MisHits of the Sixties Volume 4: Instrumentals

By Stephen E Pennykid

Here is another of my personal Top 20’s of singles that never reached a UK chart position higher than No 20. Indeed, one or two didn’t chart at all and another couple were released as ‘B’ sides. This volume, fourth in the series, deals with instrumentals which I think should have charted or reached a higher position than they did. As in the previous volumes, facts about these selections are given as well as personal experiences and observations. I hope you will enjoy reading about my selection and maybe even seek out some tracks you may not have been familiar with.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S & S P Publishing
• Release date: Nov 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370821235

Stephen E Pennykid

Born in 1952, Steve Pennykid grew up on a Leicester council estate built to accommodate new families after the war and the baby boom of the 50's and 60's. Steve was an only child and although he had plenty of friends with whom to play football on the green outside his home, he had time on his hands to develop his love of the written word, and as a child always had something to read whether it be a football annual at Christmas, a thrilling children's story or a Look and Learn comic. Writing though did not come until much later. Steve took early retirement in 2005, which gave him a few years to achieve a number of goals he set himself to do before he was 60. One of these was to write a short story and try to get it published. This was a big ask as he had never written anything before. However, it was achieved in 2010 when a local story-writing competition gave him the opportunity. By then he had written one story – The News from Spain. He began to amend this story to suit the framework required for the competition but it soon became a completely different tale – Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. These are both gentle romances but Steve's writing has now become more eclectic with a number of other tales including two detective stories, from his Chief Inspector Robert Casey series, two children's short stories and a non-fiction title under his belt. Steve also loves music and you will undoubtedly notice a common theme in many of his stories of titles and chapters containing the names of songs, particularly those from the 60's. His passion for music of this era encouraged him to write his own personal favourite, the non-fiction "MisHits of the Sixties". Steve lives in Loughborough and is married with two sons, a daughter-in-law and two delightful granddaughters.

Book preview

MisHits of the Sixties

Volume 4

Instrumentals

by Stephen E Pennykid

MisHits of the Sixties

Volume 4

Instrumentals

by Stephen E Pennykid

Copyright 2016 by Stephen E Pennykid

Smashwords Edition

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This book is dedicated to Derrick Gordon who provided the inspiration for this volume which includes his favourite instrumental of all time. All will be revealed as you read on…

Also, once again, with thanks to my wife Sue for her unstinting devotion in the editing and publishing of these volumes.

MisHits of the Sixties

Volume 4

Instrumentals

Contents

Introduction

20 - 11

10 - 2

And so to my No 1…

MisHits (Instrumentals) Top 20

Outro

About the Author

By the Same Author

Other Titles Published by S & S P Publishing

Children’s Titles

Introduction

It was at the suggestion of my friend Derrick that this fourth volume of the series came into being. He had been kind enough to purchase and praise the first two volumes and felt that an edition featuring instrumental of the Sixties would be a welcome addition

I had already started on the third volume, The ‘B’ Sides, but assured Derrick that I would look into the viability of the project. He even suggested a track that could be included and it is with great pleasure that I have been able to complete this work and include his favourite instrumental of the Sixties. More of that later.

This volume is a mixture of tracks which didn’t make the charts, minor hits which I think should have reached a higher position and ‘B’ sides which, in my opinion, would have been chart hits if released as ‘A’ sides. Following the format of the three previous volumes, facts about the tracks will be included along with personal experiences and observations.

Hopefully you will enjoy my selection and maybe even seek out some tracks you may not have been familiar with.

No’s 20 - 11

No 20

Duane Eddy

Caravan

Known for his twangy guitar-playing style, Duane Eddy had numerous chart hits on both sides of the Atlantic. Although his main chart successes were in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, he would be featured on a No 8 British chart hit by Art of Noise as late as 1986. However, Caravan would be one of his lower chart entries.

A typical Duane Eddy performance with an opening prominent drum beat, Caravan is a much covered tune, co-composed by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington and first performed by Ellington in 1936. This version by Duane Eddy is the only one to trouble the British charts. Johnny Mathis and the Harry James Band are amongst other artists to record this tune which has featured in two Woody Allen films: Sweet and Lowdown and Alice.

I have, from an early age, always wished that I could play the guitar. Although a great lover of music, particularly 1960’s, I have no musical ability whatsoever. As a 9-year-old in 1961, I even made my own version of a guitar using a cereal box, string and part of a broom handle. Needless to say, it was not successful!

A near neighbour who was a couple of years older than me was presented with