They say if you remember The Sixties . . . sorry, I forget the rest of this sentence, but I am pretty sure that it was profound. In any case, having been born in the Sixties myself, I've always been rather fond of the decade that gave me my start. And this Thursday night 9PM ET/PT, I am proud to be a part of illuminating and insightful "The British Invasion" episode of CNN's outstanding series The Sixties that's Executive Produced by the dream team of Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mark Herzog. It's a truly and fittingly fab look back at a musical revolution that started half a century ago this year, but one that has had a powerful and positive impact on music and culture ever since. As I say at the end of the episode -- SELF-SATISFIED SPOILER ALERT! -- "The Beatles and the British Invasion may be the greatest love story, in a cultural sense, that's ever been."
Besides too much of me, on this episode of The Sixties, you will see amazing vintage footage you have never seen before and hear from Smokey Robinson, Jann Wenner, Graham Nash, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Tom Hanks, Eric Burdon, Morley Safer, Mikal Gilmore, Micky Dolenz, Susanna Hoffs, Bill Janowitz, Nelson George, Michelle Phillips, Patrick Goldstein, Joel Peresman, Chris Connelly, Paul Shaffer, John Heilemann, Kevin Ryan, Bob Eubanks and Dave Clark. It's a truly great hour of TV. And there's more where that came from -- including another The Sixties episode I'm looking forward that premieres August 7th called "Sex, Drugs, and Rock N' Roll" -- for my money, the greatest power trio in world history. In honor of CNN's The Sixties: The British Invasion, here are my Top Twenty songs of The British Invasion -- at least for today. Please note that I have limited myself to two Beatles songs in order to leave room for other gifted British Invaders.
1) "I SAW HER STANDING THERE" - The Beatles
2) "SHE'S NOT THERE" - The Zombies
3) "WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE" - The Animals
4) "YOU REALLY GOT ME" - The Kinks
5) "GLORIA" - Them
6) "BUS STOP" - The Hollies
7) "MY GENERATION" - The Who
8) "(I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION" - The Rolling Stones
9) "WISHIN' AND HOPIN' - Dusty Springfield
10) "I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD" - Herman's Hermits
11) "GLAD ALL OVER" - Dave Clark Five
12) "GO NOW" - Moody Blues
13) "DOWNTOWN" - Petula Clark
14) "NEEDLES AND PINS" - The Searchers
15) "DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING" - Gerry & The Pacemakers
16) "FOR YOUR LOVE" - The Yardbirds
17) "WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?" - Tom Jones
18) "DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY" - Manfred Mann
19) "WORLD WITHOUT LOVE" - Peter & Gordon
20) "YESTERDAY" - The Beatles
Please watch the show Thursday night -- possibly with a little help from your friends -- and as always, add your own British Invasion favorites below