Yesterday Once More

18 Oct 2016

Aussie Hit Parade 1965

Hi Listeners,

I’m rather excited about this week’s program. It takes me back to my teenage years when I was glued to the radio listening to the hit parades. Each week songs would move up and down the hit parade chart according to record sales and sheet music sales. Finding out what was No 1 was the excited anticipation of the week. So we are going to replicate a hit parade this week. We’ve chosen the official music chart of the time- the Kent Music Chart and organised to play the top twelve songs in Australia for the year 1965 – in order from 1-12.

Instead of revealing the chart places of each song I’ll just include a random playlist below. In 1965, one year after The Beatles’ visit to Australia, you would expect them to dominate the charts. And indeed, they have three songs represented in the top twelve hits of 1965. But, what is most interesting is the prevalence of Australian singers in the top twelve. Billy Thorpe, The Seekers and Normie Rowe all performed very well in this year. The novelty song ‘Mrs Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter’ (Herman’s Hermits) and two ballads – Julie Rogers with ‘The Wedding’ and Elvis Presley ‘Crying In The Chapel’add variety to the program. Perhaps the strangest entry is Nino Rosso Orchestra with the instrumental ‘Il Silenzio’. I wonder if you can guess what was No 1?

Playlist

* Under The Boardwalk – Drifters
* Rock N Roll Music – The Beatles
* Que Sera Sera – Normie Rowe
* I Told The Brook – Billy Thorpe
* The Carnival Is Over – The Seekers
* Il SIlenzio – Nino Rosso Orchestra
* Help = The Beatles
* Mrs Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter – Herman’s Hermits
* Ticket To Ride – The Beatles
* I’ll Never Find Another You – The Seekers
* Crying In The Chapel – Elvis Presley
* The Wedding – Julie Rogers