NOW Yearbook Presents - The 60s - Volume 1: 1960-1962 (3LP)

Step back to the dawn of the decade – a golden age of chart-topping pop, timeless soul, rock ’n’ roll energy and unforgettable ballads. NOW Yearbook Presents - The 60s - Volume 1: 1960-1962 features 54 unforgettable tracks across a 3-LP set, pressed on bright red vinyl.

LP1 kicks off in style with The Everly Brothers and their 7-week chart chart-topper ‘Cathy’s Clown’ ahead of two more true legends, Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley. Cliff, along with The Shadows on ‘The Young Ones’ from 1962, and Elvis with his fifth #1 ‘It’s Now Or Never’ from 1960. Evergreen pop gems from Bobby Darin, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Chris Montez are up next along with floor-fillers 1962-style from Little Eva with ‘The Locomotion’, US #1 ‘Please Mr Postman’ by The Marvelettes and The Crystals with ‘He’s A Rebel’. Flip the LP over for Easy Listening Pop gold: ‘Stranger On The Shore’ by Acker Bilk was 1962’s biggest selling single in the UK – and a US #1, and features along with Matt Monro, Bobby Vinton, Roy Orbison, The Allisons and Ricky Valance ahead of LP closers from Jim Reeves with He’ll Have To Go’, and Brenda Lee’s US chart-topper ‘I’m Sorry’.

LP2 opens with a stellar run of early ‘60s soul classics: ‘Stand By Me’ by Ben E. King, which finally became a UK #1 26 years after its original chart run, Dionne Warwick made her debut with the sophisticated ‘Don’t Make Me Over’ and The Drifters hit #2 with ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’. Jukebox classics from Bruce Channel, Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs, The Marcels, and the US #1 ‘Duke Of Earl’ from Gene Chandler follow with Carole King and Neil Sedaka closing Side A, whilst over on Side B, #1‘Moon River’ (from “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”) by Danny Williams opens ahead of the classic instrumental ‘Theme From “A Summer Place”’ from Percy Faith & His Orchestra and ‘Reach For The Stars’ a #1 for Shirley Bassey. Connie Francis and Petula Clark are up next before ear-worm smashes ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)’, ‘I Remember You’ and ‘Why’, a 1960 chart-topper for Anthony Newley and the disc closes with Brian Hyland’s Top 3 classic ‘Sealed With A Kiss.

The final LP starts with the timeless and beautiful ‘True Love Ways’ from Buddy Holly before rock ‘n’ roll influenced hits from Bobby Vee and Eddie Cochran who hit the top with ‘Three Steps To Heaven’ in 1960. Chubby Checker is next, celebrating the ‘Twisting’ craze with ‘Let’s Twist Again’, whilst the rest of the side features pop gems from Susan Maughan and Helen Shapiro with her #1’Walkin’ Back To Happiness’ plus Dion, Del Shannon and Billy Fury and over on the final side. The Tornados became the first British group to top the US charts when ‘Telstar’ repeated its UK success, and The Shadows’ debut hit (away from Cliff) ‘Apache’ hit the top spot in 1960. Dave Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’ remains one of the most influential and biggest selling jazz tracks ever and Dinah Washington made an evergreen classic with ‘Mad About The Boy’. Stylish pop from Linda Scott, Roy Orbison and Connie Stevens leads into a pair of truly timeless collection closers: Patsy Cline hit the US Top 10 in 1961 with ‘Crazy’, a song that would become an enduringly popular ‘standard’ over the decades – and to finish, a stunning ballad ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ from Elvis Presley. Making his second appearance here with his tenth UK #1, one of an incredible 9 of them that hit the top during the three-year span of this collection.

NOW Yearbook Presents - The 60s - Volume 1: 1960-1962 – a celebration of the diversity and wonderful creativity of these magical years in pop.