Nineteen sixty-five was the year the Beatles relinquished a big gooey dollop of their kiddywink appeal for American tweenies to another English group, Herman’s Hermits, from Manchester. While the Beatles surrendered quite a chunk of their disc sales too compared with 1964, they moved on to more mature music and broadened their fanbase, “peaking” with Yesterday, of Elizabethan pedigree. Couldn’t get much older-style or high-falutin’ than that. The Hermits, led by 17-year-old Peter Noone of panto and Coronation Street experience, stole the Beatles’ music hall base which they wouldn’t fully reclaim until the Sgt Pepper’s album two years later.
The Rolling Stones hit the US in a big way and around the world in 1965. From left, Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, a stoned Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, a young, relatively humanoid Keith Richard
Subdued beneath these English groups in singles sales were the most popular American groups, the Beach Boys and the Four Seasons hardly rating outright million-sellers anymore and now joined by the Byrds, Sonny & Cher and the Lovin’ Spoonful. In fact, at the height of the British Invasion the Beatles were slow off the mark to raise an RIAA Gold Disc. But the British showed their overall influence by converting to their style not only the Byrds (supposedly inspired by Bob Dylan) but popsters Gary Lewis & the Playboys and big-voiced soloist P. J. Proby.
P. J. Proby: from Texas, endorsed in the UK by the Beatles and had talent overflowing enough to go worldwide and then some.
Businesswise, it was a strangely divided year: high selling in the New Year and early spring when Petula Clark and Roger Miller had easily their biggest-ever hits, the Temptations and Marvin Gaye their biggest of mid decade and lesser Brit acts; but turning to distinctly mediocre by June, after which hot young acts like the Byrds couldn’t sell a million with a strong tail wind of publicity and Bob Dylan and the Beatles beneath their wings. The Byrds’ Mr Tambourine Man and Turn, Turn, Turn both hit no.1 in the US for multiple weeks but failed to sell a million in a low-selling period of 1965 during generally rising sales — the first one their top seller ever at a documented 900,000 nationally.
1. A Taste Of Honey (Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass)…. reported as 4.5 million US in 16 months, supporting mega-million sales of their albums
2. Wooly Bully (Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs)….. well over 2 million
3. I Can’t Help Myself (Four Tops)…. 2,500,000
4. King Of the Road (Roger Miller)…… 2 million or more
5. Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter (Herman’s Hermits)…. sold a million US in first week
6. Downtown (Petula Clark)…. instant million-seller and eventually 3 million in US
7. My Girl (Temptations)….. eventually passing 2 million in US
8. Yesterday (Beatles)….. 1,800,000 in US
9. I’m Henry VIII I Am (Herman’s Hermits)….. over 600,000 orders in 2 days
10. I Got You Babe (Sonny & Cher)….. certified gold within two months and continuing strong to reach 3 million in next two years
We Can Work It Out (Beatles)…… 1,600,000 in US
Help! (Beatles)…. sold a million in US in one week
Satisfaction (Rolling Stones)…. a quick US million of its 4.5 million worldwide
Let’s Hang On (Four Seasons)….. est. 1,500,000 or more
I Got You (I Feel Good) (James Brown)…. a certified million in under 2 months
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Righteous Bros)…. nearing a million in under two months
Eve Of Destruction (Barry McGuire)….. a million and a half US
Get Off Of My Cloud (Rolling Stones)….. 500,000 US in 5 days
1 – 2 – 3 (Len Barry)….. 1,500,000
Stop In the Name of Love (Supremes)….. sold a prompt million US early spring
Help Me Rhonda (Beach Boys)….. over a million in its chart run
Ticket to Ride (Beatles)….. 750,000 orders but slow to retail the million
Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat? (Herman’s Hermits)…. certified a million US in ten weeks
This Diamond Ring (Gary lewis & the Playboys)…. a million US in less than 3 months
The Birds and the Bees (Jewel Aken)….. a fast million in early spring
I Hear a Symphony (Supremes)….. over half in US of world total of more than 2 million
Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag (James Brown)….. ditto US & world
Treat Her Right (Roy Head)…… 1,300,000
A Lover’s Concerto (Toys)….. certified gold in less than 3 months
Like a Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan)….. certified gold in 3 months
Hang On Sloopy (McCoys)…. certified gold in 5 months
Crying In the Chapel (Elvis Presley)….. certified gold US in summer
‘In’ Crowd (Ramsey Lewis Trio)….. gold
I Like It Like That (Dave Clark Five)….. reported million in US
Eight Days a Week (Beatles)….. took 6 months to be certified gold
Back In My Arms Again (Supremes)….. eventual million US
Over and Over (Dave Clark Five)……. million-seller US
Game Of Love (Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders)….. probable spring million-seller
Count Me In (Gary Lewis & the Playboys)…. est. million US
The Name Game (Shirley Ellis)…. fast New Year seller
Flowers On the Wall (Statler Bros)…. sold a million into 1966
Keep On Dancing (Gentrys)…. a million US subsequently
Where the Action Is (Freddie Cannon)…. pop music tv theme, went gold in tv season
I’m Into Something Good (Herman’s Hermits)…. half million or so at first, passed a million during their US tour in May six months later
Hold What You’ve Got (Joe Tex)….. took almost a year to sell the million US
I’m Telling You Now (Freddie & the Dreamers)…. no.1 US but no reported gold disc
You Were On My Mind (We Five)….. passed 600,000 two weeks into top 20 US
What’s New Pussycat? (Tom Jones)…. almost a million in US chart run
California Girls (Beach Boys)…… debated million-seller US
Catch Us if You Can (Dave Clark Five)….. label claimed a million-seller
Tired Of Waiting for You (Kinks)….. ditto
All Day and All of the Night (Kinks)….. ditto, New Year seller
Unchained Melody (Righteous Bros)….. ditto, summer seller
Ebb Tide (Righteous Bros)…. ditto, Xmas seller
Red Roses for a Blue Lady (Bert Kaempfert)….. a subsequent million
Keep Searchin’ (Del Shannon)….. eventual million sale reported
Baby I’m Yours (Barbara Lewis)….. ditto
Save Your Heart for Me (Gary lewis & the Playboys)….. close to a million
The Boy From New York City (Ad Libs)….. gold unclaimed
Silhouettes (Herman’s Hermits)….. advance of 400,000 and eventual million
Mr Tambourine Man (Byrds)….. reported 900,000 in US
Turn Turn Turn (Byrds)….. less than 900,000 in US despite 3 weeks at no.1
Ferry Cross the Mersey (Gerry & the Pacemakers)….. est. 850,000
England Swings (Roger Miller)….. reported approaching a million
The Clapping Song (Shirley Ellis)….. ditto
Everybody Loves a Clown (Gary lewis & the Playboys)…. est. over 800,000
Nowhere to Run (Martha & the Vandellas)….. est. ditto
Goldfinger (Shirley Bassey)…. est. ditto
Bye Bye Baby (Four Seasons)….. three quarters of a million or more
Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte (Patti Page)…… est ditto
How Sweet It Is (Marvin Gaye)….. over 800,000 as reported by Marvin
I’m A Fool (Dino, Desi & Billy)…… reported as 800,000 US
It’s the Same Old Song (Four Tops)….. over 750,000
Positively 4th Street (Bob Dylan)….. reported as 750,000-plus
Wonderful World (Herman’s Hermits)….. probably no more than three quarters of its world million in the US
Engine Engine No.9 (Roger Miller)….. est. 750,000 or so
I Go to Pieces (Peter & Gordon)….. est. ditto
It’s Not Unusual (Tom Jones)….. est. ditto
Baby Don’t Go (Sonny & Cher)….. est. around three quarters of a million US
It Ain’t Me Babe (Turtles)….. est. ditto
Just a Little Bit Better (Herman’s Hermits)….. probably less than 750,000 in US
I’ll Be Doggone (Marvin Gaye)….. est. ditto
Ain’t That Peculiar (Marvin Gaye)….. est. ditto
Just Once in My Life (Righteous Bros)…. est. ditto
I Will (Dean Martin)…. est. ditto
Don’t Think Twice (Four Seasons)…… sold a fast half-million and continued
Laugh At Me (Sonny)…. over 700,000 US
The Last Time (Rolling Stones)….. sold less in US (est. 700,000) than in UK
Do You Wanna Dance? (Beach Boys)….. est. 700,000
People Get Ready (Impressions)…. ditto
True Love Ways (Peter & Gordon)….. est. ditto
Last Chance to Turn Around (Gene Pitney)….. est. ditto
Reelin’ and Rockin’ (Dave Clark Five)….. ditto
Do the Freddie (Freddie & the Dreamers)….. est. 650,000 US
We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place (Animals)….. est. 650,000
I’m Yours (Elvis Presley)….. 650,000 initially, gold long term
Puppet On a String (Elvis Presley)…. initially over half a million, long term gold disc US
Nothing But Heartaches (Supremes)….. est. around 600,000
Come Home (Dave Clark Five)…. ditto
Houston (Dean Martin)….. ditto
Little Girl I Once Knew (Beach Boys)….. est. 600,000 or so
But You’re Mine (Sonny & Cher)…. est. ditto
Tracks of My Tears (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles)…. est. ditto
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (Animals)….. est. ditto
Mohair Sam (Charlie Rich)….. est. ditto
In the Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett)…. est. ditto
Send Me the Pillow You Dream On (Dean Martin)….. est. ditto
Heart Of Stone (Rolling Stones)….. est. 600,000
You Were Made For Me (Freddie & the Dreamers)….. reported 600,000 in US
Girl On the Billboard (Del Reeves)….. est. ditto, c&w no.1 for many weeks
With These Hands (Tom Jones)….. probably 600,000
Willow Weep For Me (Chad & Jeremy)….. est. ditto
Before and After (Chad & Jeremy)….. est. ditto
It’s My Life (Animals)….. est. ditto
Set Me Free (Kinks)….. est. ditto
Lookin’ Through the Eyes of Love (Gene Pitney)…… est. ditto
Tell Me Why (Elvis Presley)….. just over 500,000 initially, gold long term
(Such An) Easy Question….. Estimated half a million sales or more
I’ll Be There (Gerry & the Pacemakers)….. est. half-million or so
I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail (Buck Owens)…. top c&w disc selling over a half-million
I Must Be Seeing Things (Gene Pitney)….. est. ditto
Girl Come Running (Four Seasons)…. est. ditto
Just You (Sonny & Cher)….. est. half a million
I Understand (Freddie & the Dreamers)….. reported half a million US
Blue Christmas (Elvis Presley)….. probably around a half-million this Xmas, awarded gold long term
Do the Clam (Elvis Presley)…. reported just under half-million
