ELVIS AND THE BILLBOARD

1963

In this year 1963 Elvis is totally dedicated to his career as an actor. In addition to filming “Kissin Cousins” and “Viva Las Vegas“, the films “It Happened at the World’s Fair” and “Fun in Acapulco” are released. The first was filmed during the Universal Exhibition in Seattle, and the second, despite locating its action on the idyllic beaches of the Mexican coast, Elvis would shoot it at Paramount (only the exteriors were shot on the famous Mexican beaches).

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This circumstance greatly fueled the legend that his manager, the Colonel, never left the United States for fear of arrest. Elvis therefore had considerable activity to record the “soundtracks” of these films: “Fun in Acapulco” on January 22 and 23 at Radio Recorders studios in Hollywood, “Viva Las Vegas” between July 9 and 12 also in the same studios, and “Kissin Cousins” between September 29 and 30, whose recording took place in Nashville (because they wanted to give a “country” sound to the soundtrack).

Apart from these songs destined for his feature films, from May 26 to 28 he went to RCA studio B in Nashville to produce a new LP. However, Colonel Parker thought that the market was already quite complete with soundtracks, which caused the recorded songs to be published in successive years in single format or as a complement to the LP’s that appeared published from his films (in 1990 it was released). would reunite in an album titled “For the Asking, The Lost Album“.

On a personal level, it is in this 1963 when Priscilla, still a minor, moves to Graceland. His future wife will remain under the custody of his father, Vernon and this Dee’s second wife, the couple would finally marry in 1967.

In this year 1963, while Elvis was concentrating on his film career, the Beatles cemented in England what were to be the new patterns of “pop” music and the Rolling Stones published their first singles “Come On“, which was a cover from a Chuck Berry song, and “I wanna be your man“, a composition by Lennon and McCartney.

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EL BILLBOARD EN 1963

This year, 1963, the Billboard top 100 chart begins as it had ended the previous year, with electronic music group The Tornados and their song “Telstar” at the top.

In 1963 the so-called female vocal groups such as The Ronettes had great success with the song “Be my baby“, with which they reached number 2. Another example, The Crystals, who triumphed with “Da Doo Ron Ron“, reaching third position, and also his “He Kissed Me“, which was number 6. It so happens that both groups were produced by Phil Spector, the creator of what was called “the sound of the wall“.

More groups of these characteristics: Martha and The Vandellas that came from Motown. His “Heatwave” was number 4 on both the Pop and R&B charts. Another quartet, The Chiffons who with “He’s so Fine” were also at the top (these girls were the ones who accused George Harrison of plagiarism when he published “My Sweet Lord“, they said that this was a copy of their song.

In 1963 folk continued with its unstoppable rise. Bob Dylan publishes his second album “The Freewheelin“, a disc that contains the song “Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right” (Elvis would record it in a “jam session” on May 16, 1971). Dylan composes “Blowind in the Wind“, a theme that Peter, Paul and Mary take to number 2. Those who do manage to climb to the top are the trio The Rooftop Singers who achieve it with “Walk Right In“.

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Another style of music that is in vogue in that year is what was called the “California sound” or “Surfer sound“, a sound that had the Beach Boys as its standard bearer, placing three of their songs in the Top Ten of the charts: “Surfin USA,” “Surfer Girl,” and “Be True To You School.” Other groups within this sound were The Cascades, their “Rhythm Of The Rain” reached number 3, or The Surfaris, who reached number 2 with “Wipe Out“. Also The Ventures and their song “Surfing” or the duo Jan and Dean with “Surf City” were number 1 for two weeks.

More hits from 1963. A little Stevie Wonder, only 12 years old and recently signed to Motown, is number 1 on both the Pop and R&B charts with his hit “Finger Tips.” Another group that rose to the top were The Tymes, a soulful quintent that had a hit with “So Much In Love.” Also Ruby and The Romantics with “Our Day Will Come“, or The Essex with “Easier Said Than Done“.

Singer-actor Steve Lawrence‘s Gerry Goffin and Carole King song “Go Away Little Girl” also topped the charts. And the duet Paul and Paula with “Hey Paula“, The Four Seasons with a composition of two of its components: “Walk Like a Man“.

Bobby Vinton had his big hit with “Blue Velvet” (a song that director David Lynch recovered in 1986 for his movie “Blue Velvet”). The Pennsylvania singer Peggy March with “I Will Follow Him“, the American vocalist Jimmy Soul with “If You Wanna Be Happy” or the New York singer Lesley Gome with “It’s My Party” are other examples from that year. Also the American quartet The Angels and their “My Boyfriend Back“, or the crooner Andy Williams with his “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” and the central theme of the film “Days of wine and roses“. Johnny Cash triumphed with “Ring of Fire“, number 1 in the Country. Jimmy Gilmour and The Fireballs were number 1 for 5 weeks with “Sugar Shack” and the couple Dale and Grace managed to be at the top with their song “I’m Leaving It Up To You“.

And three curiosities for the end: the Japanese singer and actor Kyu Sakamoto, who with his song “Sakí Yak” was number 1 for 3 weeks; a Belgian nun, under the pseudonym Sour Sonrise (Sor Smile) with her song “Dominique” was number 1, taking home the Grammy for best Gospel or religious performance; and finally, this year 1963, a song that Elvis had recorded on the Sun in 1954, “I Love You Because” was a great success in the voice of Al Martino (Italian-American crooner commissioned to play the role of singer Johnny Fontane in the movie “The Godfather“). This version of “I Love You Because” was number 3 on the Billboard and number 1 in the Country section.

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A year 1963 in which the assassination of John F. Kennedy took place on November 22 in Dallas (Texas) (just the same week that the duo formed by Nino Tempo and April Stevens with “Deep Purple” was number 1, ( hence the name of the legendary heavy metal band arose.) This will be a turning point in the United States as far as its foreign policy is concerned. Things are going to change there just like in the world of music, and It is that from Great Britain the invasion was brewing with new airs that gave rise to a radical change in the panorama but not only in the musical but also in the social, cultural and political.

Information provided by Cesar Valle (Torrelavega, Spain).

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