'54 - '66 100 (US) Best Songs

7-24-09 1954 – 1966 – 100 (US) Best Songs

Yet another wacky Japanese magazine list! Record Collectors’ Magazine from Japan is another non-English language “must read” for me. I pick this magazine up whenever I can find it, and right now – the availability is good.

Their Top 20 (1954 – 1966 – 100 US Best Songs):

1. Bob Dylan – Like A Rolling Stone
2. The Ronettes – Be My Baby
3. The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
4. The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man
5. Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode
6. Buddy Holly – That’ll Be The Day
7. Ray Charles – What’d I Say (Part 1)
8. Elvis Presley – Heartbreak Hotel
9. Sam Cooke – A Change Is Gonna Come
10. Martha & The Vandellas – Dancing In The Street
11. Sam Cooke – You Send Me
12. The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
13. Little Richard – Tutti Frutti
14. Elvis Presley – Hound Dog
15. The Temptations – My Girl
16. The Lovin’ Spoonful – Do You Believe In Magic?
17. Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley
18. Diana Ross & The Supremes – Stop! In The Name of Love
19. Eddie Cochran – Summertime Blues
20. The Impressions – People Get Ready

I don’t argue with many of these tracks, as regards American popular artists. I certainly do not own all of ‘em (on CD). It is very interesting for me that the prevailing Japanese sensibility includes The Lovin’ Spoonful and The Impressions. Two Phil Spector tracks (Ronettes, Righteous Brothers), a fair bit of Motown, two Bob Dylan songs, over ½ of the list are black artists – no surprise there. Two Sam Cooke songs. Two Elvis songs.

It’s interesting to see – the show all the “Top 20” lists that this list was compiled from (in English, no less). They really seem to love 60’s Bob Dylan in Japan. In the other magazine that I have, “Highway 61 Revisited” is regarded very highly, too.