Best Song: Martha And The Vandellas - I'm Ready For Love
When I was listening through this Top 40 I found myself enjoying this record more than the others, so it only seemed logical for me to pick it as best song. This was the 3rd Top 40 hit for Martha And The Vandellas and their highest charting at that point which was higher than the better known "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run".
Worst Song: Bobby Darin - If I Were A Carpenter
I love the Four Tops version of this record and as a result I really can't take to this version. I know this came before the Four Tops version but I heard the Four Tops version first. If that version didn't exist I doubt I would like this record, but it may have not been the worst song.
Top 40 Review
1966 was the year the run of Beatles Christmas number ones came to an end. It was because they didn't even attempt to continue the streak by releasing a single. The Christmas number one instead went to Tom Jones with "Green Green Grass Of Home" which isn't my cup of tea.
There was an actual Christmas song in the Top 40 from Elvis Presley with "If Every Day Was Like Christmas". Maybe this was where Wizzard took their inspiration from.
The Barron Knights were back with "Under New Management". There was also a novelty record by New Vaudeville Band with "Winchester Cathedral". Perhaps more of a surprise inclusion on novelty hits was Manfred Mann with "Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James".
As always the soul music was delivering and there were quite a few in this chart and they all sored some points, which mostly came from Motown. This included hits from The Four Tops, The Temptations and The Supremes.
Plenty of other music contributing points to and a lot is coming from the lower reaches. At 40 we have "I Feel Free" by Cream. At 39 was The Righteous Brothers with "Island in the Sun", not one of their well known hits but it's good. At 38 is "Mustang Sally" by Wilson Pickett which is a classic.
There's also "East West" by Herman's Hermits which is possibly the best thing I've heard them do. Then we had "Deadlier Than The Male" by The Walker Brothers which inspired "Female of the Species" by Space in the 90s.
Towards the other end of the charts we had some good records such as "My Minds Eye" by The Small Faces" and "Friday On My Mind" by The Easybeats.
There was still bland stuff in the Top 40 too though such as the obligatory Cliff Richard record at Christmas and "Somewhere My Love" by Mike Sammes Singers which sounds about a decade out of date.
Overall though the good stuff outweighs the bad and we end up with a good score.
Score: 22.5
Table
Another great score for a late 60s year:
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