1961
Event of the year: Pigs invade Cuba and are repulsed by Castro forces and sharks
Fad: Getting lost in space
Babe of the Year: Holly Golightly
Scandal of the Year: Some little kid in Ohio is wishing people into the cornfield.
Movie or TV show to barf to: Sing Along With Mitch
What we could have done without: Colored Only water fountains
Pet of the year: Laika the Russian space dog
Other Tidbits: East Germany builds the Great Wall of China, Kennedy promises to put LBJ on the Moon by 1970, Natalie Wood declares she’s so pretty, Kennedy forms the Peace Corps and supports war in Vietnam, Pampers invented for incontinent adults, people ride to the south for free, Roger Maris cleared of steroid accusations, Khrushchev joins the circus. The Sharks beat the Jets in the first Super Bowl, Mothra destroys Tokyo and turns into a giant caterpillar, Fred Flintstone becomes sheriff of Mayberry, Mr. Wilson arrested for spanking Dennis the Menace.
So this is the year folk becomes a major factor in my charts. Are we ready? Tough, I’m doing it anyway…
1) John Coltrane- Olé Coltrane
2) Robert Johnson- King of the Delta Blues Singers
3) Joan Baez- Joan Baez 2
4) John Coltrane- My Favorite Things
5) Blind Gary Davis- Harlem Street Singer
6) The Miracles- Hi, We’re The Miracles
7) James Brown- The Amazing James Brown
8) Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland- Two Steps From the Blues
9) The Journeymen- The Journeymen
10) Roy Orbison- Roy Orbison at the Rock House
11) Dave Van Ronk- Dave Van Ronk Sings
12) Hank Mobley- Roll Call
13) Mal Waldron- The Quest
14) Dave Brubeck- Time Further Out
15) The Shadows- The Shadows
16) Oliver Nelson- The Blues and the Abstract Truth
17) Ornette Coleman- Free Jazz
18) Ray Charles and Milt Jackson- Soul Meeting
19) Cecil Taylor- The World of Cecil Taylor
20) Charles Mingus- Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus
21) Judy Collins- A Maid of Constant Sorrow
22) Kenny Drew- Undercurrent
23) Ike and Tina Turner- The Soul of Ike and Tina Turner
24) Max Roach- Percussion Bitter Sweet
25) Bo Diddley- Bo Diddley is a Lover
John Coltrane owns this year. My Favorite Things is probably one of his most acclaimed albums and it is quite good, but for me, Olé Coltrane blows that one out of the water. It’s his best since Blue Train. I put Robert Johnson at number two even though he technically recorded his songs in 1936-37, but they released his collection this year. So I cheated a little so I could include him somewhere in my project, plus he was pretty damned good. I really start to become a fan of Joan Baez this year. She had such an angelic voice in the early sixties in particular. Blind Gary Davis was my other surprise. It’s basically a blues gospel album and quite soulful in its own way. It’s certainly has to be one of the most underrated blues albums out there.
James Brown comes up with one of his energetic pieces with his usual mix of hits and tunes to get jumpy with. I cheated a little with Roy Orbison too. He’s actually one of the greatest singles artists ever but his sixties albums are generally mediocre as a rule. Rock House is a collection of songs from his Sun days. It’s about as good as anything Elvis or Cash did to be honest. Other entries to note include Dave Van Ronk (again), Dave Brubeck, and Judy Collins, who won’t remind anyone of Joan Baez, but isn’t half bad in the early sixties folk scene.
This is the first year where I start to include honorable mentions. Eventually, they will essentially be my 26th to 30th albums in no particular order, but for now, they’re just the albums I thought deserved some mention.
Biggest Surprise- The Miracles- Hi We’re the Miracles.
I wasn’t expecting to like Motown albums in general, but some of the early Motown albums really rock it. This one by the Miracles may be the best of the bunch before What’s Going On though I guess time will tell.
Biggest Disappointment- Elvis Presley- Something For Everybody.
I know, I shouldn’t expect much out of Elvis’ albums in general but 1961 was a banner year for him with hits like Little Sister and (Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame. Unfortunately, neither song is on the album.
Honorable Mention- The Ventures- Another Smash, Elvis Presley- Something For Everybody
Stinker of the Year- Ronald Reagan- Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine.
This, from a man who once co-starred with a monkey. He later would famously slap Angie Dickinson silly and win the Governorship of California. Anyhow he felt the right for doctors to move to Antarctica was more important that somebody’s trivial heart operation. If you think he’s in a lather here, imagine his horror when Medicare became the law of the land.
Well, that does it for 1961. Stay tuned for later in the week as we get into 1962.
