My musical interests started
as a young girl of perhaps eight or nine, but at that time I
certainly wasn’t interested in the Top 40. My mother, I am
disappointed to say, was not a fan of modern music until after I
entered my teens and converted her. For that reason, I was
perhaps 11 or 12 when I was playing with the dials on the radio
one day and managed to tune into 1380-AM, the popular rock
station of the day. From that day forward my radio went with me
everywhere I went.
Those who are older may remember the transistor radio – a
small radio about the size of a cell phone that could be put in
your purse or pocket. It went with me everywhere, even in my
book bag to school. At any given moment I was able to tell you
the Top 20 (there was only 20 then) on the charts.
The early sixties I don’t recall much other than on the
oldies stations, but I recall it being an era of wonderful dance
tunes and of course, the start of the beach and race car songs.
Then came 1963 – the start of the First Wave British Invasion
with The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five, Rolling Stones, Herman’s
Hermits, P.J. Proby, and Petula Clark just to name a few.
Beginning about 1966 a different wave hit the shores with
hard rock and the likes of Steppenwolf, The Doors, Eric Clapton
with Cream, and a few others. This style was the predecessor to
heavy metal, but at the same time, it was a much tamer kind of
sound. Though there may have been the occasional “damn” in the
lyrics, there was no vulgarity and any song that even hinted at
sex or drugs was banned. I Think We’re Alone Now almost made it
to obscurity because of the second verse, and Jefferson
Airplane’s White Rabbit made it on the banned list for quite
some time.
The age of Folk Rock and Protest followed as the Viet Nam
war became more and more of an issue for our young people,
myself included. Bob Dylan’s Eve of Destruction became almost a
national anthem along with another song by a one-hit wonder
called Dawn of Correction. Joan Baez and Donovan also hit the
scene at this time in musical history. During this period of
time many groups and artists faded from the scene because they
either weren’t able to change with the time or they weren’t
interested in doing so.
By 1967 the Dave Clark 5, previously the runners up to
The Beatles began to wan in popularity, not because they were
not still a good band, but because their dance style of
performing was no longer what the teens wanted to hear. By the
end of the decade, you either changed your style of music or you
became a has-been.
Some of the young people today feel the music of the 60’s
was “yucky,” but if you listen to some of the music today, it’s
directly connected to that era. Phil Collins’ Groovy Kind of
Love is a remake of Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders’ 1960’s
version. Tiffany’s 1980’s I Think We’re Alone Now was a remake
of Tommy James & The Shondells’ 1960’s version. Personally, with
a few exceptions, the music of the 1960’s was much clearer to
understand, and there was no need to censor the lyrics or even
consider it. Yes, things must change, but should they not change
for the better?
