The Sixties

Great to hear. Enjoy! Sending our love.

A visit to Sam Phillips Recording Explore this photo album by James Enck on Flickr!

I've been fortunate to work on a couple of sessions over the years at Phillips, where this was recorded. Here are some grainy photos from the last one, which the legend Roland Janes was engineering. www.flickr.com/photos/jimii...

Wow! That’s very cool, Jim. Great photos too. Thanks for sharing these. Hope you’re well.

Sonny Burgess
“Sadie’s Back in Town”/“A Kiss Goodnite”
(US, Jan 1960)
A: song.link/gb/i/157040268
B: song.link/gb/i/157040267

The Arkansas rockabilly pioneer essentially rewrites Jimmie Rodgers’ 1928 song “My Little Lady” for the lead side here. #PhillipsInternational #Memphis

The Bikinis
“Crazy Vibrations”
(US, Jan 1960)
song.link/gb/i/997911234

Saxophonists #GeorgieAuld (aka John Altwerger) & #SolSchlinger took a sidestep from the New York jazz scene to deliver a run of novelty instrumentals, including this kooky B-side.

Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys
“A Six Pack to Go”/“What Made Her Change”
(US #102, Jan 1960)
A: song.link/gb/i/714843200
B: song.link/gb/i/599002457

Masterful Western swing from the Texan, striking a tongue-in-cheek tone on side A, and evoking pure heartache on the flip. #CapitolRecords

Jerry Butler
“Good Times”/
“I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face”
(US #64, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/1442282445
B: song.link/gb/i/1442295073

Diverse cuts from the recently departed, original lead singer of the Impressions. Hopeful uptown soul on side A, backed by a ‘50s showtune.

Billy Preston
“Billy’s Bag”/“Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’”
(US, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/300980844
B: song.link/gb/i/1443759...

Two tracks, arranged by René Hall, previewing the 18-year-old Shindig! regular’s second album. The self-penned A-side became a fixture in UK clubs.

The Rivingtons
“I Love You Always”/“Years of Tears”
(US, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/396400650
B: song.link/s/1J87KzvBLs...

Famed for their fun and influential early-‘60s doo-wop hits, on this A-side the LA act deliver Northern Soul gold with an irresistible ascending chord sequence.

Jimmy Reed
“I Wanna Be Loved”/“A New Leaf”
(US, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/us/i/1443847...
B: song.link/gb/i/1443847...

Two songs taken from Reed’s 1964 live-in-the-studio LP, At Soul City. The A-side — a #JohnnieMaeDunson composition — is backed by a self-penned flip. #VeeJay

The Astronauts
“My Sin is My Pride”
(US, Jan 1965)
song.link/gb/i/1003883998

This B-side from the Boulder, Colorado surf act has a pure pop focus. A dash of Ronettes, a pinch of Beatles and a chord progression in the chorus that anticipates Just Brothers’ “Sliced Tomatoes.” #RCAVictor

Wilson Pickett
“Come Home Baby”/“Take a Little Love”
(US, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/1067004...
B: song.link/gb/i/1067003...

#TamiLynn provides prominent backing vocals on the #BarryMann & #CynthiaWeil-penned lead side, while the flip was written by Pickett.

Bobby Harris
“We Can’t Believe You’re Gone”
(US, Jan 1965)
song.link/gb/i/1562996...

With production from #BertBerns, Harris pays tribute to #SamCooke, who directly inspired his vocal style and died only weeks earlier. #AtlanticRecords

Doris Troy
“Hurry”/“He Don’t Belong to Me”
(US, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/447572117
B: song.link/gb/i/447572108

Side A is an enjoyable uptempo dancer, but the flip is even better: a flowing, “Walk on By”-inspired ballad written by #GregoryCarroll, #ValerieSimpson & #JoArmstead.

Glenn Yarbrough
“Baby the Rain Must Fall”/
“I’ve Been to Town”
(US #12, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/908836713
B: song.link/gb/i/908836723

Folk pop title theme to a film starring Steve McQueen also released that month. Yarbrough’s vibrato rich vocal is produced here by #DavidGates.

Skeeter Davis & Bobby Bare
“A Dear John Letter”/
“Too Used to Being With You”
(US, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/977874090
B: song.link/gb/i/977874093

Two songs produced by #ChetAtkins previewing Tunes for Two, their accessible LP of duets that went Top 10 on the US country chart.

Chet Atkins
“Cloudy & Cool”/“Travelin’”
(US, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/775433044
B: song.link/gb/i/891709768

Ten years into his role as manager of RCA’s Nashville studios, Atkins presented this A-side of folk blues from the pen of #JohnDLoudermilk, writer of “Tobacco Road.”

Below: German sleeve

Al Hirt
“Fancy Pants”/“Stardust”
(US #47, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/1307223...
B: song.link/gb/i/1307226...

Side A’s jaunty melody is sure to raise a smile, as will the #AnitaKerrSingers' contribution. There’s a strong reading of Hoagy Carmichael’s standard on the flip. #ChetAtkins produces.

Hank Snow
“The Wishing Well (Down in the Well)”
(CAN, Jan 1965)
song.link/gb/i/298325212

This old style waltz was, incredibly, the prolific Nova Scotian’s 34th single to reach the US country Top 10. #RCAVictor

Below: German picture sleeve

Connie Smith
“Then and Only Then”/
“Tiny Blue Transistor Radio”
(US #116, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/1062040...
B: song.link/gb/i/1062040...

The Indianan modestly credited pedal steel player #WeldonMyrick with creating “the Connie Smith sound” but her vocal here is equally breathtaking. #Nashville

Glen Campbell
“Tomorrow Never Comes”
(US #115, Jan 1965)
song.link/gb/i/714653699

Campbell’s take on the mid-40s #ErnestTubb country hit had appeared on his second LP, back in ‘63. While this single stalled outside the Billboard 100, by the end of ‘65 he’d cracked the Top 50.

Hank Thompson
“Life’s Sweetest Moment”
(US, Jan 1965)
song.link/gb/i/599045886

Masterfully succinct Western swing from the Texan, delivered in his distinct baritone. Thompson generally directed his band, #theBrazosValleyBoys, to avoid soloing, so this single clocks in at 2:09. #CapitolRecords

The Four Preps
“I’ll Set My Love to Music”
(US, Jan 1965)
song.link/gb/i/286373643

Beach Boys-inspired sunshine pop from the fading folk revival quartet. #DavidAxelrod produces #HBBarnum’s arrangement. Bizarrely used as theme music for the Italian cinematic shock doc, Mondo Pazzo.

Nancy Wilson
“Don’t Come Running Back to Me”/
“Love Has Many Faces”
(US #58, Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/1687598...
B: song.link/gb/i/1687598...

Both sides preview May 1965’s Today My Way, an album with an LA jazz pop sheen, courtesy of #DavidCavanaugh & #SidFeller.

Al Martino
“Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte”
(US, Jan 1965)
song.link/gb/i/724650140

Martino’s version of this song — from the ‘64 psychological horror movie of the same name — only features briefly during the closing credits. Patti Page took it into the US Top 10 later in ‘65. #CapitolRecords

Antoinette
“Thank You For Loving Me”/
“If You Really Love Me”
(UK, 29th Jan 1965)
A: song.link/gb/i/1634032...
B: song.link/gb/i/1634032...

Two sides of pure pop, with the Boyce, Hart & Farrell track on side A originally having been recorded by Philadelphia soul trio, the Sapphires.

The Drifters
“This Magic Moment”/“Baltimore”
(US #16, 28th Jan 1960)
A: song.link/gb/i/340891854
B: song.link/gb/i/299059367

Their third single with #BenEKing on lead was a Pomus & Shuman composition, produced by Leiber & Stoller. #CharlieThomas fronts the group on the flip.

Clyde McPhatter
“Just Give Me a Ring”/“Don’t Dog Me”
(US #96, Jan 1960)
A: song.link/gb/i/542954271
B: song.link/gb/i/504956173

The Drifters’ founder had moved to MGM by the time #Atlantic issued this 45. For the flip, a ‘53 recording with #theDrifters was rescued from the vaults.

LaVern Baker
“Shake A Hand”/“Manana”
(US, Jan 1960)
A: song.link/gb/i/50268927
B: song.link/gb/i/310536863

Two #RichardWeiss arrangements previewing Baker’s ‘61 LP, Saved. Wonderful gospel-inspired vocal on side A, while side B finds her covering the Latin-infused #PeggyLee hit.

Aretha Franklin
“Precious Lord, Pts. 1 & 2”
(US, Jan 1960)
song.link/gb/i/483613045

This powerful gospel recording was cut when Aretha was just 14 years old. Originally released in ‘56 on the LP, Spirituals, by Detroit’s J-V-B Records, this was its first appearance on a 45.