Category: M’s Track of the Day

In tribute to the Supremes’ Mary Wilson, who has died at the age of 76, here is the group’s seventh No 1 in America. I have never been a big … Continue readingThe Supremes: You Can’t Hurry Love

I was never a Bee Gees fan but this is tuneful. It was written by the group – brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb – and in 1967 it was … Continue readingThe Bee Gees: Massachusetts

Written by Perry Ford and Les Vandyke and released in 1960, this was Adam Faith’s third hit single. The first two (What Do You Want? and Poor Me) were chart-toppers but this stuck … Continue readingAdam Faith: Someone Else’s Baby

One of my favourite songs, I can include this in pop as there are great versions by the Poni Tails and Brenda Lee. I have written at some length about … Continue readingI’ll Be Seeing You

This was written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Tony Powers and first recorded in 1962 by Bob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans, with Spector producing. It reached No … Continue readingBob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans: Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Heart?

This was composed by Allie Wrubel and Ray Gilbert for the 1946 Disney film Song of the South and sung by James Baskett. Phil Spector produced it with Bob B Soxx and … Continue readingBob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Next in the Phil Spector season is this song which he co-wrote with husband and wife team Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. It was first recorded by Darlene Love in … Continue readingChapel of Love

This is an early Spector production, pre-Wall of Sound, from 1961. It was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King (in all honesty it is a long way from their … Continue readingGene Pitney: Every Breath I Take

Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, this sounds like a quintessential Spector number but it was produced by his protégé Jerry Riopelle for his Phi-Dan label. It reached No … Continue readingBonnie and the Treasures: Home of the Brave

Written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King and Phil Spector, this was the follow-up to the Righteous Brothers’ first hit, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’. Although to my ear it is … Continue readingThe Righteous Brothers: Just Once in My Life