1962

Girl groups and ballads were dominant in the early 60s, since it was basically still the stereotypical 50s in America. There were some great songs within that mold though, and black groups were starting to have crossover hits of their own (The Exciters' "Tell Him" is a fantastic example), which would pave the way for Motown to really break through (they have a few classics here already with songs like "Two Lovers" and "You Really Got a Hold On Me"). You've heard most of these songs on your oldies stations, but listening to them as if they were new displays their progressive production and their influential melodies. Like it or not, a lot of your favorite rock and roll came from this music, and while it was cool at the time (and it still is now) to mention blues greats and early R&B favorites, this was the unavoidable music, and it's easy to see how The Beatles first big single, "Love Me Do" can sit right next to them in a mix and seem like little more than a British take on the style of the time.

Enjoy the mix, I'm almost done here, can't believe it's been more than 40 weeks... By the way, if anyone has any suggestions as to what I should do with the site once I'm finished, let me know in the comments section. Thanks!

Download the mix here.

1. Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) - Contours - 2:54
2. Tell Him - The Exciters - 2:39
3. Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares - 2:21
4. He's a Rebel - The Crystals - 2:26
5. The Loco-motion - Little Eva - 2:25
6. Let Me In - Sensations - 3:06
7. Big Girls Don't Cry - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - 2:23
8. Wah-Watusi - Orlons - 2:30
9. Don't Make Me Over - Dionne Warwick - 3:23
10. Stop The Wedding - Etta James - 2:51
11. You Really Got a Hold On Me - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - 2:58
12. Up on the Roof - Drifters - 2:40
13. Two Lovers - Mary Wells - 2:48
14. Cry To Me - Solomon Burke - 2:36
15. Twisting The Night Away - Sam Cooke - 2:43
16. Telstar - The Tornados - 3:20
17. Green Onions - Booker T and the MG's - 2:55
18. Boom Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker - 2:33
19. Backdoor Man - Howlin' Wolf - 2:49
20. Desafinado - Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd - 5:47
21. I Left My Heart In San Francisco - Tony Bennett - 2:51
22. If I Had a Hammer - Peter, Paul, and Mary - 2:11
23. I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles - 4:14
24. She's Got You - Patsy Cline - 3:00
25. Love Letters - Ketty Lester - 2:36
26. Roses Are Red (My Love) - Bobby Vinton - 2:39
27. Love Me Do - The Beatles - 2:24