I've got the hankering for doing a deep dive into 1963. I'd love to flesh out my year chart to 50 or even 100. Would love to get your guys thought on this pivotal year! What strikes you as some of it's most important music. Albums and/or singles!!!
If you have some favorite albums/singles from this year, I'd LOVE to know what they are! If you have a TOP TEN ALBUMS of 1963, I'd love to see it!
Feel free to rec some films too from 1963! My library system has a pretty killer collection of old movies.
Last edited by Repo on 11/08/2023 04:11; edited 1 time in total
Would love to hear your thoughts on that one. I adore Sam Cooke as a singer, and this album has a different feel than some of his other stuff. There aren't any radio pop hits here, it sorta sounds like Cooke and his friends got together, jammed on a few songs, and recorded it, and I love the effortless feel of it.
Another favorite of mine from 1963, and one of my favorite live albums:
I love Pete Seeger and this live album is so fun. So many great folk songs he does and his banter between each one is really fun. I strongly recommended the double-album just because there are even more great songs on it.
There was some incredible jazz out in 1963 too, Black Saint and Sinner Lady, John Coltrane/Johnny Hartman, Duke Ellington/John Coltrane, Midnight Blue, Monk's Dream, Money Jungle, some amazing stuff.
But anyways, my actual top 10 for that year:
1. Night Beat - Sam Cooke
2. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
3. The Black Saint and Sinner Lady - Charles Mingus
4. We Shall Overcome - Pete Seeger
5. John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman - John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
6. Money Jungle - Duke Ellington/Charles Mingus/Max Roach
7. With the Beatles - The Beatles
8. Duke Ellington & John Coltraine - Duke Ellington/John Coltrane
9. Portrait of Shelia - Sheila Jordan
10. Back at the Chicken Shack - Jimmy Smith _________________ 2023 Chart
I wouldn't expect to find a lot of obscure, experimental "gems" with potential modern cult appeal from that year though, other than some of the modern jazz stuff. (I should add that the John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman album came out that year, which got a bump recently when Youtuber Rick Beato named it the "best-sounding album of all time" — it does sound remarkably good, considering the recording gear they used in that era). Calypso, surf-guitar, girl groups and rockabilly were all fairly big that year too. And of course, the Beatles' first album came out at the tail end of 1963, so that pretty much ruined everything I guess.
The best Beatle's cover EVAH?! It's Smokey Robinson & The Miracles of course! I just love how the song staggers and almost peters out like the guitars are about to grind to a halt. That, my dear friends, foreshadows their genius to come about as well as just about anything. It's only 1963, and they ALREADY have the balls to fuck with a Smokey Robinson song?! Those are some big balls!
Ain't gonna lie! <Why would I?! > The Beatles version blows Smokey's away. Less sugar. More bitter! Just like I like my drinks! Barkeep, keep 'em a-comin'!!!
ps. I've been in sooooo many messed up relationships that my kids thought it would be funny punk my ass & send me this just a couple of weeks ago <lolol> ...
As always, happy to kick out some jazz recs for ya.
I see you've already received recs for:
The Black Saint and Sinner Lady - Charles Mingus
Money Jungle - Duke Ellington/Charles Mingus/Max Roach
Back at the Chicken Shack - Jimmy Smith
.... all of which I most heartily endorse (as well as the other jazz recs so far).
Here's a bakers dozen more essential choices from the jazz side of life:
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar
Joe Henderson - Page One
Thelonious Monk - Monk's Dream
Hank Mobley - No Room for Squares
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - Ugetsu
Grachan Moncur III - Evolution
Horace Parlan - Up & Down
Dexter Gordon - Our Man in Paris
Jackie McLean - One Step Beyond
Herbie Hancock - My Point of View
Shirley Scott - Soul Shoutin'
Ahmad Jamal - Poinciana
My knowledge of popular music from that time is admittedly much more spotty. That said, I think I can comfortably throw the following pair of classics into the mix:
The Surfaris - Wipe Out
Martha and the Vandellas - Heat Wave
And if you're looking for a movie, another one of my all-time favorites came out in 1963:
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Ha! What a perfect movie. I love how it captures that narcissists are really just little children who are terribly fragile and needing constant propping up. And THAT is the director's work! And oh what tiring work it is!
Beautifully shot. The cinematography clearly inspired Wes Anderson's style.
Only halfway through, but very, very impressed! Mastroianni nails the "tired & fried" director so well. You can just feel the whole "He's soooo put upon! " in his every weary movement! Clearly the director and his actor had a real mind meld! lol.
edit: btw, This means I need a NEW movie rec for 1963!!!
Some '63 gems—
(double-checked to make sure they weren't already on your chart, because I wasn't expecting that obscure split by Son House & J. D. Short to pop up)
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> The Beatles version blows Smokey's away. Less sugar. More bitter! Just like I like my drinks! 
Barkeep, keep 'em a-comin'!!!
