The British Invasion: December 4th, 1965

Only the Dave Clark 5…

… resided in the Hot 100 – Top 10 on December 4th, 1965, with their soon to be number 1, “Over and Over”.

The Hedgehopper’s Anonymous…

… made their U.S. Chart debut with “It’s Good News Week” – They actually had entered the charts the previous week also at number 100 – so they weren’t off to a very good start.  This song along with the Kinks “A Well Respected Man” marked a bit of a turn for Invasion themes – protest – in keeping with the wave of American groups and acts saturating the air waves in 1965  with “It Ain’t Me Babe” (Turtles), and “Let Me Be” – P.F. Sloan’s “Sins of a Family” – Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe” – and Sonny’s “Laugh at Me” and of course Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction”.  Heavy stuff……

The Hedgehopper’s were Ray Honeywell, Mick Tinsley, John Stewart and Leslie Dash – formerly known as The Trendsetters.  They became the Hedgehopper’s and then added Anonymous.  They were produced by Jonathan King.  The bad news about “Good News” is that it would be their only entry into the U.S. Hot 100.  In 1966 they would barely score with “Don’t Push Me” – topping out at number 110 with a short 5 week run.

Five Hedgehoppers Here

London Records – 1964….

..put these two ads out in Billboard in 1964 – featuring obscure acts like the Blue Orchids and Bill Clifton.

All Things British from London Records

Jumpin Gene and His Brit Label Mates

The Top of the Charts December 4th, 1965

(from Billboard Magazine)

Number 10 – Over and Over – The Dave Clark Five (up from #16)

Number 11 – Get Off My Cloud – The Rolling Stones (down from #5)

Number 14 – You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away – The Silkie (down from #10)

Number 16 – Make it Easy on Yourself – The Walker Brothers (up from #21)

Number 22 – I’m a Man – The Yardbirds (up from 27)

Number 23 – Everyone’s Gone to the Moon – Jonathan King (2nd week at #23)

Number 30 – Here It Comes Again – The Fortunes (up from #39)

December 4th, 1965 Invasion Debuts

Number 84 – A Well Respected Man – The Kinks (peaks at #13)

Number 100 – It’s Good News Week – Hedgehopper’s Anonymous (peaks at #48)

Number 129 – Take a Heart – The Sorrows (peaks at #129)

The Sorrows were one of the most obscure…..

….Invasion acts of 1965 – with “Take a Heart” entering and exiting after a single week on the “Bubbling Under”.  They were fronted by later-to-be-more-famous – Don Fardon – (“Indian Reservation” August of 1968 – yet another John D. Loudermilk composition).  The song reached number 21 in the U.K. but was also their only hit record there as well.  Other members included Wez Price (bass), Pip Whitcher (vocals) Bruce Finley (drums) and Roger Lomas (lead).

Short Lived Sorrows