40 Hits, 40 Stories: Behind Top Songs of the 1960s and 1970s

by Rick Simmons

Overview

Innovative sounds in pop, rock and soul in the 1960s and 1970s meant that music appealed to more people than ever before. While some songs appealed to a broad audience, some targeted a much narrower demographic, meaning songs on the pop charts might not do as well on the adult contemporary or soul charts, or vice versa.

This book examines forty songs featured on song charts of the 1960s and 1970s. Charts considered are Billboard Pop, Billboard Soul, Adult Contemporary, Cashbox and British Charts. Each listing includes discussion of the factors that contributed to the songs' popularity. Author interviews with songwriters, musicians and artists such as KC (of KC and the Sunshine Band), Mark Farner (of Grand Funk), Jerry Butler, Ron Dante (of the Archies and the Cuff Links), Freda Payne, Lou Christie, Tommy Roe, The Spinners and others tell the stories behind some of the era's most popular songs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476683751
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	11/11/2022
Pages:	257
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.52(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The author of more than 130 articles and reviews and seven books, Rick Simmons was formerly the George K Anding Endowed Professor of English at Louisiana Tech University, where he was director of Honors. He currently lives in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and teaches at the Georgetown School of Arts and Sciences.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
#1. “Play That Funky Music” (1976), Wild Cherry
#2. “Band of Gold” (1970), Freda Payne
#3. “A Hundred Pounds of Clay” (1961), Gene McDaniels
#4. “Bad Time” (1975), Grand Funk
#5. “Grazing in the Grass” (1969), Friends of Distinction
#6. “Girl Watcher” (1968), The O’Kaysions
#7. “More Today Than Yesterday” (1969), The Spiral Starecase
#8. “Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely” (1974), The Main Ingredient
#9. “Tracy” (1969), The Cuff Links
#10. “Swing Your Daddy” (1975), Jimmy Gilstrap
#11. “Susan” (1967), The Buckinghams
#12. “The Cheater” (1965), Bob Kuban and the ­In-Men
#13. “Everlasting Love” (1967), Robert Knight
#14. “Mama Didn’t Lie” (1963), Jan Bradley
#15. “It’s a Shame” (1970), The Spinners
#16. “Oh How Happy” (1966), Shades of Blue
#17. “Private Number” (1968), Judy Clay and William Bell
#18. “Double Shot (of My Baby’s Love)” 1966, The Swingin’ Medallions  101
#19. “The Oogum Boogum Song” (1967), Brenton Wood
#20. “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” (1970), Edison Lighthouse
#21. “So Much in Love” (1963), The Tymes
#22. “Sugar, Sugar” (1969), The Archies
#23. “What Kind of Fool” (1969), Bill Deal and the Rhondels
#24. “Hey, Western Union Man” (1968), Jerry Butler
#25. “Searching for My Love” (1966), Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces
#26. “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” (1968), The Tams
#27. “This Time It’s Real” (1973), Tower of Power
#28. “I Got Rhythm” (1967), The Happenings
#29. “­Mother-in-Law” (1961), Ernie ­K-Doe
#30. “Can’t Find the Time” (1971), Rose Colored Glass
#31. “Keep It Comin’ Love” (1977), KC and the Sunshine Band
#32. “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” (1973), The Spinners
#33. “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You” (1967), The Foundations
#34. “Smoke from a Distant Fire” (1977), The Sanford Townsend Band
#35. “I Love You 1000 Times” (1966), The Platters
#36. “There’s Gonna Be a Showdown” (1968), Archie Bell and the Drells
#37. “Rhapsody in the Rain” (1966), Lou Christie
#38. “Beach Baby” (1974), The First Class
#39. “Strawberry Shortcake” (1968), Jay and the Techniques
#40. “Jack and Jill” (1969), Tommy Roe
Works Cited
Index