BBCR2 - 1970 - Sounds of the 20th Century

It's the year of the year of the Kent State shootings and 

Apollo 13's "problem". In South America, Bobby Moore is

 arrested and England lose an epic World Cup tie against 

West Germany. Back home the new 18 year-old voters

 help to defeat Labour and elect a Conservative government 

led by Edward Heath. And the music industry mourns

 Janice Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

 1970 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1969 - Sounds of the 20th Century

1969 is another momentous year, as Neil Armstrong 

takes one small step for man, fighting intensifies in 

Vietnam, Teddy Kennedy's presidential aspirations 

drown in the waters of Chappaquiddick, and the 

British Army is on the streets of Northern Ireland.

Significant releases include Stanley Kubrick's 2001: 

A Space Odyssey and David Bowie's Space Oddity. 

Meanwhile, John Lennon & Yoko Ono are in bed to 

Give Peace A Chance and 400,000 young people 

are getting "far out" at Woodstock.

 1969 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1968 - Sounds of the 20th Century

1968 is a turbulent year: Martin Luther King and Bobbie Kennedy 

both fall to assassin's bullets. Russian tanks snuff out the Prague 

Spring, Paris is in flames as students go on the rampage, and 

three American athletes give the black power salute at the 

Mexico Olympics. And the music reflects the mood: Arthur Brown's 

Fire, Jose Feliciano's Light My Fire and Julie Driscoll's 

This Wheel's on Fire.

1968 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1967 - Sounds of the 20th Century

1967 is the year when the government shuts down pirate 

radio and Tony Blackburn launches the BBC's replacement 

service on 247 metres. The Beatles play All You Need Is 

Love to a worldwide audience and the other big TV stars are 

Dr Finlay, Simon Dee, The Monkees and The Prisoner.

The Rolling Stones are in court, but tourists are flocking to 

Carnaby Street and Swinging London. It's also the year of 

devaluation, Bonnie and Clyde and Flower Power.

1967 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1966 - Sounds of the 20th Century

1966 is the year of England's World Cup triumph. The word

 "trip" takes on a new meaning as The Byrds go 8 Miles 

High and the Beach Boys celebrate Good Vibrations. 

But it's also the year of Harold Wilson's prices and 

wages freeze and the gritty realism of Alfie, Till Death 

Us Do Part and Z Cars. For James Brown It's A Man's

 Man's Man's World, on the catwalks there's a battle 

between mini and maxi skirts and in 

south-east Asia, The War Drags On.

1966 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1965 - Sounds of the 20th Century

In 1965 Britain mourns Winston Churchill and Richard Dimbleby. 

America experiences riots at home and war in Vietnam. It's the 

year of Like a Rolling Stone, Mr Tambourine Man, My Generation, 

Satisfaction and Yesterday, and on the radio Alan Freeman's 

Pick of the Pops is still required listening, but the latest transistor 

radios are tuned to Caroline and Big L. Meanwhile, on black 

and white TV, everyone's watching The Avengers and 

The Man from UNCLE.

Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1964 - Sounds of the 20th Century

In 1964, British teenagers get their first taste of all-day pop 

radio as the pirate ships sail onto the medium wave. 

America goes all the way with LBJ, and while the Mods 

and Rockers are fighting on the beaches, Harold Wilson

 ends 13 years of Tory rule.

Meanwhile, The Beatles are busy conquering America

 and Tamla Motown's doing the same in the UK. People 

are Dancin' in the Street but it's A Hard Day's Night.

 Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1963 - Sounds of the 20th Century

The year opens with the big freeze and ends with the world mourning 

a young President shot dead in Dallas Texas. In between, Lord Beeching 

 wields his axe on Britain's railways and it's the year of the Great 

Train Robbery. In music, there's a Mersey boom and chart 

domination for the new beat groups from Liverpool. And there's a revolution 

underway in television too, led by the young David Frost

 and That Was the Week That Was.

Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1962 - Sounds of the 20th Century

This week's programme charts the emergence of a four piece combo from 

Liverpool and a folk-singer from Minnesota. The world holds its breath as

 the Cuban missile crisis threatens to boil over into a world nuclear war 

and the very first communications satellite is celebrated in the pop charts, 

as the film world mourns Marilyn Monroe.

 1962 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1961 - Sounds of the 20th Century

The year is 1961, John and Ringo will be 21 years old, Paul 19 and George 18.

 Hamburg is calling and this time George is legally allowed to play.

This week, we reach 1961, the year of Chubby Checker and Checkpoint Charlie, 

Beyond the Fringe and Ban the Bomb. Britain gets its first legal betting shops 

and Horace Batchelor promises guaranteed success on the football pools. 

Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space, there's a rare British triumph

 at Wimbledon and 16 year-old Helen Shapiro tops the chart.

 1961 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1960 - Sounds of the 20th Century

The year is 1960, John and Ringo will be 20 years old, Paul 18 and George 17.

 Hamburg is calling.

1960, the year of Lady Chatterley, the movie Psycho and the U2 spy plane affair. Also this year, America elects a new President and there's a Wind of
Change blowing through Africa. Elvis leaves the Army, Johnnie Kidd is
Shakin' All Over and Eddie Cochran takes Three Steps to Heaven.

1960 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1959 - Sounds of the 20th Century

The year is 1959, John and Ringo will be 19 years old, Paul 17 and George 16.

1959, the year when "Mac the Knife" wins the Tories a third successive 

general election and National Service is abolished. General de Gaulle is the 

new president of France and the communist Fidel Castro takes over in Cuba. 

World Champion racing driver Mike Hawthorne is killed on the Guildford 

bypass and at Wembley Elton John's cousin Roy breaks his leg in the Cup Final. In the music industry, 78s are discontinued and the stars on 45 are
Adam Faith, Anthony Newley and (the late) Buddy Holly.

 1959 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1957 - Sounds of the 20th Century

The year is 1957, John and Ringo will be 17 years old, Paul 15 and George 14.

On Saturday July 6th, 1957, at Woolton Parish Church Garden Fete, Liverpool.

a certain Paul McCartney was introduced to John Lennon.

At least seven of the songs included in this show were cover by

The Beatles or solo. This episode is a cracker.

Ayear when Britain gets a new Prime Minister and Russia wins the
space race by launching the first Sputnik. On television, the kids are
watching Six-Five Special; a schoolboy from Esher makes his TV debut
in a skiffle group; and Mum and Dad are baffled by Panorama's
April Fool's Day hoax.

Meanwhile, Jack Jackson is the spinning the platters that matter on
Radio Luxembourg. Elvis is All Shook Up, Tommy Steele is Singing the
Blues and there's a Whole Lotta Shakin Goin' On.

 1957 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1956 - Sounds of the 20th Century

The year is 1956, John and Ringo will be 16 years old, Paul 14 and George 13.

A year of tragedy as Paul loses his mother Mary. to Cancer. 

At least five of the songs included in this show were cover by

The Beatles or solo.

The year of Rock Around the Clock, the Hungarian Revolution, the 

Suez Crisis and petrol coupons. Archbishop Makarios and 

Commander Crabbe are two of the year's most controversial names. 

Floyd Patterson becomes the new World Heavyweight Champion, 

Jim Laker takes all 10 wickets in a Test Match and the Teddy Boys 

are "ripping it up" all over the UK. Meanwhile, Tommy Steele is the UK's 

new pin-up boy and skiffle arrives with Lonnie Donegan and Rock Island Line.

 Beatles Jam - Rock Island Line

BBCR2 - 1956 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1955 - Sounds of the 20th Century

1955 - Liverpool Overhead Railway 

photographed from Strand Street. 

Please visit http://streetsofliverpool.co.uk/ for more 

amazing photos of Liverpool.

 

The year is 1955, John and Ringo will be 15 years old, Paul 13 and George 12.

A huge year of musical influence, as at least five of the songs featured in this 

show will be covered by The Beatles or Solo.

 

A year when when a young singer called Elvis Presley starts to get 

noticed. BBC Television gets its first competitor with the arrival 

of ITV and shows like Take Your Pick and Dragnet. James Dean is

killed before moviegoers have seen him in Rebel without a Cause, 

Ruth Ellis becomes the last woman in Britain to be hanged and 

Kim Philby is unmasked as the Third Man.

BBCR2 - 1955 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1954 - Sounds of the 20th Century

1954 Odeon Cinema London Road Liverpool

30 years later this was the venue for the Liverpool

Premiere of McCartney's Give my Regards to Broad Street.

Please visit http://streetsofliverpool.co.uk/ for more 

amazing photos of Liverpool.

The year is 1954, John and Ringo will be 14 years old, Paul 12 and George 11

The year when Roger Bannister breaks the "unbreakable" record - 

the 4-minute mile; the Prime Minister celebrates his 80th birthday; and 

a young American preacher launches his London Crusade.

It was also the year for the release of Shake Rattle and Roll.

Youtube

1954 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1953 - Sounds of the 20th Century

Liverpool decorated for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth
II in 1953. Photographs provided by Harry and Tanya McGibbon of Maghull.
Please Visit BBC Liverpool History

The year is 1953, John and Ringo will be 13 years old, Paul 11 and George 10
The future Beatles are growing up fast.

A year dominated by the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. 

Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing are feted as the conquerors 

of Everest and England win the Ashes.

1953 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1952 - Sounds of the 20th Century

1952 Aerial ViewPlease visit http://streetsofliverpool.co.uk/ for more 

amazing photos of Liverpool.

The year is 1952, John and Ringo will be 12 years old, Paul 10 and George 9.

The death of a king and the accession of a new queen; 

chaos in London as the Great Smog kills thousands; the 

UK's first pop chart and number one single (Al Martino's

Here in My Heart); the Helsinki Olympics, 

Gene Kelly Singin' in the Rain and much more.

1952 - Sounds of the 20th Century

BBCR2 - 1951 - Sounds of the 20th Century

February 1951 from the Picton Library and
is a moody shot of William Brown Street
Please visit http://streetsofliverpool.co.uk/ for more 

amazing photos of Liverpool.

The year is 1951, John and Ringo will be 11 years old, Paul 9 and George 8.

Six years after the end of the Second World War and we find a Britain adjusting

to it's new place in the world.

1951 - Sounds of the 20th Century