The Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 1960
While 1960 was by no means a great year for Popular Music, it does feel a bit more well-refined compared to the smorgasbord-esque 50s. In this year, the first few puzzle pieces of what made 60s music great were slowly assembled; ranging from odd flukes like Charlie Rich having a hit song a decade before he was relevant, to Herb Alpert writing an R&B jam, to Motown’s first hit showcasing what was to come in the future (we’ll get to it soon enough), it’s all coming together. Also notable is that this is the first year with not 3, but 4 Honorable Mentions, let’s not waste any more time and dig in to them!
HM #1: Bob Luman – Let’s Think About Living
Peak: #7 Year-End: #92
While Novelty Music is by and large not good, there are some tracks in the genre I find myself enjoying. “Let’s Think About Living” is a Country-twinged track that comments on how sad music, including Death Discs and more sullen songs, were overtaking the charts. On paper, you might think this is a recipe for disaster considering how smug it might well be heard as. I certainly wouldn’t blame anyone for think Luman is a self-satisfied smug sunuvabitch for this, but I think he really has a point.
Most sad music from this era, including those Death Discs, was lowkey not that good, and, as evident by my Best of 1959 list, the happy music tended to hold up better over time. Also, I don’t care what you think, this line is charming: “If we keep losin’ our singers like that / I’ll be the only one you can buy”. But yeah, for every “El Paso” and “Cathy’s Clown” of this era, I find myself craving a good ol’ “Happy Organ” in turn.
Oh, and speaking of “El Paso”
HM #2: Marty Robbins – El Paso
Peak: #1 Year-End: #15
It’s probably a hot take of mine that this song isn’t on the list, given that it’s one of the few songs from this era that is both well-remembered, and well-liked by most people. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty damn good song, certainly one of the most adventurous singles of the era with its relatively complex narrative and 4-minute runtime.
But, uhh, I kinda struggle to relate to this one. I think if the melody and instrumentation were a bit stronger, I’d dig it, but it’s more of a ‘respect-but-don’t-necessarily-enjoy’ type deal for me. Probably my favorite Death Disc though, if that means anything.
HM #3: Brenda Lee – I Want To Be Wanted
Peak: #1 Year-End: #43
It’s hard to disagree with a song so universal to the concept of loneliness as “I Want To Be Wanted”. Brenda Lee brings a splendid vocal performance that helps sell the angst and sadness within. There’s also a very defiant twinge of hope in this song’s lyrics that helps soften the blow of how lugubrious it can be. Cheap Trick did it better, though.
HM #4: Dinah Washington & Brook Benton – A Rockin’ Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)
Peak: #7 Year-End: #75
Most of the appeal from this song comes from the chemistry between the two leads, both of which are distinctive and compelling characters in their own rights and elevate this otherwise decent track to a solid A-tier tune. They’d have another single together which will be appearing on the proper list.
Anyways, let’s get into the Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 1960!
10. Barrett Strong – Money (That’s What I Want)
Peak: #23 Year-End: #97
Not only was “Money” the first hit for Motown (then-Tamla Records), but it was also an early favorite of The Beatles, who recorded a cover for their 1963 album With The Beatles. Cool tidbits about future legends aside, “Money” got that prestige first-and-foremost by being a dope-ass Blues song.
It has a similar energy to most of those pre-Rubber Soul Beatles hits, but with the notable distinction of being rooted in Blues, what with the lyric about wanting money and some jangling instruments, which keeps it feeling a bit more raw and less refined. In that regard, this song is almost like a beta-testing version of a bunch of Motown’s future hits.
After this, Strong settled down as a songwriter, penning songs like, oh I don’t know, “War” by Edwin Starr, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye, and “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” by The Temptations with co-writer Norman Whitfield. So while he didn’t have an illustrious recording career, we can thank him for some dope-ass tunes.
Tie: 9. Sam Cooke – Chain Gang & Wonderful World
Peaks: #2 & #12 Year-Ends: #29 & #80
Sam Cooke, who would sadly pass away in 1964 under questionable circumstances, truly stepped up his game in 1960, notching 2 big hits that have aged like fine wine. This man’s vocal ability is nigh-uncomparable, combining the warmth of Jackie Wilson and the rich tenor of Smokey Robinson (who would have his first hit with The Miracles, “Shop Around”, later that same year). Another thing about him that helped him stand out was his plain-spoken, and down-to-earth lyrics, which both songs here have in spades.
In many ways, “Chain Gang” by Sam Cooke is an early iteration of the more socially-conscious brand of Folk and Soul music that would reign supreme in the last third of the 60s and well into the 70s. The melody isn’t quite as strong as “Wonderful World”, but the specific set of lyrics here more than makes up for it.
Based on an actual interaction Cooke had with a chain gang of inmates while touring, this song mainly serves as an observational piece about them. He certainly makes no attempt to either glorify or condemn them as prisoners, but the comments they make within the song and their grunting refrain serves well enough as a stab towards empathy with their situation.
Meanwhile, “Wonderful World” is about how he knows that his world would be so nice if this girl were to love him, comparing that knowledge with his abject lack of school-smarts in virtually every academic subject. It’s a very classy form of self-depreciation and if anything it actually makes him seem more likeable. What a wonderful world it would be if he were still with us.
8. Fats Domino – Walking To New Orleans
Peak: #6 Year-End: #72
I really don’t know what to say about “Walking To New Orleans” by Fats Domino. It’s one of those songs where the base appeal is pretty surface level and any analysis is just meaningless white noise. All I have to say is that this is one of the definitive slow-walking songs out there, and it continues to resonate with people like me to this day.
7. The Everly Brothers – When Will I Be Loved
Peak: #8 Year-End: #91
Spoiler alert for when I get to 1975, but Linda Ronstadt’s cover of this song has like an 80% chance of getting mentioned. While that version is superior, I think it’s a testament to both versions that they can function as largely different compositions while sharing ~85% of their parts with each other.
And, at its core, “When Will I Be Loved” is a pretty good song. It’s been a minute since I talked about The Everly Brothers, they had a plethora of Ok-to-Good songs between 1959 and 1960, so it’s not like they fell off, but nothing really hit quite like “All I Have To Do Is Dream” (which, in hindsight, I should have put on the Best List for 1958, oh well).
The signature harmonies of The Everly Brothers are here in full force, wherein they belt out how they’ve been treated poorly in the past by lovers, and wondering when they’ll be loved. The composition is quite buoyant though, likely to keep the song from being too morose, and I think that’s what helps the song stand out. While the Linda Ronstadt version is more energetic, you can tell she’s going for a more desperate approach than Don and Phil, who are mainly trying to stay level-headed in their sadness. It’s catchy, too, so you really can’t go wrong with this version.
6. Elvis Presley – It’s Now or Never
Peak: #1 Year-End: #7
I should make it clear that I’m not averse to Elvis Presley’s music, warts and all. “Hard Headed Woman” is more of a fluke than anything, and “It’s Now or Never” is The King at his best. During his Army era (Yes, really), Presley listened to Tony Martin’s rendition of the Neopolitan-standard “O Sole Mio”, and was inspired to record his own version with custom lyrics.
The result? Over 20 million copies sold, 5 weeks at Number One, and an enduring legacy as one of his most popular and well-liked songs. And that’s before I even get into this song’s merits as a piece of music. The Italian stylings here are much more suited to Elvis Presley than typical Rock n Roll fare; his voice is well-suited for this kind of romantic crooning.
The instrumentation is rich and lush, just full enough to sound complete, and perfectly mixed to allow it to stand as an accompaniment for one of The King’s best vocal performances. The lyrics have held up pretty well, and Presley’s delivery is top-notch and on-point. It’s a very well-executed, romantic song.
5. Chubby Checker – The Twist
Peak: #1 Year-End: #10
For nearly 60 years, “The Twist” was the biggest hit song of all time according to Billboard. Perhaps more impressive is that Chubby Checker himself was named in Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire”. I can’t really express disappointment with that accolade, given how “The Twist” is everything a good, standard Pop Song should be.
One of the biggest demerits most songs about dance moves has is that they waste precious time explaining how to do the dance. The Twist dance doesn’t need that because The Twist is a state of mind more than anything; there are so many variations that whatever you do is probably close enough. So instead of singing about the ‘how’, he sings about the ‘why’, and the ‘why’ is that The Twist is a dope-ass dance move and anybody who does it is having the time of their life.
Of course, it helps that “The Twist” is a pretty good song in its own right. Chubby Checker has a distinctive, likeable tinge to his vocals, and the energetic performance of all instruments gives the song a lot of momentum. With all the variation from the session musicians thrown in, you can easily miss every little nuanced detail in the mix, too. I’m glad for ya, Chub.
4. Brook Benton & Dinah Washington – Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes
Peak: #5 Year-End: #27
If you want a top-notch example of why chemistry is necessary for any good duet, just listen to this song. Whereas “A Rockin’ Good Way” was a pretty decent song with some above-average chemistry, “Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes” is a very enjoyable duet with some genuinely legendary chemistry.
The vibes are indelible here, as Benton and Washington coo back and forth with each other, using metaphors to describe how their love affects each other. It’s not particularly deep, but it is effective, and damn fun to listen to, to boot. Even in the outro, you can hear them playing around and having a ball just singing the song.
3. Roy Orbison – Only The Lonely
Peak: #2 Year-End: #20
Roy Orbison is one of those artists that comes around once in a generation. A true belter who could turn the most apathetic bystander into an empath with just 1 note. His songs are achingly lonely, distinctly structured, and hauntingly beautiful when you listen to them deeply. He was one of the first Pop Artists to stray from the simple “verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus” structure.
Eventually, he would join forces with future Best-List artists Tom Petty, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, and Jeff Lynne (all of them will be on my best lists at some point, and at least half will be at Number One) to form The Traveling Wilburys, and his career seemed to turn around overnight, until he passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 52 in 1988.
I don’t think it’d be particularly controversial if I say that this song is the first proper Emo song to ever become a hit. Sure, the theme of the song is about as standard as a sad song can be, but Orbison manages to make it stand out by singing in his trademark belting about the heartache he’s been through. Even though Orbison was in his Mid-20s, he sings like he’s experiencing a lifetime of pain and loneliness on this track.
In particular, the bridge: “Maybe tomorrow / A new romance / No more sorrow / But that’s the chance / You’ve gotta take” demonstrates his own worldview; that of a person who is stuck in a rut following a breakup and struggles to get out, AND uses it as a way to add increasing tension by singing each sequential measure in higher and higher pitches with breathtaking form. Whenever I hear this part, I instinctively hold my breath, because it always manages to wow me.
It’s easily the best moment for Pop Music in 1960, but there were two Hit Songs this year that exceeded it, in my opinion.
2. Brenda Lee – That’s All You Gotta Do
Peak: #6 Year-End: #71
If 1960 belonged to any artist, Brenda Lee would be that artist. She cranked out 4 hits onto the Year-End, including 2 Number One singles. “That’s All You Gotta Do” was originally the B-side to the more famous “I’m Sorry”, but nonetheless became a Top Ten hit. Pretty impressive for a 15-year-old (she stayed far away from Bobby Rydell).
Anyways, “That’s All You Gotta Do” is teenage exuberance in the best way. While “I Want To Be Wanted” was pure angst and longing (not that that is a bad thing), this song right here is pretty much the exact opposite in every way. It is peppy, danceable, upbeat, and saxophony to the heavens above. It’s an unusual comparison, but this song is kind of like the “Don’t Stop” to “I Want To Be Wanted” as “Go Your Own Way”.
But the lyrics are what sticks with me. They’re pretty simple, if you’re feeling sad, just call me up and I’ll be glad because I love you and I want to be with you. It’s like Brenda Lee and songwriter Jerry Reed (who would have a few hits himself in the early-to-mid 70s) hacked into the hopeless romantic side of my brain that loves this kind of song. It’s so adorable, uplifting, and pure. This is what “Lean On Me” would be if it were a love song, and that is some damn high praise.
1. Ray Charles – Georgia On My Mind
Peak: #1 Year-End: #78
Could it have been anything else but The Official State Song of Georgia to top this list?
Interestingly, while in the middle of doing the writing for an earlier segment of this list, I went to work at my weekend job, when a cover of this song was playing on the playlist my co-worker had on. Even though I’m from the Midwest, I cannot deny the pure beauty and sweeping grandness that Ray Charles’ piano-and-string ballad convey of his home state.
Originally, this song wasn’t even explicitly about the Peach State, but rather Hoagy Carmichael’s sister, Georgia. Charles, a native of Georgia, turned the song into an explicit love-letter to the state. It’s really hard to analyze a song like “Georgia On My Mind” because it’s so synonymous with time itself. If this song was written 200 years ago, I wouldn’t be particularly surprised.
And all Charles does is inject his own emotional vocal runs into it, turning the anthem into one anybody from anywhere can feel down to his, her, or their bones. Whether you’re from Montana, Iowa, or Arizona, “Georgia On My Mind” is a simple tune about the love you can have for your home state, and to so selflessly contribute that to the Pop Music Canon, Ray Charles officially takes the crown of Pop Music Royalty and places it on his head.
“Georgia On My Mind”, the Best Hit Song of 1960…
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