21 Comments
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Rediscovering Vinyl's avatar

I love this! Great work. I have flagged this to go back and spend more time with it when I can sit and listen to the tracks I’m not familiar with and read a little more deeply. Being born in ‘65, this post triggers a lot of early nostalgia.

Michael Elliott's avatar

Thanks for reading - I’m glad it resonated!

Barbara W's avatar

Thanks for this. The only change I'd make is Buffalo Springfield shouldn't have been sidelined. They were very important to me back then.

Nadine3892's avatar

Wonderful post Michael. 1966 was the year I was born, so it was great to read into a deep dive on the defining cultural moments. Thanks for sharing and all the work you put into this!

Michael Elliott's avatar

Thanks so much for reading -glad you enjoyed it!

David Aplin's avatar

Not “Margo”. MARLO

David Aplin's avatar

Np. I try not to correct anyone else’s spelling or grammar, but when it’s obvious and early in the article I figure maybe it’s a small favour to the author. Not trying to be school teachy or ‘mom-like’. Otherwise a great read thanks for posting

Michael Elliott's avatar

Oh, I do appreciate it. I’m my own worst critic (aren’t we all, or should be), so when I goof, I prefer it pointed out, especially over a screw-up over a show I grew up watching!

Proof that you can proofread all day and still miss the forest for the trees.

Michael Elliott's avatar

Indeed! Thanks for catching what I should have.

GringoBalboa's avatar

Lots of work went into this. Great post !

David Gulickson's avatar

The best part of this era of music is the amazing range of styles and genres that made up pop music.

IncrediblyKool and diverse

M D Navalinski's avatar

Difficult to cover all the bases, socially, culturally and musically that were taking place but I must say you did a yeoman's superlative job of covering all the bases. Although I was only 13 and lived in a town much like Mayberry yet watching this all take place makes me happy I grew up at the right time and able to embrace that which was yet to come. Great time trip, Michael... thank you

Matthew Ingate's avatar

Even just those honourable mentions would have made it a year to remember, let alone all the features pics. Great post as always, and glad to see you're a fellow The Good, The Bad and The Ugly fan - just a perfect movie!

Michael Elliott's avatar

Indeed….The only thing it lacked was Claudia Cardinale!

Katie's avatar

I thought I must be dying as images of my 1966-self imbibing all these cultural 'memes' (not a thing back then) flashed before my eyes. You shook loose a remembrance of my coming across "Revolver" when my family stopped at a Holiday gas/convenience store on the way home from an outing in far-north Wisconsin. Had no idea that The Beatles had a new album, but checked my cash, discovered I had the 5 bucks to buy the album, and that fall/winter spent many hours immersed in what know-nothing-me considered the best album the Fab Four had conjured so far.

Herb Albert - I think I still have that Whipped Cream album I inherited from my mom's record collection, also her Merle Haggard albums. I played Sergio Leone's movie soundtrack nearly as often as Revolver! The Ghost and Mr. Chicken - a family movie outing. I could go on and on and on ....

My lord, but you hit my pop culture mother lode with this one! Only one bit left me clueless: Thunderbirds Are GO! If I ever heard of it, I must be among the ones "who could forget" it.

Well, I'm not dead, but I am eternally grateful for this Magical Mystery Tour - thanks for the memories!

Michael Elliott's avatar

Thanks for reading, and I’m glad it spurred so many memories!

Dan Pal's avatar

Very comprehensive look at '66. I would say though that "Dark Shadows" has a LOT of still very devoted fans, myself included. While that first year wasn't its best, it definitely became a major cultural phenomenon.

Michael Elliott's avatar

Absolutely...couldn't resist taking the piss a little (as the Brits say). It was one of my mom's favorite shows when I was a kid.

Thanks for reading!

Peter Holsapple's avatar

Peter Graves wasn’t in the 1966 season of Mission: Impossible. He came in for the next year’s season, replacing Steven Hill as Dan Briggs. Just FYI.

Michael Elliott's avatar

Right you are, sir - post corrected!

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