Sunshine Pop of the Sixties

One of my favorite songs from the ’60s is, without a doubt, the Tremeloes’ version of “Silence Is Golden”. Many prefer the 1964 recording by The Four Seasons, but this one is far superior, in my view. No offense to the Jersey Boys, who rocked it, but you only need to watch this video to experience these Brits’ raw talent. Their vocal performances, in four-part harmony, are astonishing … especially given the fact that this was filmed LIVE. The Tremeloes are performing here for a crowd of awkwardly groping teenagers, shuffling on the dance floor. (I hesitate to call it “dancing”, but the kids’ hairstyles make it amusing and more bearable to watch.) Maybe the song isn’t Sunshine Pop, per se, but it’s an exquisite slice of British Invasion pop that hit #1 on the UK charts and appeared on the 1967 album Suddenly You Love Me.

Visit CNN/entertainment for a great story about music and its lasting impact on people’s lives, “Love at First Listen” .

Here’s a link to the CNN user-generated news site, iReport , where you can sound off about which album “made you a music-lover for life”.

And, finally, here’s a link to a video posted by one iReporter (BoSoxGuy) and his take on the Great Albums of 1969.

Enjoy!

I miss records. Not only the sound quality — crackles, fuzz, and all — but the experience of lying back between speakers, studying the cardboard sleeve and liner notes while listening. What ’60s teenager didn’t spend hours doing that? (Or what ’80s teenager, as I was?) Vinyl LPs are still around, but they’re purchased mostly by DJs, rather than by the general public. If you’re on this side of the Digital Divide, like me, you probably listen to music on an MP3 player or from streaming radio and/or you have a media player like iTunes installed on your computer. I don’t even own a traditional stereo system anymore … nor do I know many people who do. But I seriously miss it.

This video clip features a fantastic collection of ’60s records — many of them considered “sunshine pop” today. You might assume that the collector is middle-aged, a Baby Boomer, someone who grew up with this music.  He’s spiriting us down Memory Lane, right? NOPE! He’s only 20 years old. That just goes to show you, this music stands the test of time … and it’s winning new fans!

Take a look:

Spanky & Our Gang, a folk-rock ensemble with origins in Chicago and Florida, emerged during the Summer of Love, a time so memorable in pop music. Their breakout single (“Sunday Will Never Be the Same”) was released in May 1967 on Mercury Records and would reach #9 on the charts the following month. The song had been offered previously to the Mamas & the Papas, as well as to the Left Banke, but Spanky & Our Gang – the dark horse in this trio – took it and ran with it. Malcolm Hale, a gifted multi-instrumentalist, created the choral opening with layered harmonies that would become the band’s signature sound. With its flawless production and exceptional vocal performances, the song launched the group’s first stunning success.

Written by Terry Cashman and Gene Pistelli, “Sunday Will Never Be the Same” is a heartbreaking tale of lost love. Musically, it sounds remarkably upbeat for a breakup song, but the lyrics tell quite a different story. Sunday was a day for romantic rendezvous and now the love affair is over. Sad. Elaine “Spanky” McFarlane manages to express the song’s melancholy with vocal beauty alone; her voice is slightly scratchy, a touch hoarse, a little on the verge of breaking. Yet, all the while, she stays afloat during the song’s jaunty moments and belts the song’s chorus out of the park. It is a brilliant performance. Stewart Mason of All Music Guide writes: “(It is) Mamas and the Papas-style folk-tinged sunshine pop with none of the jazz or art music elements that would color later singles.” True, “Sunday” is more straight-up folk-pop compared to their later releases; however, this is the band’s first crowning achievement – and certainly one of their best.

It would be difficult to argue that the ultimate sunshine pop band was not The Association – and they’re still around!  Like the Beach Boys, they were a product of Southern California, and the group enjoyed much commercial success in the late 1960s, with several hits on the Billboard charts.  Their first smash single was “Along Comes Mary”, a swinging baroque pop song that preceded their debut album, And Then … Along Comes the Association, released in the summer of 1966. The album was produced by Mr. Sunshine Pop himself, Curt Boettcher, a highly influential singer-songwriter and musician.  Boettcher would also work with, you guessed it, The Beach Boys.  The Association’s first number-one hit, “Cherish”, flooded the airwaves in September 1966.  (You’ll be reading more about “Cherish”, a sunshine pop masterpiece, in future posts!)  The following year, they took the stage as the opening act for the Monterey Pop Festival, and throughout the Summer of Love, the band was riding high on the success of their second number-one hit, “Windy.”  “Never My Love” reached the number-two spot as the band continued to define — and dominate — the sunshine pop genre.  After 1968, the Association did not manage to get into the Top 40, but they have endured as a group (with personnel changes) for more than four decades.  Today, the group still retains one of its founding members, Russ Giguere.

Twelve years ago, the California-based record label Varèse Sarabande released Sunshine Days: 60s Pop Classics, a five-volume CD series.  It is, to date, one of the most comprehensive collections of sunshine pop songs.  Consider it a must-have!  Released and sold individually, each CD contains 14 to 16 tracks.  The first volume features 14 sun-drenched tunes – all upbeat, pop-oriented, and clearly reflective of the mood that defines the genre.  Some were Top 40 hits (like Spanky & Our Gang’s “Sunday Will Never Be the Same” and Tommy James & the Shondells’ “Crystal Blue Persuasion”) while others are not so recognizable (The Arbors’ “A Symphony for Susan” and “Another Time” by Sagittarius.)  There is no chronological order to track listings, so you can purchase any volume to start your collection.  You can also download specific tracks from this series, if you’re a big fan of iTunes and iPod or other media players.  Check out Amazon, 7Digital, or Napster for downloading individual songs.  Want to try before you buy?  Last.fm lets you listen to full tracks before purchasing downloads.