In summer of '62, rock 'n' roll was on verge of extinction

This year's annual Fourth of July flashback focuses on July 4, 1962. If it didn't quite succeed at snuffing out rock 'n' roll, it came very close.

It would be generous to say Top 40 was in flux that year. The truth was that radio, finally accustomed to the format, was finding its appeal ever-increasingly young. And 45 years ago, that was a bad thing, as the bulk of the population was older, and teens had little of the buying power they have today.

The train-wreck mix of rock, pop, country, soul, easy listening and instrumentals was still potent, to be sure, but when radio programmers tweaked the format to accent adult-oriented artists such as Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Pat Boone and instrumentals - lots of instrumentals - adult listeners tuned back in.



On July 4, 1962, Canonsburg's Bobby Vinton was ending a long run at the top locally with his first major hit, "Roses Are Red." Nationally, the ballad didn't hit the top until the following week, where it remained for a month. Vinton was lucky. He was in the right place at the right time, a fresh face for an increasingly dominant force - teen idols.
Radio liked them because they not only appealed to teen girls but also to moms (the ones with the shopping carts) as well. That summer, Vinton was joined at the top tier of the charts by fellow "idols" Neil Sedaka ("Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"), Paul Anka ("A Steel Guitar and a Glass of Wine"), Brian Hyland ("Sealed with a Kiss"), Bobby Vee ("Sharing You"), Bobby Rydell ("I'll Never Dance Again"), Bobby Darin ("Things"), Johnny Tillotson ("It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'"), and, late in August, Ricky Nelson with the aptly titled "Teen-Age Idol."

Two TV stars also scored big: Johnny Crawford with "Cindy's Birthday" and "Your Nose Is Gonna Grow," and Richard Chamberlain with his own "Theme From Dr. Kildare." A second-tier child movie actor, Eddie Hodges, also hit the big time with "Girls Girls Girls (Made To Love)."

If the guys turned up their noses at that crew, they were more accepting of Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon ("Palisades Park"), Gene Pitney ("The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence") Elvis Presley ("She's Not You") and Dion ("Little Diane").

Still, it was predominately bland music by mostly untalented artists. Nonetheless, mix those acts in with the aformentioned Charles ("I Can't Stop Loving You," "You Don't Know Me"), Cole ("Ramblin' Rose") and Boone ("Speedy Gonzales"), and radio had a lock on female listeners. It even managed to lure in more by capitalizing on the popularity of instrumentals, which had been popular since the birth of the Top 40.

If teen boys had a crush on Connie Francis ("Vacation") or kicked up their tennis shoes to country music's Tillotson, Marty Robbins ("Devil Woman"), Bobby Bare ("Shame On Me"), Duane Eddy ("The Ballad Of Paladin") or Claude King ("Wolverton Mountain"), they were in luck. If they preferred rock 'n' roll, there wasn't any. That summer, there wasn't one major hit by a rock band or rock solo singer. There was, however, some steamy soul, but the majority was to be found on stations that catered to blacks.

Although a James Brown or Sam Cooke would occasionally crack the charts, Top 40 stations primarily stuck with black acts that either didn't sound black or were part of the current dance craze. Twisting their way into the sea of teen idols were Chubby Checker ("Dancin' Party"), Little Eva ("Locomotion"), the Isley Brothers ("Twist and Shout"), Dee Dee Sharp ("Gravy") and the Orlons ("Wah Watusi").

Motown was not yet a force, although it was steadily placing more songs and more artists on the chart. There were no super Motown memories that summer, but a few received airplay, especially in Western Pennsylvania. They included the Top 10 "Playboy" by the Marvelettes and "I'll Try Something New" by the Miracles.

Into this rather bizarre - some music historians would later say depressing - pastiche of teen idols, instrumentals and sanitized soul were a few genuine surprises. Ray Stevens had the most memorable song of the season with "Ahab the Arab," a novelty tune with a slightly naughty (for that period) storyline. Joanie Sommers had a Top 10 hit, "Johnny Get Angry," that is never heard on the radio today, and for good reason. With lyrics such as "Johnny get angry, Johnny get mad, Give me the biggest lecture I ever had. I want a brave man, I want a cave man," it's not exactly in tune with the times. The music bridge of kazoos doesn't help, either.

Forty-five years on, 1962's summer music can be looked upon as an uninspired transition from early rock and doo wop to the British invasion, which was due on these shores in less than 18 months. Had the Beatles and company not arrived, though, it was unlikely Top 40 would have survived more than a few more years.

Radio was well on its way to filtering out any and all elements of rock, the better to keep those female listeners. Had it not been for the innovative Beach Boys, who late in August surfaced with "Surfin' USA" and the distinct sound of the Four Seasons, who had their first hit the same month with "Sherry," Top 40 might not have survived until the arrival of the Beatles. Turns out, the Fab Four was the precise prescription to resurrect rock 'n' roll - a rock band even women could love.

Source: http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/07_02_HAZLETT_COLUMN

One key element this article forgets to mention are the Girl Groups that really dominated the charts at the time. I find 1962 a very "watered down '50s" year in which the music tends to be just a parody of stuff from the important 1954-58 era. Although Elvis was still having some big hits (though not as many in 1956-60), his novelty had pretty much worn off by this point.

Might be me, but I find the clutch of above artists and songs quite appealing (yes, even Joanie Sommers!)

Might be me, but I find the clutch of above artists and songs quite appealing (yes, even Joanie Sommers!)



Me too.  Honestly, there can't be a best or worst, it is all subjective.

I love the music from around '57 to '62--Very innocent, poppy, interesting era, both of music and in general.

I love the music from around '57 to '62--Very innocent, poppy, interesting era, both of music and in general.


A lot of real good "make-out" music

A lot of real good "make-out" music


True. That era was very, idk, Americana. I don't know how to explain it, but from everything I've read, it's almost like the worlds of 1962 and 1969 were two different places--One a cleancut, still sort of ''50s'' era, a time of general peace and prosperity, with glamour and class--And 1969, an era of drugs, racial and generational tension, war, death.

A lot of things I've read seem to indicate that the administration of JFK was still ''the 50s'' and that the '60s didn't really start till he was assassinated. Which makes sense--A turbulent decade starting literally off with a bang.

The 1950's and early 60's had this very all american, caucasian, take your girlfriend out to the drive-in movie feel to it.

Then came 1964 and the innocence was lost!

It's not exactly the kind of music that article in the original post is talking about, but
still, after a quick check, I see a lot of music still known and popular today came out of 1962, like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16B5Xm8_IKw
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryF9p-nqsWw
Tony Bennett

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR13ECD71xU
Duke Ellington with John Coltrane

Cast Your Fate To The Wind - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Let's Go - The Routers
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqCQe5FwqaU
Booker T. & The MG's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGhxayGDa5Q
The Tornadoes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBQTPhCo4sI
And this very, very obscure instrumental by Monty Norman.

Not a bad year for some types of music.

Cast Your Fate To The Wind - Vince Guaraldi Trio




The version by Sounds Orchestral is one of my all time, extra favorite, put my head on the radio and listen to it 100 times songs!  :)

The version by Sounds Orchestral is one of my all time, extra favorite, put my head on the radio and listen to it 100 times songs!   :)


This was a big hit in Britain too...a early example of smooth jazz becoming mainstream!

Sounds Orchestral (unlike Vince Guaraldi's lot) weren't actually a 'proper' group, just a bunch of studio musicians who struck lucky!

The 1950's and early 60's had this very all american, caucasian, take your girlfriend out to the drive-in movie feel to it.


In America perhaps ;)



Then came 1964 and the innocence was lost!

That's the year I was born  :o

1960-1963 was a slow year for Rock. Elvis' career was waning, The Beach Boys didn't become that popular, and The Beatles were a bar band.

You may be right about 1962 being a slow year for rock.

The black and white do wop groups were the main source of the "best" music in the early 60's, although, good song writers gave the girl groups of the early 60's a new avenue to keep rock 'n roll alive.