I’m writing this on one of the dampest, greyest, most uninspiring days of the year; the kind of day people imagine when they think of “British weather”. I don’t imagine February 1963 was much nicer: a canny release date choice[…]

The wayward wind was no longer all blowing in Frank Ifield’s direction. The harmonica splashed all over this track is surely a response to the Beatles’ liberal use of same on October’s “Love Me Do”. On both songs the ins[…]

The saturnine Harris and fresh-faced Meehan were ex-Shadows, and even though they didn’t write “Diamonds” its curious structure makes it sound like the work of people keen to cram as much as they can into a short time in the spotlig[…]

A title that promises business as usual; a song that delivers just that. Solid Shadowy entertainment that only really takes off when the guitar decides to turn into a mountain bike and kick up some dirt.[…]

Cliff is generally most effective when he’s most gentle, and this sleepy ballad does its job with smoochy aplomb. Cliff’s considerate tones aren’t really what makes a forgettable tune work, though – the lovely, echo-cushioned […]

A missing Popular Year poll for your deliberation. As ever, I give a mark out of 10 to every hit – here’s where you can say which ones YOU would have given 6 or more to. The last year of pre-Beatles British pop – dredge your memorie[…]

At last an Elvis hit with some vim – “Return To Sender” isn’t necessarily a better song than his other ’62 singles but his approach to it is spot on. He’s much more aggressive than usual, the staccato attacks on li[…]

Has there ever been a “blues” jauntier than this? Ifield’s follow-up to the sweet “I Remember You” is a faintly desperate thumper, and its bullying pursuit of dancefloor fun quickly chafes. As you’d expect, the yod[…]

“Telstar” leads the instrumental beat boom to the wonderful land, packs it on a rocket and sends it to the stars – its all-or-nothing optimism is inspiring and bittersweet. Inspiring because Joe Meek wrote a hymn for a better future[…]

Elvis’ singles at this point have turned their back on the odder excesses of “Wooden Heart” et al. and the King has become a sort of one-man Status Quo, offering competent wodges of boogie like this, which do nothing to stir the pul[…]