Wednesday, July 2, 2025: Daily Dirt
Thank goodness I wasn’t a Pilgrim. Continue reading, and you will comprehend. But here’s a hint: I doubt I could have consumed any of that eel or seal. Welcome to The Daily Dirt’s Vol. 1,330, which consists of three thoughts for today.
1. I ll readily admit, I saved what I feel is the best for last.
I’ve always been captivated with the 1960s. At least starting around 1965. I will always feel that pop music evolved from being merely background music to becoming an art form at that point. The Beatles undoubtedly contributed to the establishment of that stance, but as the decade went on, they received a lot more assistance.
Our four-day exploration of the greatest breakthrough singles from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s comes to a close today. The 1960s, in my opinion, offers us not only some excellent options for the greatest debut singles by males (Brown-Eyed Girl, Van Morrison) and females (I Only Want To Be With You, Dusty Springfield), but also a fantastic selection of band/group debuts, beginning with the Box Tops’ The Letter.
Music from the late 1960s was able to bridge a world split by social change because to its unmatched inventiveness, which was accentuated by the British Invasion and later gave rise to progressive rock and psychedelic styles.
The musicians of the 1960s pushed limits, experimented with new instruments and sounds, and developed into a potent force for social criticism. And we haven’t turned back.
Much of the music from the 1960s, from the Beatles to the rise of Motown, is still relevant today, and for good reason. The music was good. Excellent, excellent.
Here is my assessment of the top debut singles from this incredible decade, and I should also point you that this list is flawless:
The 1960s
Men
Van Morrison’s Brown-Eyed Girl (1967) won the gold award. With over 10 million radio plays in the United States, this song has become one of the most played songs ever. Morrison’s first release following his breakup with the band Them was this one.
Silver medal: Make peace a possibility Lennon, John (1969)
Bronze medal: Johnny Rivers, Memphis (1964)
Women
Dusty Springfield’s 1964 song “I Only Want To Be With You” won the gold prize. This song introduced Springfield’s unique blue-eyed soul sound and stage presence to the globe.
Petula Clark’s Downtown (1964) won a silver medal.
Bronze medal: Astrud Gilberto, “The Girl From Ipanema” (1963).
Teams
The Letter, Box Tops (1967) won a silver prize. The Box Tops, one of the most underappreciated bands in rock history, had a long run of singles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but this was the big one. One of the most revered voices of that era is the late lead singer Alex Chilton. By the way, when Chilton sang lead on The Letter, he was sixteen years old.
McCoys’ “Hang On Sloopy” (1965) won the gold medal.
Bronze: Los Bravos, Black Is Black (1966).
Particular recognition
Rationals, Respect (1967). Since some of you might not be familiar with this song, I encourage you to listen to it on YouTube. Aretha Franklin doesn’t respect it. This is a real gem, in my opinion.
- Be My Baby, Ronettes (1963).
- Walk Away Renee, Left Banke (1966).
- I Want You Back, Jackson 5 (1969).
- Gloria, Shadows of Knight (1966).
- A World Without Love, Peter and Gordon (1964).
- Love Me Do, Beatles (1962).
2. Did you know (Part 413)
- That Americans eat roughly 150 million hot dogs every 4th of July. Remember that later this week.
- That since 1945, all British tanks have included equipment to make tea.
- That actor Samuel L. Jackson was a cheerleader in college.
- That none of the four members of the Beatles could read or write music.
- That the first Thanksgiving likely didn t include turkey, and other staples like cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes weren t on the menu either. The pilgrims and Wampanoag Native Americans likely dined on foods such as seal, deer, eel, squash, berries and cornmeal.
3. Some food for thought:
The day of your birth and the day of your death are the only two days in your life that are not twenty-four hours long.
Steve’s Daily ThoughtI would advise you to spend thirty minutes listening to some of Dusty Springfield’s tunes if you aren’t already familiar with her. You’ll be pleasantly pleased, I believe. Read up on her background as well. Her life had been a difficult one, and it did not end happily.
Every day, Steve Eighinger contributes to Muddy River News. He leads a trouble-free life. In Quincy, it’s most likely the least problematic life.
