The music in the 1960s makes almost anyone smile, regardless of what year they were born. These four rock songs all came out in 1961, but are so good, every kid from the 60s can likely still sing them word for word.
“Sea Of Heartbreak” by Don Gibson
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The only single on Don Gibson’s The Best Of Don Gibson album, “Sea Of Heartbreak” is written by Paul Hampton and Hal David. It became a crossover hit for Gibson.
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A sad song about lost love, “Sea Of Heartbreak” says, “The lights in the harbor / Don’t shine for me / I’m like a lost ship / Adrift on the sea / Yeah, the sea of heartbreak / Lost love and loneliness / Memories of your caress so divine / How I wish you were mine.”
Gibson is the first artist to have a hit with “Sea Of Heartbreak”, but he isn’t the only one to release this song. Other artists who covered “Sea Of Heartbreak” include Ronnie McDowell, Johnny Cash, The Everly Brothers, and Jimmy Buffett with George Strait.
“Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean
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“Big Bad John” is Jimmy Dean’s first No.1 single. It went to the top of the pop and country charts, where it stayed for multiple weeks.
Written by Dean, “Big Bad John” says, “Every morning at the mine you could see him arrive / He stood six-foot-six and weighed two-forty-five / King of broad at the shoulder at narrow at the hip / And everybody knew you didn’t give no lip to Big John / Big John. Big John / Big Bad John, Big John.”
Dean earned the only Grammy Award of his career with this song
“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King
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Ben E. King’s only No. 1 single as a solo artist, “Stand By Me” is on his Don’t Play That Song! record. It is written by King, along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Surprisingly, it became a moderate hit for King again in 1986, when a film of the same name was released.
“Stand By Me” says, “When the night has come / And the land is dark / And the moon is the only light we’ll see / No, I won’t be afraid / Oh, I won’t be afraid / Just as long as you stand / Stand by me / So darlin’, darlin’ / Stand by me, oh, stand by me / Oh, stand, stand by me. Stand by me.”
“Pretty Little Angel Eyes” by Curtis Lee
Curtis Lee’s biggest hit is “Pretty Little Angel Eyes”. Written by Lee and Tommy Boyce, it appears on his sophomore Dunes album.
“Pretty Little Angel Eyes” says, “Angel eyes / I really love you so / Angel eyes / I’ll never let you go / Because I love you / My darling angel eyes / Pretty, pretty, pretty little angel eyes.”
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