July 27, 2019 - JH: Novelty Songs

Host: Jan Hunsinger (JH)
Date: July 27, 2019


Spotlight:  Novelty Songs

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Playlist

·     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

·     a glossary of terms is below the playlist

Rockin' Remnants/Hangar Theater Trivia: who recorded the song "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"; on what piece of classical music was it based; and who was the composer.  See answers below.

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

Pink Shoe Laces - Dodie Stevens (1959 - #3: Stevens was 'discovered' on Art Linkletter's "House Party" TV show at the age of eight)

Beans in My Ears - The Serendipity Singers (1964 - #30: "Don;t Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)" earlier in the year was the group's biggest hit)

Western Movies - The Olympics (1958 - #8: the song reflected the popularity of western movies and TV programs in the late '50s)

Walkin' My Cat Named Dog - Norma Tanega (1966 - #22: Tanega wrote the song when her apartment did not allow dogs, so she got a cat and named it 'Dog')

Guitarzan - Ray Stevens (1969 - #8: Stevens had several novelty hit records and is a 2019 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee)


Judy in Disguise (With Glasses) - John Fred and His Playboy Band (1968 - #1: song is a parody of The Beatles "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds)

Rubber Biscuit - The Chips (1956 - DNC: song was later covered by The Blues Brothers with Dan Ackroyd supplying lead vocals)

Jolly Green Giant - The Kingsmen (1965 - #4: their follow-up to "Louie, Louie"; we heard the original Wand 45)


Rang Tang Ding Dong (I Am the Japanese Sandman) - 1957 - #62: written by bass singer Alvin Williams; the group out of Queens was produced by Lew Merenstein, who would later produce Van Morrison)

It's in the Book - Johnny Standley (1952 - #1: million-seller that is part song, part revivalist preacher; used in the last scene of the movie The Last Picture Show)


45 Corner

Moonflight - Vik Venus (1969 - #38: song clips interspersed with an interview in the style of Dickie Goodman released shortly after the Apollo 11 landing; "Your Main Moon Man" was really NY radio personality Jack Spector)


Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport - Rolf Harris (1963 - #3: written in 1959, Harris re-recorded the song after traveling to the UK and meeting producer George Martin; Harris also met the Beatles and appeared with them on the BBC in December 1963)

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah - Alan Sherman (1963 - #2: won a Grammy for Comedy in 1964; song was based on actual summer camp letters from Sherman's son Robert)

Transfusion - Nervous Norvus (1956 - #8: 'Nervous Norvos' was really Jimmy Drake, who wrote the song's music and lyrics)
  

Birthday Calendar

July 21:

Cat Stevens (Yusaf Islam) - 71

July 22:

Bobby Sherman - 76

Estelle Bennett (The Ronettes) - born 1944

Don Henley - 72

July 23:

Cleveland Duncan (The Penguins) - born 1935

Madeline Bell - 77

Dino Danelli (Rascals drummer) - 75

July 24:

Barbara Love (Friends of Distinction) - 78

July 25:

Jim McCarty (Yardbirds drummer) - 76

July 26:

Bobby Hebb - born 1938

Dobie Gray (Lawrence Darrow Brown) - born 1940

Brenton Wood (Alfred Smith) - 78

Darlene Love (Wright) - 78

Mick Jagger (Sir Michael Philip Jagger) - 76

July 27:

Harvey Fuqua - born 1929

Nick Reynolds (Kingston Trio) - born 1933

Bobbi Gentry (Roberta Lee Streeter) - 75

Maureen McGovern - 70

Michael Vaughn (Paper Lace) - 69

Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens (1968 - NR: song was a hit for The Tremeloes)

Little Woman - Bobby Sherman (1969 - #3: big hit for the teen heart-throb who starred in the TV show "Here Comes the Brides"; we heard the original Metromedia 45)

I Can Hear Music - The Ronettes (1966 - #100: The Beach Boys would take the song to #24 in 1969)

Best of My Love - The Eagles (1975 - #1: Henley co-wrote and sang lead on the song)


Memories of El Monte - The Penguins (1963 - DNC: song was written by Frank Zappa and Ray Collins before they joined The Mothers of Invention, its subject was doo-wop dances held in El Monte, California)

I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Madeline Bell (1968 - #26: Dusty Springfield sang back-up vocals on the song that would be a big hit for the Supremes and Temptations)

See - The Rascals (1969 - #27: a later hit for the group)

Grazing in the Grass - Friends of Distinction (1969 - #3: great, upbeat summer song)

*Shapes of Things - The Yardbirds (1966 - #11: has been called the first psychedelic rock song)

Sunny - Bobby Hebb (1966 - #2: Hebb toured with the Beatles in 1966)

Drift Away - Dobie Gray (1973 - #5: song was a million-seller and Gray's signature song)

Gimme Little Sign - Brenton Wood (1967 - #9: Wood also co-wrote the song)

(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry - Darlene Love (1963 - #39: Phil Spector suggested that Darlene Wright change her name to 'Love')

It's All Over Now - The Rolling Stones (1964 - #26: song was written by Bobby and Shirley Womack; first #1 Stones song in the UK)

Sincerely - The Moonglows (1954 - #20: song was co-written by Harvey Fuqua and radio DJ Alan Freed; the McGuire Sisters took it to #1 in 1955)

Bad Man Blunder - The Kingston Trio (1960 - #37: Nick Reynolds sang a third above the melody for the group)

Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbi Gentry (1967 - #1: country crossover topped the Pop charts for 4 weeks and is #412 on the RS500)

Morning After - Maureen McGovern (1973 - #1: song from the movie "The Poseidon Adventure", for which it won an Oscar;  spent two weeks at the top of the charts)

The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace (1974 - #1: Vaughn was lead guitarist/arranger for the quintet out of England)

Flying Saucer (Parts I & II) - Buchanan and Goodman (1956 - #3: first charting song to feature "break-in" bits of Top 40 songs)

Mr. Jaws - Dickie Goodman (1975 - #4: another break-in from Goodman that played on the popularity of the 1975 summer blockbuster movie 'Jaws')


*The Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley (1958 - #1: Wooley wrote the song and used sped up tape for the voice of the alien and the saxophone solo)


They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! - Napoleon XIV (1966 - #3: Napoleon XIV was Jerry Samuels, who wrote the song as well; the B side played the song backwards and had a reversed label)

*Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-dot Bikini - Brian Hyland (1960 - #1: Trudy Packer supplied the female voice for this #1 hit)

Stranded in the Jungle - The Cadets (1956 - #15: a one-hit wonder for the group)


*Leader of the Laundromat - The Detergents (1965 - #19: parody of "The Leader of the Pack" by the Shangri-las; although JS played it the previous week, three listeners called in to request it)

Snoopy vs. The Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen (1967 - #2: the first of several Snoopy-themed charting songs for the group)

Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight? - Lonnie Donegan (1961 - #5: biggest US hit for the skiffle artist; Bruce Springsteen has called the song one of his childhood favorites)


Saturday Morning Confusion - Bobby Russell (1971 - #28: Russell also wrote "Honey", "Little Green Apples', and "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia")

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

Trivia answers:  Allan Sherman; "Dance of the Hours"; Ponchielli - Congratulations to Donna of Ithaca!

Glossary of Terms:

dnc = did not chart

nr = not released as a single at the time

AC = Billboard’s chart for “Adult Contemporary” records

BB = Billboard Magazine, which publishes the Hot 100 chart (previously known as the Top 100), along with several other charts

Bubbling Under = songs that were ranked but fell below the top 100

C&W = Billboard’s chart for “Country & Western” records

R&B = Billboard’s chart for “Rhythm & Blues” records

RRHOF = Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

RS500 = Rolling Stone Magazine’s ranked list of the top 500 singles of all-time

Host This Week:  JH (again!)  Tune in to hear great oldies!

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