50 albums released in 1963 (that weren't by The Beatles)
50 years ago today, The Beatles released Please Please Me, the debut album that marked the beginning of Beatlemania proper as the Fab Four began their conquest of the charts for the rest of the decade.
Now, we're certified Beatlemaniacs here at MusicRadar, but in among all the Beatle-based excitement, we know that 1963 was one hell of a year for music, with landmark releases for fans of soul, jazz, folk and much more.
So here are 50 of the best albums released half a century ago, for you to explore once you've finished giving Please Please Me a celebratory spin.
Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
By 1963, Buddy Holly had been dead four years, but his shadow still loomed large over the rock and pop world. Compiled from various finished tracks and demos, with rockabilly-flavoured overdubs from Tex-Mex group The Fireballs, Reminiscing is a remarkably coherent tribute to one of the greats.
Chuck Berry On Stage
A strange one this: marketed as a live album, and purportedly recorded at Chicago’s Tivoli Theater, a close listen reveals that the screaming and applause appear to have been added in post-production. Still, all the hits are here, and they’re the hits that rock and roll were built on, so we forgive you Chuck.
Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard and the Shadows
Could Cliff possible have known, as he was cutting Bachelor Boy for this impossibly sunny film soundtrack, that he would remain one for the next half a century? Summer Holiday is undoubtedly cheesy, but a handful of numbers – including the title track – have seeped into the British national consciousness regardless.
Folksinger - Dave Van Ronk
A contemporary of Bob Dylan on the New York folk revival scene, Dave Van Ronk had a style and delivery all of his own, and it’s thrown into sharp relief on Folksinger. Full of powerful performances, unique guitar arrangements and a voice like treacle poured over thunder, this is essential listening for aspiring folkies.
Back At The Chicken Shack - Jummy Smith
You don’t get many organists making funk-fuelled jazz odysseys these days, and if you ask us, that’s a crying shame. Jimmy Smith, alongside Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine and Donald Bailey work up a top-notch set here that has very little to do with chickens (or shacks).
Folk Songs And Blues - Mississippi John Hurt
Having spent most of his life working as a farmer, Mississippi John Hurt’s arrival into the world of popular music at the age of 70 (ish, he wasn’t too sure of his actual birthday) was one of the most remarkable events of the folk revival. This set of live recordings helped establish the legend.
Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963 - Sam Cooke
Raunchier and rockier than his studio recordings, Live At The Harlem Square Club is a fascinating – and utterly thrilling – experience from beginning to end, the atmosphere of the club perfectly captured. Cooke has the audience in the palm of his hand throughout, a masterful performance. And yes, we're aware that it wasn't actually released in 1963, but s it was recorded then (and it's so damn good), we're letting it slide...
Sugar And Spice - The Searchers
One of the most popular of the Mersey beat groups, The Searchers had a pretty decent run in the early ‘60s, and Sugar And Spice shows why. A set of flawlessly performed covers with a hit original single thrown in for good measure, it helped make 1963 a vintage year for Scouse songsmiths.
Sinatra's Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
An attempt by big Frank to make a quick buck with a set of re-records of his classic hits, Sinatra’s Sinatra may feel like little more than an attempt to fit the word ‘Sinatra’ into the titles as many times as possible, but it’s still better than anything Michael Buble has done, so we’ll leave it alone.
Blood, Sweat And Tears - Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash knew a thing or two about hard work – this was his 15th album since 1957, a statistic which puts literally every modern musician to shame – and he talks all about it on Blood, Sweat And Tears, nine songs about American working life that included stone cold classics Busted and The Legend Of John Henry’s Hammer.
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
After a debut album that did next to nothing in the States, Dylan needed to do something special with his second effort, and man, did he manage it. With The Freewheelin’, Dylan emerges as one of the most innovative and original song writing forces of the ‘60s. One of the greatest albums ever recorded, hands down.
Live At The Apollo - James Brown
The Godfather of Soul was still a relative pup when he recorded this seminal live album at Harlem’s now world-famous Apollo Theater. Regularly cited as one of the greatest records of all time, it almost didn’t get released: Brown’s label King Records felt that it wouldn’t be a big seller. Turns out they were wrong: fans went just as wild for the record as the shrieking crowd that can be heard throughout it.
In The Wind - Peter, Paul And Mary
Peter, Paul And Mary may not have been cool (they still aren’t in case you’re wondering), but on In The Wind, they helped bring Bob Dylan’s songwriting to the fore with covers of Don’t Thing Twice, It’s All Right and Blowin’ In The wing, something for which we are eternally grateful. Well done, you biblically names folkies...
Monk's Dream - Thelonious Monk
Thanks to his distinctive playing style and love of dissonant harmonies, jazz pianist Monk’s music wasn’t always universally appreciated. This 1963 release, however - his first for Columbia Records - is now regarded as something of a classic, and became one of his best-selling recordings.
If You Need Me - Soloman Burke
Not for nothing was Solomon Burke known as The King of Rock N’Soul, and his earthy R&B also contained elements of gospel, country and jazz. Despite his immense physical presence, Burke never had the commercial clout of some of his contemporaries, but this 1963 Atlantic release demonstrates that he was a match for any of them.
Marvin Gaye Recorded Live On Stage
Live performances were never straightforward for Marvin Gaye. He suffered from stage fright in his early years, and in 1983, paranoia relating to an alleged murder attempt led him to wear a bulletproof vest while he was on stage. There’s no hint of such problems in this exuberant recording, which has him reeling off hits such as Stubborn Kind Of Fellow and Pride And Joy with the help of Martha And The Vandellas.
Top Ten - Etta James
James’s 1963 album is stuffed with classic recordings, not least her take on Mack Gordon and Harry Warren’s At Last. Recently adopted by Beyonce (who played Etta in 2008 Chess Records biopic Cadillac records), this version remains the definitive one. Despite the album’s title, which was derived from the fact that it contained a selection of James’s top ten hits from the previous three years, it peaked at 117 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius - Little Stevie Wonder
When we were 12 our major concerns were remembering to feed our pet guinea pigs and breaking into the school football team. Little Stevie Wonder had other things on his mind - recording his first live album, for instance. It was pretty successful, too, topping the Billboard 200 chart.
