60's Songwriting Trivia!

[ernstinen]

Here's some 60's trivia: Who wrote these hit songs?I'm Into Something Good (Herman's Hermits)Chains (The Beatles)Don't Bring Me Down (The Animals)The Loco-Motion (Little Eva)Pleasant Valley Sunday (The Monkees)Take Good Care Of My Baby (Bobby Vee)If this is too easy, let someone else make some dumb guesses! Ern

[tedsingingfox]

Well, I know Neil Diamond wrote several of the Monkees big hits, but I ain't willing to even make a guess at so many big one-hit wonders.And now that I've made that somewhat assinine statement, I can only guess that (just to get even with me) most of those tunes you asked us about were written by anything BUT "one hit wonder" song-smiths.Cynthia Weil may well be among that bunch...maybe even Marilyn and Alan Bergman...Usually, I'm pretty good at "trivia". But not this time, apparently.<hhh>

[Mark Kaufman]

Goffin-King! Promise I didn't look it up. I just knew about "Chains", "Locomotion" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday"...didn't know they wrote the others too.

[ernstinen]

Jan 17, 2009, 5:54pm, lyle wrote:Goffin-King! Promise I didn't look it up. I just knew about "Chains", "Locomotion" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday"...didn't know they wrote the others too.DING! DING! DING! You are correct, sir.What got me interested in this subject was listening to a "British Invasion" CD that had so many great songs. I just love "I'm Into Something Good," and "Don't Bring Me Down." It got me thinking that "I don't think these bands can write such great songs," and I was right.I was going to add "Up On The Roof" and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," but I thought those were too obvious!BTW, I read this list to my wife, who is not a musician, and she thought for 2 seconds and said "Carole King!" I said "maybe this is too easy," and she got pissed for not giving her any credit as the wife of a musician! NEXT: OTHER BRILL-BUILDING SONGWRITERS!Ern

[Casey H]

There is a street in West Orange, New Jersey called "Pleasant Valley Way". I used to live in the next town, Verona NJ, and drive that street all the time. It turns out that Goffin & King had a house in West Orange and wrote "Pleasant Valley Sunday" based on that street.Mann & Weil wrote a lot of great Monkees songs including one of my all time favorites, "Shades of Gray". That song can still bring a tear to my eye. Casey

[gburgess]

Casey, Interesting details about the Verona, NJ area. Back in the mid 80s I lived in that area. I did not realize the area had such history.Thanks for sharing. Very cool.GB

[Casey H]

Jan 19, 2009, 6:24pm, gburgess wrote:Casey, Interesting details about the Verona, NJ area. Back in the mid 80s I lived in that area. I did not realize the area had such history.Thanks for sharing. Very cool.GBThere is a park-- Verona Park with a lake on Pleasant Valley Way... It has a nice walking & jogging trail around the lake and paddle boating. When I first met my wife (from Philly), she used to come up on weekends and we often went to that park. Nice memories... Casey

[cameron]

Ahhh, but did you know that Paul McCartney penned the Peter and Gordon hits "World Without Love" and "Woman"? The second one he did under the pen name of Bernard Webb.Cam

[Casey H]

Jan 19, 2009, 10:20pm, cameron wrote:Ahhh, but did you know that Paul McCartney penned the Peter and Gordon hits "World Without Love" and "Woman"? The second one he did under the pen name of Bernard Webb.CamYup.... Paul was dating Peter Asher's sister, Jane Asher. That's how it came to happen... (Peter of Peter & Gordon) Casey

[ernstinen]

Jan 19, 2009, 10:20pm, cameron wrote:Ahhh, but did you know that Paul McCartney penned the Peter and Gordon hits "World Without Love" and "Woman"? The second one he did under the pen name of Bernard Webb.CamDidn't McCartney write "No Matter What" by Badfinger? Sure sounds like his style! I love that record, especially the heavier guitar sounds and the vocals.Ern