what music was at the top of both the soul/r&b and rock charts 50 years ago? some killer music, that's what:

marvin gaye & kim weston - "it takes two"

sam & dave - "hold on"

wilson pickett (pictured) - "mustang sally"

ray charles - "let's go get stoned"

the four tops - "reach out, i'll be there"

and

the temptations - "ain't too proud to beg"

the theme song to the great cosmic love story, groundhog day, is sonny & cher's "i've got you babe," originally released in 1965.

turns out there were a lot of great love songs released in 1965 and this week we play them all (well, an hour's worth in any event). 

and you'll also be brought into the cosmic weave of "groundhog day" as well, with excerpts from that movie springled throughout these great songs that were released 50 years ago.

they're not all brand-spankling new, but most of them are still in our heads: the righteous brothers, otis redding, manfred mann...et al.

this week is a fun idea i got from someone's facebook post. It was a link to an a-cappella performance of david bowie and freddie mercury (well, not technically a-cappella, but just the isolated vocal tracks) singing "under pressure." It sounds like another (more silent, mysterious) song.

so, of course, i was suddenly inspired (as is my wont every week) like a lightning bolt of what (in my tired years) passes for creativity, and i put an entire hour show together featuring only naked vocal tracks.

you're gonna hear the amazing textures of voices like the supremes, marvin gaye, the beach boys, and especially freddie mercury and queen.

in my countdown of the best years of music of all time, here's how the top ten looks so far:

10. 1968 

9. 1992

8. 2010

7. 1983

6. 1965

5. 1972

4. 1971

which means this week i'll present the musical reasons for what must be considered the 3rd best year of all time. admittedly, it got a lot of votes for #1, but all things considered, if you listen for the next 3 weeks, i think you'll agree with my final top 3 years of music.

without spoiling the fun by mentioning the year, let me just say this the 3rd best year featured 2 albums released by jimi hendrix, 2 by the beatles, the moody blues' [above] best album, the beach boys' best, the birth of cream, the doors, and psychedelia, the height of soul music, and the year of albums instead of singles--but there were plenty of great singles too.