Usually, I pick a song that just came to me in this feature. But this time, I decided to look at the Billboards Hot 100 singles charts for 50 years ago, November 19, 1966
1. You Keep Me Hangin’ On – The Supremes, Last Week: 7
The song was at 27 the week before its rise to the Top 10. After going to 1, it went 3, 5, 5 then out of the Top 10
2. Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys, Last Week: 4
The song was at 17 the week before its rise to the Top 10. It stayed another week at 2. behind Winchester Cathedral, before going to 1 on December 10, then down to 3, 8, and out of the Top 10
3. Winchester Cathedral The New Vaudeville Band, Last Week: 6
The song went from 24 (November 12) to 6, 3, 3, 1, 3 (behind Good Vibrations and Mellow Yellow), then back to 1 for two weeks, before its slow slide 3, 4, 8, out of the Top 10
LISTEN here or here
4 Last Train To Clarksville -The Monkees, Last Week: 2
It entered the Top 10 on October 8, after being 18 the week before, then from 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 (November 5), 2, 4, 7, 10. But after a one-week hiatus, the Monkees were back in the Top 10 with future 1, I’m a Believer
5. Poor Side Of Town – Johnny Rivers, Last Week: 1
On October 15, it was 11, then 7, 4, 3, 1 (November 12), 5, 5, 9, and out
LISTEN here or here (truncated version)
6. Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly -Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels, Last Week: 9
On November 5, it was 18, then 9, 6, 4 for four weeks(!), 5 and off. Mellow Yellow and the Top Three songs here kept it at 4 for so long.
LISTEN here or here
7. I’m Your Puppet – James & Bobby Purify, Last Week: 10
On November 5, 11, then 10, 7, 6, 6, then off the Top 10
They were cousins James Purify and Robert Lee Dickey (d. 2012), from Florida, who had three more Top 40 hits.
LISTEN here or here
Rerecorded in 1976 and became a hit in the UK. LISTEN here
8. 96 Tears -? (Question Mark) & The Mysterians
Last Week: 3
Back on September 17, it was 25, then 8, 6, 3, 3, 2 (behind Reach Out I’ll Be There – Four Tops), 1 (October 29), 2, 3, 8, and out of the Top 10
LISTEN here or here
9. If I Were A Carpenter -Bobby Darin, Last Week: 8
On October 29, 11, then 8, 8, 9 and out of the Top 10
LISTEN here or here
10. Rain On The Roof – The Lovin’ Spoonful Last Week: 15
Its only week in the Top 10
(Yes, I didn’t link to artists I’ve likely will link to, or have already done so in the past.)