Jun 14, 2014 - JR - 1969

Rockin' Remnants




Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook, and tune in to 93.5 or stream the show every Saturday night from 6-9pm! (Or download the WVBR+ app now available for iOS and Android!)







Date:  June 14, 2014
Host:  JR
Feature:  1969





It’s the great Billboard Hot 100 sounds of early June 1969!  The Beatles were less than a year away from splintering, but they still were a major chart presence on the Hot 100 with the #1 single and another 45 climbing the chart on the same date!  The musical “Hair” was in the air (and on the air) with 2 singles in the Top 20 from The Fifth Dimension and Oliver.  We’ll also be checking out the “classic” chart sounds of Tommy James And The Shondells, CCR, Elvis, Simon & Garfunkel, The Grass Roots and more! Classic, indeed… The Birthday Calendar comes your way at 7 and this week we’ll end the show with some scratchy vinyl from JR’s 45 collection during the Happy Hour from 8-9.

 

Birthday Calendar


Jun 8 – Nancy Sinatra – age 74
          – Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night) – age 72
          – William Royce “Boz” Scaggs – age 70
          – Bonnie Tyler – age 61


Jun 9 – Jackie Wilson – born in 1934

Jun 10 – Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Burnett) – born in 1910
           
Jun 13 – Bobby Freeman – age 74

Jun 14 – Rod Argent (Zombies) – age 69









Playlist


[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 6-14-69; yellow song titles are YouTube links; songs with * were requests; all chart information comes from the Billboard Top 100 (for chart dates before/during July 1958) or Billboard Hot 100 (for chart dates during/after Aug 1958) unless otherwise noted]





6-7pm  



OPENING THEME:  Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)

Get Back – The Beatles with Billy Preston – BB Hot 100 #1, 5 weeks.  The only Beatles 45 with a co-credit (to Billy Preston, who was signed to Apple Records at the time).  The video link features The Beatles last live performance on the rooftop of their office on Saville Row in London.  Look for a brief glimpse of Billy during the keyboard solo.

 

In The Ghetto – Elvis Presley – BB Hot 100 #3.  Peaked at Hot 100 #3 this week in 1969; this socially conscious song was written by Scott Davis, later on known as “Mac”, a singer, songwriter and actor in his own right.

Bad Moon Rising – CCR – BB Hot 100 #4.  The flip side of this, “Lodi” peaked at Hot 100 #52, while “Bad Moon” peaked at #2.

Love (Can Make You Happy) – Mercy – BB Hot 100 #5.  The only Top 40 single for this Tampa, FL sextet peaked at Hot 100 #2 on the tiny Sundi Records label.

 

Oh Happy Day – The Edwin Hawkins Singers Featuring Dorothy Combs Morrison – BB Hot 100 #7.  Won Best Soul Gospel Performance Grammy in 1970.  Cover versions by Elvis, Glen Campbell, Joan Baez, The Statler Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville and many others.

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby – Marvin Gaye – BB Hot 100 #8.  First recorded by The Temptations as an LP track in 1966, this version peaked at Hot 100 #4.

One (45 version) – Three Dog Night – BB Hot 100 #10.  After years of struggling as a singer and songwriter, this was the first big break for Harry Nilsson.  The 45 version of this song is not available on LP or CD.

 

Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In (45 version) – The Fifth Dimension – BB Hot 100 #11.  Tumbling down the Hot 100 after sitting atop for 6 weeks, this was the Billboard #1 single of 1969. This version features an awesome vocal from Billy Davis, Jr, and an awesome bass line from Wrecking Crew member Joe Osborn.

 

Good Morning Starshine – Oliver – BB Hot 100 #15.  Another big hit from the tribal musical “Hair” (there were 3 on the chart this week:  "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In", "Good Morning Starshine", and "Hair") on its way to Hot 100 #3.  For a more detailed history of “Hair” check out this link.

Atlantis – Donovan – BB Hot 100 #14.  Originally the “b”-side of “To Susan On The West Coast Waiting” (a Vietnam protest song), DJ’s flipped the 45 over and found this gem which peaked at Hot 100 #7.  In some markets, “Susan” was a minor hit, peaking at Hot 100 #35.

 

The Israelites – Desmond Dekker & The Aces – BB Hot 100 #16.  Often credited as the first “Reggae” song on the Hot 100, this peaked at #9 and was the only entry on the chart for this Jamaican band.

 

Every Day With You Girl – Classics IV Featuring Dennis Yost – BB Hot 100 #19.  Last Top 40 entry for this Atlanta band; years later the core members would form the Atlanta Rhythm Section.

Black Pearl – Sonny Charles & Checkmates LTD. – BB Hot 100 #20.  The last great production from Phil Spector for this black and white soul quintet from Fort Wayne, IN features all of his “wall of sound” effects; layers of orchestras, choirs, percussion and instruments.

 

7-8pm

Jackson – Nancy Sinatra (w/Lee Hazelwood), 1967.  One of 4 chart entry duets with her producer Lee Hazelwood; the others were “Summer Wine”, “Lady Bird” and “Some Velvet Morning”.

Lowdown (45 version) – Boz Scaggs, 1976.  Boz toiled for years in blues bands (including with Steve Miller), before he turned to “blue-eyed” R&B for his LP Silk Degrees and scored 4 Hot 100 hits, with this being the highest charting at #3.

 

Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Bonnie Tyler, 1983.  Hooking up with Meatloaf producer Jim Steinman, Bonnie scored a huge #1 hit (4 weeks) with this over-the-top production.  Listen for the cannons in the instrumental break, and check out her “big hair” in the video link.  Admittedly, one of my 80’s favorites!

Lonely Teardrops – Jackie Wilson, 1958.  The first Top 10 entry for “Mr. Excitement”; co-written and produced by Berry Gordy, Jr.

Back Door Man  – Howlin’ Wolf.  One of the most influential performers out of the Chicago Blues scene, The Wolf has been covered by The Doors, The Stones, The Yardbirds, Cream, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, etc. etc. etc.!!!

Smokestack Lightning – Howlin’ Wolf

Do You Wanna Dance – Bobby Freeman, 1958.  Bobby briefly revived his career in the early 60’s with a couple of “Swim” dance craze 45’s produced by Sylvester “Sly” Stewart.

God Gave Rock And Roll To You (45 version) – Argent, 1973.  Rod Argent was a keyboard whiz and not a vocalist, although he was the leader of both The Zombies and his self-named group of the 70’s. Russ Ballard was the lead vocalist on this single.

 

More Chart Hits from 6/14/1969

The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkel – BB Hot 100 #27.   This 45 was the duo’s most ambitious production to date, from the soon to be released Bridge Over Troubled Water LP, peaked at Hot 100 #7.  Check out this link for the fascinating full story of the making of the record.

 

The River Is Wide – The Grass Roots – BB Hot 100 #36. The original version of this song was done by an L.A. trio called “The Forum” in 1967.  The “Roots” version peaked at Hot 100 #31, fourteen spots higher than The Forum.

What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) – Jr. Walker & The All Stars – BB Hot 100 #41.  Possessing one of the most distinct sax sounds of any era, Jr. took this ballad to Hot 100 #4, his last Top 10 45.  He would however return to the upper reaches of the Hot 100 when he blew the hot sax solo on “Urgent” by Foreigner in 1982.

Baby I Love You – Andy Kim – BB Hot 100 #44.  This Montreal native started his career with a few Phil Spector cover versions including “Be My Baby” and this one, which peaked at Hot 100 #9, thirteen spots higher than the original by The Ronettes.

Crystal Blue Persuasion – Tommy James And The Shondells – BB Hot 100 #57.  The fastest moving 45 on the Hot 100 this week 45 years ago, this jumped 32 spots from #89 to #57, and it would peak at #2.  Some great psychedelic sounds blasting out of AM radios and jukeboxes in the Summer of ’69.

Hot 100 Chart Debuts  from 6/14/1969

The Ballad Of John And Yoko – The Beatles – BB Hot 100 #71.  The highest debut single this week detailed the whirlwind marriage and honeymoon of Mr. and Mrs. John Lennon.  Rush recorded and released with only John and Paul singing and playing, this had a whirlwind run on the Hot 100; 9 weeks peaking at #8.

My Pledge Of Love – The Joe Jeffrey Group – BB Hot 100 #76.  This R&B band hailed from Buffalo, NY, and even gigged around Ithaca in the late 60’s and early 70’s!  This was their only Hot 100 hit, peaking at #14.

 

8-9pm

Compared To What (censored 45 version) – Les McCann (w/ Eddie Harris), 1970.  Edited down from an 8:30 live track, this also bleeped out the “Goddammits”, and peaked at Hot 100 #85.  Recently used in a Coke commercial.

 

Banks Of The Ohio (45 version) – Olivia Newton-John, 1971.  ONJ’s second single release on UNI Records, and a rare stereo 45, peaked at Hot 100 #94.

 

Daybreak (45 version) – Barry Manilow, 1975.  Live 45 edit of “Daybreak” not available on CD.  

Could It Be Magic (45 version) – Donna Summer, 1976.  Donna’s cover version of “Magic” peaked at Hot 100 #52, while Barry’s version peaked at #6.  Inspired by Chopin’s “Prelude in C Minor”.

Strange Way (45 version) – Firefall, 1978.  There have been many alternate versions of this released on CD, but this is the original 45 version on Atlantic Records.

 Good Girls Don’t (45 version) – The Knack, 1979.  The “clean” version of the follow-up to “My Sharona” replaces a couple “racy” lines with lyrics guaranteed not to offend; see this link for more info.  The 45 also features the 1960’s Capitol Records orange and yellow “swirl” label.  

 

Do It Or Die (45 version) – Atlanta Rhythm Section, 1979.  This Georgia band had a great run of singles and LP’s in the 1970’s on Polydor Records, before inking a disastrous deal with Columbia Records in 1980.  R.I.P. lead singer Ronnie Hammond in 2011.

Take Me Home (45 version) – Cher, 1979.  Cher’s first entry on the Hot 100 since “Dark Lady” in 1974, peaked at #8.

Weekend (45 version) – Wet Willie, 1979.  This “Southern Rock” band turned to R&B and disco in the late 70’s and scored their last Hot 100 hit, peaking at #29; this version is only available on 45.

 

Medley (45 version) – Stars On 45, 1981.  A medley of Beatles and other 60’s songs by a Dutch studio group was #1 for 1 week on 6/20/1981; this version on Radio Records is only available on 45.

 

Break It To Me Gently (45 version) – Juice Newton, 1982.  Originally recorded by Brenda Lee in 1962, this cover version by Judy Kay Newton peaked at Hot 100 #11, seven places lower than Ms. Lee.

 

All I Know (radio promo mono 45) – (Art) Garfunkel, 1973.  This version has a different ending than the commercial 45 release, and is only available in this format.  Written by Jimmy Webb, and peaked at Hot 100 #9 (Art’s biggest solo hit).

Love Is What You Make It (45 version) – The Grass Roots, 1973.  This mono 45 version was unavailable until just recently when Real Gone’s anthology was released. 

CLOSING THEME:  Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)













Host Next Week (June 21):  Kim Vaughan with a spotlight on SUMMER!





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