Tuesday, April 15, 2014

April 12, 2014 - JR - 1980

Rockin' Remnants




Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our 
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Date: April 12th, 2014
Host:  JR
Feature: 1980
 
Birthday Calendar
                
April 6th – Merle Haggard, 77
                   Michelle Phillips, 67

April 7th – John Oates, 65
                  Janis Ian, 63

April 9th – Carl Perkins, 1932

April 12th – Herbie Hancock, 74
                    John Kay (Steppenwolf), 70
                    David Cassidy, 64


It’s the great Billboard Hot 100 sounds of Aril 1980! It was the turn of the decade and the chart for this date definitely had a “70’s “ feel with artists like Pink Floyd,  Spinners, Kool And The Gang, Bob Seger, Tommy James, Felix Cavaliere (Rascals) and Billy Joel in the Top 40 this week. Also, chart debuts this week from Linda Ronsdadt, The J. Geils Band, Robbie Dupree and Steve Forbert.  The Birthday Calendar will be at 7pm, and we’ll end the show with the Happy Hour and more chart hits from our spotlight date in 1980!


[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 4-12-1980; red song titles are YouTube links; songs with * were requests; all chart information comes from the Billboard Hot 100 Top Pop Singles by Joel Whitburn, and other Billboard charts as noted.

6pm

Another Brick In The Wall Part II (45 version) – Pink Floyd – BB Hot 100 #1, 4 weeks
The only Top 10 and #1 single for this British Prog Rock band.  Taken from The Wall, which was also #1 on the BB Album Chart for 15 weeks!

 

Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl – Spinners – BB Hot 100 #2
A revamped lineup of this classic Detroit soul quintet, sat behind Pink Floyd for 3 weeks at #2 with this medley.


RideLike The Wind – Christopher Cross – BB Hot 100 #4
Won the 1980 Best New Artist Grammy Award.

Too Hot – Kool & The Gang – BB Hot 100 #5
Kool & The Gang had a huge chart revival in the 1980’s with the addition of lead singer James “JT” Taylor, who sings on this Top 5 single.

 

Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen – BB Hot 100 #8
This retro 50’s sound single from Queen sat atop the Hot 100 for 4 weeks in February, 1980.

FireLake – Bob Seger – BB Hot 100 #12
The first 45 release from the LP Against The Wind features Eagles Glen Frey, Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmidt of background vocals.

You May Be Right – Billy Joel – BB Hot 100 #14
From Billy’s #1 LP Glass Houses, this peaked on the Hot 100 at #7.

How DoI Make You – Linda Ronstadt – BB Hot 100 #17
Breaking the mold of her previous “oldies cover version” LP’s, Linda first 45 from her “New Wave” excursion Mad Love peaked at BB Hot 100 #10.  This was her golden era.

Three Times In Love – Tommy James – BB Hot 100 #21
Tommy’s last Top 40 charting single was #1 on the BB Adult Contemporary Chart.

 

Brass In Pocket (I’m Special) – The Pretenders – BB Hot 100 #33
The debut release from this Anglo-American band featuring the vocals of Chrissie Hynde, peaked at Hot 100 #14, and kicked off the career of one of the most successful “New Wave” acts of the 80’s.

Only A Lonely Heart Sees – Felix Cavaliere – BB Hot 100 #37
The only solo charting single for the Rascals lead singer and keyboard player peaked at BB Hot 100 #36.

 

Refugee – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – BB Hot 100 #39
From the LP Damn The Torpedoes, this kicked off the 45 and LP run for TP and the HB’s, a career which continues through this day.  Peaked at Hot 100 #15.

Heartbreaker – Pat Benetar – BB Hot 100 #40
Yet another debut 45, this peaked at Hot 100 #23.

7pm Birthday Calendar



“The Fightin’ SideOf Me" – Merle Haggard, 1970

Peaked at BB Country #1; Hot 100 #92.  Merle was inducted into the Country Music HOF in 1994.

“Dedicated To TheOne I Love” – The Mamas & The Papas, 1967

Of the 5 versions of “Dedicated” to chart on the Hot 100, this peaked the highest at #2 for 3 weeks, sitting behind The Turtles “Happy Together”.


Janis (nee Janis Eddy Fink) was 16 when she hit the chart with this controversial song about interracial romance. Despite the subject matter, this peaked at Hot 100 #14.  8 years later Janis had her second and last Hot 100 hit with “At Seventeen”, which peaked at #3.

 

“Blue Suede Shoes” – Carl Perkins, 1956

An early Rock’n’Roll classic on Sun Records, Carl was unable to follow it up and find success like his fellow label mates Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich and Jerry Lee Lewis.

“The Pusher” – Steppenwolf, 1968

The follow-up to the band’s first chart smash “Born To Be Wild” DNC.  Written by Hoyt Axton, who also wrote “Snowblind Friend” for this Canadian band.

 

“Nineteen Days – Dave Clark Five, 1966

The DC5 had an unprecedented 18 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, most of any British Invasion bands!

 

“What In The World’s Come Over You” – Jack Scott, 1960

Jack was a Canadian who had 4 Top Ten rockabilly hits/ballads between 1958 and 1960 including this one which peaked at Hot 100 #5.

“Mashed Potato Time” – Dee Dee Sharp, 1962

Peaked at Hot 100 #2 for two weeks behind The Shirelles “Soldier Boy”.

“Twenty-Five Miles” – Edwin Starr, 1969

 

 “Reach Out Of The Darkness” – Friend And Lover, 1968

Friend And Lover were Jim and Cathy Post, and this was their only Top 40 hit peaking at Hot 100 #10 in the Summer of ’68.

“Love Potion Number Nine” – The Searchers, 1965

This cover version from the 1959 original peaked at Hot 100 #3, 20 places higher on the chart than the Clovers version.



The debut single from this Australian quartet peaked at Hot 100 #4.

“I’m Gonna Be Strong” – Gene Pitney, 1964

This was Gene’s last Top 10 single on the Hot 100, peaking at #9; written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

“I Can Never Go Home Anymore” – The Shangri-Las, 1965

 

“You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” – Dusty Springfield, 1966

This was Dusty’s highest charting single at Hot 100 #4, until she teamed up with The Pet Shop Boys in 1987 for “What Have I Done To Deserve This?” which peaked at Hot 100 #2 for 2 weeks.

“Sunday Will Never Be The Same” – Spanky And Our Gang, 1968

First charting single for this Chicago folk-pop group peaked at Hot 100 #9.

“Keep Searchin’ (We’ll Follow The Sun) – Del Shannon, 1965




 8pm  More Birthday Calendar dates

“How Does It FeelTo Be Back” – Hall & Oates, 1980

Peaked at Hot 100 #30, and features John Oates on lead vocal.

“Rockit” – Herbie Hancock, 1983

Not only was Herbie and jazz keyboard legend, he also helped pioneer the genre of music which came to be known as “Hip Hop” with this release.  His only other Hot 100 hit was “Chameleon” in 1974.

 

“Rock Me Baby ” – David Cassidy, 1972

When David was singing sugary pop hits for the Partridge Family, he claimed he wanted to “rock out”.  This is his one offering in that genre (?); peaked at Hot 100 #38.

 

Chart Debuts

Hurt So Bad – Linda Ronstadt – BB Hot 100 #46
 The highest debut single this week, had Linda going back to her tried-and-true formula of oldies cover versions, this time Little Anthony And The Imperials from 1965.  This peaked at Hot 100 #8, two places higher than The Imperials original version.

LoveStinks – J. Geils Band– BB Hot 100 #83
After a successful LP run in the 70’s, this Boston band broke through to Hot 100 chart success with this and other tracks from the LP of the same name.

StealAway – Robbie Dupree – BB Hot 100 #85
Robbie (ne Robert Dupuis in Brooklyn) took his debut single on Elektra Records to Hot 100 #6.  Subsequent releases charted lower and lower and his chart career was over by 1981. I always loved the retro sound of the electric sitar on this.

SayGoodbye To Little Jo – Steve Forbert – BB Hot 100 #89
Despite being touted as a “new Dylan” of the 80’s, Steve only charted 2 singles, this being the lowest, at Hot 100 #85 (the other being “Romeo’s Tune”, which peaked at #11).

 

More Chart Sounds from our Spotlight Date of 4/12/1980

White Hot – Red Rider – BB Hot 100 #74
The first American hit for this Canadian band peaked at #48.  Leader Tom Cochrane would have a somewhat more successful solo career (“Life Is A Highway”, Hot 100 #6 in 1992).

Funky Town – Lipps, Inc – BB Hot 100 #61
This one-off disco flavored 45 would hit #1 on 5/31/1980, 4 weeks.

TheRose – Bette Midler – BB Hot 100 #58
Title track of the movie of the same name starring Ms. Midler.

Two to the end of the show

“I Only Want To Be With You” – Nicolette Larsen, 1982

“Put Out The Light” – Joe Cocker, 1974

 

Next week: KV with a spotlight on 1967






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