This Month In Music - April 1966

April 1966...  50 years ago!  What was happening in the music world:

There were five Saturdays in March. '66, so there the charts came out 5 times.  Three songs made it to #1.  Starting with  The Ballad Of The Green Berets, by Staff Sgt Barry Sadler, which finished a five week run at #1 on the first week.  The Righteous Brothers' song "(You're My) Soul And Inspiration" had a 3 week run at the top, and "Good Lovin'" by the Rascals topped the last week.  

Here's the Top 10 songs of the month, based on average chart position over the 4 weeks:

• Name – Artist – Average (April)
• (You're My)Soul And Inspiration - The Righteous Brothers – 1.6
• Daydream - The Lovin' Spoonful  - 4.2
• Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – Cher – 5.2
• Secret Agent Man - Johnny Rivers – 6.8
• Time Won'tLet Me - The Outsiders – 8.8
• I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - B.J. Thomas And The Triumphs – 9.6
• The Ballad Of The Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler – 10.0
• 19th Nervous Breakdown - The Rolling Stones  - 10.4
• Good Lovin' - The Young Rascals - 11.8
• Nowhere Man – Beatles – 12.8

Twenty-Six (26) songs made their chart debuts.  Listed below with their peak position during the month:

• Name - Artist - April Peak
• Monday,Monday - The Mamas & The Papas - 3
• Sloop John B - The Beach Boys - 4
• Leaning On The Lamp Post - Herman's Hermits - 10
• A Sign Of The Times - Petula Clark - 11
• Gloria - Shadows Of Knight - 11
• Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Bob Dylan - 14
• Shapes OfThings - The Yardbirds - 15
• Rhapsody In The Rain - Lou Christie - 16
• Try Too Hard - The Dave Clark Five - 17
• Message To Michael - Dionne Warwick - 18
• Together Again - Ray Charles - 19
• How Does That Grab You, Darlin'? - Nancy Sinatra - 21
• Eight Miles High - The Byrds - 22
• A GroovyKind Of Love - The Mindbenders - 23
• What Now My Love - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - 24
• Frankie And Johnny - Elvis Presley - 25
• Somewhere - Len Barry - 26
• Spanish Flea - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - 27
• When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge - 29
• Think I'll Go Somewhere And Cry Myself To Sleep - Al Martino - 30
• I Hear Trumpets Blow - The Tokens - 30
• Satisfaction - Otis Redding - 31
• Caroline, No - Brian Wilson - 32
• The Phoenix Love Theme (Senza Fine) - The Brass Ring featuring Phil Bodner - 33
• Inside-Looking Out - The Animals  - 34
• The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) - The Walker Bros. - 39