DAILY DIRT: ‘Hang On Sloopy’ leads parade of the first of the greatest years of pop music

But “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” is not far behind … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 814 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Without question, my favorite period of pop music was 1965-69.

Rock music was evolving from do-wop and other silliness, and disco was still a few years away.

Today we start a week-long look at what I feel are the top songs from each of those magical years, including my spot-on and sometimes sarcastic comments. You’re welcome.

The best of 1965:

• 1. “Hang On Sloopy,” by the McCoys: The song that became the official ballad of Ohio State football and offers one of the top 10 music videos of all time. If you’ve seen it, I know you understand.
• 2. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” by the Four Tops: I remember the first time I heard this song, it was like, “Whoaaa … who ARE these guys?” Over the course of time, the Temptations have received the most notice, but the Four Tops will always be No. 1 in my book.
• 3. “Eve of Destruction,” by Barry McGuire: This guy’s voice was on the radio six years before Rod Stewart’s music hit the mainstream, but possessed the same kind of rasp. McGuire opened a solo career after singing with the New Christy Minstrels.
• 4. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” by the Righteous Brothers: Were Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield the perfect male duo? We lost Hatfield in 2003 at age 63, but Medley, now 83, is still performing.
• 5. “Come See About Me,” by the Supremes: This was the year Diana Ross emerged as a superstar. 
• 6. “Help Me, Rhonda,” by the Beach Boys: I can count on one hand the number of Beach Boys songs I really like, and this is No. 1. For those who care, “Wild Honey” is No. 2.
• 7. “Game of Love,” by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders: Over the years, the “Wayne Fontana and the” has been dropped from the credits. That’s too bad. Wayne Fontana is a great name. Great hockey name, too.
• 8. “Downtown,” by Petula Clark: Us oldtimers refer to her as “Pet.”
• 9. “Yesterday,” by the Beatles: Best effort ever from the Fab Four?
• 10. “Over and Over,” by the Dave Clark Five: Too bad these guys could not have surfaced 10 years before or after this point in time. That way, they could have avoided the height of Beatles and Rolling Stones and probably been considered the No. 1 band in the world.

Tomorrow: 1966.

2. There are times that a man must look at himself in a honest manner.

Lately, these things have passed through my mind:

• I’m starting to think it’s not the shirt that makes me look fat. It must be the mirror.
• Tired of being fat and ugly? Just be ugly. Get to the gym and start working out.
• It’s Monday, right? The first five days after the weekend are always the hardest.
• I just came across another bizarre flavor of candy canes from the Archie McPhee Company. Sardine. Yes, sardine-flavored candy canes.

3. A friends told me this week how he used to hate classes on ancient history when in school.

“The teachers always used to Babylon,” my buddy said.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — A buddy of mine recently told me a copy of “A Christmas Carol” fell on his foot and it hurt like the Dickens. 

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Lots of womp womp noises come to mind with this column.