I can’t help feeling sorry for Frank Ifield. Here’s why:

The X Axis on this graph is the early 60s. The Y Axis is Frank’s chart position. See the all-conquering pop hero of 1962, a million-seller with his second single, reduced to […]

A measured shot of dignity, “I Can’t Stop Loving You” is immediately obvious as the work of an adult and a craftsman. Charles was 32 in 1962, and sounds twice that age as he steps carefully, resigned and brokenhearted, through this […]

As horrifying as the goriest death ballad or country tragedy, no amount of listens can change the awful outcome – our Wendy* leaves the club with Mockney lech Mike Sarne, stepping out for a promised “slap and tickle”. The delight in[…]

Continuing Elvis: The Autopilot Years. This is confidence pressed into the service of competence; no ‘luck’ required.[…]

Roll over Tchaikovsky! Hokey, straightforward and highly effective dance number: one of a stream of jolly, uptempo, slightly goofy hits that swarmed the British charts in ’62/’63. Some were harmless, some annoying – this splicing of[…]

It reminds me of America, one of the Shadows told Jerry Lordan when he played them his latest instrumental. America seems like a wonderful land, said somebody else, and the name stuck. A sweetly-struck six-note figure becomes a sweep of the arm takin[…]

For me, Elvis’ devotional lullaby walks the line between dreamy and dreary a little too finely. The arrangement is immaculate – lulling harmonies; carefully-placed twangs – but the melody and performance are a little too sedate. Per[…]

It wouldn’t have been such a bad record if the arrangers had just let Hank Marvin and the band handle it. The bittersweet descent of Marvin’s intro captures the record’s point – and the listener’s spirit – far more[…]

There’s a few big Popular entries coming up so I’m giving myself a spare day’s breathing space, which means it’s time for a year poll. To be moved to its proper place in a week or so.
I give every record on Popular a mark out […]

A landmark of sorts – the first song on the list that I own, on 7″ vinyl, the first song that I know as an object. When I was going through a bad patch several years ago I would put it on before going to sleep at night; it was my own lull[…]