Your Favorite Singles From 1965

Too many to mention...
But a heckuva LOT OF MOTOWN

 

I can't think of even where to start! One of the best years ever for singles and arguably the last before albums started to become more important in pop music. Revolver and Pet Sounds came in 1966.

From 1965:

Numerous Motown, Stax and Atlantic 45s

Classic Beatles, Kinks and Stones singles. This was the year Jagger and Richards started writing their own singles.

But what instantly springs to mind is The Who's first three singles. My favourite is Anyway Anyhow Anywhere, so I'll go for that. There's plenty of other 1965 singles that are just as good though, from the UK and US.

It must have been great being around then. It says something about the quality of music then that I wasn't born but I love just about every song mentioned in this thread so far.

 

Yeah i wasnt born yet either. It would have been awesome to be alive when all that great music was coming out. At least we can listen to it all now.

 

One thing I have noticed is that many songs that flopped at the time, like the Vashti Bunyan one posted earlier, or many garage rock / 'freakbeat' and soul singles are more appreciated by people who weren't around then through CD compilations, than they were at the time. It seems there was too much good music to go round! It must have been incredibly competitive.

 

Oh yeah. There was an embarrassment of riches in rock and roll in the mid 60s.

 

I don't think the album becoming more prevalent was a totally good thing. Of course it's great what the likes of The Beatles, Beach Boys, Hendrix, Dylan, The Who etc were doing with the LP format. On the other hand it brought in a lot of pomposity (bands thinking they were above singles or having classical pretensions - which leads to...) pretentiousness and self indulgence. The one good thing about bad singles is they were over quick. Some of the rock bands from the late 60s went on forever being thoroughly mediocre, while being convinced by they were great. I find writing a concise three minute single that connects with hundreds of thousands of people for years far more impressive than horrible extended solos by egomaniacs.

 

True. It takes genius talent to captive an audience of millions within a 3 minute time limit.

 

Roger Miller, King of the Road
The Statler Brothers, Flowers on the Wall
Roger Miller, England Swings
Eddy Arnold, Make the World Go Away
Buck Owens, I've Got a Tiger by the Tail
Eddy Arnold, What's He Doing in my World?
Buck Owens, Buckaroo
Del Reeves, Girl on the Billboard
Johnny Cash, Orange Blossom Special
Bobby Bare, Four Strong Winds
Dave Dudley, Truck Drivin' Son of a Gun
George Jones, The Race is On
Chet Atkins, Yakety Axe
Del Reeves, The Belles of Southern Bell
Porter Wagoner, Green Green Grass of Home
Wilburn Brothers, It's Another World
Dick Curless, A Tombstone Every Mile
Pretty Miss Norma Jean, I Wouldn't Buy a Used Car from Him
George Jones, Take Me
Stonewall Jackson, I Washed My Hands in Muddy Waters
Lefty Frizzell, She's Gone Gone Gone
Roger Miller, Do-Wacka-Do

 

Wow! Excellent list of country classics! I dig it!

 

I didn't even realize it was a great year for country too.

 

Oh yeah, mid 60s country was awesome!

 

Build me up Buttercup, Foundations.

 

Good one!

 

Anything Beatles
Anything Stones
Anything by Otis Redding
Anything by The Animals
Anything Supremes
Anything Beach Boys
Anything by The Dave Clark 5
Anything Temptations
Anything Four Tops
Anything Hermen's Hermits
Five O'Clock World - The Vogues
Lies - The Knickerbachers
Laugh, Laugh - The Beau Brummels
You've Lost That Loving Feeling - The Rightous Brothers
Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits
I've Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher
Turn, Turn, Turn - The Byrds
Hang on Sloopy - The McCoys
Downtown - Petrula Clark
I Can't Help Myself - The Four Tops
Wooly Bully - Sam The Sham & The Pharaos
This Diamond Ring - Gary Lewis and the Playboys
Love Potion #9 - The Searchers
King of the Road - Rodger Miller
The Name Game - Shirley Ellis
For Your Love - The Yardbirds
Go Now - The Moody Blues
The Jolly Green Giant - The Kingsmen
Gold Finger - Shirley Bassey
Do You Believe in Magic - The Lovin' Spoonful
Tired Of Waiting F The Kinks
In The Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
Tell Her No - The Zombies
And so many more...

 

TY, but I just checked, it was released in 68 so my bad if it doesn't fit the thread...… still that was my jam

 

1965 was also a strong year for Ska / reggae (though that term wasn't invented yet). The Wailers were recording at Studio One, Prince Buster was at his peak (Al Capone was recorded in 1965) and The Skatalites recorded Guns of Navarone. Toots and the Maytals and Jimmy Cliff were around then too.

 

Very comprehensive list! Got most of the great singles on there!

 

This was the music that was the soundtrack of my childhood. I was 8 in '65. But I recall these songs today like it was yesterday. Was fortunate to have older brothers who bought a lot of records and one had his own band. I was fortunate he would let me sing or play a tambourine or harmonica once in a while. These truly were the days! Thanks for these threads! I'm having a great stroll through memory lane!

 

I wasnt born till 69. I wish I had memories of all these songs when they were new. Glad you're enjoying the threads!

 

Copied a list of what I have in my collection (from the responses in this thread) & made myself a nice little 1965 playlist.
The Kinks - See My Friends
Beach Boys: California Girls
The Temptations : My Girl
Herman's Hermits - Silhouettes
Four Seasons - Girl Come Running
Dave Clark 5 - Catch Us If You Can
Herman's Hermits - Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter
Herman's Hermits - Just a Little Bit Better
Hollies - I'm Alive
Supremes - Stop in the Name of Love
Wonder Who Group / Four Seasons - Don't Think Twice
Beach Boys - Let Him Run Wild
Bee Gees - Claustrophobia
Bee Gees - Cherry Red
Supremes - Back in My Arms Again
Herman's Hermits - Can't You Hear My Heartbeat
The Kinks - Tired Of Waiting For You
The Miracles - Ooo Baby Baby
Herman's Hermits - Wonderful World
Herman's Hermits - I'm Henry The VIII, I Am
Gary Lewis And The Playboys - Save Your Heart For Me
The Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears
The Four Tops - It's The Same Old Song-
Gary Lewis And The Playboys - Everybody Loves A Clown
The 4 Seasons Featuring the "Sound of Frankie Valli" - Let's Hang On!
The Temptations - My Baby
The Hollies - Look Through Any Window
The Supremes - I Hear A Symphony
The Kinks - A Well Respected Man
The Mama's And The Papa's - California Dreamin'
The Miracles - Going To A Go-Go
The 4 Tops - I Can't Help Myself
The Kinks - Till the End of the Day
Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence
Gary Lewis & Playboys - Little Miss Go Go
Beach Boys - Little Girl I Once Knew
The Beach Boys - Help Me, Rhonda
Gary Lewis and the Playboys - This Diamond Ring
Kinks - All Day And All Of The Night
Beach Boys - Do You Wanna Dance


Darryl

 

Whoa! Skatalites! Was this the year they did Man on the Street?

 

We must have gone to separate schools together! I was 10 in 65! I think the songs from your early days when you are becoming more aware really leave an impression on you. You might be at your peak learning/curiosity years around then.

 

Dang! That's a lot of excellent music there!

 

1969 actually!

 

The Seekers: I'll never find another you.
Byrds: Tambourine man
Supremes: Stop in the name of love