Monkees Luck?

[chrislc]

So take a look at this Top Ten - my thanks to top40weekly.com/

This is 57 years ago today.

1 1 I’M A BELIEVER –•– The Monkees (Colgems)-7 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 SNOOPY VS. THE RED BARON –•– The Royal Guardsmen (Laurie)-6 (2)
3 3 TELL IT LIKE IT IS –•– Aaron Neville (Par-Lo)-8 (3)
4 4 GOOD THING –•– Paul Revere and the Raiders Featuring Mark Lindsay (Columbia)-8 (4)
5 6 WORDS OF LOVE –•– The Mamas and the Papas (Dunhill)-8 (5)
6 7 STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE –•– The Four Tops (Motown)-6 (6)
7 10 GEORGY GIRL –•– The Seekers (Capitol)-8 (7)
8 5 SUGAR TOWN –•– Nancy Sinatra (Reprise)-10 (5)
9 16 NASHVILLE CATS –•– The Lovin’ Sthingyful (Kama Sutra)-6 (9)
10 12 TELL IT TO THE RAIN –•– The Four Seasons (Philips)-7 (10)

This sort of thing is always subjective, but for 1966/67 that is, overall, a really weak Top Ten, don't you think? The Beatles were in the studio. The Stones were in the studio. The Beach Boys had dropped out. Everyone but the Four Tops were Motown No Shows.

How many post-1963 weeks had such a collective absence in the Top Ten? It's funny how, just when the Beatles were busy reinventing themselves, a lot of their competition appeared to be doing the same. IMO 1966 hits were incredibly good, including the Beatles. Never better. Why the need to change?

IMO, the Monkees had a record that deserved to be #1 for a couple of weeks, but a lack of competition stretched that out, and, in my case at least, distorted the historical memory of how huge a hit it APPEARED to have been.

[paulhaney]

I strongly disagree with you on "I'm A Believer." In researching the 1960s Top 40 hits based on local radio surveys, that song ranks #1, just slightly ahead of "Hey Jude" by The Beatles. It was a MONSTER hit at the time and still beloved today.

[slf]

Musically speaking, I consider early 1967 as strong as any part of the 60's.  Don't limit your judgments to just the Top Ten; the rest of the Top Forty from the week you referenced revealed many greats songs.  Among mainstream pop there's "Color My World" by Petula Clark, "Knight In Rusty Armor" by Peter and Gordon, and "98.6" by Keith.  If you prefer cutting-edge psychedelic rock, there's "We Ain't Got Nothing Yet" by The Blues Magoos, and "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" by The Electric Prunes.  Even the Top Ten is stronger than you give it credit.  In addition to "Standing In The Shadows Of Love", there's "Good Thing" by Paul Revere and The Raiders, which is a strong, solid rocker, and "Tell It To The Rain" by The Four Seasons, which musically is quite daring and innovative for a Four Seasons record.