Monday, November 24, 2014

November 22, 2014 - JR - 1970

Rockin' Remnants




Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our 
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Date:  Nov 22, 2014
Host:  JR
Feature:  1970

This week it’s the chart sounds of late 1970. 

The Billboard Hot 100 had all kinds of great 

hits, something for everyone: rock, pop, soul,

 Motown etc.  Neil Diamond was hot and had 

2 solo hits and cover version both on the 

chart, and also the first Top 40 hit for Neil 

Young. We’ll check out the Birthday Calendar

at 7:00 and in the 45 Corner the single 

version 

of “All Right Now”, by Free, and one of the 

truly great 45 “b-sides” from Led Zeppelin.

 We’ll also play some Remnants trivia, with a

 chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Angry

Mom Records on the Commons, just in time 

for the Holidays



Playlist


[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 11-9-58; 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  

Green Eyed Lady – Sugarloaf – BB Hot 100 #10

The first and biggest hit for this Colorado band peaked at 

Hot 100 #3.

HeavenHelp Us All – Stevie Wonder – BB Hot 100 #9

Stevie was just one year from breaking out of the “Motown 

Machinery” and recording his own musical visions, and this 

fine single with its deep lyrics and gospel choir definitely

indicated his move in that direction.



MontegoBay (45 version) – Bobby Bloom –BB Hot 100 

#8

This peaked at Hot 100 #8 for this 

singer/songwriter/producer.  Bloom died of an accidental

 shooting on 2/28/1974 at the age of 28.



Indiana Wants Me – R. Dean Taylor – BB Hot 100 #7


Canadian Taylor was a songwriter for Motown Records, and

 one of the first white solo artists to release a single on the

Rare Earth subsidiary label.  This was his biggest hit

peaking at Hot 100 #5.



GypsyWoman – Brian Hyland – BB Hot 100 #6



Former teen star had not had a Top 40 hit since 1966, until

 this single release of an Impressions cover, produced by 

Del Shannon.  Peaked at Hot 100 #3, Brian’s final Top 40 hit.


Fire And Rain – James Taylor– BB Hot 100 #5


It was the dawn of the “Singer/Songwriter” era and one of its

strongest voices was James Taylor.  His first charting single

 peaked at Hot 100 #3.



We’veOnly Just Begun – The Carpenters – BB Hot 100 

#4


The brother-sister duo was truly just beginning their chart 

run in 1970, and it would last the whole decade into the 

early 1980’s, unfortunately ending with the tragic death of

 Karen in 1983.  The video link is the Crocker Bank 

commercial, the genesis of this song, with vocals by Paul

Williams (also co-writer).

 
I’ll Be There – The Jackson 5 – BB Hot 100 #3

This was just falling down the chart after being #1 for 5 

weeks!  A cover version by Mariah Carey also topped the 

Hot 100 in 1992 for 2 weeks.


TheTears Of A Clown – Smokey Robinson & The 

Miracles – BB Hot 100 #2


Originally recorded in 1967, this topped the Hot 100 for 2 

weeks on 12/12/1970.


I Think I Love You – The Partridge Family – BB Hot 100

 #1, 3 weeks


This was released in October to coincide with the debut of 

the TV series of ABC.  The exposure made the series a hit 

right out of the box and shot their first single release to the 

top of the Hot 100.  Subsequent releases would chart lower,

 and the series went off the air 1974.



More Chart Hits from 11/22/1970


ShareThe Land – The Guess Who – BB Hot 100 #15

One of the buzzwords of the early 1970 was “The Ecology”,

 about the earth and the things dwelling there.  The 

Guess Who had plenty of land to share where they came

 from, and they took this single to Hot 100 #10.


Somebody’s Been Sleeping – 100 Proof Aged In Soul – 

BB Hot 100 #18


One of the great soul bands of the early 1970’s on the Hot 

Wax imprint, one of the labels founded by Holland-Dozier-

Holland after they left Motown; peaked at Hot 100 #8.



It Don’t Matter To Me – Bread – BB Hot 100 #19


The epitome of “soft rock” in the early 1970’s, this quartet 

was led by David Gates, who penned and sang lead vocals 

on all their Hot 100 single releases between 1970 and 1977;

 this peaked at #10.

Stoned Love – The Supremes – BB Hot 100 #21

Motown Records was still pretty relevant on the chart in 

1970, and the revamped Supremes, with Jean Terrell on 

lead vocals, took this single to #7 on the Hot 100.


YellowRiver – Christie – BB Hot 100 #23

The only Top 40 hit for this British trio peaked this week at 

Hot 100 #23.


Today is the 51st anniversary, to the day, of the 

assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, truly 

one of the most tragic historical events of the 20th Century.

  On their 1965 LP, The Byrds recorded “He Was A Friend 

Of Mine”, and traditional folk song, rewritten as a lament for 

the death of JFK.


7 - 8pm

Birthday Calendar

November 17th – Gordon Lightfoot, 76
                        
November 18th – Graham Parker, 64
                               Hank Ballard, 1944

                              
November 20th – Kim Weston, 75
                               Norman Greenbaum, 72
                               Joe Walsh, 67
                               Duane Allman, 1946

November 21st – Dr. John (Malcolm John Rebbenack), 74



“Sit Down Young Stranger” – Gordon Lightfoot, 1970

His first release on Reprise Records at the dawn of the “singer-songwriter” era did not chart here in the U.S. on the singles chart, but the LP remains his best-selling to this day.

“Hold Back TheNight” – Graham Parker And The Rumour, 1977

The first charting single for this British combo was a cover version of a Philly soul classic, originally recorded by The Trammps in 1976.


“The Twist” – Hank Ballard And The Midnighters, 1959

The original version of this, released as a “b-side” in 1959, became a hit only when covered by a Philadelphia chicken-plucker named Ernest Evans, aka Chubby Checker…


“Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)” – Kim Weston, 1965

A cover version of this by the Doobie Brothers in 1975 peaked at Hot 100 #11, 39 spots higher than this original version.

“Spirit In The Sky”– Norman Greenbaum, 1970

Norman had 2 follow-up singles hit the Hot 100 (“Canned Ham” #46, “California Earthquake” #93), but this was his biggest hit peaking at #5.

“Rocky Mountain Way” (45 version) – Joe Walsh, 1973

Joe’s first solo hit after departing the James Gang, peaked at Hot 100 #23. 


“Trouble No More” – The Allman Brothers band, 1970

Duane Allman was only 24 years old when he was killed in a motorcycle accident on 10/21/1971).

“Right Place, Wrong Time” – Dr. John, 1973

The highest charting single for the Good Doctor peaked at Hot 100 #9.  This was a great song to hear on the AM radio back over 40 years ago!


 “Put A Little Love In Your Heart” – Jackie DeShannon, 1969


The highest charting single of Jackie’s singing career 

peaked at Hot 100 #4.


“The End Of The World” – Skeeter Davis, 1963


This mournful ballad was a Top 10 Hit on 4 different 

Billboard charts: Hot 100 #2, Adult Contemporary #1, 

Country #2, and R & B #4!


Remnants Trivia

Q: According to music publisher ASCAP, what is the most 

played song between Thanksgiving and Christmas every

year?


A: “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee, 

originally released in 1960.




Congratulations to Bill calling in from Ithaca, and winning a 

$10.00 Gift Certificate to Angry Mom Records on the 

Commons!

45 Corner


AllRight Now – Free – BB Hot 100 #22

The Billboard chart debut single from these British rockers

 has been released in many different versions, all with 

different times: 3:12, 3:32, 3:45, 4:14 and 5:31!  The version

 in the Corner tonight is the stereo A&M Records commercial

 version, running 4:14.



“Elusive Butterfly” – Bob Lind, 1965

Bob also penned “Cheryl’s Goin’ Home”, covered by Cher and The Blues Project.  This single was his only Top 40 hit, peaking at Hot 100 #5.

Little Bit O’ Soul” – The Music Explosion, 1967 

The only Top 40 single for this Midwest band peaked at Hot

100 #2 for 2 weeks.


8pm Seventies Happy Hour


More Chart Hits from 11/22/1970


Cracklin’ Rosie – Neil Diamond – BB Hot 100 #32

Neil’s 1970’s chart run was just underway on the famous 

UNI label, and he took this single to Hot 100 #1 on 

10/10/1970 for 1 week.



And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind – Mark Lindsay – BB 

Hot 100 #46

A Neil Diamond composition, covered by the Raiders lead 

singer peaked at Hot 100 #44.  Neil also had a Bang 

Records release on the chart on this date: “Do It” at #42.



Only Love Can Break Your Heart – Neil Young – BB Hot 

100 #44

Neil’s first Top 40 BB hit, peaked at #33.  He followed this up

with “Heart Of Gold” which climbed all the way to #1.  In his 

own words, he “headed quickly to the ditch”.


For The Good Times – Ray Price – BB Hot 100 #30

It had been 14 years since Ray Price had a single on the BB 

Pop Chart (“Crazy Arms” in 1956), in the meantime he had 

charted over 70 singles on the C&W Chart; this song was off

 the pen of Kris Kristofferson.


Lola(45 mono version) – The Kinks – BB Hot 100 #36


Ray Davies had to change the first line of this song on the 

45 from “Coca-Cola” to “Cherry Cola” because the BBC 

would not play any songs containing “product 

endorsements”, intentional or otherwise. That is how to

 distinguish the two versions.  Check out the video and 

watch Ray roll his eyes when he sings the opening line! 

 Classic…




Domino – Van Morrison – BB Hot 100 #47

Van The Man was definitely considered more of an “Album 

Artist” in the early 1970’s, but as was the protocol of the 

time, there was always a 45 release.  This song about one 

of his early influences (Fats Domino) peaked at Hot 100 #9.


Pay To The Piper – Chairman Of The Board – BB Hot 100

 #58

Another of the H-D-H artists on the Invictus Records label,

 led by the late Norman “General” Johnson; this peaked at 

Hot 100 #13, their last Top 40 hit.



Knock Three Times – Dawn – BB Hot 100 #65


“Dawn” was a studio project headed by The Tokens and 

featuring former teen star Tony Orlando on lead vocals.  It

 was in 1971 that Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent along 

with Orlando became an actual group.


We Gotta Get You A Woman – Runt – BB Hot 100 #68

“Runt” was Todd Rundgren; one of his early singles after he 

split from The Nazz. This peaked at Hot 100 #20.



Chart Debuts on this date


SweetLord – George Harrison – BB Hot 100 #72

The Hot 100 debut single of Beatle George, in 3 weeks this 

would ascend to the top of the chart and stay there for 4 

weeks.  Yes, the listing of the title was yet another Billboard 

Magazine gaffe, but corrected on the 2nd week of the chart 

run.


Your Song – Elton John – BB Hot 100 #89

The 2nd Hot 100 release for the yet unknown Elton John (the

 first was “Border Song”).  This is the song that would begin 

his long chart career here in the U.S.


45 Corner


ImmigrantSong/Hey Hey What Can I Do – Led Zeppelin – 

Hot 100 #71


The “b-side” of the single was not on any Led Zep LP, and 
only became available on the compilation LP called The New Age Of Atlantic in 1972, and then not again until the CD release of the Led Zeppelin box set in 1990.  The “a-side” was a Top 40 hit (Hot 100 #16), and listed in Billboard Magazine as “Immigration Song” the first week on the chart.








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