Tunes Du Jour Presents 1964

by with No Comment Uncategorized

In 1964, the musical landscape was undergoing a seismic shift. From the electrifying British Invasion to the soulful sounds of Motown, 1964 was a year that truly had something for everyone.

One cannot discuss the music of 1964 without acknowledging the unparalleled influence of The Beatles. With their chart-topping hit “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” the Fab Four ignited a phenomenon that would forever alter the course of popular music. Their harmonious blend of catchy melodies and innovative arrangements captivated audiences worldwide, laying the groundwork for the British Invasion that would dominate the airwaves in the years to come.

The UK also brought us The Animals, whose “House Of The Rising Sun” captivated audiences with its electrifying intensity, while The Kinks offered a more garage-band, raw sound with “You Really Got Me.”

But 1964 was not just about the British Invasion; it was also a time of soulful sounds and Motown magic. Artists like Martha & The Vandellas, The Supremes, and The Four Tops delivered soul-stirring performances on classic hits.

The surf rock craze was in full swing, with The Beach Boys’ “I Get Around” capturing the carefree California lifestyle. And for those who preferred a more melancholic sound, there were ballads like Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By.”

Beyond the well-known names associated with 1964, this playlist unearths other soundtracks of the year, like “My Boy Lollipop” by Millie Small, a ska track that became a surprise summer hit, and “The Girl From Ipanema” by Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto, a bossa nova masterpiece that brought a touch of Brazilian cool to the airwaves.

This playlist is just a taste of the incredible music that 1964 had to offer, though even a brief exploration of 1964’s music reveals a year brimming with creativity and cultural impact. From the infectious melodies of pop anthems to the raw energy of rock and roll, these songs continue to resonate with listeners today, reminding us of the enduring power of music to capture a moment in time and transport us back. It was a year that changed the landscape of popular music forever, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and entertain generations of listeners.

Follow Tunes Du Jour on Facebook

Follow Tunes Du Jour on Twitter

Follow me on Instagram

Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 10-22-22

by with No Comment Uncategorized

Today’s playlist celebrates the October 22 birthdays of Bobby Fuller, Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste, The Rascals’ Eddie Brigati, Dead Boys’ Stiv Bators, Shelby Lynne, Shaggy, Mountain’s Leslie West, Plan B, Annette Funicello, Pratt & McClain’s Truett Pratt, Baby Keem, Paul Lekakis, The Four Preps’ Bruce Belland, John Wesley Harding, and Franz Liszt; and the October 23 birthdays of Miguel, The Dixie Cups’ Barbara Ann Hawkins, Charlie Foxx, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and The Raindrops’ Ellie Greenwich.

Follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook

Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter

Follow me on Instagram

Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 9-24-22

by with No Comment Uncategorized

Today’s playlist celebrates the September 24 birthdays of The Dixie Cups’ Rosa Lee Hawkins, Gerry & The Pacemakers’ Gerry Marsden, Shep & The Limelites/The Heartbeats’ Shep, Kreayshawn, The Muppets’ Jim Henson, Eagles of Death Metal’s Jesse Hughes, Linda McCartney, and Trinidad James; and the September 25 birthdays of Childish Gambino, Rosalía, T.I., Santigold, Womack & Womack’s Cecil Womack, Ween’s Dean Ween, The Fresh Prince, The Kendalls’ Royce Kendall, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook

Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter

Follow me on Instagram

Throwback Thursday: 1964

by with No Comment Uncategorized

Nobody would deny that 1964 was among the most pivotal years in rock and roll. Nobody except Lester, a guy I worked with decades ago. He was an idiot. The Beatles and the other artists who stormed the US pop charts during the first British Invasion made an indelible impact on contemporary music and culture. Motown was ascending and producing classic singles. Girl groups were still hanging around creating pop perfection. Bob Dylan was making himself known, messing with the vocals one expected on a hit record. And Dionne Warwick was already the queen of Twitter.

Here are thirty songs that partly defined 1964. Take note, Lester.

Follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook.

Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter.

Follow me on Instagram.

Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (9-24-20)

by with No Comment Uncategorized

In the late 70s, people often confused my dad for Kenny Rogers. They’re close in age, and my dad was a white guy with a beard (still is both) and drove around in fancy sportscars you would imagine a country music superstar would drive, so one could see why he was stopped to sign autographs. Many people confused my brother for John Travolta. We grew up one town over from where Travolta grew up, and my brother had the dimple in his chin (still does). Once while the family was eating at a local restaurant, a couple came over to our table to meet John Travolta. They thought they were slick when their opening line was a question directed to my dad: “Excuse me, are you Sam Travolta?” Sam was John’s dad. If I remember correctly, he owned a tire shop in town. My dad replied that he is not Sam Travolta. He’s Kenny Rogers. The celebrity I was often mistaken for was Kermit the Frog. I’m not joking. Frequently people told me of my resemblance to the actor/singer/banjo player/TV host/piece of felt. On a public bus once a woman came up to me and asked “Has anyone ever told you you look like Kermit the Frog?” Yes! All the time! It’s not easy being green.

Today’s playlist is inspired by the September 24 birthdays of Jim Henson, Gerry Marsden, Jack Scott, The Dixie Cups’ Rosa Lee Hawkins, Linda McCartney, Kreayshawn and Shep.

Girl Power! Forty Of The Best Girl Group Songs

by with No Comment playlists

The girl group sound was a genre of pop music that flourished on the charts between 1958 and 1966. Most records that fall into this category were made by all-female trios or quartets. However, some girl group hits were performed by solo women, and some by groups that featured a cisgender male. Per girl-groups.com, more than 750 girl groups cracked the US or UK charts between 1960 and 1966.

Tunes du Jour commemorates International Women’s Day with a playlist of forty of the best examples of the girl group sound.


Click here to like Tunes du Jour on Facebook!
Follow me on Twitter: @tunesdujour
Follow me on Instagram: @glenschwartz

In Memoriam: 2016

by with No Comment playlists

Per the email I received from Spotify in mid-December, my most-streamed track of 2016 was Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.” While that is a great song, I don’t recall playing it more than once or twice this year. However, I did spend hours listening to music by those taken from us by the Grim Reaper. I’m not the only person to feel incredible sadness at the seemingly non-stop loss of great talents, which started on New Year’s Day when we heard the report that Natalie Cole died the day before.

With this playlist I want to celebrate the contributions these folks made to our lives and our culture. If I missed someone, forgive me. There were a lot of folks to remember.

Before we get to the Spotify playlist, videos from two whose music is not on Spotify.

Thank you for enriching my life:
David Bowie
George Michael
Glenn Frey (of Eagles)
Gene Wilder
Leonard Cohen
Muhammad Ali (nee Cassius Clay)
Maurice White (of Earth, Wind and Fire)
Florence Henderson
Merle Haggard
Carrie Fisher (actress best known for Star Wars)
Debbie Reynolds
Paul Kantner (of Jefferson Airplane)
Signe Toly Anderson (of Jefferson Airplane)
Sir George Martin (record producer best known for his work with The Beatles)
Attrell “Prince Be” Cordes (of P.M. Dawn)
Garry Marshall (television/film director/producer/writer, creator of Happy Days)
Pete Burns (of Dead or Alive)
Billy Paul
Natalie Cole
Garry Shandling
Sharon Jones
Alan Vega (of Suicide)
Don Ciccone (of The Four Seasons)
Alan Rickman
Keith Emerson (of Emerson, Lake and Palmer)
Greg Lake (of Emerson, Lake and Palmer)
Steven Young (of M/A/R/R/S)
Joan Marie Johnson (of The Dixie Cups)
Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor (of A Tribe Called Quest)
Prince Buster
Bernie Worrell (of Parliament)
Bobby Vee
Gary Paxton (of The Hollywood Argyles)
Rick Parfitt (of Status Quo)
Mack Rice (songwriter whose credits include “Respect Yourself”)
Milt Okun (record producer best known for his work with John Denver)
Marni Nixon (singer/actress best known for dubbing the singing voices of Natalie Wood in West Side Story and Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady)
Rod Temperton (of Heatwave)
Leon Russell
John Chelew (record producer best known for his work with John Hiatt)
Lonnie Mack
Gogi Grant
Jim Lowe
Sonny James
Nicholas Caldwell (of The Whispers)
Kitty Kallen
Mose Allison
Black
Otis Clay
Bobby Hutcherson
Joe Dowell
Trisco Pearson (of Force MDs)
Gayle McCormick (of Smith)
Gary Loizzo (of American Breed)
Leon Haywood
Paul Upton (of The Spiral Starecase)
Carlo Mastrangelo (of The Belmonts)
Fred Tomlinson (co-writer of “Lumberjack Song”)
Steve Young
Alexis Arquette
Dan Hicks
John D. Loudermilk
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Christina Grimmie
Alan Thicke

Click here to like Tunes du Jour on Facebook!
Follow me on Twitter: @TunesDuJour
Follow me on Instagram: @GlennSchwartz