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: September 23, 2017
Host: JR
Feature: Hank and Ray
In our Remnants spotlight this week are Hank Williams and Ray Charles, who bookend the Birthday Calendar on the 17th and 23rd, respectively. Starting with Hank cover versions and ending with Ray's huge #1 hits of the early 60's. In between, the best of the 50's, 60's and 70's, and a $20 gift card to give away for Remnants Trivia!
Playlist
[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 7-8-59; 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]
6pm - 7pm
Starting tonight with 5 covers of Hank Williams-penned songs from pop to counrty to soul and rock'n'roll, too...
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" - B.J. Thomas And The Triumphs - 1966 #8
"Your Cheatin' Heart" - Patsy Cline - 1962 LP Sentimentally Yours
"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) - Isaac Hayes - 1970
The coolest melding of Country and R&B since... Ray Charles!
"Jambalaya (On The Bayou)" - The Blue Ridge Rangers (John Fogerty one-man band) - 1973 #16
This is probably the most oft covered of Hank's compositions.
Check out the list here.
"Move It On Over" - George Thorogood And The Delaware Destroyers - 1978 (Originally recorded by Hank in 1947! George has a new album out with old country and blues covers).
More Hank coming up later on the Birthday Calendar and also the topic of our trivia question!
"Wonderful World" - Sam Cooke - 1960 #12
"Lonely Teardrops" - Jackie Wilson - 1958 #7, R&B #7
Co-written by Berry Gordy, Jr., founder of Motown Records!
"Shotgun" - Jr. Walker & The All Stars - 1965 #4, R&B #4
Jr. (Autry DeWalt-Mixom) allegedly sang the lead vocals on this when the original vocalist failed to show up for the session! Check out the go-go girls on the video clip from Hullabaloo, 1966...
"Twenty-Five Miles" - Edwin Starr - 1969 #6
A little bit of a Motown theme going here...
"Love Potion Number Nine" - The Searchers - 1965 #3
Originally a hit for the Clovers in 1959, #23.
"Five O' Clock World" - The Vogues - 1966, #4
7pm - 8pm
Birthday Calendar
September 17th - Hiram King "Hank" Williams - 1923
September 18th - Frankie Avalon (Avallone) - 77
September 19th - Bill Medley (Righteous Bros.) - 77
Nile Rodgers - 65
Mama Cass (Ellen Naomi Cohen) - 1941
Brook Benton (Benjamin Peay) - 1931
September 20th - Dr. John The Night Tripper
(Malcolm John Rebennack) - 76
September 22nd - Joan Jett (Joan Marie Larkin) - 59
September 23rd - Ray Charles (Robinson) - 1930
"Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)"
"Long Gone Lonesome Blues" - Hank Williams - both songs released in 1950
Hank Williams is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th Century as evidenced by his continued popularity over 60 years since he died at the very young age of 29 of drug and alcohol abuse. What an amazing musical output!
"Why" - Frankie Avalon - 1959 #1, 1 week (the last BB Hot 100 single of the 1950's).
(You're My) Soul And Inspiration - The Righteous Brothers - 1966 #1, 3 weeks.
The Brothers had left Phil Spector's stable by 1966, but Bill Medley was a good learner with his own "wall of sound" production on this hit single.
"Make Your Own Kind Of Music" - Mama Cass Elliot - 1969 #36
The above two selections were off the pen of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, prolific NYC songwriting duo.
"It's Just A Matter Of Time" - Brook Benton - 1959 #3, R&B #9
With all of the mono singles being converted to DES (Digitally Extracted Stereo) these days, I wish someone would take a crack at this gem. To these ears, this would sound FANTASTIC in stereo! One can only hope...
"We Are Family" - Sister Sledge - 1978 #2, #1 R&B
Produced and co-written by Nile Rodgers, who has had an amazing career as a musician (Chic, The Honeydrippers) and prolific producer; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. Click here to view his bio and production credits.
45 Corner
"Right Place Wrong Time" - Dr. John
Happy Birthday to Dr. John on September 20th!
"Crimson And Clover" - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - 1982 #7
I'm not saying this version cuts the Tommy James original, but it's awful damn good!
Rockin' Remnants Trivia: What is the song originally recorded by Hank Williams that was also a hit for Ray Charles? Frank from Ithaca knew it was "Take These Chains From My Heart" and earned himself a $20 gift card to Luna Street Food on Stewart Ave. and Restaurant Row on Aurora St.
More trivia: "Take These Chains" was one of a few songs recorded by Hank Williams that he did not write. It was written by Fred Rose and Hy Heath and recorded at Hank's last session in 1952.
"Cathy's Clown" - The Everly Brothers - 1960 #1, 5 weeks
"I'll Never Find Another You" - The Seekers - 1965 #4
Here's a great example of a song recorded in mono, that has been transformed into a fantastic stereo version!
"Baby I Need Your Lovin'" - Johnny Rivers - 1967 #3
Johnny's cover version of The Four Tops topped the Tops by 8 spots on the Hot 100!
"Stupid Cupid" - Connie Francis - 1958 #14
"My Special Angel" - The Vogues - 1968 #7
A couple requests created a theme! I love it...
8pm - 9pm
There have been a few sad and notable deaths lately in the Rockin' Remnants realm:
Glen Campbell on August 8th
Walter Becker of Steely Dan on September 3rd
Don Williams, country music superstar on September 8th
There have also been some artists of lesser notoriety that have passed recently, and as we start the last hour, we pay musical tribute to them.
"You're Still A Young Man" - Tower Of Power - 1972 #29
Lead singer Rick Stevens died on September 9th age 77.
He was a talented vocalist, but ran into some big trouble with the law, serving 36 years in prison for a triple-murder during a drug deal gone bad.
"One Fine Morning" - Lighthouse - 1971 #24
Lead singer, drummer and songwriter Skip Prokop died on August 30th age 73. Lighthouse only had 1 other Top 40 hit here in the States ("Sunny Days", 1974 #34), but they were huge in their native Canada, and still perform on the "Oldies Circuit".
"Bluer Than Blue" - Michael Johnson - 1978 #12
Johnson died on July 25th age 72. He played in the Chad Mitchell Trio before going solo and scoring 3 Top 40 hits in 70's.
"Does Your Mama Know About Me" - Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers - 1968 #29
Taylor died on July 22nd age 83. Another Canadian artist, he was the person who recommended the Jackson 5 to Motown Records label chief Berry Gordy, Jr. One of the "Vancouvers" was Tommy Chong! That's him on the far right; Bobby the guy sitting with the shades.
I had some "leftover" songs from the Summer of 1972 which 7 weeks ago were low or not even on the Hot 100, but now were charting higher during the last week of the season.
"Black And White" - Three Dog Night - BB Hot 100 #2, falling down from #1
"Everybody Plays The Fool" - The Main Ingredient - BB Hot 100 #7
"I Believe In Music" - Gallery - BB Hot 100 #46
Song written by Mac Davis, who was NOT a member of Gallery!
"Play Me" - Neil Diamond - BB Hot 100 #12
"Summer Breeze" - Seals & Crofts - BB Hot 100 #71
This peaked at #6 in November, 1972. The Isley Brothers also on the Hot 100 with a cover version in 1974.
"Thunder And Lightning" - Chi Coltrane - BB Hot 100 #44
Our other "bookend" to this week's Remnants is Ray Charles. First, 2 of Ray's R&B hits from his Atlantic Records days in the 1950's; then it's 2 huge #1 hits from "The Genius", including the #1 BB Hot 100 single of 1962!
"Drown In My Own Tears" - 1956 #2 R&B
"Lonely Avenue" - 1956 - Written by NYC songwriter Jerome "Doc" Pomus.
"Hit The Road Jack" - 1961 #1 for 3 weeks.
"I Can't Stop Loving You" - 1962 #1 for 5 weeks.
Host Next Week (September 23): JR (encore) with a spotlight on vocals and a famous recording studio.
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 streaming here.
