The 1961 Landscape

[Sherlock Houses]

Another truly magnificent song from the 'landscape' period - reaching the charts in April 1962, just as James Hanratty was losing his life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRULqLhxKBU

That truly is a great Ray Charles song, "You don't know me" Limehouse.

Just a slight correction here, in that the song wasn't released in the UK until late August 1962, entering the charts in mid-September. I remember that summer of '62 very well. I was in junior school and there were absolutely loads of great songs around such as Bobby Darin's "Things" and Ray Charles's immortal classic "I can't stop loving you", which was descending the charts just as "You don't know me" was entering the charts.

One of my favourite songs ever entered the charts on August 23rd 1962, exactly 12 months after the A6 murder. This song is magical.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiZ3KKZe26A

[Limehouse]

Another truly magnificent song from the 'landscape' period - reaching the charts in April 1962, just as James Hanratty was losing his life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRULqLhxKBU

[Sherlock Houses]

1961 was a very eventful year worldwide. As mentioned earlier on in this thread the erection of the Berlin Wall occurred in August around the time of the A6 murder. On April 12, the Russian astronaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first man in space when he orbited the Earth, and the day before, on April 11th the trial of the nazi war criminal, Adolf Eichmann, began in Jerusalem. This lengthy trial is available for viewing on YouTube and has been for some time. It makes for fascinating and harrowing viewing.

[Robert]

Hi Beowulf

I don't know why Gerry and the Pacemakers faded from view, when they could write and perform songs of this quality. I suspect not growing their hair long may have had something to do with it :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKta_gRc2gA

[Sherlock Houses]

Here is the 1961 Cup Final, previously mentioned. So good to hear the crowd singing 'Abide With Me'. They're never allowed to nowadays. It has to be a 'professional' singer. Drives me insane. I want to hear the crowd!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGvYXoRtT4Q

Couldn't agree more Limehouse.
I love those old British Pathe video newsreel clips.
I wonder if James Hanratty watched that Spurs Final on TV ? He did listen to the European Cup 1st leg tie between Spurs and Benfica on March 21st 1962 [Benfica winning 3-1] while in Bedford Prison awaiting execution.
One of the most discernable differences in football matches from that era [and indeed up until a decade or less ago] is the complete absence of shirt dragging, elbowing, neck strangling etc., a phenomenon so prevalent today when corners and free-kicks are taken.

[Sherlock Houses]

Robert, I listened to Sealed with a kiss so many times it's part of my cerebrum.

I still remember hearing this song when I was a teenager. We lived on Long Island and I seriously had a little daydream while looking out over the Atlantic imagining going by ferry over to a dreamy summery Liverpool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08083BNaYcA

Very atmospheric and nostalgic song from Gerry there.
The song title may read "Ferry cross the Mersey" but it sounds much more like "Fairy", though I've yet to spot one on the River Mersey.

[Beowulf]

Robert, I listened to Sealed with a kiss so many times it's part of my cerebrum.

I still remember hearing this song when I was a teenager. We lived on Long Island and I seriously had a little daydream while looking out over the Atlantic imagining going by ferry over to a dreamy summery Liverpool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08083BNaYcA

[Limehouse]

Here is the 1961 Cup Final, previously mentioned. So good to hear the crowd singing 'Abide With Me'. They're never allowed to nowadays. It has to be a 'professional' singer. Drives me insane. I want to hear the crowd!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGvYXoRtT4Q

[Natalie Severn]

that was implicit in my post Gut.

[Natalie Severn]

Absolutely

[Limehouse]

Many will probably not agree but Hanratty's family are also victims, guilty or not.

Most definitely.

[GUT]

Yes, Michael Gregston paid for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with his life, which is horrendous, and Valerie Storey had to pay a very heavy penalty. However, I wonder how Michael's wife felt, with the publicity of the case and its circumstances and probably neighbours, friends, her relatives knowing why Michael and Valerie were together on that occasion. Pretty humiliating, I would have thought.

Many will probably not agree but Hanratty's family are also victims, guilty or not.

[Limehouse]

Yes, Michael Gregston paid for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with his life, which is horrendous, and Valerie Storey had to pay a very heavy penalty. However, I wonder how Michael's wife felt, with the publicity of the case and its circumstances and probably neighbours, friends, her relatives knowing why Michael and Valerie were together on that occasion. Pretty humiliating, I would have thought.

Yes, indeed Rosella. Janet suffered greatly. Firstly the great and deep grief for her husband and the father of her boys. Secondly the humiliation and indignity of the whole nation knowing she was being betrayed by the man she loved. In a way, perhaps MG should have been able to play that song for her too, long before they married. They were, in a way, star-crossed lovers.

[Limehouse]

....yes Julie, Michael Gregsten, the first person to pay the ultimate price in this tragedy and the one so rarely mentioned ,another innocent victim who paid such a high price - in his case it would seem to have had at least some connection with his loving these two women at once ,a man who nevertheless appears to have been a devoted father to his two sons -also the innocent victims of this horrendous crime .
And then of course there was his colleague and other long term love, twenty two year old Valerie Storie and what happened to her was absolutely horrific and it is testimony to her remarkable courage and fortitude that she not only survived such a dreadful ordeal but has outstared the emptiness that her lifelong paralysis could have caused her, because what few glimpses we have had of her over the years since 1962 leaves the impression that she has gone on to live a reasonably rewarding,reasonably happy if restricted life.
Well done Julie to remember the other victims of this tragedy of the early 1960's with a song of such powerful lament.

A beautiful summary Norma. Thank you.

[Rosella]

Yes, Michael Gregston paid for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with his life, which is horrendous, and Valerie Storey had to pay a very heavy penalty. However, I wonder how Michael's wife felt, with the publicity of the case and its circumstances and probably neighbours, friends, her relatives knowing why Michael and Valerie were together on that occasion. Pretty humiliating, I would have thought.