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September 11, 2013 6:02 PM Subscribe
Which 1962 studio albums have stood the test of time? I have 248 studio albums released between 1962 and 2013. Last night I ordered them by release date, and discovered that my most under-represented year is 1962. What else is good from that year? Any genre.
I'm not asking 'What has a good reputation?' or 'What sold well at the time or since?' (I could look up that data for myself), but 'Which 1962 album have you listened to regularly for at least ten years and still find enjoyable?'
Notes:
I'm not asking 'What has a good reputation?' or 'What sold well at the time or since?' (I could look up that data for myself), but 'Which 1962 album have you listened to regularly for at least ten years and still find enjoyable?'
Notes:
- '1962': I exclude 1962 recordings of material older than a year. So, for example, a great 1962 recording of a nineteenth century piano concerto is not suitable. On the other hand, something recorded in 1961 and released in 1962 would be fine.
- 'studio album': I exclude compilations and live recordings.
- 'stood the test of time': I don't mean it has to sound modern (in style or production). It's okay if it sounds dated (i.e. sounds like it was recorded in 1962) - as long as it's engaging and bears repeating.
The year does suffer a bit from being right at the leading edge of the “folk scare”, but Dylan's and Peter, Paul & Mary's eponymous albums hold up.
posted by scruss at 6:13 PM on September 11, 2013
posted by scruss at 6:13 PM on September 11, 2013
If you like jazz:
Full House - Wes Montgomery
Go – Dexter Gordon
The Bridge - Sonny Rollins
posted by saul wright at 6:25 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Full House - Wes Montgomery
Go – Dexter Gordon
The Bridge - Sonny Rollins
posted by saul wright at 6:25 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
1. Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
2. Ben E. King - Don't Play That Song
3. Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf (aka The Rockin' Chair Album)
4. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Surfers' Choice
5. Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba
posted by diamondsky at 6:33 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
2. Ben E. King - Don't Play That Song
3. Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf (aka The Rockin' Chair Album)
4. Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Surfers' Choice
5. Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba
posted by diamondsky at 6:33 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Bo Diddley's and Johnnie Ray's respective self-titled albums from '62 are boss.
Ray Charles's "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music"
The soundtrack to West Side Story, good lord. One of the greatest pieces of music ever recorded.
posted by Dr. Wu at 6:33 PM on September 11, 2013 [3 favorites]
Ray Charles's "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music"
The soundtrack to West Side Story, good lord. One of the greatest pieces of music ever recorded.
posted by Dr. Wu at 6:33 PM on September 11, 2013 [3 favorites]
Patsy Cline's Sentimentally Yours. Not her best album, but still features regularly in my listening.
Booker T & the MGs Green Onions. Besides Green Onions and two other originals it's all covers. But, damn, Green Onions is the absolute best cruising/dragging song there is.
Ray Charles' Modern Sounds in Country Music (1&2). Some call it a sell out. Others know it for the the sublime reinterpretation of country standards that it is.
That's a start. Sounds like a fun way to organize albums by the way. Not sure I have it in me, myself.
posted by Fezboy! at 6:36 PM on September 11, 2013
Booker T & the MGs Green Onions. Besides Green Onions and two other originals it's all covers. But, damn, Green Onions is the absolute best cruising/dragging song there is.
Ray Charles' Modern Sounds in Country Music (1&2). Some call it a sell out. Others know it for the the sublime reinterpretation of country standards that it is.
That's a start. Sounds like a fun way to organize albums by the way. Not sure I have it in me, myself.
posted by Fezboy! at 6:36 PM on September 11, 2013
"He's a Rebel" by Phil Spector.
"The Wanderer" by Dion
"Telstar" by the Tornadoes
"Let's Dance" by Chris Montez (this garage rock song is great and was used in Animal House and covered by the Ramones)
"These Arms of Mine" by Otis Redding
Man, 1962 was like a gap year in popular music between the temporary death of rock 'n roll and the resurgence of pop wasn't it?
posted by Luminiferous Ether at 7:02 PM on September 11, 2013
"The Wanderer" by Dion
"Telstar" by the Tornadoes
"Let's Dance" by Chris Montez (this garage rock song is great and was used in Animal House and covered by the Ramones)
"These Arms of Mine" by Otis Redding
Man, 1962 was like a gap year in popular music between the temporary death of rock 'n roll and the resurgence of pop wasn't it?
posted by Luminiferous Ether at 7:02 PM on September 11, 2013
Françoise Hardy (1962) a.k.a. The "Yeh-Yeh" Girl from Paris! (1965) by Françoise Hardy: Le Temps de l'amour; Tous les garçons et les filles; La Fille avec toi; Oh oh Cheri; Il est tout pour moi; Ça a raté; Ton meilleur ami; etc., etc.
Looking over MonkeyToes's list, the song from 1962 that goes through my head the most may actually be The Young Ones, whenever anything reminds me of the TV show. ;)
posted by Monsieur Caution at 7:08 PM on September 11, 2013
Looking over MonkeyToes's list, the song from 1962 that goes through my head the most may actually be The Young Ones, whenever anything reminds me of the TV show. ;)
posted by Monsieur Caution at 7:08 PM on September 11, 2013
Response by poster: Just to clarify, I'm only interested in studio albums released in 1962 - not compilations, not live albums, and not singles.
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 7:11 PM on September 11, 2013
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 7:11 PM on September 11, 2013
For me, the three records off that list I still listen to are
And I wish I'd known of Duane Eddy's "A Million Dollars' Worth Of Twang Volume 2" just so I could add it to my list.
posted by Rash at 7:32 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
- the West Side Story soundtrack (my first exposure, although I've grown to appreciate most of the Original Cast version more)
- the second Ray Conniff Christmas album, every year (especially for their "Count Your Blessings")
- Allan Sherman's My Son, the Folk Singer (of course, that's just me -- I was 8 years old in '62 -- but most of his best material's on this album)
And I wish I'd known of Duane Eddy's "A Million Dollars' Worth Of Twang Volume 2" just so I could add it to my list.
posted by Rash at 7:32 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, yeah, the Ray Charles, one of the best ever -- didn't notice it on the list the first time through.
posted by Rash at 7:59 PM on September 11, 2013
posted by Rash at 7:59 PM on September 11, 2013
Seconding diamondsky's whole list, and adding:
6. LaVern Baker - See See Rider (for the title song and Story of My Love)
7. Nina Simone - Nina Simone Sings Ellington
And despite being compilations, these still stand right up on my playlist:
8. Peggy Lee - Bewitching Lee
9. Sam Cooke - Best of Sam Cooke
10. nth-ing the Ray Charles (possibly also a compilation if you're strict)
And I doubt very much that it stands up at all, but to this nine year old boy, Vaughn Meader's The First Family (spoof of the Kennedy 'Camelot' pizzaz) was the height of sophisticated comedy.
Fun!
posted by Rain Man at 8:09 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
6. LaVern Baker - See See Rider (for the title song and Story of My Love)
7. Nina Simone - Nina Simone Sings Ellington
And despite being compilations, these still stand right up on my playlist:
8. Peggy Lee - Bewitching Lee
9. Sam Cooke - Best of Sam Cooke
10. nth-ing the Ray Charles (possibly also a compilation if you're strict)
And I doubt very much that it stands up at all, but to this nine year old boy, Vaughn Meader's The First Family (spoof of the Kennedy 'Camelot' pizzaz) was the height of sophisticated comedy.
Fun!
posted by Rain Man at 8:09 PM on September 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
A couple of my all-time favorite albums happen to be from 1962, and they haven't been mentioned yet:
Oscar Peterson Trio - West Side Story
Chet Baker Sextet - Chet Is Back! (this album was also reissued in the 1990s under the name The Italian Sessions with just "Chet Baker" as the artist)
There's probably more that I'm forgetting at the moment, but I've enjoyed listening to these two (studio) albums regularly for over 10 years and I heartily recommend them.
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 12:47 AM on September 12, 2013
Oscar Peterson Trio - West Side Story
Chet Baker Sextet - Chet Is Back! (this album was also reissued in the 1990s under the name The Italian Sessions with just "Chet Baker" as the artist)
There's probably more that I'm forgetting at the moment, but I've enjoyed listening to these two (studio) albums regularly for over 10 years and I heartily recommend them.
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 12:47 AM on September 12, 2013
Response by poster: I'm okay with jazz. I'm more of a rock/pop fan (hence a collection beginning the year the Beatles and Beach Boys started releasing stuff), but I'm open-minded and adventurous.
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 5:34 PM on September 12, 2013
posted by paleyellowwithorange at 5:34 PM on September 12, 2013
I can dig it--here's a little jazz:
Walt Dickerson - To My Queen
Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus & Max Roach - Money Jungle
Roland Kirk - Domino
Cecil Taylor - Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come
posted by box at 7:34 PM on September 12, 2013
Walt Dickerson - To My Queen
Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus & Max Roach - Money Jungle
Roland Kirk - Domino
Cecil Taylor - Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come
posted by box at 7:34 PM on September 12, 2013
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posted by MonkeyToes at 6:11 PM on September 11, 2013