4 Heart-Tugging Ballads That Hit Big on the Charts in 1966

You will rarely ever go wrong with a heartfelt ballad. That’s especially true if the song is properly rendered. It can’t be overdone, but it also needs to ensure that the listener feels the emotion that needs to be conveyed.

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If you’re looking for good years in music history for the slow stuff, you could do worse than starting with 1966. These four A-level ballads all made a big splash on the pop charts that year.

“What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” by Jimmy Ruffin

For as much success as the label enjoyed, Motown didn’t traffic all that often in heartsick slow songs. They certainly delivered plenty of emotion-packed singles. But they mostly kept the tempo in the mid-to-fast range. “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” slowed things down, however. It was a bit odd that this stellar track, written by Paul Riser, James Dean, and William Weatherspoon, made it to Jimmy Ruffin, considering he didn’t have a lot of success before recording it. But the brother of David Ruffin of The Temptations made the most of his opportunity, milking the sad-sack lyrics for everything they’re worth.

“Cherish” by The Association

Most people hear “Cherish” as a love song. But when you listen to those lyrics closely, you can hear the sting of the story. The narrator is desperately trying to say the right words to the girl he loves because he hasn’t yet figured out how to make her reciprocate those feelings. And, considering how many others are trying to woo her, it’s likely that even the title word won’t do the trick. Terry Kirkman of The Association wrote the song, and he adds his vocals to the wonderful blend that these guys brought to the table. When they hit that key change into the final verse, “Cherish” achieves legendary status right then and there.

“(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration” by The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley wasn’t just perched behind the mike and paying no attention in the early years of The Righteous Brothers. He was subtly taking in what producer Phil Spector was doing with his Wall of Sound approach. When Medley needed to recreate that sound after the duo stopped working with Spector, he had it down pat. “(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration” resembled “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” enough that the duo initially declined to record it. Luckily, they recalled the track when needing to step out from under Spector’s mentorship. Written by Jeff Barry and Elle Greenwich, the song proved the ideal vehicle for those two powerhouse voices.

“The Poor Side Of Town” by Johnny Rivers

Johnny Rivers stands out as one of the more underrated hitmakers of the 60s. The guy consistently churned out smash singles, even as he subtly changed his tactics to keep up with the times. With “Poor Side Of Town”, he jumped on the wave of strings-laced pop songs that were all the rage at that time. He also co-wrote this song with producer Lou Adler. The class difference between the narrator and the girl he’s addressing was a common concern in pop music around that time. Think of songs like “Rag Doll” by The Four Seasons or “Can’t Buy Me Love” by The Beatles as other examples. “Poor Side Of Town” attacks the topic with just the right amount of genuine emotion.

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