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: October 4th, 2014
Host: John Rudan
Feature: Early October 1967 & 1974
Tonight, John Rudan, “The 70’s Man” takes a step further
back into time, October 1967. It’s a
classic Billboard Hot 100 chart with the sounds of Motown, L.A., Memphis,
Chicago (the city), and of course, The Brits.
We’ll check out the Birthday Calendar at 7 (featuring all 50’s birthdays
this week), and in the 45 Corner: the single instrumental version of “Ode To
Billie Joe” by King Curtis & The Kingpins.
King Curtis also had another hit on the chart the same week: “Memphis
Soul Stew”! And that, my friends, is
just one of the great things about the Billboard singles chart in the 60’s.
Playlist
[songs in bold are from the spotlight dates of 10-04-1967 & 1974; yellow song titles are YouTube links; 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]
6pm
TheLetter – The Box Tops– BB Hot 100 #1, 4 weeks
The first and only #1 single for this Memphis band, featured
the then 17 year old Alex Chilton on lead vocals.
Never
My Love (45 version) – The Association – BB Hot 100 #2
The mono 45 of this song highlights the intricate harmonies
better than the stereo LP version; peaked this week at #2.
How CanI Be Sure – The Young Rascals – BB Hot 100 #9
One of the last singles to use the “Young” moniker, this
peaked at Hot 100 #4. A cover version by
David Cassidy in 1972 peaked at Hot 100 #25. This spacey clip is from the Ed Sullivan show, 9/1/1967.
BrownEyed Girl – Van Morrison – BB Hot 100 #13
The original single release of this contained the “racy”
lyric, “makin’ love in the green grass behind the stadium”. This was replaced by the “clean” lyric,
“laughin’ and a runnin’ behind the stadium”.
Tonight we present the “racy” 45 version.
Click here to read about the history of this fascinating song and
artist.
Funky
Broadway – Wilson Pickett– BB Hot 100 #14
Originally recorded by Dyke And The Blazers (Hot 100 #65),
this cover version by The Wicked One, bested the original by 57 spots (#8).
Get On
Up – The Esquires – BB Hot 100 #16
This Midwest soul quintet peaked at Hot 100 #11 with this
song, and followed it up with “And Get Away”.
And that was the end of that.
Hey
Baby (They’re Playing Our Song) – The Buckinghams – BB Hot 100 #19
The penultimate Top 40 single for this Chicago band peaked
at Hot 100 #12 (their last hit was “Susan”, Hot 100 #11 in early 1968).
Groovin’
– Booker T. & The MG’s – BB Hot 100 #21
This Memphis Group also had a Top 40 hit with an
instrumental cover version of “Mrs. Robinson” in 1969.
Your
Precious Love – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – BB Hot 100 #23
This is the highest charting single (Hot 100 #5) by this
great Motown duo.
You
Keep Running Away – Four Tops – BB Hot 100 #24
More great sounds out the Motor City on this chart date,
this single peaked at Hot 100 #19.
Love
Bug Leave My Heart Alone – Martha And The Vandellas – BB Hot 100 #25
1967 was the” Golden Age” of Motown Records, and this
offering from this female soul trio peaked on the Hot 100 this week in 47 years
ago.
You’re
My Everything – The Temptations – BB Hot 100 #27
Does juggernaut describe the chart presence on this date
from the Motown family? Another Top 10
featuring the ethereal vocals of Eddie Kendricks.
The Cat
In The Window – Petula Clark – BB Hot 100 #26
Petula’s run on the Billboard Singles Chart was winding down
after a truly successful run, with 2 #1 singles (“Downtown”, “My Love”); peaked
on the Hot 100 on this date in 1967.
45
Corner
Ode To
Billie Joe – King Curtis And The Kingpins – BB Hot 100 #39
The first of King Curtis’s 2 singles in the Top 40 this
week! A cover of Bobby Gentry’s #1
single which was still on the chart at #3!
This Atco Records mono version is only available on 45. It stalled at Hot 100 #28.
Ode To Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry – BB Hot 100 #3
This was just falling off the top of the chart after a 4
week run at #1; a listener suggestion.
Dandelion
– The Rolling Stones – BB Hot 100 #15
The Stones in their psychedelic phase; this peaked at Hot
100 #14.
7pm
Birthday Calendar
September 28th
– Ben E. King (Benjamin Earl Nelson), 76
September 29th
– Jerry Lee Lewis, 79
September 30th–
Johnny Mathis, 82
Frankie Lymon,
1942
October 3rd
– Chubby Checker (Ernest Evans), 73
Eddie Cochran, 1938
“There Goes My Baby”–
The Drifters, 1959
The first big pop
hit for The Drifters, with Ben E. King on lead vocals, was written and produced
by Lieber-Stoller. Legend has it that
Atlantic Records head Ahmet Ertegun absolutely hated this song! But with a chart peak at Hot 100 #2, he was
proved wrong by record buyers. He also
hated Iron Butterfly (but loved Led Zeppelin).
“Great Balls Of Fire”–
Jerry Lee Lewis, 1957
Co-written by Otis
Blackwell, who also wrote other great early Rock and Roll hits; click here to
see his songwriting credits.
“Wonderful! Wonderful!” – Johnny Mathis, 1957
The first charting
single for one of the greatest voices of the Remnants era, this peaked at Top
100 #14 and kicked off a 4 decade chart run.
“I’m Not a JuvenileDelinquent” – Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers, 1957
Frankie was one of
the first teenage stars of the Rock and Roll era, but tragically he was also
one of its earliest casualties. Click here to read his bio.
“The Class” –
Chubby Checker, 1959
Chubby’s first
charting single (Hot 100 #38), featured imitations of Fats Domino, The
Coasters, Elvis Presley, Cozy Cole and The Chipmunks parodying “Mary Had A
Little Lamb”. Better songs would be coming
his way very shortly…
“C’mon Everybody” –
Eddie Cochran, 1958
Eddie was just 21 when he was killed in a taxi
accident in England in 1960. Fellow
rockabilly star Gene Vincent was also seriously injured in that same crash.
More
Top 40 chart hits from 10/04/1967
Gettin’
Together – Tommy James And The Shondells – BB Hot 100 #28
Tommy and his band mates faithfully churned out a new single
every 3 months from 1966 to 1970. This
offering peaked at Hot 100 #18.
Even the “progressive” rock bands of 60’s needed a single on
the Hot 100, and The Doors took this up to #12, while the LP this was taken
from, Strange Days, peaked on the
Album Chart at #3.
Lightning’s
Girl – Nancy Sinatra – BB Hot 100 #33
Ms. Sinatra and her partner Lee Hazelwood created 10 Top 40
solo and duet singles in the 60’s. This
one peaked at Hot 100 #24.
Memphis
Soul Stew – King Curtis – BB Hot 100 #34
King Curtis Ousley, sax man extraordinaire, had 2 singles in
the Top 40 on this date. We heard the
first one in the 45 Corner…
In The Heat Of The Night – Ray Charles – BB
Hot 100 #35
The theme from this Oscar-winning flick (Best Picture); they
call him Mr. Charles!
A Banda
– Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – BB Hot 100 #35
Herb and his band sold more records in the 1960’s than The
Beatles and The Stones combined, including 5 #1 LP’s!
This singe was from "Ninth", but I promised on the show to also post the LP cover from "Whipped Cream", one of the most iconic images of the 60's!
This singe was from "Ninth", but I promised on the show to also post the LP cover from "Whipped Cream", one of the most iconic images of the 60's!
Let It
Out (Let It All Hang Out) – The Hombres – BB Hot 100 #40
I guess I could have done a sub-theme of Memphis bands this
week, as the Top 40 is rounded out by this native Tennessee band. Chock full of nonsensical lyrics and 60’s
catch phrases. One of my favorites!
8pm
Seventies Happy Hour, 1974
It was 40 years ago in the Fall that a young paperboy who’s
route covered part of Collegetown wandered into the old WVBR studios at 227
Linden Ave. And he never left. I was still a big fan of Top 40 radio, and
didn’t really know the “progressive” music that WVBR played in the mid
70’s. However, being just a music geek
in general I was pretty excited to learn about “new” bands like Fleetwood Mac,
Little Feat, ELP, Yes, and many others, including the first time I ever heard
“Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zeppelin (soon became a hardcore Zep fan). Many stories and memories over the past 5
decades! As a special feature this hour,
we’ll hear songs in the Billboard Top 40 on this date in 1974. While most of these are typical Top 40 fare
from pop artists, the line between Top 40 AM and Progressive FM was starting to
blur just a little bit; receiving play on both bands, Stevie Wonder, BTO, Cat
Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot and the debut of Bad Company. On the AM Radio you would hear The Tymes,
Johnny Bristol, Reunion, Andy Kim and the Righteous Brothers comeback in
’74. It was a great time for music and
one of the last gasps for music on the AM radio. This hour the 45 version of “I’ve Got The
Music In Me” by The Kiki Dee Band; a radio promo “Short Version” not available
anywhere else!
NothingFrom Nothing – Billy Preston – BB Hot 100 #2
Hot 100 #1 on 10/19 for 1 week.
You
Haven’t Done Nothing – Stevie Wonder – BB Hot 100 #5
This features the Jackson 5 on background vocals; Stevie’s 3rd
Hot 100 #1 (11/2).
YouAin’t Seen Nothing Yet – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – BB Hot 100 #28
Seems there was a whole lot of “nothing” going on this week
in chart history; the only Hot 100 #1 (11/9) for this Canadian band.
Clap
For The Wolfman – The Guess Who – BB Hot 100 #6
Featuring dialogue from the late, great Bob Smith, aka
"Wolfman Jack”!
The
Bitch Is Back – Elton John – BB Hot 100 #18
Was this song about Karen Carpenter? Neil Sedeka?
Bernie Taupin’s wife? Regardless,
this single peaked at Hot 100 #4.
Whatever
Gets You Through The Night – John Lennon With The Plastic Ono Nuclear Band - BB Hot 100 #33
Heading for the top of the Hot 100 on 11/16, featuring the
ubiquitous Elton John on harmony vocals.
Another
Saturday Night – Cat Stevens – BB Hot 100 #7
Most famous for being a 1970’s “singer-songwriter, he took
this Sam Cooke cover to Hot 100 #6, surpassing the original by 4 spots on the
chart.
Hang On
In There Baby – Johnny Bristol – BB Hot 100 #8
The late Johnny Bristol was a prolific writer and producer
before striking out on a career as a singer; this was his highest charting
single peaking this week at Hot 100 #8.
Can’t Get
Enough – Bad Company – BB Hot 100 #11
The first charting single for this band comprised of former
members of Free and Mott The Hoople.
Rock Me
Gently – Andy Kim – BB Hot 100 #12
Andy had an “early” career as an artist on Jeff Barry’s
Steed Records, and charted with a few Ronettes covers in the late 60’s. A little Andy Kim trivia: one of his early
co-writing credits with Jeff Barry was “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies, only one
of the best selling singles in chart history.
In 2007, Jeep made a really funny commercial with "Rock Me" as the music; click here to see it!
In 2007, Jeep made a really funny commercial with "Rock Me" as the music; click here to see it!
You
Little Trustmaker – The Tymes – BB Hot 100 #14
This Philly 60’s soul vocal band regrouped in 1974 and
released 3 singles on RCA Records; this was the highest charter at #12.
Dayton, Ohio’s funkiest band took this single to Hot 100
#13.
Life IsA Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me) – Reunion – BB Hot 100 #32
A studio project with Joey Levine (The Ohio Express, 1910
Fruitgum Company, The Third Rail) on lead vocals; a newly unearthed “extended”
version with even more pop culture name dropping! Check out the video link for all of them!
Give It
To The People – The Righteous Brothers – BB Hot 100 #34
The second of 3 singles released off the comeback of Bill
Medley and the late Bobby Hatfield (the others were “Rock And Roll Heaven” and
“Dream On”).
Overnight
Sensation (Hit Record) – The Raspberries – BB Hot 100 #57
The last Hot 100 hit for this Cleveland band before lead
singer Eric Carmen took off for a mildly successful solo career; peaked at Hot
100 #18.
Do It
(‘Til You’re Satisfied) – B.T. Express – BB Hot 100 #38
The first charting single for this NYC soul octet peaked at
Hot 100 #2 for 2 weeks.
45 Corner
This is the MCA Records radio promo “Short Version”,
clocking in at 3:40, whereas the flip side is the “Long Version” at 5:00. An interesting note on the Short Version is a
messge to radio programmers: “Possible Fade Out at 3:06”. Top 40 stations were still trying to cram in
as much music during an hour as possible!
Since WVBR was a progressive “Album Rock” station in 1974, the promo
45’s were given away to staff, and I snagged this and “You Little Trustmaker”
by The Tymes (which we heard earlier).
Another interesting note on this 45: both sides say “Play Loud”. I always do…
Radar Love (45 version) – Golden Earring
Although this was not on the chart on this date, this is my
quintessential single from the year 1974, and we wind down my musical tribute with the Track Records 45: “Radio keeps on playing
that forgotten song…”
Hosts Next Week (10/11/14): John Simon and John Rudan split a show with a spotlight on Mondegreens (JS) and the Hammond Organ, 1970's (JR)!
Thanks for tuning in! You can listen to Rockin' Remnants every Saturday night from 6-9pm on WVBR (93.5 FM in Ithaca, NY) or at wvbr.com/listen.
Hosts Next Week (10/11/14): John Simon and John Rudan split a show with a spotlight on Mondegreens (JS) and the Hammond Organ, 1970's (JR)!
Thanks for tuning in! You can listen to Rockin' Remnants every Saturday night from 6-9pm on WVBR (93.5 FM in Ithaca, NY) or at wvbr.com/listen.
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