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
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
“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
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.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 01: Photo of AC DC and Angus YOUNG and AC/DC and Mark EVANS and Bon SCOTT; Mark Evans, Angus Young (playing Gibson SG guitar), Bon Scott – performing live onstage, c.1975/1976 (Photo by Bob King/Redferns) -
UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1970: Photo of Don Gibson Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — Episode 2 — Pictured: Musical guest Boz Scaggs performs on September 25, 1976 — Photo by: NBCU Photo Bank -
Barry Manilow in concert at the Bottom Line, NYC during Barry Manilow Achive Images – 1975 in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage) -
(Original Caption) Charlie Daniels (3rd from left), the entertainer who dedicated his last album to "gun-rotting whiskey and hellatious fights" says he will not play gentle music just to please "damn Yankees drinking martinis" 1/20 at Jimmy Carter's inaugural reception. Daniels said he plans to play the same brand of foot-stomping Southern music he and his band have always produced. They are (from left), Charlie Hayward, Tom Crain, Daniels, Joel Digregorio, Don Murray and Fred Edwards.
