Toppermost Of The Poppermost

Cilla, Beatles, Stones and a feature on the Ed Sullivan Show.     Side A - the British charts and more!

We roll into the American charts for January 1964.     Marsha Albert, Carroll James, and millions of East Coasters help "I Want To Hold Your Hand" to the Top of the Cashbox charts.   Meanwhile, Capitol cannot keep up with demand as the Ed Sullivan show approaches.

I Want to Hold Your Hand firmly takes control of the American charts, while British bands continue their dominance on the British charts.   To use the lingo of music writers of the time.    "While the Beatles crawl to the top of the Cashbox charts (but not quite Billboard), the Searchers give us a swinging, twisting new deck!"    

1963 draws to a close, and Capitol records decides to celebrate by finallly releasing a little record from across the pond - Frank Ifield covering Bing Crosby!    All this and more, including some thoughts on that other record which would escape on boxing day and make a big splash in January!

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" enters the British charts, "She Loves You" hums along, as does the NEMS crew.      Piers Hemmingsen guests as we spend some time considering the rise of the "British Invasion" in Canada.

The American charts for November of 1963.    Doldrums in the charts that were not improved by the Kennedy assassination at the end of the month.    A lot of filler, with a select few gems.    Steven Allen, Ray Charles (not that one) and Sammy Davis, Jr. too!

The charts roll on.    She Loves You finds it's way back to the top of the charts and we discuss Beatles covers from the first year in honor of the Stones  "I Wanna Be Your Man" #MadeonZencastr

We close out October 1963 with two more weeks that have nothing to do with Eeephing or Ardells.    Somehow we manage a Happy Days reference, and a story about George Greif.   #MadeonZencastr,.

It doesn't matter what we call it, you are going to remember this show for one of two things - eefin' (no, it's not dirty), the Ardells and their successor "The American Beetles".     Dress up as 30-year old high schoolers, moptops or maybe even Alvin and Dave Seville.    We're not done yet though.    Coming soon is our one-sided Bonus EP to finish...

The George Martin train rolls on.   Cilla Black, Shirley Bassey and the latest smash hit from Gerry and the Pacemakers.    All this and more on Toppermost of the Poppermost, covering the British charts for the month of October 1963.     #MadeonZencastr Use our special code toppermost at zencastr.com/pricing to save 30% off your first month of any Zencas...

The American charts continue their roll - some blues, some soul but precious little rock.     Duane Eddy joins in the surfing craze, Nino and April inspire the name of a future hard roc perennial, while Ray Charles proves that it doesn't matter where you are from if you are "Busted."

":From Me to You" slides down the British charts, but the Beatles have an ace up their sleeve - something new and fresh!    She Loves It, and She Loves You.     We track the new single, see what else the Brits were listening to,  and  look at the first year of the Fabs on the British charts!

Live (on Tape and edited) from the SEATAC room in Chicago, Illinois - it's "Toppermost of the Poppermost" with Ed Chen and Kit O'Toole.     Marv was present in spirit.     So may I introduce to you, the act you've known for all these years (well, at least one!)      If you want the "Rockshow" version rather than the "Wings over Ameri...

Brian Wilson and his love of close harmony (see Freshman, Four) appear, leaders of the surf trend.     Your boyfriend's back, your baby's gone surfin' and neither has grown the Beatle haircut that will become so visibile in less than half a year!

The summer of 1963 rolls on, and the Beatles introduce an unsuspecting audience to their next single "She Loves You".     Meanwhile, the charts roll on, and the acts who will be known as the "British Invasion" a year later are making their presence known in the homeland.

July of 1963 in the United States.     Still no sign of the British invasion, but an interesting selection of songs ranging from terrible to all-time classics.    Danke Schoen, Trini Lopez, Joey Dee and a Surfin Hootenanny!

Mortal Enemies?    Mozart and Salieri?     Mick and Keith, John Paul and George.     A new band is on the charts with a song they are not big fans of, signed to a contract because George Harrison was kind enough to offer them as a recommendation.      Tune in to learn about Andrew Loog Oldham's band, and how they were...

The Billboard charts for June 1963.    VeeJay is pushing "From Me To You" in the papers, and Del Shannon brings his cover into the world.    All this and more.

June of 1963.     The crossroads of past, present and future.    Paul McCartney turned 21, John Lennon appeared on "Juke Box Jury", and The Beatles compete with Gerry and the Pacemakers for the top of the British charts.

The American charts for May 1963 show almost no sign of the forthcoming British invasion.    Despite that,  new acts are popping, while stalwarts like Dion and Tony Bennett (not to mention Rick Nelson) continue their run.  

The Beatles continue their reign atop the British charts, while other NEMS and George Martin acts look to challenge.  This month: Billy J Kramer with two Lennon-McCartney songs starts his rise.

April 1963!   The Beatles unveil Please Please Me, the George Martin empire starts to take hold, and the old ways start to crumble.     Will Gerry and the Pacemakers overtake the Beatles?     Will any of these guys ever make it in the States?     Stay tuned...

As promised, the B-side of our look at March 1963.     Kit, Ed and Martin dive into the American Charts.     Rick Nelson, Henry Mancini, Motown and more.     

The reigning pop stars of the first half of 1963?    The Beatmakers!    Please Please me was mostly, but not unanimously number one in the UK, but such a question does not exist for "How Do You Do It".        George Martin was correct, the tune from  Mitch Murray and Brian's  "next big thing", Gerry and the Pacemakers &nbsp...

As Please Please Me zooms up the British charts, we look at the other contenders for "the next big thing."   Blue Grass?  Bossa Nova?   Tune in and figure it out!