1956, Elvis's classic Sun Sessions and, err, I was born.

1958! Sees a young footballer called Pele come to the fore.

 

Gol!!!

Bollocks! Having missed the birth of the very man who will one day crack his ball, 1959 makes up for it a little by opening the Guggenheim Museum and experimenting - unsuccessfully - with delivering mail by missile.

Sorry :-$ .

In another football related 'date', 1960 sees the dirty Communists actually win something, the European Championship. Well, there were only three other teams competing. Still, Lev Yashin wasn't that bad.

A certain Berliner became President towards the end of this year. Rumours that he had a splitting headache go unconfirmed.

Oh and my father dearest was born.

EDIT: My grandad (God rest his soul) was part of the Iraqi delegation who came to the UK from the (PRE-SADDAM, PRE-BA'ATHIST) government to meet lots of people - like the Mayor of Bristol (cheer) - and see what was the building of Britain's first commercial nuclear power plant in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. Which is scary because before I knew about it, I went there on a school trip.

1961 sees the arrival of me!

Okay, 1963 and the Russians put the first woman into space, whilst the US put the first zip codes on envelopes and makes anything they can think of relating to Cuba illegal. Over in Vietnam, American-supported Diem's policies are proving so popular that monks take to burning themselves alive, but it's okay, because he's assasinated in a military coup shortly after. Not to be outdone, JFK gets himself killed, too, leaving Lyndon B Johnson (who's entire family's initials were LBJ. Including the dog.) to carry forward Kennedy's policies and advisors (like friendly McNamara).

 

Meanwhile, in Britain, the first episode of Doctor Who is shown.

1964, and a British firm sells Cuba 450 buses, whilst saying " (giggle) " at America. There's a second military coup in S. Vietnam, and a different general gets power. Cuba cuts off the water supply to Guantanamo Bay, claiming that the Americans were "being dicks". Italy asks the world if anyone has any bright ideas how to stop the Tower of Piza from falling over. Some American ships sink in the Gulf on Tonkin, as are some North Vietnamese subs; things are slightly hazy as to what really happened, but it doesn't matter - the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, passed a few days later, gives LBJ permission to do what he fancies, in regards to Vietnam. Then he wins the election, so he doesn't feel bound to JFK's policies any more, but, oh, darn, he finds he can't change his position on anything now, without looking like a prat, so he just decides to bomb everything, instead.

1965 was a boring year. Probably gearing people up. Oh yeah, Singapore gained independence.

 

1965/1966 was the season Liverpool won another league title under Bill Shankly, reaching a UEFA Cup final - losing to Monchengladbach (I think) and started the ball rolling for...

The major love in with Russia.

 

Well, Azerbaijan. But who cares. England won the World Cup and the Sun rejoiced.
And would cram it down the throat of pretty much anyone who could speak English for the next 40 years or so.

Some ragheads didn't like some other semi ragheads. Bitchslapping ensued and people are still feeling sore.

 

And Concorde was unveiled towards the end of the year. Hurrah.

1967 sees Donald Campbell die while attempting a water speed record on Coniston Water.

 

Parliament of the United Kingdom decides to nationalize 90% of British steel industry.

 

Supertanker Torrey Canyon runs aground off Lands End, English Channel.
(ffs. I remember this !)

 

Harold Wilson announces that United Kingdom has decided to apply for EEC membership
(muppet)

 

British parliament decriminalizes homosexuality

 

In Gibraltar, only 44 out of 12.182 voters support union with Spain.

 

Mariner 5 probe flies by Venus

 

The Concorde is unveiled in Toulouse, France
(aarrgghh, I remember this too !)

It's 1969, OK?
All across the USA.
It's another year for me and you,
Another year with nothing to do.

 

Except, if you're Iggy Pop, in which case you and your merry band of Stooges will release your self-titled album and scare America with your peanut butter chucking antics.

1970 and taste leaves the building. George Best is declared a doyen of fashion, the maxi skirt sweeps the mini aside (though in some cases this is not necessarily a bad thing), Gimme Dat Ting by the Pipkins breaks large in the charts, Airport, Myra Breckinridge and Percy are packing them in at the box office. Josie and Pussycats teaches a television generation the value of processed pop, shit animation and lippy.

No wonder Mark Rothko commits suicide.

I WAS BORN!!!!!!¬!¬!¬!¬!!!!!

ME TOO!

1974. Oxford Bags reached epic proportions, being basically twin leg-skirts. "The Sting" won some award or other. Mark Rendle's father had been saving hard for a Tin Can Alley game for his son, but these plans were shelved following an unusually large tax bill. I went to Art School in London with a full grant. "Far Away is Close at Hand in Images of Elesewhere" it said on the way into Paddington Station.

1975 brings us the Helsinki Accords, Pol Pot taking over Cambodia, and apparently Jaws was the most popular film that year! dadumdadumdaumdadumDADUMDADUMetc