1960-1964
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Of the ‘1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die,’ 23 are from the years 1960 through 1964.
I’ve now heard them all – but the question is, which ones are the most essential to hear again?
Ranked by their essential-ness, here’s how I’d prioritize revisiting these 23 albums, enjoy!
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23. The Rolling Stones – The Rolling Stones (1964). Interesting to hear their early sound.
22. Solomon Burke – Rock ‘n’ Soul (1964). I rarely turn down Rock &/or Soul.
21. Phil Spector – A Christmas Gift For You (1963). Plenty of fine & festive performances.
20. Bill Evans Trio – Sunday at the Village Vanguard (1961). Surprisingly, the only album from 1961 on the list.
19. Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto – Getz/Gilberto (1963). One of a pair of Getz collaborations on the list.
18. Joan Baez- Joan Baez (1960). I’m now curious what % of the 1001 list is from self-titled albums.
17. Elvis Presley – Elvis is Back! (1960). He certainly is, with his 2nd of 3 list appearances.
16. Miriam Makeba – Miriam Makeba (1960). Speaking of self-titled 1960 albums.
15. Everly Brothers – A Date with the Everly Brothers (1960). I found the LP for $4, a good find!
14. Charles Mingus – Black Saint & The Sinner Lady (1963). I’d happily spend $4 if I ever see this LP at that price in the wild too.
13. Ray Price – Night Life (1962). What’s that Alicia Bridges song, I Love The Night Life.
12. Jimmy Smith – Back at the Chicken Shack (1963). Apparently stayed on the shelf for 3 years before being released.
11. Muddy Waters – At Newport (1960). His first of a pair of 1001 appearances.
10. Dusty Springfield – A Girl Called Dusty (1964). Also her first of a pair of 1001 appearances.
9. Ray Charles – Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (1962). His second (and final) appearance on the list.
8. Jacques Brel – Olympia ’64 (1964). Quite a memorable live performance.
7. Booker T & The MGs – Green Onions (1962). Heaps of Hammond B-3 organ, yes please.
6. The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night (1964). Each revisit will inevitably make me feel alright.
5. James Brown – Live at the Apollo (1963). What an introduction by Fats Gonder.
4. Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd – Jazz Samba (1962). Super smooth saxomphone.
3. Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963). I guess It’s All Right.
2. Sam Cooke – Live at the Harlem Square (1963). Great energy throughout the live set.
1. The Beatles – With The Beatles (1963). It Won’t Be Long (Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!) until their next appearance at or near the top of another one of these lists.
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Verbalize the Positive
A few years ago, a student did a stellar rendition of Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right at a Talent Show – I can’t recall if he ended up winning , but it was my favourite of that year’s entries!
I like that the list starts with the Stones and ends with the Beatles. That makes it quite a list!!
And it won’t be the last list that ends with the Stones &/or Beatles, their best was yet to come!
That is for sure!!
Harlem Square is a great record.
Agreed – and though not from this set, I was pleased Rolling Stone thought his A Change is Gonna Come was also Top 5 material!
Yup, it’s funny because I’ve been working of a 10 best hits of the 1960s list for my site and there’s a ton of crossover with the Rolling Stone top 50. I already had a draft, so it’s not like I copied them. I like their new list a lot actually.
Hopefully if you do a ’10 worst hits’ there won’t be as much crossover with the Rolling Stone list!
Again, I love/want all of those records. These are like shopping lists!
Or Christmas wishlists!
Yeah there too!