road and at home. Connie Francis'"Everybody's Somebody's Fool" hit #1 in June of 1960. From 1958 to 1964 Francis was the Queen of pop vocalists, and still performs live to this day.The wacky and wierd "Mr Custer" is a truly strange hit by Larry Verne. Verne, in the role of a soldier who doesn't want to fight, tells of the battle of Little Bighorn from a very original point of view. It hit #1 in October 1960."Night" is a distinctively opratic ballad taken from the Saint-Saens "My Heart At Thy Sweet Voice" and sung by Jackie Wilson, Lead singer of Billy Ward's Dominoes.Jackie died in 1984 after a long and fruitful career. The Highlight of this collection is definately Percy Faith's lovely "Theme from a 'Summer Place'" The largest instrumental hit of the entire rock era, this passionate compilation took #1 for nine weeks straight. This is truly MY FAVORITE SONG and is a perfect blend of smooth and romantic orchestral sounds. It ends the CD on a happy and dreamlike note.Thanks for looking at my opinion, and I hope it will encourage you in purchasing this great collection!"

This one spans a wide range of of the music sprectrum

John DePrisco | Wilmington, Delaware United States | 10/27/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you like variety in an oldies album you wont' be disappointed with this album."Because They're Young" was the title song from the movie of the same name, performed by Duane Eddy and his "twangy" guitar. Not sure if this was his biggest hit (Rebel Rouser?) but it's a good performance."I'm Sorry" is a nice ballad by Brenda Lee, still a classic."Teen Angel" by Mark Dinning is one of those tragic love songs that will either make you cry or cringe. His date is killed by a train when she runs back to retrieve his ring from the stalled car on the track. Kind of morbid, but it appealed to the teens of the era and made it to # 1. "Itsy Bitsy.....Bikini" by Brian Hyland is a happy go lucky tune that surely created a few fantasies in young boys minds back then. Probably a little saucy for that era."A Thousand Stars". Kathy Young hit the top 10 at age 15 with this ballad, an easy to listen to love song. "Mule Skinner Blues" by the Fendermen is one of those songs you either like or can't stand. It has a bluegrass-country flavor with some good guitar work. The more you listen to this one the more it sneaks up on you to become a favorite."Everybody's Somebody's Fool" was one of Connie Francis' biggest hits in the early part of her career. It has a nice beat that features an organ lead."Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne is one of those wacky goodies that caught on. As the title suggests, Larry is one of the troops at Little Big Horn. There are some funny one-liners in this one, such as "Look at them out there, running around like a bunch of wild indians". "Night" by Jackie Wilson was based on an opera aria that went all the way to # 4. No matter what you think of the song itself, Jackie's distinctive voice is always a pleasure to listen to."Theme From A Summer Place" was Percy Faith's biggest pop hit, staying at # 1 on the charts for nine weeks. This one is a true classic regardless of your musical taste."