Memories of the Swinging Sixties

As a teenager I lived in Jakarta, Indonesia. There were several English teenagers living out there (fathers in the Foreign Office) and we had one record. ‘Silence is Golden’ by the Tremoloes and the flip side ‘Crying in the Streets’. We played and played it and it mysteriously disappeared. Never sure which parents were to blame for its loss.

I too loved ‘A whiter shade of pale’ the words were very odd though.

Paul Jones and another from his band, forgotten the name, are on tour at present and we went to see their acoustic set. Really good night.

I liked 1 2 3 by Len Barry. For some odd reason I liked ‘Running Bear’ by Johnny Preston. Also the Marrakesh Express.

Thanks to Alexa I listen to these old favourites over and over.

My latest passion is GI Blues by Elvis.

I would love to time travel and go back to the 60s.

Memories, memories, just a magical time. April 1963, with ‘O’ levels to take that summer we went on a weekend school trip to Wicken Bonhunt in Hertfordshire. Before coming home on the Sunday we were all waiting for the countdown show on the radio to confirm that The Beatles had made it to number one with From Me To You. 1963 just a lovely year for me at the age of 16 with good ‘O’ level results to come and the songs of Bobby Vee, Helen Shapiro, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Neil Sedaka, Johnny Tillotson, Billy Fury etc to transport me back to school socials and unforgettable memories. Such a special time that sadly I don’t think today’s young people can experience.

1965 I'm at university and Marianne Faithfull is singing "As Tears Go By" at our college ball. I'm dancing in the arms of my beloved. We never lost the magic.

Reading everyone else's testaments with interest, I hold the 60s in my heart as a special decade, but in truth my experiences didn't amount to much I was barely 17 when the new decade of the '70s began and that was really my time, I went to loads of concerts, saw everyone Led Zeppelin, Bowie, all the big names, but somehow the sixties, a bit like the roaring 20s is remembered as such a seminal decade.

The sixties started for me with the advent of The Beatles, there were a couple of wilderness years before 1963 and then it exploded kind of peaking in the mid 60s. Living near London it felt as if we were at the epicentre of everything that was happening and towards the end of the 60s, the place to be appeared to shift off to the West Coast of America. I particularly remember 1967 when Whiter Shade of Pale was number 1 forever , or seemed like it, and being mesmerised by it's dreamy nonsensical lyrics. Mid teens, friends and I spent much time on the train up to London at the weekends, so we could walk up and down Carnaby Street, not that much of it to walk, unlike The Kings Road, Chelsea which was considerably longer. We enjoyed parading up and down those streets, no money to spend of course, well we could just about afford a pop art carrier bag and that was it from some on trend emporium and that was it! It was a few years hence when I was at work and able to buy a few coveted pieces in Biba which had moved to the big store in Kensington by then.

A friend and I aged about 13 travelled to nearby Weybridge in search of John Lennon's House, which, surprise! surprise! we did find, minus him though only to be expected, but we did get to see the giant model of the Chelsea Boot in the garden. It was in the exclusive enclave of the St George's Hill Estate which wouldn't be accessible now which was adjacent to a very expensive golf course, although somehow I don't think John Lennon was ever attracted to golf the security wasn't a thing then so anyone could just wander about all over the place. George Harrison got married to Patti Boyd in my home town and when friends and I at school we got wind of that, we hot footed it down to the registry office, but sadly it was all over by then.

Talking about my Generation by The Who.. I thought it was so cool..

Helen Shapiro!

bonji Years later we went to a club in Plymouth to hear her singing jazz. She still had a fabulous voice, really suited to jazz.

We also saw Lonnie Donegan there, another memory from my teens.

I went to see The Beatles at the Hammersmith Odeon a couple of times. My friend and I used to go to the NME Poll Winners Concert which meant we got to see almost everybody. I particularly remember The Stones, The Kinks and Tom Jones. I remember seeing Manfred Mann at a tiny club in Hounslow the week that 54321 made it to number one. A high point was seeing Bob Dylan at the Albert Hall in 1965 or 66 I think.

The sixties started for me with the advent of The Beatles, there were a couple of wilderness years before 1963 and then it exploded kind of peaking in the mid 60s

The thing I remember from the 1963 concert with Tommy Roe (Sweet Little Sheila and Dizzy) and Chris Montez (Let's Dance
and later on The More I See You) was that all the girls in the audience kept stamping their feet and shouting "We want The Beatles" after they'd been on as a supporting act!

It must have been difficult for the two stars of the show to come on stage after that.

I am sooo very envious of you all having these wonderful memories
Being born in the early 70's obviously I missed it all and have always been convinced I was born too late
I love modern music but, gosh, there was something magical about the music in that decade
Brilliant reading all of your posts

I had a great time in Liverpool in the 60s (no alcohol or drugs in the clubs). I remember seeing The Beatles at The Cavern and my first husband was in a supporting act. John Lennon had forgotten his guitar strap and OH loaned him one. He was a bit gutted when he realised that he had sold the guitar and included the strap!

The Byrds, Mr Tambourine Man. I was 13 and on a family holiday in Looe in Cornwall. This was playing everywhere. I have it on my iPhone playlist and every time I hear it I’m reminded of happy, carefree times in the sunshine with my Mum and Dad.

joannapiano

In 1965 I was 16 and had a holiday job in a record shop. We sold so many copies of “Go Now” by the Moody Blues that we just kept them in a big box under the counter so they were ready to sell to all the teens who came in. I played it over the loudspeaker that was outside the shop.

So did I, at 16, working in the "pop" department. What a gig.

However boyfriend of that time and I used to go to a Folk Club in Hull where the Watersons played which led to a love of Steeleye Span and similar: also started to like Summer of Love stuff, Janis Joplin et al, but also Dylan, Mamas and the Papas...so many more.

Marsh family have just done a Beatles Cover 30 mins ago
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVX2Qzu5u4k

not the best but fun.

FoghornLeghorn

The Byrds, Mr Tambourine Man. I was 13 and on a family holiday in Looe in Cornwall. This was playing everywhere. I have it on my iPhone playlist and every time I hear it I’m reminded of happy, carefree times in the sunshine with my Mum and Dad.

I was older but going out with someone that summer who played this all the time, if it wasn't playing he was singing it. He was a lovely young man but he also played cricket. 😴

Long John Baldry ❣

I saw Long John Baldry play a gig in a small venue in London when he was just starting out. He was very nice! Rod Stewart was on the bill. Rod lived quite locally and was quite young. Didn’t think much of his voice, though.

We went to lots of folk clubs. Donovan and Maddy Prior lived locally .

We also saw Long John Baldry in a venue above a garage in Derby. Rod Stewart and Elton John were in the band and, possibly, Ellie Brooke. I will eventually remember the name of the band.

Bonji Such a special time that sadly I don't think today's young people can experience .
Don't be sad. My granddaughter is eighteen. She has experienced the most wonderful teenage years. She has a large circle of friends. They have spent their summers swimming in the river in Oxford. Enjoyed parties at each others homes. They take the train to London for concerts, attend the big festivals with thousands of other young people. A few protest marches thrown in over the years. They study hard too.
My granddaughter is off to Greece for a holiday with friends once A levels are over. In her gap year she and several friends will 'do' Europe by train. She and her friends have made so many great memories.
I do of course realise it is not like that for everyone.
Her teenage years were far better than mine, 1956 onwards.

Alcon, The early 60’s was a lovely time for me but am probably now looking at it through ‘rose coloured glasses’. The opportunities for your granddaughter sound so good and if I’m honest both my own 2 daughters who were born in the mid 70’s were able to do much more than I could. I was supposed to go to university but my parents were not in a position to allow this so perhaps I should move on and accept today’s improvements.

I remember all of these, every name, every song. I can't pick a favourite although the first one that came to mind was Gary Puckett and The Union Gap. Sitting in the Bamboo Cafe, all us young ones, a bottle of Fanta and a straw, making it last all evening (had to be home by 10.30pm). If we were flush my friend and I got a plate of chips between us.

Saw the Beatles in Belfast with Billy J Kramer and band as the support act. The Post Mistress in our local town organised a bus/tickets trip. On the way home the bus stopped at a chippy on the outskirts of the city and I had just enough for a bag of chips.
Saw Roy Orbinson in the Flamingo in Ballymena. He came on stage, sang his songs, and walked off, no chat. Still wonderful.
Oh... wonderful memories.

I graduated in 1962, went on to teacher training and didn't have much time for the 'swinging' sixties by the time I got a job. I did like the fashions, though I never had the legs for a mini skirt and I dread to imagine the reaction of my teenage male pupils!
I think my favourite outfit was a black and white checked pinafore drtess - daringly just above the knees - worn with a white polo neck. An orange bouclé sleeveless keyhole dress was another big success. Black lacy stockings in those days before tights hit the market were my signature! I do well remember listening carefully to Top Ten (or was it Twenty?) on Radio Luxembourg every Sunday night so that I'd know how to communicate with the teenagers in my classes.

I969 I was a student and had just split with a long-term boyfriend and" J'taime ", was released.
Summer of 70 he landed back with Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge over troubled water" as a peace offering I know all the words.
No big groups came to our county, but I saw Lindisfarne and Coliseum as a student in concert.

Can anybody remember a very brief period when there were topless dresses? I think it was about 1967 and we had a new female History teacher called Miss Everson. She came from London and wore one although she wasn’t topless!

It was like a short pinafore dress and there was a cut out U shape under the boobs but she wore a skinny rib jumper. We thought she was very daring.