29 May 1964 Here's the other half of Ireland's only joint number one single, along with Eileen Reid and The Cadets' 'Fallen Star'. I see Dickie Rock's group have here dropped the word 'Showband' from their name and are going by The Miamis, perhaps to seem like a proper '60s outfit. The only version of … Continue reading Dickie Rock and The Miamis – ‘I’m Yours’ →

22 May 1964 No prizes for guessing which Liverpool four-piece pop group the Irish record-buying public of 1964 loved most. That's right, it's The Searchers, here with their third Irish number one in only nine months and our eighth chart-topping single from a Merseyside act in a year. Their version of 'Don't Throw Your Love … Continue reading The Searchers – ‘Don’t Throw Your Love Away’ →

29 May 1964 Here's the first Irish number one single by an Irish woman. You'd think that Irish pop-cultural landmark would be more widely known and recognised, but prior to this I really only knew Eileen Reid from her TV appearances in the '80s and after, some of which were religious in subject. The only … Continue reading Eileen Reid and The Cadets – ‘Fallen Star’ →

8 May 1964 Not quite nepo-baby level, but it's sure handy if in 1964 you're in a pop group looking for a hit, your sister's boyfriend is Paul McCartney, and he's even sharing a room with you in your family home. That's how Peter Asher, brother of actress and then-Beatle-partner Jane, gets an unused Lennon-McCartney … Continue reading Peter and Gordon – ‘A World Without Love’ →

17 April 1964 I'll be honest: I thought we'd be seeing more Beatles number ones than this. Anyway, it's mid-1964 and Ireland gets only its second Fab Four chart-topper. For comparison, in America 'Can't Buy Me Love' was the third number one in a row by The Beatles, after 'She Loves You' and 'I Want … Continue reading The Beatles – ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ →

27 March 1964 I've just noticed on the record sleeve above how eerily similar Jim Reeves looks to Jim Jones, the '70s US cult leader of the Jonestown massacre, and now I can't unsee it. Anyway, here's another chart-topper from the '60s US cult leader of country & Irish. Not that any Jim Reeves record … Continue reading Jim Reeves – ‘I Love You Because’ →

20 March 1964 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' is the first Irish number one single to be performed by a woman. Unfortunately, that woman isn't Dionne Warwick, who had the original US hit with this song. Instead, before any release on this side of the pond, future TV matchmaker Cilla Black (real name: Cilla White) … Continue reading Cilla Black – ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’ →

14 February 1964 Here's our first Irish number one single written by someone called Bono - Sonny Bono, along with wall-of-sound and Wrecking Crew associate Jack Nitzsche and the song's original singer, Jackie DeShannon. Sonny will soon also team up with the redoubtable Cher, and all those names will be rubbing elbows with the vanguard … Continue reading The Searchers – ‘Needles And Pins’ →

31 January 1964 Football watchers will know the stompy, shouty chorus of 'Glad All Over' from being played pre-match and post-goal by Crystal Palace, the song's early adopter, and several other club sides since, including Shamrock Rovers. To be honest, that second career in football cheerleading is probably the only reason anyone still thinks of … Continue reading The Dave Clark Five – ‘Glad All Over’ →

3 January 1964 I don't know who I expected to find as Ireland's biggest pop star of the '60s, but I was still surprised to see that it was Dickie Rock. The guy singing cabaret schmaltz on Live At 3 in the '80s? Well, yes: over the next two years he has six Irish number … Continue reading Dickie Rock and The Miami Showband – ‘There’s Always Me’ →